6 Reasons Why AirPods Still Beat Samsung Galaxy Buds
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Apple and Samsung have always been close rivals. The two companies seem locked in an ongoing struggle to outdo each other. Beyond their handsets, that struggle shows in the showdown between AirPods and Galaxy Buds.
Both wireless headphones offer comparable audio quality, convenience and other features. But despite some outlets crowning the Galaxy Buds the better earphones, there are still plenty of reasons why you may want to choose AirPods. Here are just a few. Continue reading to learn 6 Reasons Why AirPods Still Beat Samsung Galaxy Buds.
Battery Life
On paper, Galaxy Buds and AirPods have roughly similar battery lives. Apple estimates AirPods to have about 5 hours of battery life, with an additional 3 hours of listening time after 15 minutes in the case. Samsung says Galaxy Buds get around 6 hours of battery life, while the charging case will only add about 1.7 hours after 15 minutes of charging.
But Galaxy Buds actually have a widespread problem when it comes to battery life. According to numerous user reports, the charging case will feature significant battery drain even when idle. When one user went to Samsung and asked for help, the employee advised them that they’d be better off buying a new pair.
Seamless Integration
Apple products are tightly integrated with other Apple products — it’s one of the key advantages of the company’s ecosystem. And nowhere is that integration more apparent than using a pair of H1 chip-equipped AirPods with an iPhone.
AirPods work seamlessly with iOS. To connect the two devices together, all you need to do is bring them within close proximity of each other. Reconnecting AirPods and switching between devices is also effortless. Galaxy Buds offer similar pairing with other Samsung devices, but if you’re an iPhone user, AirPods are likely the absolute best solution for you.
Fit and Feel
While fit and feel are mostly subjective, many users find AirPods much more comfortable than Galaxy Buds. While the Galaxy Buds feature a tighter or snugger fit in the ear, some users report that they can get uncomfortable and sometimes have a habit of falling out during workouts or other forms of activity.
AirPods, for their part, aren’t as prone to falling out of an ear as they might seem. More than that, most users think AirPods are so light that they can barely be felt in an ear (and they don’t out as much pressure on your ears as the Galaxy Buds’ tighter seal). All in all, it makes for one extremely comfortable wearing experience, especially for extended wear.
Call Quality
One of the biggest complaints about Galaxy Buds is disappointing audio quality for phone calls. According to user reports, a user’s voice will often come across muddled or straight up unintelligible to a person on the receiving end. The only way to mitigate this is to talk in a dead silent room.
According to the same users who’ve had Galaxy Buds, AirPods feature crystal clear audio quality even in noisy or loud situations. A combination of dual mics and Apple’s H1 chip cuts down on background noise and makes it possible for your voice to be heard in a variety of environments.
Hands-Free 'Hey Siri’
You don’t always have a spare hand to tap on a control. That’s why Apple’s H1 chip takes AirPods to another level of convenience. Along with a boost to wireless performance and connection speed, the new generation of AirPods supports hand-free activation of Apple’s digital assistant.
All you need to do is say ‘Hey Siri’ while wearing AirPods to invoke the digital assistant. AirPods will recognize the command even if you’re in a noisy environment. By contrast, Galaxy Buds don’t support hands-free activation of either Bixby or Google Assistant — you’ll need to tap on the side of the earphones themselves to activate the assistant.
Sound Balance
When it comes to audio quality, it’s definitely a tossup between Galaxy Buds and AirPods. Many reviewers find Galaxy Buds to have deep bass and overall better quality than AirPods, likely due to their superior noise isolation. Other outlets, on the other hand, have said that the audio quality is just about “average.”
AirPods, for their part, have been called some of the best sounding wireless earphones, even though they don’t isolate any noise. If you’re a fan of neutral and balanced audio, you may also want to opt for AirPods. According to some audiophile reviewers, they have much more natural sound quality.