I tested the AirPods 4 ANC vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 — and there's a clear winner

Regardless of whether you've got an iPhone or an Android, you're going to want some of the best earbuds to go along with your smartphone. Luckily for you, pretty much every phone manufacturer also makes earbuds. You've got your AirPods, Galaxy Buds, Pixel Buds, Sony buds, Nothing Ear, heck, even your Asus Earbuds for your Asus Zenfone.

But I only care about two of these earbuds right now: AirPods 4 ANC vs Galaxy Buds 4. Samsung just released its newest earbuds — the top-of-the-line Galaxy Buds 4 Pro and entry-level Galaxy Buds 4. I genuinely love both of these earbuds. Samsung has really nailed sound quality and has definitely caught up to Apple in the sound race.

Even so, is one earbud better than the other? Might the Galaxy Buds 4 truly have overtaken Apple as the best native ecosystem earbuds? I put both the Galaxy Buds 4 and the AirPods 4 ANC through a series of tests to find out.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 vs Apple AirPods 4 ANC: Specs

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 vs Apple AirPods 4 ANC: Price

In the U.S., both the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 and the Apple AirPods 4 ANC have a retail price $179. In the U.K., though, the Samsung option will save you £10, coming in at £159/£169, respectively.

Since the AirPods 4 have been on sale longer you can find more discounts. For example, right now you can get Apple's AirPods 4 with ANC for just $119 on Amazon or $60 off. The Galaxy Buds 4 will come down in price eventually.

Winner: AirPods 4

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 vs Apple AirPods 4 ANC: Design

I passed both the AirPods 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 around the office prior to sitting down to write this piece. The results actually surprised me.

I'm an AirPods user, right? I've had my AirPods Pro 2 since 2023, I use them every day, and I love them with all my heart. I love how they look. But there's something about the AirPods 4 that makes me a little uneasy. Perhaps it's how suddenly the ear tip ends. Perhaps it's the angle of the nozzle. I don't know what it is, but I don't like them.

One colleague agreed with me, but two said they preferred the appearance of the Apple buds.

The only main difference is that the Samsung buds have the Samsung 'Blade' design (although, thankfully, redesigned from the too-futuristic triangular appearance of the Galaxy Buds 3). In the Buds 4, this presents as a silver panel down the back of the stem. You use this panel to control the buds: play/pause, AI, so on and so forth.

Yes, both the AirPods 4 and the Galaxy Buds 4 follow the same touch control theory: press once for pause, hold down for ANC, swipe up for volume. They're both very user-friendly.

So in the Tom's Guide office, half of us preferred the AirPods, but half preferred the Samsung buds. Therefore, this round is a draw.

Winner: Draw

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 vs Apple AirPods 4 ANC: Features & connectivity

Although not flagship earbuds, both the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 and the Apple AirPods 4 have a pleasant amount of features to keep customers happy. Both these earbuds have live translation/Interpreter modes (as long as you have compatible phones), smart features like Siri/Bixby integration, and spatial audio/360 audio.

However, I'm going to give this round to the Samsung buds, and I'll tell you why. The Galaxy Buds 4 have Bluetooth 6.1, compared to the AirPods 4 ANC's 5.3, which future-proofs the earbuds and provides a better range.

On top of this, you get access to Samsung's 'UHQ' audio codec (when you listen with a compatible Samsung device). The AirPods 4 ANC have Apple's proprietary codec AAC, UHQ is actually superior (provided you use a compatible Samsung device).

So if all your ingredients are right (if you have a compatible Samsung phone) you get a better sound with the Galaxy Buds 4. I thought this was a bit of a gimmick until I tried it, but UHQ actually makes music sound incredible. It expands the width and creates an extra degree of instrument separation you won't be able to live without once you try it.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Buds 4

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 vs Apple AirPods 4 ANC: Sound quality

So Apple and Samsung earbuds naturally have different sound signatures. This isn't inherently a bad thing or a good thing — it just is.

If you've listened to Sony or Bose buds, it's kind of like that. Apple/Sony are more detail-focused, with heightened instrument separation and a wider soundscape. Comparatively, Samsung/Bose gear prefers bass and creates a richer, warmer low-end without sacrificing nuance up top.

Again, neither is "superior". This is just your preference. Do you listen to mostly heavy genres and love bass? Then I think you'd prefer Samsung. Similarly, if you love picking apart detail in your music, you're likely better off with Apple.

Even so, to test out both the AirPods 4 ANC and the Galaxy Buds 4, I listened to a variety of music. I'll discuss some standout genres here: rock, electronic, and pop.

