Battle Of The Earbuds: Airpods 4 Vs Galaxy Buds 3 - The Ultimate Showdown

Summary

In this video, Thunder E compares the AirPods 4 with the Galaxy Buds 3, focusing on design, fit, audio quality, and active noise cancellation. The AirPods 4 feature a new compact design, improved fit, and solid noise cancellation, but slightly underwhelming audio quality. On the other hand, the Galaxy Buds 3 offer superior sound thanks to dual drivers and customizable EQ settings, but a looser fit. Ultimately, Thunder E recommends the AirPods 4 for overall comfort and noise cancellation, while the Galaxy Buds 3 excel in audio performance.

Takeaways

• 🎧 The AirPods 4 come in two variants: with ANC (priced at $179) and without ANC (priced at $129).
• 🔋 Battery life for the AirPods 4 is around 5 hours with the buds and 30 hours with the case for the non-ANC variant, and 4 hours with the buds and 20 hours with the case for the ANC variant.
• 🎤 The AirPods 4 feature an improved H2 chipset and new drivers, similar to the AirPods Pro 2.
• 🦻 The fit of the AirPods 4 is praised for being more secure and comfortable compared to the Galaxy Buds 3, especially for users who typically struggle with open-ear designs.
• 🔕 Active noise cancellation (ANC) performance is better on the AirPods 4, providing about 60-70% noise reduction during flights, compared to around 50-55% on the Galaxy Buds 3.
• 🎶 Audio quality on the Galaxy Buds 3 is considered superior due to its dual-armature drivers, with strong mids, solid lows, and clear highs. The AirPods 4, while decent, fall short in terms of bass and high-end clarity.
• 📞 Microphone quality is comparable between both the AirPods 4 and Galaxy Buds 3, with the AirPods being slightly clearer and the Galaxy Buds sounding a bit tinny but louder.
• 📱 The AirPods 4 offer new gesture controls like nodding to answer calls and shaking to cancel them, along with improved settings and adaptive audio features.
• 🎮 The Galaxy Buds 3 have more customizable features, including custom EQ settings, gaming modes, and AI functionalities like voice commands for music control and real-time translation.
• 🏆 Overall, the AirPods 4 are recommended for their better fit, superior noise cancellation, and decent sound, while the Galaxy Buds 3 win in terms of pure audio quality and feature customizability.

Q & A

What are the main competitors discussed in the video?

The main competitors discussed are the AirPods 4 and the Galaxy Buds 3.

What are the key differences between the ANC and non-ANC versions of the AirPods 4?

The ANC version of the AirPods 4 is priced at $179 and includes speakers on the bottom of the case for the 'Find My' feature, while the non-ANC version is priced at $129 and lacks these speakers.

How does the design of the AirPods 4 differ from the previous versions?

The AirPods 4 have a more compact case, a shorter stem, and a wider air canal opening compared to previous versions.

Which earbuds have a better fit according to the reviewer?

The reviewer states that the AirPods 4 have a better fit, especially for users who typically have issues with open-ear designs.

How does the active noise cancellation (ANC) compare between the AirPods 4 and the Galaxy Buds 3?

The AirPods 4 offer better active noise cancellation, achieving about 60-70% cancellation compared to the Galaxy Buds 3, which provide around 50-60% cancellation.

What is the battery life for the ANC and non-ANC versions of the AirPods 4?

The non-ANC version offers 5 hours of listening time with the buds and 30 hours with the case, while the ANC version provides 4 hours with the buds and 20 hours with the case.

Which earbuds have better sound quality according to the reviewer?

The Galaxy Buds 3 are considered to have better sound quality, with more pronounced highs and solid lows, while the AirPods 4 have weaker highs and lows.

How do the microphones on the AirPods 4 compare to those on the Galaxy Buds 3?

The AirPods 4 provide clearer speaking audio with more reverb, while the Galaxy Buds 3 offer slightly louder but tinnier audio.

What new gesture features do the AirPods 4 offer?

The AirPods 4 introduce gesture features like nodding to answer calls and shaking to cancel calls.

Which earbuds offer more customizable audio settings?

The Galaxy Buds 3 offer more customizable audio settings, including advanced EQs, which the AirPods 4 lack.

Outlines

00:00

🎧 AirPods 4 vs Galaxy Buds 3: Design, Features, and Price

The video introduces the AirPods 4 and compares them with their competitor, the Galaxy Buds 3. Both earbuds feature an open-ear design, but the AirPods 4 come in two variants: one with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) priced at $179 and another without ANC at $129. The AirPods 4 offer a smaller case size and longer battery life than previous versions, and they come equipped with improved microphones and the H2 chipset for better sound quality. The shorter stem and wider ear canal of the AirPods 4 enhance their fit and performance, particularly when compared to the Galaxy Buds 3, which offer dual-armature drivers for improved sound. The better fit of the AirPods 4 also contributes to their superior ANC performance, making them a better choice for noise cancellation, especially in travel scenarios.

05:03

🛫 AirPods 4 Noise Cancellation Performance on a Flight

The speaker shares their personal experience of using the AirPods 4 on a flight, expressing frustration with the outdated seating arrangements on United Airlines. However, they were impressed by the AirPods 4's noise cancellation capabilities, allowing them to comfortably watch shows on their iPad during the flight. The speaker praises the fit of the AirPods 4, especially since they typically struggle with in-ear designs. In terms of noise cancellation, the AirPods 4 outperform the Galaxy Buds 3, offering about 60-70% noise cancellation compared to the Buds' 55-60%, making the AirPods a more effective choice for travel.

10:03

🎶 Sound Quality Showdown: AirPods 4 vs Galaxy Buds 3

Sound quality is a major focus for the speaker, though they acknowledge that many users prioritize fit over sound. The Galaxy Buds 3, with their dual-armature drivers, deliver clean mids, solid low ends, and pronounced high ends without distortion. On the other hand, while the AirPods 4 offer decent sound with solid mids, the highs feel harsh, and the low end is lacking, leaving the speaker somewhat disappointed. Overall, they give the audio quality edge to the Galaxy Buds 3, despite the AirPods 4's better fit.

📞 Microphone Quality: AirPods 4 vs Galaxy Buds 3

In terms of microphone performance, the speaker conducts tests with both the AirPods 4 and Galaxy Buds 3. Recording voice memos from about 20 feet away, they find that the AirPods 4 have clearer audio with more reverb, while the Galaxy Buds 3 are louder but slightly tinny. The speaker encountered technical difficulties using the AirPods 4 with the iPhone for direct recording, but overall, both earbuds performed similarly in this aspect, with subtle differences depending on user preference.

🤖 Functionality and AI Features: AirPods 4 vs Galaxy Buds 3

The speaker compares the advanced features and functionality of both earbuds. The AirPods 4 come with improved settings customization, including gesture controls like nodding to answer calls and shaking to decline. However, the lack of customizable EQ settings is a downside. The Galaxy Buds 3, in contrast, offer extensive customization options through their app, including advanced EQs, game mode for reduced latency, and built-in AI features like voice commands and real-time translation. The speaker favors the Galaxy Buds 3 for their EQ customization but acknowledges the AirPods' strengths in adaptive audio and gestures.

🏆 Final Verdict: Which Earbuds Are Better?

The speaker wraps up by providing their overall assessment. For pure audio quality, the Galaxy Buds 3 come out on top, offering a superior listening experience. However, the AirPods 4 win in terms of fit, active noise cancellation, and being a more well-rounded option, particularly for users who struggle with in-ear designs. With two pricing options for the AirPods 4 (ANC vs non-ANC), the speaker recommends the AirPods 4 as a versatile and user-friendly choice for most people, especially those upgrading from older AirPods. They also humorously mention their child's name in the context of AirPods customization options.

Keywords

💡AirPods 4

The AirPods 4 are Apple's latest wireless earbuds, featuring a new, more compact design with a shorter stem. The video discusses the differences between the AirPods 4 and their competitors, such as the Galaxy Buds 3, highlighting features like improved fit, longer battery life, and active noise cancellation (ANC).

💡Galaxy Buds 3

The Galaxy Buds 3 are Samsung's open-ear design earbuds and are positioned as a direct competitor to the AirPods 4. The video compares the two products in terms of design, fit, audio quality, and noise cancellation. The Buds 3 feature dual-armature drivers, which are praised for delivering solid audio performance.

💡Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)

Active Noise Cancellation is a feature in both the AirPods 4 and Galaxy Buds 3 that reduces external noise for a more immersive listening experience. The video emphasizes that the AirPods 4 provide better ANC due to their improved fit, which offers about 60-70% cancellation, while the Galaxy Buds 3 achieve around 50-55%.

💡Fit

Fit refers to how well the earbuds stay in the ears, which is a critical factor for comfort and effective noise cancellation. The video highlights that the AirPods 4 have a superior fit compared to the Galaxy Buds 3, which makes them more suitable for users like the reviewer, who traditionally struggle with open-ear designs.

💡Battery Life

Battery life is a key specification in wireless earbuds. The AirPods 4 offer 5 hours of listening time (4 hours with ANC) and up to 30 hours with the case (20 hours with ANC), while the Galaxy Buds 3 have a similar battery life but with a larger case. This comparison shows that both products are competitive in terms of usage time.

💡H2 Chipset

The H2 chipset is the advanced processing chip used in the AirPods 4, which also powers Apple's AirPods Pro 2. This chip enhances audio quality and supports new features like improved noise cancellation and adaptive audio. The video notes that despite this technology, the audio performance of the AirPods 4 was not as impressive as expected.

💡Dual-Armature Drivers

Dual-armature drivers are used in the Galaxy Buds 3 and are designed to deliver enhanced audio performance, especially in the mid and low ranges. The video highlights these drivers as a key advantage for the Galaxy Buds 3 in terms of audio quality, especially compared to the AirPods 4, which lack strong bass performance.

💡Microphone Quality

Microphone quality is tested in both the AirPods 4 and Galaxy Buds 3, as it affects the clarity of voice calls. The video demonstrates that the AirPods 4 provide clearer audio with more reverb, while the Galaxy Buds 3 are louder but have a tinnier sound. This feature is important for users who take many calls using their earbuds.

💡Adaptive EQ

Adaptive EQ is a feature in the AirPods 4 that automatically adjusts sound settings based on the user's ear shape and listening environment. However, the video criticizes the lack of manual customization for the EQ in the AirPods, whereas the Galaxy Buds 3 offer customizable EQ settings, giving users more control over their audio experience.

💡Spatial Audio

Spatial audio is a feature that creates an immersive, surround-sound experience, available on both the AirPods 4 and Galaxy Buds 3. While both earbuds support this feature, the video highlights that it’s more integrated into the Apple ecosystem, providing a more seamless experience for AirPods 4 users, especially when watching movies or listening to music.

Highlights

Comparison between AirPods 4 and Galaxy Buds 3.

AirPods 4 are available in two variants: with ANC at $179 and without ANC at $129.

The AirPods 4 case is smaller and more compact than the original AirPods.

The Galaxy Buds 3 have dual drivers, similar to Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, offering a richer sound experience.

AirPods 4 have a better fit and are more secure in the ear compared to Galaxy Buds 3.

In terms of active noise cancellation, AirPods 4 provide 60-70% cancellation, outperforming Galaxy Buds 3 with 55-60%.

Audio quality: Galaxy Buds 3 are better in terms of sound balance, particularly in low and high-end frequencies.

Microphone comparison: AirPods 4 offer clearer voice recording, but Galaxy Buds 3 are louder, albeit with slight distortion.

AirPods 4 introduces gesture controls: nodding to answer calls and shaking to decline calls.

Galaxy Buds 3 allow customization of EQ and come with AI-driven features like voice control for music playback and translation.

Adaptive audio and EQ are more advanced in Galaxy Buds 3, which gives them an edge in sound customization.

AirPods 4 feature Apple's new H2 chip, expected to improve sound and performance, though the audio experience was underwhelming for the reviewer.

Both AirPods 4 and Galaxy Buds 3 are priced similarly at $179 with ANC.

In terms of functionality, the AirPods 4 provides a more balanced experience for users who prioritize fit and active noise cancellation.

The reviewer recommends the Galaxy Buds 3 for superior sound quality, but AirPods 4 for those looking for better fit and noise cancellation.

Transcripts

[Music]

new airpods airpods 4 finally

[Music]

