Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 vs. Pro vs. Plus vs. Live: Which is the Best Option?
Samsung isn't a name you immediately associate with headphones, but in recent years, thanks to Samsung's work with AKG, its Galaxy Buds headphones becoming increasing popular. There are four Galaxy Buds models out there by now, including Samsung Galaxy Buds 2, Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy Buds Plus and Galaxy Buds Live. They are all made to be durable, water-resistant and to provide a comfortable fit, but they also have some key differences — some have active noise cancellation (ANC), while others don’t. In addition, only certain Buds work well with an iPhone. So which one is the best option for you? In this guide, I am going to present a head-to-head comparison between them to help you finalize your decision as per your requirements.Let's get to it.
Overview of Samsung Galaxy Buds 2, Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy Buds Plus and Galaxy Buds Live
| #1 Samsung Galaxy Buds2 True Wireless Earbud Headphones
Google Users Rating: 4.5/5
Samsung: $129.99 (up to 2% cashback)
Bestbuy: $129.99 (up to 0.5% cashback)
If you like online shopping, don't forget to sign up at Extrabux!(What is Extrabux), then you can enjoy up to 30+% cashback on your purchase from Extrabux! Sign-Up Bonus: Free to join it & get a $20 welcome bonus!
Galaxy Buds2 opens a new world of sound with well-balanced audio, lightweight comfort fit, Active Noise Cancellation, and seamless connectivity to your phone and watch. With three sizes of soft, flexible silicon tips you can find a custom fit to get the best ANC experience possible. You can find your fit with the “Earbud fit test” menu in the Galaxy Wearable app. You can enjoy booming bass and crystal clear treble through two-way dynamic speakers.Galaxy Buds2 gives you well-balanced sound quality that makes you feel like you're on stage with your favorite band. With three microphones, a curved design to cut down on wind noise, and a machine-learning based solution to filter unwanted sound, Galaxy Buds2 is designed to deliver — and send — every word crisply and clearly, whether you're chatting with a friend or leading a high-stakes conference call.
Two microphones detect ambient noise while Active Noise Cancellation blocks unwanted sound to keep you fully immersed in your music, games, audiobooks, and your favorite podcasts. Ambient modes allow the world back in without having to remove the earbuds. On a full charge the Galaxy Buds2 provide up to 5 hours of battery life with ANC on, and up to 7.5 hours with ANC off. The included charging case has enough power for 15 additional hours of life with ANC turned on. To recharge your Galaxy Buds2, simply place them inside the case and close it. As for colors, white, graphite, olive and lavender round out your choices. What's more, the Galaxy Buds2 can connect to three different compatible devices, seamlessly switching between them as needed.
PROS | CONS |
Lightweight design | No iOS app support |
Clean sound with great bass | Not compatible with Samsung 360 Audio |
Effective ANC | Only IPX2 rated |
Adjustable ambient sound mode | Mediocre battery life |
Nice color options | |
Useful Galaxy-specifc features | |
Well-executed touch controls | |
In-app ear tip fit test |
| #2 Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro Noise-Canceling True Wireless In-Ear Headphones
Google Users Rating: 4.2/5
Samsung: $179.99 (up to 2% cashback)
B & H Photo: $177.99 (up to 1.5% cashback)
The Galaxy Buds Pro are the best Samsung earbuds overall because they offer the most features of any model. Music that's engineered to sound great, thanks to two-way drivers by AKG. An 11mm woofer and 6.5mm tweeter in each earbud combines high- and low-end tones for a more accurate and dynamic soundstage. With Dolby Head Tracking technology, experience 360 Audio so engaging that you'll feel like you're in the middle of your favorite video, movie or TV show. The buds' intelligent motion-tracking sensor pinpoints the direction of the sound as you move your head, enabling a powerful sense of realism. Plus with Dolby Atmos, you can hear every detail with greater clarity.
The Galaxy Buds Pro features intelligent active noise cancellation, with an outer mic to take in and filter out ambient sounds, and an inner mic to filter out noise inside your ear. Ambient sound lets in the sounds that matter most. Galaxy Buds Pro come with four Ambient Mode levels to hear what you need to hear, without closing out the world. With IPX7 water resistance, you don't have to worry about them getting wet or sweaty either. They can handle being submerged in up to 3' of water for up to 30 minutes. Based on whether ANC or Bixby voice wake-up features are on or off, the overall combined battery life can vary between 16 to 28 hours.Galaxy Buds Pro is available in three stylish colors.You can choose between timeless black, vibrant violet or stunning silver.
