Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.

Premium wireless earbuds are getting better every year, and while the AirPods Pro and Sony WF-series earbuds get a lot of attention, Samsung has its own high-end earbuds, and they're pretty impressive. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro cost the same as the AirPods Pro 3 and aim for a similar goal: being the best wireless earbuds for a particular set of customers. 

Also: I replaced my Sony WH-1000XM6 with the AirPods Max 2 for a week - and didn't miss a beat

Both sound great, both cancel noise well, and both pack in a growing list of features that stretch way beyond simply listening to music. They each have different strengths and weaknesses, though, so the "right" choice really depends on what you care about most. Here's how they compare.

Specifications

You should buy the Apple AirPods Pro 3 if...

1. You want the best noise cancellation

The AirPods Pro 3 deliver what might be the most complete noise cancellation package you can get in a pair of wireless earbuds. They're very good at killing low-end rumble, like on planes, and they handle trickier, less predictable sounds like street noise and coffee shop chatter really well, too. 

They're also notably better than most competitors at clamping down on sharp, sudden loud noises, which is something a lot of earbuds still can't figure out. In fairness, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) still have a slight edge in pure ANC performance, but the gap is small enough that it probably shouldn't swing your buying decision on its own.

Also: AirPods Pro 3 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2: I listened to both, and there's a sonic difference

Where the AirPods Pro 3 really separate themselves, though, is Transparency Mode. Apple's implementation is still the best in the business, offering the most natural-sounding pass-through of any wireless earbuds. Adaptive mode works well too, intelligently tweaking noise management depending on what's happening around you. 

Samsung's Ambient Sound mode on the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, by comparison, has a noticeable background hiss and doesn't handle higher frequencies as accurately. If what you care about is the total package when it comes to noise modes, the AirPods Pro 3 are the ones to beat.

2. You are deep in the Apple ecosystem

If you've already got an iPhone, iPad, and Mac, the AirPods Pro 3 tie into your devices in ways no third-party earbud can touch. Automatic Switching may be an aging feature, but it's still easily one of my favorite features, seamlessly handing off your audio connection between Apple devices based on whichever one you're actively using. 

You can be watching something on your iPad, take a call on your iPhone, then jump into a FaceTime call on your Mac, all without ever manually switching Bluetooth. It's one of those features you don't fully appreciate until you've lived with it, and then going back feels impossible.

Review: AirPods Max 2

Spatial Audio with head tracking is another benefit of Apple's first-party advantage. Instead of algorithmically spatializing a stereo mix (which can sound pretty mediocre), Apple taps into actual Dolby Atmos mixes for a much more convincing surround experience -- especially with movies and TV shows. Charging is convenient too, as the case works with USB-C, MagSafe, and even Apple Watch chargers, so if you already have lots of Apple accessories, keeping your AirPods charged up is simple.

3. You want advanced health and hearing features

The AirPods Pro 3 venture deeper into health-tracking territory than any other wireless earbuds. The big headline feature is heart rate monitoring. A custom sensor inside each earbud pulses infrared light 256 times per second into your ear to read your heart rate. Thus, you can track heart rate during workouts without wearing an Apple Watch, using the accelerometers and gyroscopes already inside the earbuds to cover more than 50 workout types. 

Also: 5 AirPods Pro features that made me ditch my old pair instantly - and how to access them

If you do wear an Apple Watch, Apple combines data from both devices to fill gaps and deliver even more precise readings. That said, the AirPods aren't a full Watch replacement; you'll still need an Apple Watch if tracking metrics such as steps, sleep, blood oxygen, and ECG are important to you.

Beyond fitness, the hearing health features are genuinely meaningful. Hearing Test, Hearing Assistance, and Hearing Protection modes let you assess your hearing in a matter of minutes, apply a personalized profile that compensates for any hearing loss, and even set up a Hearing Aid feature that boosts the specific frequencies you have trouble with.

You should buy the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro if...

1. You want superior total battery life

Battery life is where the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have a clear advantage. Turn ANC off, and you're looking at up to seven hours of continuous listening from the buds themselves, with a total of 30 hours once the charging case is factored in. With ANC on, that drops to six hours per charge plus 26 extra hours from the case. 

The AirPods Pro 3, meanwhile, offer eight hours of continuous listening with ANC on but only 24 hours total, including the case. So the AirPods actually last longer on a single charge, but the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro's case has a bigger battery, which is likely more important for most people.

Review: Galaxy Buds 4 Pro

That difference matters most during extended travel or when charging the case isn't easy. The AirPods Pro 3's case is a bit more compact and portable, which is a trade-off some people will happily take, but if total endurance is what you're after, Samsung wins this one.

2. You prefer customizable sound

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro sound excellent right out of the box. They're clean, crisp, and detailed, with bass performance that's very impressive. Their dual-driver setup, pairing an 11mm woofer with a dedicated tweeter, delivers outstanding textural clarity and deep, smooth sub-bass that most wireless earbuds simply can't match. 

Where a lot of earbuds have bass that feels crudely bolted on, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro handle low frequencies with a level of refinement that's genuinely striking. The highs are crisp, too, and the soundstage is wide enough to create a real sense of immersion.

Also: Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro vs. Galaxy Buds 3 Pro: I tried both - here's who should upgrade

The AirPods Pro 3 sound very, very good too, but they're not as customizable. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro give you an eight-band EQ in the companion app, complete with six presets and a custom option for tweaking frequencies from 63Hz to 16kHz. 

The AirPods Pro 3 just don't offer anything like this; there's no real way to EQ your audio beyond toggling presets buried in Accessibility settings, and Apple clearly expects most people to live with the default tuning. If you're the kind of listener who wants to fine-tune your sound signature, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro give you that control while the AirPods Pro 3 don't. 

3. You use a Samsung device

Just like the AirPods Pro 3 are purpose-built for Apple's ecosystem, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are designed to work best with Samsung Galaxy devices. Pair them with a Samsung phone, and you unlock 24-bit/96kHz Hi-Res audio via Samsung's proprietary codec, which matters to audiophiles with access to high-res files. 

You also get exclusive features like 360-degree spatial audio with head tracking, Interpreter mode for live translation, and automatic switching between Samsung Galaxy devices — none of which are available on non-Samsung phones.

Also: Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2: I tested both, and here's the winner

However, this ecosystem dependency cuts both ways. Samsung users are less likely to own a full lineup of Samsung devices than Apple users are to be all-in on Apple products, and the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro also lack Bluetooth Multipoint -- meaning you can't stay connected to two non-Samsung devices at the same time. That's a pretty notable omission at this price, where most wireless earbuds do have Multipoint support. 

The earbuds do support the LC3 codec for better call quality on any Android phone, and they connect via Bluetooth 6.1, so they're far from useless outside Samsung's ecosystem, but they're clearly at their best within it. If you're a Samsung user who wants earbuds that integrate tightly with your phone, tablet, and other Galaxy devices, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are the obvious pick and arguably the best wireless earbuds for that purpose.

Writer's choice

Both the AirPods Pro 3 and the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are excellent earbuds, but I prefer the AirPods for one major reason: the ecosystem. With an iPhone, Mac, and other Apple products, it's easy to switch between devices in my home, plus I mostly use earbuds for podcasts and audiobooks, and stick to over-ear headphones for listening to music, so the ability to customize the audio quality of the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro doesn't matter quite as much to me.