Apple versus Samsung is a story as old as time.
All products featured here are independently selected by our editors and writers. If you buy something through links on our site, Gizmodo may earn an affiliate commission., and as usual, each pair has a few differences.
If you’re steadfast to your ecosystem, the choice is easy—you just choose whichever wireless earbuds come from a company that starts with an “S” or an “A.” But if you’re more agnostic, there are key areas to consider before pulling the trigger.For most people, sound is likely the most important part of any pair of wireless earbuds, despite all the other features that they come with. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro sound fantastic—maybe some of theLikewise, Senior Editor, Consumer Tech, Raymond Wong reviewed the AirPods Pro 3 last year and lauded the wireless earbuds for having terrific sound, even if it wasn’t much of an improvement over the. While the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have a “super wide” woofer and a 5mm planar tweeter, the AirPods Pro 3 have a 10.77mm “high-excursion” driver and a “high dynamic range amplifier.” Notably, there are also differences in each ecosystem when it comes to hi-fi audio. Each company has its own proprietary codec for hi-res streaming that makes the sound inherently better if you’re using a phone and earbuds pair that match. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, for example, can take advantage of Samsung Seamless Codec , which doesn’t compress audio like standard Bluetooth, while AirPods Pro 3 use Apple Lossless Audio Codec for higher fidelity. The end result is that you’re going to get more out of your Galaxy Buds 4 Pro if you’re using a Galaxy phone and vice versa with Apple’s hardware. While the use of a woofer might give the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro a slight edge with low-end noise, ultimately, this category could be a bit of a toss-up.Both AirPods Pro 3 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro typically get high marks in the active noise cancellation department, and this generation is no different. I was impressed with how much noise the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro canceled out in different environments—at home and on the loud New York subway. Likewise, Raymond noted that the AirPods Pro 3 have noticeably better ANC thanANC, meaning they can adjust the level of noise cancellation for your specific environment by using the on-earbud microphones to listen in. Neither Samsung nor Apple lists specific numbers in decibels for how much unwanted noise ANC blocks, but it’s safe to say both are formidable. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro definitely don’t beat my favorite ANC buds, the), and the AirPods Pro 3 don’t either, but in the ANC wars, we may have another draw. Either pair of wireless earbuds should satisfy most people looking to cancel out unwanted noise on their morning commute.The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro changed up the look this year, getting rid of the angular blade and opting for flat stems, and a bubble case that opens up flat. I personally love the metal accents on the outside of the wireless earbuds, both because they make them feel premium and because they differentiate them from AirPods, unlike years past. Say what you will about AirPods Pro 3—the look is iconic—but I find the minimalism a little boring, and Apple certainly hasn’t done much to refresh the design language throughout the years. If you like the classic AirPods look, though, there’s nothing to be mad about with the AirPods Pro 3. Design-wise, both pairs of wireless earbuds paid special attention to comfort. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro feel great in my ears, sliding in easily and creating a tight seal for ANC. The AirPods Pro 3, on the other hand, are also redesigned slightly and come with new foam tips meant to block out more noise. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are both comfortable and look just a little more daring. For that, I’m giving Samsung the point here.Sound and ANC might be too close to call, but features are where things get interesting. While the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro focus more on sound and ANC, making more fundamental improvements generation over generation, the AirPods Pro 3 take a few more risks. One of the biggest differences between AirPods Pro 3 and other wireless earbuds on the market is their ability to monitor your heart rate. It doesn’t seem like much, but it makes Apple’s part wireless earbuds and part health wearable. Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, on the other hand, have no such feature. Both pairs of wireless earbuds do have live translation features and adaptive EQ to adjust frequencies depending on your environment or the fit of the earbuds, as well as their own ecosystem-specific hi-fi codec for better-than-Bluetooth streaming. It’s a narrow win, but AirPods Pro 3 get the nod here for its health features, and even if lots of people might not take advantage of heart rate monitoring, it’s still nice to have. Samsung has just a little bit of catching up to do.This category is pretty cut and dry. While I love the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro’s sound for music, they don’t push any boundaries on battery life. If ANC is enabled, you’ll get about six hours on a single charge. Compare that to AirPods Pro 3, which are rated for about eight hours on a single charge with ANC enabled, and this is an easy pick. Battery life isn’t everything, but if you’re using your wireless earbuds on a plane or in other scenarios where longevity matters, that extra juice might be extra nice to have. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have a slight edge in the charging case battery, with 26 hours of total ANC playtime compared to the 24 hours of total playtime in the AirPods Pro 3 case, but earbud battery life is always more important in my opinion. The point here goes to Apple.Believe it or not, we may have another tie. Both pairs of wireless earbuds are priced at $249, which, based on sound quality, features, and overall performance, seems like a reasonable price. Sure, you can get cheaper wireless earbuds, but you’re not guaranteed to get this many features and continued support with future updates.Which pair is right for you will depend largely on your ecosystem—Android or Apple—but both have great sound, good ANC, and are feature-rich. Since they’re being offered at the same price point, it makes deciding a winner even harder. For now, I’m going to have to call this one a tie, but if you’re interested in the future of wireless earbuds functioning as health wearables, then Apple already has a head start.Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 Drops to Its Lowest Price as Galaxy S26 Launch Sparks Clearance of Last Year’s ModelsA Low-Cost MacBook Could Resemble a Chromebook in More Ways Than OneLive Updates From Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026 🔴 Follow along with the Gizmodo crew as we cover all the new devices Samsung announces at its Galaxy S26 Unpacked event.
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