AirPods Pro 2 vs Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: Apple vs Samsung heats up in the audio space

Apple and Samsung are the two largest smartphone makers in the world, and in major markets like the US, Canada, and South Korea, they’re almost the two default smartphone options. So it’s natural for consumers and us in tech media to compare products from these two brands. The battle has now carried over the wireless earbuds space. Yes, both Apple and Samsung have been releasing wireless buds for years, but this is the first time the brands each released a top-tier set of earbuds within a month apart, in the form of the AirPods Pro 2 and the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro respectively.

The good news for fans of each brand is that both earbuds are excellent, and this is one of the closest comparisons I’ve ever had to make. Usually, I’m quite opinionated with my reviews and I don’t shy away from declaring a clear winner. But this one truly may come down to simply which phone ecosystem you’re using. And even then, I find the notion that AirPods and Galaxy Buds should only be used for iOS or Android respectively to be a bit overblown. I’ve been using AirPods Max daily for the past year and a half, and I carry an Android phone much more often than I do an iPhone. Likewise, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro has been working fine throughout my two weeks of reviewing the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Apple AirPods Pro 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: Specifications

About this review: Apple Hong Kong and Samsung Hong Kong provided me with a pair of second-gen AirPods Pro and Galaxy Buds 2 Pro respectively. Neither brand had any input in this article.

Apple AirPods Pro 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: Design and Hardware

While Apple’s second-generation AirPods Pro and the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro couldn’t look more different from each other, there are a lot of similarities elsewhere. Both are priced in the same range, with Samsung’s Buds being $20 cheaper at $229 compared to the AirPods Pro’s $249.

Both offer Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, weigh about the same at a little more than 5gram per bud, and both pump out superb audio with excellent Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode.

The AirPods Pro 2 (left) and the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro.

In terms of looks, the second-gen AirPods Pro look almost identical to the original AirPods, with the only noticeable differences being a lanyard clip on the right-side of the case, and a small speaker hole at the bottom. This latter part allows the case to make beeping sounds, which can be useful if you’ve misplaced the case somewhere around the house.

There are internal improvements all around: while AirPods Pro’s 11mm driver inside each bud remains the same, Apple has redesigned the position of the drivers, which along with the new H2 chip, allows the AirPods to pump up noticeably fuller, richer audio compared to the first AirPods Pro. The new chip also improved active noise cancellation and transparency mode. Battery life is also longer, with the AirPods Pro able to go six hours on a single charge, if you turn on spatial audio with head tracking, then expect around four and half hours. The case adds another five full charges, and it can be charged via typical Qi wireless chargers, Apple Watch chargers, iPhone MagSafe chargers, or the outdated Lightning port.

The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, meanwhile, also got internal improvements of course, but Samsung gave the buds a new look, with livelier colors and a matte coating. I’m a fan of the latter because it doesn’t attract fingerprints and smudges as much as the glossy finish on the AirPods Pro. I also think the AirPods Pro coming only in white is a bit boring.

The Buds 2 Pro has a 10mm driver fine-tuned by audio brand AKG, and it offers five hours of playback on a single charge with ANC and six hours without ANC.

AirPods Pro, like the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, have removable silicon tips.

In terms of fit and comfort, both fit in my ear comfortably thanks to the removable silicon tip. Apple does give you four sizes of silicon tips compared to Samsung’s three, so the AirPods Pro could fit a wider range of ear sizes.

The AirPods Pro obviously, have these stems that stick out of your ear, and I have never been a big fan of this look. Personally, I prefer how the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro look in my ear as they’re more discreet. However, the stems do make the buds easier to take in and out of my ear, because there’s something to hold onto. The stems also offer more room for controls. Like before, you can control audio playback by tapping or long pressing on this indented groove in the stems, but this new version adds support for sliding action, which controls volume.

On the Buds 2 Pro, you have to tap on the actual back of the buds, which is a bit more awkward to do because you’re pressing against your ear, and there’s only support for taps and long press, not sliding movements. But you can still adjust volume with specific actions that you can customize in the Galaxy Wearable app.

Apple AirPods Pro 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: Setup and Software

Both earbuds are designed to pair with their respective brands’ phones very easily. The first time I opened the AirPods Pro lid, a graphic popped up on my iPhone 14 Pro Max asking if I want to pair the AirPods Pro. The same process happens on my Galaxy Z Fold 4 when I opened the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro lid for the first time. If you’re pairing with another brand’s phone, like say a Xiaomi, you’ll have to manually jump to the phone’s settings and pair.

To fully take advantage of the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, you’re advised to download and install the Galaxy Wearable app which offers more precision control over sound output (like EQ and volume) and assign specific actions to tap actions. For example, by default, you can’t adjust volume directly on the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, you have to assign that setting in the Galaxy Wearable app.

