Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| AppleAirPods Pro 3 | SamsungGalaxy Buds4 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | September 2025 | March 2026 |
| Sound | ||
| Type | In-ear | In-ear |
| Noise cancelling | Yes | Yes |
| Transparency mode | Yes | Yes |
| Spatial audio with head tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Driver size | – | 11 mm |
| Bluetooth codecs | SBC and AAC | SBC, AAC, LC3 and Samsung Seamless Codec |
| Lossless over USB-C | No | – |
| Chip | H2 | – |
| Drivers | Custom high-excursion Apple driver and custom high dynamic range amplifier | Enhanced 2-way speaker with an 11 mm woofer (3.5 mm thick) and a 5.5 x 3.5 x 0.9 mm tweeter, and a dedicated amplifier for each (Dual Amplifier); the wider woofer has a 19.8% larger diaphragm than Galaxy Buds3 Pro's |
| Chip | H2 in each AirPod; second-generation Ultra Wideband chip in the MagSafe Charging Case | – |
| Noise cancelling detail | Active Noise Cancellation with Adaptive Audio, Transparency mode, Conversation Awareness and Loud Sound Reduction; foam-infused ear tips for passive isolation | Active Noise Cancellation with Adaptive ANC, which adjusts to ear shape and fit; Adaptive Noise Control, which balances noise cancelling and ambient sound for your surroundings; Ambient sound; Voice Detect; Siren Detect |
| Audio features | Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking; Adaptive EQ; Personalised Volume; Voice Isolation; studio-quality audio recording; Live Translation; lossless audio when paired with Apple Vision Pro | Ultra High Quality audio up to 24-bit/96 kHz over Samsung Seamless Codec (SSC-UHQ) with Galaxy S23 series, Z Fold5, Z Flip5, Tab S9 series and later models on One UI 6.1.1 or later; 360 Audio with head tracking and Direct Multi-Channel on Galaxy devices; Adaptive EQ; 9-band equaliser; Volume EQ; LE Audio (LC3) and Auracast; Super Clear Call with Super Wideband up to 16 kHz; Interpreter and Live Translate with Galaxy AI phones |
| Hearing health | Hearing Test, Hearing Aid (with automatic Conversation Boost) and Hearing Protection | – |
| Health sensors | Heart rate sensor for workouts | – |
| Battery | ||
| Listening time (maker's claim) | Up to 8 hours | Up to 6 hours |
| With the case | Up to 24 hours | Up to 26 hours |
| Wireless charging | Yes | Yes |
| Battery life detail | Up to 7.5 hours with Spatial Audio and head tracking on; 6.5 hours with heart rate sensing during workouts; 10 hours in Transparency using the Hearing Aid feature | Up to 7 hours per charge with noise cancelling off (30 hours with the case); talk time up to 4.5 hours with noise cancelling on (20 hours with the case) or 5 hours with it off (22 hours); 61 mAh earbud and 530 mAh case batteries (typical) |
| Charging case | MagSafe Charging Case (USB-C) with speaker for Find My and lanyard loop; charges with MagSafe, Apple Watch or Qi-certified chargers or a USB-C cable | Translucent clamshell Charging Case with magnetic docking; charges by USB-C or wirelessly (charger sold separately); 51 x 51 x 28.3 mm; 2.5–4.5 W charging input |
| Fast charging | 5 minutes in the case gives around 1 hour of listening | – |
| Design | ||
| Weight (each earbud) | 5.55 g | 5.1 g (better) |
| Water and sweat resistance | IP57 | IP57 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 6.1 |
| Controls | Force sensor with volume swipe on the stems (press to play, pause, answer calls and skip; press and hold to switch listening modes; swipe up or down for volume); camera remote; “Hey Siri” or just “Siri”; Siri Interactions | Pinch Control on the metal blade (double pinch for the next track, triple pinch for the previous track, pinch and hold for a preset feature or to decline a call); swipe up or down for volume; Head Gestures (nod or shake) for calls and Bixby; voice wake-up for AI agents such as Bixby |
| Microphones | Dual beamforming microphones and an inward-facing microphone; speech-detecting accelerometer | Three per earbud (two high-SNR digital microphones and one digital), six in total; Voice Pickup Unit; deep neural network voice isolation for calls |
| Fit and ear tips | Foam-infused silicone ear tips in five sizes (XXS, XS, S, M, L) | Canal fit with silicone ear tips in S, M and L (M fitted) |
| Case weight | 43.99 g | 44.3 g |
| Water resistance detail | IP57 (IEC 60529) for the AirPods Pro and charging case | IP57 for the earbuds only (submersion in up to 1 m of fresh water for up to 30 minutes); the Charging Case isn't water resistant, and Samsung advises against beach or pool use |
| Works with | Full features with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV and Apple Vision Pro on the latest software; works as Bluetooth headphones with other devices, with limited features | Works as Bluetooth audio with any device; settings built into Galaxy phones and tablets with One UI 8 or later, or the Galaxy Wearable app on Android 12 or later with at least 1.5 GB of memory; no app for iPhone; Auto Switch between Galaxy devices signed in to a Samsung account |
| Colours | White | White, Black; Pink Gold (Samsung.com only) |
| In the box | AirPods Pro 3, MagSafe Charging Case (USB-C) with speaker and lanyard loop, silicone ear tips (XXS, XS, S, M, L), documentation; USB-C cable sold separately | Earbuds, Charging Case, ear tips (S, M, L), Quick Start Guide; USB-C cable not included |
More comparisons
- Apple AirPods 5 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro
- Apple AirPods 5 vs Apple AirPods Pro 3
- Apple AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case vs Apple AirPods Pro 3
- Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro vs Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 5
- Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs JBL Live Beam 4
- Apple AirPods Max 2 vs Apple AirPods Pro 3
- Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro
- JBL Live Pro 2 TWS vs Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy Buds4 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro vs Sony WF-1000XM6
- Beats Powerbeats Fit vs Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro
- Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs Sony WF-1000XM6
- Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs Beats Powerbeats Fit
- Apple AirPods Pro (1st generation) vs Apple AirPods Pro 3
- Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs Technics EAH-AZ100