here hey guys Thunder e here and yes we

have the airpods 4 inhouse and today

we're going to be comparing it against

its biggest competitor I guess which

would be the Galaxy buds 3 both of them

have that open ear design that a lot of

people love including my wife so I want

to see which is actually the best one

out of the two the airpods have been a

staple in terms of audio for a lot of

people whether you're an iOS user iPad

iPhone or even just a general smartphone

User it's quite renowned and quite known

now their fours come in with a different

design and also Al a smaller package and

they also come in two variants so you do

have one with ANC and without pricing is

very straightforward with ANC it's

179 without ANC it's 129 here and the

only clear difference between the two is

from the case where you do have speakers

at the bottom of the case for thec

version and without no speakers so when

you doing the find me you can actually

locate it with of course your ANC butts

for this video it says baby star so you

know now what makes it different and

what's new with the airpods 4 so the

first thing is the case size it's much

smaller than the original airpods you

can see it just in size more compact

which is pretty good and you've also got

longer battery life as well you're

looking at roughly around 5 hours with

the buds and 30 hours with the case for

the nonent variant and the anti variance

is 4 hours with the buds and 20 with the

case now when you take it out of the

case you now have this very unique and

different design is a much shorter stem

right here you can see how small that is

uh in comparison and even comparison to

the Galaxy buds 3 it's really shorter

stem all the way through still very

classic design with the stem where you

do have the pinch area on either of the

buds but the air Canal opening is much

wider in comparison to the original

airpods now they're kind of similar I

would say for the Galaxy buds 3 and

Apple has a lot of new things included

here some improved microphones the H2

chipset which you find in the airpods uh

Pro 2 and also have updated drivers in

here so you're expecting Better Sound

overall now let's talk about how they

compare to the buds 3 now the buds 3 has

a very similar looking case but much

bigger much wider you can clearly see

with the open top which is pretty nice

so at least you can locate your buds

this doesn't have the lighting like the

buds 3 Pro but you can see the longer

stem and it's got that blade finish that

Samsung likes to call you can pinch on

the sides and also has the open ear

canal now what's interesting about the

buds 3 is that this come with the Dual

amateur drivers these same drivers in

the Galaxy buds 3 Pro so you should be

expecting similar sound in terms of

heights as you well know the airpods 4

are much shorter but not by much

honestly to be be fair now let's talk

about the very first thing

fit that is the most important thing now

for me traditionally buds that are

designed like this do not fit well in my

ears it's just been a standard thing for

quite a long time with these two new

buds it's a bit different so the Galaxy

buds 3 do fit well and I can use them

but I still will get that slippage

especially on my right ear and also

there not a tighter fit while the

airpods 4 have a much better fit I'm

really surprised honestly I'm in talk on

how well they fit they fit quite well I

don't have to turn all the way up which

I tend to do with my buds I can actually

place them here and they will stay so

for someone like me which traditionally

this doesn't work this will work well

people who like the these Design This is

a god sense the more Slimmer flatback

here makes a really good job compared to

the more rounded Edge on the Galaxy buds

so because of that fit uh you get a

better at least General listening

experience so how does that help with

activ noise cancellation since they both

have active noise cancellation it's

quite simple the better fit always helps

with a andc so the winner here clearly

for me is the airpods 4 now in terms of

an cancellation I kind of gave it a

number scale with the airpods 4 I get

about 60 to 70% cancellation when I was

on my flight which is pretty good

especially on a plane while with the

Galaxy buds uh 3 I was getting about 50

say maybe about 55 60 cancellation which

wasn't that great so I could kill lot of

that rattling on the trip 7200 honestly

I wish I had recorded the seating chart

on the plane United what are you doing

guys like seriously change this this is

old it's very old I mean and I digress

just shift that to the side but this fit

was so much more impressive with the uh

airpods 4 especially with noise

cancellation that I could actually use

it to watch some shows on my iPad and

then enjoy that experience uh overall so

in terms of active nice cancellation the

airpods 4 actually do a really good job

here now when it comes to audio which is

the big thing for me not for a lot of

people because all studies show that

people prefer fit over audio more than

anything else but audio is really key

for me for my listening experience so

how well do they actually sound now

let's start off with the Galaxy buds 3

which do a really good job with his

audio experience because he does have

the Dual amateur drivers the same

drivers in the Galaxy buds 3 Pro so

you're getting the same experience now

those buds 3 Pros have ear tips so

you're getting a much more tighter seal

so you really hearing the music well

with the buds 3 uh discounting that seal

nature you're getting very clean sound

your mids are really solid your low ends

really come out well again the St

drivers really come into play and the

high end is more pronounced so you can

actually hear them without distortion on

the top end so which means your music

listening is really solid on them now

moving over to the airpods 4 which has

the new H2 chip and also new drivers I

was expecting a much better experience

and I have to say that while it's good

for me it was a bit disappointed one of

the things here is that the highs really

