Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Apple AirPods Pro 2: which wireless earbuds are better?

Apple's AirPods Pro 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are not only their respective brands' flagship wireless earbuds, they're also the trailblazing flagbearers for the two rival companies. The AirPods Pro 2 pulled the in-ear AirPods line out of mediocrity and into genuine sonic competition with the market's best performers, whereas the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are the closest we've seen to Samsung making a pair of wireless buds that have the sonic capabilities to make the class-leaders sweat. 

Both are strong efforts from their respective creators, even if they're designed for completely different platforms and are intended to be used to their full potential within their own ecosystems: AirPods for Apple/iOS users and Galaxy Buds for Samsung/Android disciples.  

Let's be clear, then, that these are two contenders running in parallel to one another rather than in direct competition. This isn't a case of assessing which set of earbuds is perfect for all users, but rather one of figuring out which pair performs objectively better within its respective ecosystem. 

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Apple AirPods Pro 2: price

Priced at £219 / $249 / AU$399, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are Samsung's most premium wireless earbuds. The AirPods Pro 2 are also the most costly in-ear headphones Apple makes, and while we tested them at £249 / $249 / AU$399, discounts are pulling that figure down to roughly £199 / $190 / AU$330 at the time of writing.

For wider context, those numbers place our competitors in the same ballpark as the Award-winning Sony WF-1000XM5 (tested at £259 / $299 / AU$419) and, when discounted, the high-priced Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (tested at £299 / $299 / AU$450) which often falls to £219 / $249 / AU$400.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Apple AirPods Pro 2: design

Here's a surprise: the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and the Apple AirPods Pro 2 look strikingly similar, at least at a glance. Samsung dropped the rounded bean configuration of its outgoing Galaxy Buds 2 Pro buds in favour of a stem and ear tip construction for its third-gen flagship model, leading to a design that, when finished in white, looks unavoidably like something fresh from the Apple production line. 

There are some key differences, of course. Whereas the AirPods Pro 2 offer a shorter, rounded stem, their Galaxy contemporaries opt for a prism-shaped design with more angularity and edge. The Samsung buds also make a big deal of their vertically placed 'Blade Lights' on the spine of each unit which indicate key vitals such as battery life and connectivity status. 

The similarities continue with the charging cases, with both models offering a pebble-like design with a USB-C charging port. The transparent lid of the Samsung is a nice touch to differentiate it from its Apple-made rival, but in truth, we prefer the weight, solidity and general build quality of the AirPods case over the Galaxy one. Samsung's effort isn't bad, it just feels a little cheap in our hands.

Each set of wireless earbuds sports on-ear touch controls customisable via their respective apps. As standard, the AirPods Pro 2 offer a pinch-based system to pause music playback and take calls, while long pressing switches between noise-cancelling modes. The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro employ a similar system, allowing you to perform actions such as summoning your voice assistant, controlling the buds' volume and adjusting playback via a series of squeezes and swipes. They'll take some getting used to, but once you become acquainted with the system it works well enough.

Not much to choose between the two, then, though we did find that the AirPods Pro 2 were a little more adept at providing a good seal and then sitting snugly and comfortably in our ears. The Samsungs do boast a higher IP57 water and dustproof rating over the Pro 2's IPX4 certification, but on balance, it's the AirPods Pro 2 that are the better-designed pair overall.

*Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 2*

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Apple AirPods Pro 2: features

Before we get started, do note that many of the features listed below will only be accessible or customisable using each respective set's proprietary app or platform. The AirPods Pro 2's full set of features are available when connected to iPhones and iPads, naturally, while there's no app support at all for the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro for iOS devices. If you want full use of their features, you'll need the Android Wearables app which, sadly, isn't accessible for iPhone users. 

The thing that really distinguished the Pro 2 model from the 'standard' AirPods, besides greatly improved sound, was active noise cancellation. Thanks to the buds' high-performance H2 chip and optimised placement of acoustic vents and microphones, the noise-cancelling experienced here remains close to class-leading. It's not quite as good as the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Ultra, but better than the solid effort deployed by the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.  

The AirPods Pro 2's noise cancelling is impressive at this level, feeling airy, organically adaptive and effective at blocking out surrounding noise and even damping down harsher edges of sudden noise. The "AI-boosted" effort for the rival Samsung earbuds is solid, damping down the clamour of the outside world effectively but allowing harsher noise occasionally to get through. If you want the legwork taken out of your ANC experience, you can opt to use Samsung’s “Adaptive” sound mode, which monitors the environment and then automatically adjusts the amount of noise-cancelling to employ modes when certain noises are detected – similar to Apple's Adaptive Audio ANC mode.

Battery life for the AirPods Pro 2 is solid, with six hours from the buds and 24 from the case, a total of 30 hours with noise cancelling activated. If you’re running low on juice, quickly pop your pods into the charging case for five minutes and you'll get a whole hour of extra life. Battery life figures for the rival Samsungs are equally strong, clocking in at seven hours from the buds and a total of 30 with the charging case, broadly matching the figures put up by the AirPods Pro 2.