PROS | CONS |
Appealing design and comfort fit | Battery life takes a big drop over Buds+ |
Best sound quality yet for Samsung earbuds | No more software support on iPhones |
Voice detect feature is super convenient | Touch controls are still very unreliable |
Spatial 360 Audio | 360 Audio virtual surround only works with new S21 models |
Useful features and customization options | |
IPX7 rating makes them great workout headphones | |
Improved mic performance | |
Great noise-cancelling and adjustable ambient sound mode | |
Wireless charging |
| #3 Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus True Wireless Earbuds
Google Users Rating: 4.4/5
Walmart: $119.99 (up to 4% cashback)
The Galaxy Buds+ True Wireless In-Ear Headphones from Samsung are designed to provide a premium mobile audio experience. Starting with your favorite music, audiobooks, or podcasts, the Galaxy Buds+ are engineered with technology from AKG, incorporating a woofer and tweeter in each bud to help elevate audio fidelity. Galaxy Buds+'s customizable fit tunes out unwanted noises, while Ambient Aware lets you filter-in important sounds from the outside world, like flight announcements, oncoming traffic or your order number.Hands-free call clarity is assisted with 2 outer mics and 1 inner mic, which combine to accurately pick up your voice and isolate it from ambient noises.
The Galaxy Wearable app supports all the available features, including the EQ presets and Ambient mode. With Galaxy Buds+, you can seamless switch between two devices lets you do things, such as take a call while listening to music on your tablet.There are three adjustable eartip and ear wing sizes are included to help provide you with a more customized and comfortable fit. The Galaxy Buds+ can provide you with up to 11 hours of non-stop audio on a full charge. Then pop your Galaxy Buds+ in the wireless case and get nearly 11 more. A three-minute charge gives you one hour of juice to power through a workout.
PROS | CONS |
Comfortable, lightweight fit | No active noise cancellation |
Impressive overall sound | Only IPX2 water-resistance |
Improved call quality | Finicky touch controls |
Ambient Aware works well | |
New iOS app for Apple users | |
Boosted battery life (11 hours) | |
Qi Wireless charging |
| #4 Samsung Galaxy Buds Live True Wireless Earbud Headphones
Google Users Rating: 4.3/5
Samsung: $149.99 (up to 2% cashback)
Newegg: $159(up to 2% cashback)
Engineered for all day comfort and clear audio without distractions, the Galaxy Buds Live Noise-Canceling True Wireless Earbud Headphones from Samsung feature an eartip-less design.Adjustable wing tips and the ergonomic shape of each earbud are made to fit comfortably and securely within the folds of your ears, without the need for an invasive in-ear plug. 2mm speakers with sound by AKG work together with Galaxy Buds Live's ergonomic design to deliver spacious sound, while the large driver and bass duct help emit deep bass with air flow that lets sound flow seamlessly.
The Galaxy Buds Live feature active noise canceling, but it's mild compared to the noise canceling in earbuds that have a noise-isolating design. When you need to interact with others or with the environment around you, simply engage the earbuds' Ambient Aware feature to let some of the world back in. The Galaxy Buds Live also support the Bixby digital assistant, you can use voice commands to control your mobile device and get information. For example, you can use your voice to wakeup Bixby and have it adjust the volume of your music, make a call, or tell you the weather forecast.Battery life isn't bad, on a full charge, the Buds Live provide up to 8 hours of listening (ANC on and Bixby voice wakeup off), and the case can provide an additional 21 hours of power. With just 5 minutes of charging inside the case, you can enjoy up to 1 hour of playback.