felt like they were scratching at the

top and there's really not much on the

low end there the mids are solid and you

can generally enjoy this with a lot of

good tracks but again those two ends

just didn't hit it for me so I wasn't

too impressed with the audio quality

especially with something that had a

much better fit which I was expecting

toar more out of so in terms of audio I

give that to the Galaxy Bud 3 now this

section here I want you guys to decide

for yourself so you're on phone calls

quite a bit and uh mics are really

important so how good are the

microphones on the airpods 4 and the

Galaxy buds 3 let's take a listen this

is the test of the voice memo app but

I'm using the airpods 4 to record this

I'm roughly around 20 ft away from my

phone so you get a good idea of what

this actually sounds when talking with

the microphone and instead of just

recording off a video but we'll do that

as well so you see the differences here

and uh we can make that decision so this

is a recording off the Galaxy buds 3 I'm

roughly around 20 ft away as I mentioned

with the airpods 4 and this is an

example of what it sounds like recording

using the microphones of the buds so

hopefully this gives you a good idea

let's go ahead and move on to our very

next section yeah the they are okay and

I had to use the voice recorder because

for whatever reason I could not use the

airpods 4 on my iPhone to actually

record audio directly so I wanted to

keep it a fair comparison that way uh

I'll would say both of them are roughly

around the same with the uh airpods 4

having more Reverb and a little bit

clearer on the audio what on the

speaking audio while the Galaxy buds 3

are a little bit tiny especially while

speaking but louder so pick and choose

one half two dozen you know it is what

it is yeah Now functionality this is

where apps AI all these different

features uh have different elements of

how these buds actually work so with the

airpods 4 you've got a lot of uh

improved functionality which I'm glad

now that Apple has you know added more

features to its uh settings section

which kind of acts like the app for the

airpods so you can go in there to fully

go through your customization for your

transparency and things like that uh you

also have your gesture features which

are now new so when you have your

airpods 4 you can basically put them in

your ears and you know you get a phone

call you can nod to answer or you could

shake to basically cancel those calls

which are great um and then you can also

do some more customization in there

there's also adaptive audio adaptive EQ

you still cannot customize or do

anything with which I do not like I'm

not a fan but that's just what it is now

with the Galaxy buds 3 you do have a ton

of features also built into the app as

well uh from controlling the active

noise cancellation things like that to

also having the game lab function to

basically reduce latency for gaming so

if you're a gamer and you want to use

buds for game this is a really good

feature plus the advanced eqs as well

which allow you to pick custom eqs but

also customize your listening experience

every company should give that because

nothing is tuned for everyone one

properly and I like that feature I'm

glad that's actually there the other

thing too is that Samsung has its own

gesture style features which means that

when you have your buds in you can

basically say play music and we'll play

the music you can stop music it's

actually playing you can say stop music

and it's quite effective it's actually

built into the buds themselves it's not

something that is actually off the

system and this can also work with its

AI features as well for translate you

can actually do translation uh through

the bu ODS to your phone and vice versa

so you do have that there so there's

some nice features there I do like the

extra AI features coming through that

but to be fair you can also do some of

that through Siri Apple intelligence

with your headphones so you do have that

there as well when it comes to these

features um I do I will give the slight

Edge to the Galaxy just because of the

eqs honestly for me that is golden it

means that my listening experience is so

much more better but I like the fact

that they do have a lot of features you

know with 360 audio spatial audio and

things like that and now it's time for

the grand finale so the main question is

which is better and I have to quany this

into two sections when it's if it's

purely about audio then it's the Galaxy

buds 3 and I think for me it's a was a

much more listening experience overall

but that's not what makes a pair of

earbuds they lot of things are coming

together and I will give that edge to

the airpods 4 yes because of the better

fit and especially I can't stress how

much is I naturally cannot wear designs

like this so for me this is a big plus

and also the better active noise

cancellation here and decent audio it's

a much more well-rounded solution for a

lot of people and you also have two

variant price points remember 179 if you

want ANC 129 if you don't and this is

also 179 itself so you can see why this

might be a very good choice for little

other people and for those who are still

on the original um airpods that are $99

on Amazon or 79 whatever is a deal this

is a good option for you to jump into to

have something with you know at least

better Audio new features and also just

jump into the mod age so guys tell me

what you think do you think it's the

Galaxy buds 3 are just better in general

or do you think the airpods 4 are

something finally you can pick you can

also customize it with of course your

own engraving I have a kid that's why

baby's here I'm going to putting my

son's name out there for you guys I'm

joking but you know he's a lovely kid

Dad yes anyway thank you very much guys

don't forget to like share subscribe and

always enjoy

entertainment I'll put one in each

year and then I

say play

[Music]

music when it comes to audio and I love

audio it's the Galaxy button

[Music]

we love audio yeah I know right