The AirPods Pro are a lot more seamless in this regard — there’s nothing to download. Once paired, your iPhone’s setting will show a new panel for AirPods controls. Just like the Galaxy Wearable app, within AirPods settings, you can reassign what the AirPods do when double-tapped or long-pressed. To be honest, Apple has designed it so you can use the AirPods without ever feeling the need to jump into settings.

Yes, they can work with each other’s phones

As I said, I’ve used AirPods Max with Android phones for most of 2021, and I used the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro with an iPhone 14 Pro Max for a few days too. With both buds, you have to manually pair if you’re cross-platforming. You won’t get any granular controls with either buds, as an Android phone obviously won’t show an AirPods settings panel, and there is no Galaxy Wearable app in iOS.

But audio quality sounded fine to my ears, even if the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro can supposedly pump out higher fidelity 24-bit audio if you’re using a Galaxy phone running OneUI 4.1 or later and streaming from a service that supports 24-bit audio. Honestly, I can’t say Spotify streams sounded better on AirPods when paired with an iPhone over a Samsung phone, and the same for the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro.

You do lose out on some specific features when using the earbuds with another brand’s device — you don’t get Spatial Audio, or the ability to access either Siri or Google Assistant. I know some may argue that these are dealbreakers, and fair enough. Some people may need to use Siri all the time. But for me, they’re not big enough losses that I avoid cross-pairing. As I said, I use an AirPods Max with an Android device often. I care most about audio and ANC quality and both sets deliver.

Apple AirPods Pro 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: Sound and Special Features

When I reviewed the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro a few weeks ago, I said its audio quality pumped out by its 10mm AKG-tuned drivers easily trump the audio quality of the original 2019 AirPods Pro. Well, the second-gen AirPods Pro responds in a convincing fashion.

To my ears, the audio output is top-notch in both earbuds. I think the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro still has a fuller bass with more kick, but the AirPods Pro seems better tuned for human voices, which is particularly noticeable when I listen to nasal podcasters (Bill Simmons). Voices sound a bit more “real” and less digitalized on the AirPods Pro 2 than on Samsung’s buds. But then when I’m listening to classic hip hop like A Tribe Called Quest, I prefer Samsung’s sound.

Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) works amazingly on both. I live in one of the noisiest cities on earth, and these buds do a great job of blocking out the noise around me. In terms of purely blocking out unwanted noise, I’d say these are a virtual tie to my ears, but I do want to give extra points to Apple because the AirPods Pro will transition from transparency to ANC mode (or vice versa) gradually, with ambient noise fading in/out. On the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, it’s abrupt like a flipping switch — sound will suddenly cut off or come back in.

I also think the AirPods Pro’s transparency mode is a bit more natural sounding than the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro’s. The former really feels like I’m not wearing anything and just hearing things normally. But Samsung comes back with an intelligent feature that I like a lot: Conversation Mode. Essentially, Samsung’s buds will automatically lower audio volume and switch to transparency mode anytime it detects my voice. The idea is that I can wear the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro with ANC on, but I can start a conversation without needing to manually switch over to transparency mode. This feature can be turned off for those who don’t like or need it. But it’s been very useful for me.

Voice Assistant

The AirPods Pro works with Siri, obviously, while the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro can connect to either Bixby (default) or Google Assistant. Both earbuds can read incoming text messages aloud to me, but only the AirPods Pro allows me to respond via voice dictation.

Microphones

Both sets of earbuds have three microphones on each bud and in test calls, the other party said they could hear me easily. The other party did mention that I sounded a bit more distant on the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, likely because the AirPods Pro has stems that get a few inches closer to my mouth.

Water resistance

Finally, if you are someone who’s around water, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro is rated IPX7 while the AirPods Pro is rated IPX4, meaning Samsung’s buds can be fully submerged in water for short periods, while the AirPods Pro can only withstand splashes of water.

Apple AirPods Pro 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: Which one should you buy?

Personally, I like the Galaxy Buds’ look better, but the AirPods are easier to handle. I think the Galaxy Buds produce slightly richer music playback, but AirPods are better at playing podcasts. I think the AirPods Pro has a better transparency mode, but I like that the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro can automatically switch to it.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter that I don’t have a clear winner, because these products cater to two separate groups of people. For iPhone users, if budget allows, they will almost always choose the AirPods and it makes sense to do so if you want to enjoy the ecosystem synergy. To a lesser extent, Samsung or Android users will probably buy something other than AirPods since the AirPods have never really been considered a value purchase. So these two earbuds don’t seem to be going after each other’s intended customer base.

So what you should pick up depends on which camp you are on, even though cross-use is possible and feasible: Apple users should stick to the AirPods Pro 2, while Android and Samsung users should stick to the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro.