Home ‣ Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro vs Sony WF-1000 XM 3 – Which Wireless Earbuds Are Better

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro vs Sony WF-1000 XM 3 – Which Wireless Earbuds Are Better

Active noise-canceling audio accessories are no longer limited to ceiling headphones. While they continue to be quite popular, true wireless earbuds with Active Noise Canceling or ANC is steadily climbing the popularity ladder now. The main advantage of these wireless earbuds is that they are compact and easy to carry.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro and Sony WF-1000XM3 are the most popular examples. While the Galaxy Buds Pro is Samsung’s latest offering, the WF-1000XM3 earphones have been on the market for some time now.

And that brings us to an important question- Are the Sony WF-1000XM3s better than the Galaxy Buds Pro, considering they are almost in the same price range? Or, do the Samsung buds pack newer and better technology?

Well, that’s what we’re going to answer in this post today as we compare the Sony WF-1000XM3 to the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro to see which wireless earbuds are best for you.

It will be a long post. We recommend…

Features in comparison

Property Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro Sony WF-1000XM3
IP classification IPX7 N/A
Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.0 Bluetooth 5.0
Wireless charging Yes No
NFC No Yes
Fast charging Yes Yes

Design and comfort

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro is a welcome break from the bean-shaped Galaxy Buds Live, and for some of us, it’s a blessing. One-size-fits-all design is finally gone. Instead, you have a slim and stylish pair of earbuds that are both lightweight and look great on your ears. This time around, Samsung has opted for silicone tips, and like most conventional true wireless earbuds, it fits inside the ear canal to give you a snug fit.

The fit is comfortable, and the lightweight design is a plus because these buds don’t have wingtips. The Galaxy Buds Pro earbuds have still managed to keep some of the shiny metallic designs like the Live Buds, and the good news is they manage to stand out in the crowd.

Like its predecessor, the Galaxy Buds Pro packs touch-based controls. From adjusting the volume to turning off ANC, these touchpads let you do a lot. And yes, they are customizable via the Samsung Wearable app.

While touchpads are super easy to use, they tend to be a bit unreliable. They may stop playing a song or skip some of it. This happens when you adjust the buds for a better fit and can get quite annoying in the long run, especially when taking them for runs and walks.

Simultaneously, the IPX7 rating means the Buds Pro earbuds are waterproof, and you can wear them to the gym without worrying about sweat and water damage.

When it comes to the Sony WF-1000XM3, it’s sure they aren’t one of the decent-looking earbuds out there. Size-wise, they are a bit larger than the Galaxy Buds Pro, and the body of the earphones protrudes slightly. But luckily, they look elegant and attractive and give a modern look. And yes, the earbuds extend like a spout to fit inside the ear canal.

The best part is that Sony packs a total of eight earphone sets with the WF-1000XM3 for a better fit and the foam-based earbuds are extremely comfortable to use. If you look around, not many earbuds come with such a large collection. For the record, Samsung ships three sets of silicone earbuds with Galaxy Buds Pro.

Sony earphones feature touch-sensitive control and are reasonably comfortable to use. The biggest advantage is that the touch area is limited, and this design ensures that they are not accidentally touched, especially when attaching the earbuds or brushing your hair.

Surprisingly, the WF-1000XM3 earphones are not water-resistant. Although you can use them for light workouts, it is recommended not to use them if your ears sweat a lot during training or in extremely humid environments. Another limitation is that the case is on the larger side, making it inconvenient to carry it.

Besides, due to the large size, they are uncomfortable in trouser pockets.

Battery life

Truly wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation or ANC work a little differently when it comes to battery life. So when it comes to the Galaxy Buds Pro’s continuous playtime, it can last around 5 hours with ANC enabled. Thankfully, the charging case will come to your rescue by giving you an additional 13 hours of charging.

This gives you a cumulative battery life of 18 hours on a single charge. Sony WF-1000XM3s perform similarly on the battery scale. A single charge gives you around 5-6 hours of constant playtime. The large charging case proves to be an advantage as it can offer you three additional charging cycles. Great, right?

We can safely say that a refill lasts about a week. Plus, they support fast charging, and a simple 10-minute charge will get you around 90 minutes of playback.

Connectivity

Unfortunately, the WF-1000XM3s only support a handful of Bluetooth codecs. They support SBC and AAC Bluetooth audio codecs and do not support Sony’s proprietary LDAC or Qualcomm’s aptX and aptX HD.

On the bright side, the Sony WF-1000XM3s feature NFC for quick pairing, but Bluetooth Multipoint is missing, meaning they can only connect to one device at a time.

Contrary to the above, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro does not have Bluetooth Multipoint. Instead, they come with Easy Switch. This Samsung feature allows you to switch between devices in the Bluetooth range. But it has a slight problem. It works on Samsung devices when logged in using the same Samsung account.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro earbuds sing the same song as Sony earbuds and pack both SBC and AAC codecs for Bluetooth codecs.

Audio quality and noise cancellation

Now, let’s turn to the elephant in the room- how well do the Galaxy Buds Pro and WF-1000XM3 sound? Well, let’s start with Galaxy Buds Pro.

This year, Samsung has done a great job with the Galaxy Buds Pro. The new buds offer balanced sound and have a much wider soundstage. Vocals appear clear and crisp, and as far as bass is concerned, you won’t find a powerful bass.

When it comes to ANC, Samsung’s buds effectively block out noise. With ANC active, you will not hear sounds from the AC fan or hum in elevators or buses. However, they still let in quite a bit of noise, and if someone is talking loudly or playing loud music in the same room, a faint sound creeps in. For the record, the Samsung Galaxy Buds allow you to change the grade of the ANC.

In contrast, the Sony WF-1000XM3 has a clear sonic signature with rich, pronounced bass and allows you to enjoy your favorite songs in a new light. Like the ones above, these earbuds also pack active noise cancellation and do their best to filter out ambient noise to give you a distraction-free environment. Overall, you get a peaceful environment. However, ANC comes at a price, and as noted earlier, it’s battery life.

Verdict

So which earphones should you buy? Well, if you’re looking for an overall good soundstage with rich, punchy bass, the Sony WF-100XM3 wins the crown. The audiophile in you will appreciate the detailed audio and the caliber of active noise cancellation. Additionally, the companion app has interesting and clever features that add to the experience.

Of course, it’s not without limitations. For example, it doesn’t have wireless charging, and the charging case isn’t exactly compact.

On the other hand, if you already have a Samsung phone, the Galaxy Buds Pro is a better choice. The connection is stable, and the Samsung Wearable app has many tricks up its sleeve. For example, how the Voice Detect feature lets, you easily switch between ANC and ambient noise whenever external microphones detect someone talking to you.

And with the support for wireless charging, it is very convenient to charge the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro.




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About Author

Samuel Afolabi is a lazy tech-savvy that loves writing almost all tech-related kinds of stuff. He is the Editor-in-Chief of TechVaz. You can connect with him socially :)

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