Samsung recently added another pair of wireless earbuds to its roster, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro, which are available for $199. With the release of its newest truly wireless earbuds, consumers have a choice between the Galaxy Buds Pro and Galaxy Buds Live as the top two sets of earbuds available from Samsung. Samsung states that the design of the Galaxy Buds Pro was inspired by the Galaxy Buds Live, but they are aimed at a different audience. The Galaxy Buds Pro and Galaxy Buds Live might look very similar but are quite different in terms of features and audio quality.
Since 2019, Samsung, like Apple, has been removing the headphone jack on their smartphones, which has led to greater interest and higher demand for wireless earphones. The true wireless earbuds market exploded in 2019 and it was dominated by Apple’s AirPods. There is a growing preference for wireless earbuds as they offer freedom of movement and they are ideal for sports, workouts, and other physical activities.
The Galaxy Buds Pro cost $199, comes in three colors, Phantom Black, Phantom Violet, and Phantom Silver, and boast a battery life of up to eight hours or 28 hours with the charging case. The Galaxy Buds Live, which were released in 2020, are currently priced at $139, come in five colors — Mystic White, Mystic Black, Mystic Copper, Mystic Red, and Mystic Blue — and have a battery life of up to eight hours or 29 hours with the charging case. Both models are water-resistant, the same weight, and very similar in size.
The Galaxy Buds Pro Offer More Features
While the cases for the earbuds are identical, the earbuds themselves look quite different. The Galaxy Buds Live are unique looking as they resemble a bean, with a sleek and distinct look. The Galaxy Buds Pro have a more traditional look with rubber ear tips. While the Buds Live will fit most users perfectly, there is a small percentage of users who will find they don’t fit, so a safer bet would be the Buds Pro. Both models offer sound profiles that are clear, crisp, and balanced, but they differ audio quality and features.
Both sets of earbuds are compatible with the Galaxy Wearable app, which means that, when they're paired with a smartphone, users can adjust the equalizer, customize touch controls, and set Ambient Mode levels. The Galaxy Buds Pro do enjoy a few features absent on the Galaxy Buds Live. The Galaxy Buds Pro come with the SmartThings Find feature that helps to locate the earbuds should they be misplaced. The Galaxy Buds Live also have a Dolby 360-degree audio feature that offers a more immersive audio experience while watching videos. Additionally, the mics on the Galaxy Buds Pro can be synced with the mics on the Galaxy S21, which offers improved audio while recording videos.
The Galaxy Buds Pro offer a more seamless experience, giving users the ability to instantly switch back and forth between devices. For example, if a user receives a call on a Galaxy S21 while watching videos on a Galaxy Tab S7, the earbuds will automatically switch from the tablet to the smartphone to take the call and then switch back to the tablet once the call has ended. While both the Galaxy Buds Pro and Galaxy Buds Live offer excellent sound quality and great features, the Buds Pro offer a better overall user experience.
Source: Samsung