Voice calls are more impressively handled by the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, and if you’re planning on using them for work, an extra 15kHz of bandwidth from the outgoing model plus advanced voice-tracking AI algorithms help you sound solid, clear, natural and robust. It's a similar story with the Pro 2, in fairness, although Apple's effort is perhaps a little thinner and leaner than that offered by Samsung.

Both earbuds sport expected flagship features like wear detection, conversation modes, spatial audio and seamless pairing and switching between devices.

*Winner: Tie*

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Apple AirPods Pro 2: sound 

As we've written many times before, the AirPods Pro 2 were the buds that really cracked the code for Apple. As we wrote in our review at the time: "From the gravelly, soulful tones of Tom Waits to the more languid tone of Wet Leg’s vocals, the AirPods Pro are solid, focused and crystal clear with voices". They're impressively comprehensive, nailing the basics before adding those extra layers and elements that make for an invigorating, five-star experience.

The second-gen AirPods offer the sonic confidence that's always felt lacking in previous iterations, as though they have the guts and drive to mix it with the best. They're plenty of space and airiness to their general presentation, but it's blended with the muscle and assertiveness that your music needs to feel as though it's being driven along with purpose and authority. 

It's worth reiterating that the AirPods Pro 2 offer no support for high-res or higher-quality codecs, something that's always felt at odds with the 24-bit high-res audio tracks available in Apple Music’s extensive collection. These AirPods use the basic AAC Bluetooth codec, and while that's not much to shout about on paper, the bods at Apple don't feel that fancier codecs are needed for producing a better sound. From our experience, they may be right, as the second-gen Pro offer an experience that melds detail and insight with robustness and weight, a combination that leads to a dynamic, ever-engaging delivery. 

How do the Samsung buds compare? All told, the outgoing Galaxy Buds 2 Pro were something of an unengaging, even bland pair of earbuds to listen to. The third-gen follow-up, though, are a different beast, nearly blasting our ears off with their powerful, front-footed character that strains and surges like a tethered dog trying to reach a juicy steak. A little on the lean side, we named "space, speed and spark" as the Buds 3 Pro's strengths, stressing that "songs are conveyed with attack and energy, with fast tunes especially benefitting from the buds’ sparky, relentless temperament". 

There's enough texture and nuance, though, to round out an undeniably engaging character. When paired with the right equipment (such as a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6) and fed a decent 24-bit hi-res file to get their teeth into, the Galaxy can really knock you sideways. Rocky guitar tracks sound layered and loaded with detail as the buds draw out the hues and shades of a piece rather than pumping out an unwieldy block of sound. Yes, we'd like more wallop to go with their skittish energy, something that the AirPods Pro 2 provide, but it's hard to be a stick in the mud when you're listening to earbuds that are so focused on having fun. 

Naturally, they're designed to be paired with the latest Galaxy devices, with Samsung's hi-res SSC UHQ codec for unpacking 24-bit/96kHz hi-res files only usable with the S24 and S23 smartphones, the latest generation of the Z Flip/ Fold lines and the Tab S9 tablet. If you use the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro with an iPhone (as we still consider iPhones to be a better-sounding source), you'll discover that they perform admirably during this rather mismatched union. The iPhone robs some of that space and openness from the Galaxy buds, but you'll find that songs now sound more solid and robust, like a car firming up its suspension when hunkering down for a session on the track. The essential character of the Samsungs remains, albeit with a slightly altered flavour.

However you use them, we're still not quite convinced that Samsung's effort betters that of Apple. The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are perfect for certain genres and have major appeal for lovers of excitement and energy, but Apple's second-gen buds are built to please as many people as possible, covering all of the bases without exposing any glaring weak spots. 

*Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 2*

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Apple AirPods Pro 2: verdict

For Apple users wanting wireless earbuds (as opposed to over-ear headphones), the AirPods Pro 2 would be our firm recommendation. For their five-star sonic delivery and smooth integration within the iOS setup, they're a pair of AirPods that you won't have to feel ashamed to be seen with – the Pro 2 are built for audio lovers as much as for Apple acolytes, meaning iOS users are getting the best of both worlds when they purchase a pair. 

The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are, of course, built for a completely different market and a totally distinct customer. Assessed in parallel, they don't quite beat the AirPods Pro 2 for sonic performance, but these are the best Samsung buds we've heard thus far. For possibly the first time ever, we can say that we wouldn’t dissuade users from grabbing Samsung's Galaxy Buds, and if you can live with their forward, relentless nature, you’ll find them to be a very likeable set of companions. 

MORE:

Read our Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review

And our AirPods Pro 2 review

Need something to pair with the Galaxy buds? Read our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review