If you’re weighing up whether to gift the music fan in your life an iPhone or a Samsung Galaxy this Christmas, you’ll also want to give some thought as to how they’ll listen to music on their mobile.
In the blue corner, we give you the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live and in the red corner, their festive 2020 opponent, the all-conquering Apple AirPods Pro.
But which is best? And more importantly, which is best for the disco diva, the rock god or the pop princess?
They’re very different shapes
The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live certainly have a unique shape and quickly became known as the “Galaxy Beans”. Akin to a kidney bean, the Buds are specifically designed to sit snugly in the ear. And they do. That makes them a great choice for the dancing queen or headbanger.
But the Galaxy Buds Live can become a little uncomfortable with prolonged wear – though they do come in small and large sizes.
That means the Apple AirPods Pro could be a better choice for the music fan who can listen to their tunes for hours on end. The AirPods are a completely different design and come with three ear tip options but they won’t fit as snugly as the Galaxy version.
The AirPods do stick out a bit more than the Galaxy Buds Live so perhaps give some thought to aesthetics and say, your music lover listens to their fave tracks laid out flat and the Samsung variety could be a better option.
Check out the AirPod and Bud Live features before buying
In terms of functionality, there are very few differences between the AirPod Pro and the Bud Live with some minor features the music lover may find useful or annoying in equal measure.
For example, the AirPods Pro will automatically connect to all of your Apple devices while switching between devices has to be done manually with the Galaxy Buds Live.
In terms of playback, the AirPods Pro auto-pause and auto-resume when you remove and re-insert your earbuds. The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live also have ear detection functionality but can pause automatically without the ability to auto-resume when placed back in the ear.
Ultimately both Apple and Samsung offer wireless earphones with advanced features like active noise cancellation. The Samsung variety is certainly a more unique design and is actually offered at a lower price point. Which one you choose, really comes down to a matter of personal preference and your music fan’s favoured brand.