PROS | CONS |
Unique, eye-catching design | ANC isn't the best out there |
Comfortable ergonomic fit | Certain features exclusive to Samsung phones |
Impressive sound quality and bass | Only IPX2 rated |
Good active noise cancellation | |
Customizable touch controls | |
Supports Qi wireless charging | |
Extremely useful companion app | |
iOS compatibility |
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 vs. Pro vs. Plus vs. Lives Side by Side Comparison
Galaxy Buds 2 | Galaxy Buds Pro | Galaxy Buds+ | Galaxy Live | |
Colors | Olive, Lavender, Graphite, White | Phantom Violet, Phantom Black, Phantom Silver | White, Black, Red, Blue, Cloud Blue | Mystic White, Mystic Black, Mystic Copper, Mystic Red, Mystic Blue |
Case size | 1.9 x 2.0 x 1.09 inches | 2 x 2 x 1.1 inches | 0.7 x 0.9 x 0.8 inches | 2 x 2 x 1.1 inches |
Earbud size | Not stated | 0.8 x 0.8 x 0.8 inches | 0.7 x 0.9 x 0.8 inches | 0.6 x 1 x 0.6 inches |
Weight | Not stated | 0.2 ounces (earbuds); 1.6 ounces (case) | 0.2 ounces (earbuds); 1.4 ounces (case) | 0.2 ounces (earbuds); 1.4 ounces (case) |
Water resistance | IPX2 | IPX7 | IPX2 | IPX2 |
Bud battery life | 5 hours | 8 hours | 11 hours | 5.5 hours |
Charging case battery life | 20–29 hours (w/ or w/out ANC) | 18 hours (28 without ANC) | 22 hours | 20–29 hours (w/ or w/out ANC) |
Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.2 | Bluetooth 5.1 | Bluetooth 5.0 | Bluetooth 5.0 |
Digital assistant support | Bixby, Google Assistant, Siri | Bixby, Google Assistant, Siri | Bixby, Google Assistant, Siri | Bixby, Google Assistant, Siri |
Supported audio codecs | SBC, AAC, Scalable | SBC, AAC, Scalable | SBC, AAC, Scalable | SBC, AAC |
Speaker size | 11.5mm drivers | 13mm drivers | 6 mm drivers | 12mm driver |
Active noise cancelation | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Bottom Line
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 vs. Pro vs. Plus vs. Live: Which is the Best Option?
The Galaxy Buds+ are technically being replaced by the Galaxy Buds 2 in Samsung’s current lineup, although they don't have active noise cancelation feature, but they also sound good and very comfortable. In addition, the Galaxy Buds+ have a distinct advantage that even its more advanced successors don’t: exceptional battery life. What's more, unlike Samsung’s more recent Galaxy Buds, the Galaxy Buds+ have full app support on both iOS (via the Galaxy Buds app) and Android (via the Galaxy Wearable app). So the Galaxy Buds Plus are still great earbuds for the money, definitely worth checking out.
The Galaxy Buds 2 is samsung's latest wireless earbuds model packs an impressive level of functionality in a small footprint and offers that at an incredible price. It features active noise cancelation that the Galaxy Buds+ lack. In addition, the Galaxy Buds 2 stand the rest in the design department. These ovular earbuds are the perfect mix of stylish and subtle, with a rounded design that’s slimmer than the Buds Pro and less conspicuous than the bean-shaped Buds Live. It is ideal for Android users who want the best-looking and most comfortable earbuds Samsung has to offer — complete with some light active noise-cancelling — for a reasonable price.
If you want the best true wireless earbuds, the Galaxy Buds Pro are your best choice.No matter what kind of music you listen to - from modern hip-hop beats to classical Cello concerts, the Buds Pro don’t disappoint. In addition, their Active Noise Cancelation is also top-notch, and there are other bells and whistles such as touch navigation, IPX7 water resistance, QI wireless charging, and more. But pay attention, like with the Galaxy Buds 2, the Buds Pro’s many useful software features are limited to the Android-only Galaxy Wearable app. You can still switch between ANC and Ambient Noise modes using on-ear controls when paired to an iPhone, but you won’t be able to customize the buds in any way.
The Buds Live are the best Galaxy Buds when it comes to comfort and fit. If you want something that blends naturally with your ears and doesn’t stick out much, the Buds Live model is the perfect “fit” for you. And like the Galaxy Buds+, the Galaxy Buds Live can be used with a companion app on both iPhones and Android devices, allowing you to fine-tune how your music sounds via an equalizer, customize the controls and toggle ANC. But the ANC on the Galaxy Buds Live is barely noticeable, and there’s no Ambient Noise feature like on the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 and Galaxy Buds Pro.
Extrabux is an international cashback shopping site, offering up to 30% cashback from 10,000+ Stores!
Microsoft, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Alienware, Acer, Asus, Samsung, BestBuy, Walmart, Staples, Overstock, QVC, New Egg, Office Depot, eBay, etc.
Join to get $20 welcome bonus now! (How does Welcome Bonus work?)
Recommendation
-
Is Turkish Airlines Good for International Flights?
-
10 Best & Stylish Winter Coats for Women on NET-A-PORTER in 2024
-
Top & Best 12 Sneaker Apps/Websites for Raffles, Releases & Restocks in 2024
-
7 Best Gift Card Exchange Sites - Buy, Sell and Trade Discount Gift Card Safely and Instanly!
-
Top 9 Professional Skincare Brands for Licensed Estheticians 2024