Apple’s AirPods 3 have arrived, but how do they shape up compared to the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro?
The Apple AirPods 3 have finally arrived and the big question is, how do they compare with many of our favorite true wireless earbuds? We’re pitting them against the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro to find out which ones you should buy. The Apple AirPods 3 are the highly-anticipated follow-up to the 2019 Apple AirPods – not to be confused with the Apple AirPods Pro, which also launched in 2019. The Pro buds are more high spec with support for active noise cancellation – something the AirPods 3 don’t have. However, the Apple AirPods 3 are more affordable, and draw inspiration from the mass-appeal design of the original AirPods. During our testing, we were impressed with the immersive spatial audio on offer, comfortable fit, and ease of use, awarding them 4 out of 5 stars. Saying that, with no noise cancellation, no customizable eartips and a so-so battery life, they’re not the best true wireless earbuds you can buy – especially if you have an Android device. The Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro are among our top-rated true wireless earbud picks – bagging 4 out of 5 stars when we tested them. We liked the basic noise cancellation, audio performance and waterproofing, but they’re not perfect and much more likely to appeal to those with Samsung phones. So which model is better, the AirPods 3 or the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro? Does one pair of wireless earbuds outperform the other or is this a case of choosing your next buds based on your smartphone? Read on to find out. The Apple AirPods 3 cost $179 / £169 / AU$279. That price is cheaper than the AirPods Pro, which will set you back $249 / £249 / AU$399, although that’s to be expected given the Pro are the high-end option. The AirPods 3 are more similar in price to the 2019 AirPods, which cost $159 / £159 / AU$249 with the standard charging case, and $199 / £199 / AU$319 with the wireless charging case when they launched a couple of years ago (though they’ve since been given a permanent price cut). Although this price isn’t cheap, it matches up with many of the middle-grade to high-end true wireless earbuds you can buy today. And it’s good to see Apple has kept prices for the regular AirPods on a level that’s more affordable than the Pro. In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro cost $199 / £219 / AU$349. Although not quite as expensive as the higher-end options from the likes of Sony, Bose and Sennheiser, these are still a pricey pair of earbuds. If you’re looking for cheaper alternatives, you don’t have to look far: the Sony WF-SP800N and Jabra Elite 75t both offer active noise cancellation for $50 less if you don’t mind skipping out on the Samsung-specific features. Although the Apple AirPods 3 are cheaper, the question of which is better value will depend on what you’re looking for, as these two pairs of buds have different things to offer in terms of design, performance and additional features.