Through the AirPods 4 ANC, 'Big Cheese' by Nirvana was wide and high, with Kurt Cobain's growling vocals coming through the left earbud nicely. The percussion was tight, but a little too crisp at the top of the mids. That's the AirPods 4 ANC's Achilles' heel — almost too much detail to the point of pinchiness. The Galaxy Buds 4 suffer from the opposite problem. The bass takes over the rest of the track, almost muffling the vocals and percussion. I wouldn't say either of these buds would make Mr. Cobain happy.

When I listened to 'DANCE' by Slayyyter, the Galaxy Buds 4 sounded better. The high-tempo Daft-Punk-tinged bass was the star of the show, and there was no pinching at the top of the treble. When I listened with the AirPods, the keyboard instrumental pulsated with a little tinniness, and the cymbal rhythm felt a little too close to a nail in my brain. The female vocal sounded excellent, though — clear and warm.

Finally, electronic. 'Damaged Goods' by Confidence Man has a French-House-inspired bassline and warped synths. The female vocals were clear even over the wobbly bass, but the hi-hats were a tad too crisp. Again, the AirPods 4 ANC suffer from that slight tinniness in pursuit of detail. However, the Samsung buds had none of this tinniness. The song felt a little more cramped — again, this is a toss-up between expansiveness or bass — and the vocals were a touch pushed back.

At the end of the day, though, this is completely up to your preference. Want bass? Then Galaxy Buds. Detail? Go AirPods. I prefer Samsung here.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Buds 4

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 vs Apple AirPods 4 ANC: ANC

Let me make this very clear right from the get-go: neither the Galaxy Buds 4 nor the AirPods 4 have "real" ANC. As neither bud has a silicone tip to get that all-important 'seal', the earbuds are physically incapable of real ANC. Those pesky sound waves are always going to be wriggling into your ear canal one way or another.

I'd say both earbuds would be alright for working in an already quiet office or traversing a semi-relaxed city. But for airplanes, trains, or crazy loud workplaces? I really don't think either of these buds would cut it.

In that case, I'd recommend some budget buds with a nice silicone ear tip — the CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 and the EarFun Air Pro 4+. Neither of these earbuds are native to Samsungs or iPhones (Nothing does make phones, though), but the ANC is so much better than anything the AirPods 4 or Galaxy Buds 4 could dream of.

This round is, unfortunately, a draw. Not a draw because both are great. A draw because both are so mediocre it hurts.

Winner: Draw.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 vs Apple AirPods 4 ANC: Call quality

At this point in the life cycle of earbuds, call quality is evening out more and more. You can safely assume that any flagship earbuds — Bose, Apple, Samsung, Sony — will have excellent call quality.

That's true of non-flagship buds from these brands, top. The AirPods 4 ANC and the Galaxy Buds 4 both made my voice audible and clear, although not quite as clear as the premium "Pro" line (for both brands).

Both earbuds did a fantastic job at minimizing outside noise, too, so I'm going to call this round a draw.

Winner: Draw

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 vs Apple AirPods 4 ANC: Battery

For all the impressive features and great sound, neither Samsung nor Apple has done a Sony and mastered battery life yet. The AirPods 4 ANC last for just 5 hours in the buds and 30 hours in the case. Similarly, the Galaxy Buds 4 have a battery life of 6 hours in the buds and 30 hours in the case.

When you compare this to the Sony WF-1000XM6 and Sony WF-C710N — 12 hours/24 hours and 12 hours/33.5 hours, respectively — it's almost laughable. But Samsung wins because you get an extra hour.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Buds 4

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 vs Apple AirPods 4 ANC: Verdict

Based on our scorecard, the Galaxy Buds 4 edge out the AirPods 4 with ANC. Samsung gives you excellent, bassy sound; longer battery life and great features like UHQ. But the AirPods 4 with ANC are also a solid choice with more detailed sound and handy Siri integration.

Your decision may well come down to which phone you own. Do you have an iPhone? Then get the AirPods. Do you have a Samsung? Then get the Galaxy Buds. Do you have a non-Samsung Android? Then I'd still recommend the Galaxy Buds, as you can't easily adjust any AirPods features on a non-Apple phone.

It's a shame that something as inane as "Which ecosystem have you invested in" controls every aspect of our lives, but it's unfortunately true. As much as I personally prefer the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4, I'm kind of stuck with my AirPods for now.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 vs Apple AirPods 4 ANC: Ratings scorecard