Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro vs Google Pixel Buds Pro: Which are better?

Samsung and Google are big names in the Android world, and both also offer their own signature true wireless earbuds. Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are the latest in a line of many models and sit at the top of the Galaxy Buds family, while Google positions the Pixel Buds Pro as the ultimate Android buds. But which set of earbuds is right for you? We’ll cover what you need to know in this Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro vs Google Pixel Buds Pro comparison.

When placed next to each other, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro and the Google Pixel Buds Pro look somewhat similar. Both have small buds with ear tips that sit close to their bodies, and both models mirror some of the design aesthetics of Android phones from their respective brands.

The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro claim to be 15% smaller than their preceding models and to have better airflow. The Pixel Buds Pro, meanwhile, are close in look and size to the cheaper Pixel A series buds. However, their new case is now IPX2 rated, while the buds themselves are IPX4 rated. Samsung’s previous Galaxy Buds Pro were IPX7 rated, and the new models are too. That means you can immerse the Samsung buds for up to 30 minutes, and they should survive.

Overall, the two models are pretty similar when it comes to design.

Google claims the batteries in the Pixel Buds Pro last seven hours with active noise-cancelling (ANC) enabled, which our tests confirmed. You can also net up to 20 hours total with the charging case. Disabling ANC lets the buds go for up to 11 hours and 31 hours total with the charging case.

Samsung claims the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro can go for up to five hours with noise-cancelling enabled. The charging case will take that to 18 hours total. We’ll have to test this to be sure. If you drop them into the charging case with ANC on, you reach a total of 18 hours of battery life, according to the manufacturer. Without ANC, that climbs to 29 hours.

Both USB-C and wireless charging are options for either model.

Despite being Google’s signature offering, the Pixel Buds Pro only support the SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs, which is odd for Android-tailored buds. On the other hand, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro offer AAC and SBC, and, if you use a Galaxy device, the Hi-Res Samsung Scalable Codec. The latter is better for latency reasons, but it’s only available if you buy into the larger ecosystem.

This is where the two models diverge further. The Pixel Buds Pro lets you connect to almost any Android device in a similar manner. If you use the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro on a non-Galaxy device, you will get most, but not all, of the same features. You won’t get automatic device switching and 360 audio, for instance. Although the Pixel Buds Pro do support Bluetooth multipoint, so you can connect to two devices simultaneously.

controls

Both the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro and the Pixel Buds Pro feature multifunction controls. You can swipe back and forth on Google’s buds to change the volume and tap them in various ways to access some settings. However, with most of these functions baked in, you can’t customize their controls.

On the other hand, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro let you use the Samsung Wearables app to remap controls and tweak things. This app works with all Android devices, but certain functions will only work with Galaxy phones.

The new Galaxy Buds 2 Pro feature SmartThings Find, which can alert you if you leave your buds behind. Google offers a Find My service, as well; you’ll have to enable it before losing your buds.

Either model of earbuds let you use voice commands to control functions, but they differ in their approach. Pixel Buds Pro use Google Assistant to interact with your voice, while the default voice assistant for Galaxy Buds 2 Pro is Bixby, but you can change to another voice assistant if you want.

Noise canceling

The Pixel Buds Pro are Google’s first set of earbuds with real ANC, and they do a decent job of it. Meanwhile, the first-generation Galaxy Buds Pro already managed to slightly edge out the ever-popular AirPods Pro when it comes to noise-cancelling.

The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro tout that they have an extra 3dB of attenuation when compared to their predecessor and “intelligent noise-cancelling.” It is unclear if Samsung means this across every frequency as an average or in a particular range.

Both of these models have three sizes of ear tips to choose from, so you can find a fit that delivers good isolation. However, in our experience, the ear tip fit test in the Google Pixel Buds Pro app seems to indicate that all of the tips are an ideal fit, which isn’t the case. Samsung’s ear tip fit test is usually a little more reliable in that regard.

Sound

The Google Pixel Buds Pro tend to emphasize both lows and highs a bit too much, which isn’t awful but might be noticeable to you depending on your listening habits. We’ve not had the chance to test the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro yet, but while their predecessor had a bass boost, overall, they did not amp up either end of the spectrum nearly as much.

The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro support 24-bit audio playback but only with Galaxy devices. The Pixel Buds Pro aren’t compatible with any Hi-Res audio standard.

Samsung’s buds also give you Dolby Atmos support, while Google doesn’t offer spatial audio support at the time of this writing. It is set to arrive with a future firmware update, however.

The Pixel Buds Pro don’t have a true equalizer. Instead, they rely on a volume EQ that doesn’t help all that much. Samsung gives you some EQ presets to use, which is a little better.

The Google Pixel Buds Pro come in Charcoal, Fog, Coral, and Lemongrass and sell for $199.

The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro were made available for pre-order from August 10 ahead of an official sale date of August 26, 2022. You can snag them in White, Graphite, or Bora Purple.

The choice between the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro and the Pixel Buds Pro will likely come down to the phone you have (or want to buy).

Google’s offering is targeting all Android users. While they are missing some features at launch and lack a reliable low-latency Bluetooth codec, they will integrate nicely with the overall ecosystem.

Meanwhile, Samsung really tailors the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro to work best with Galaxy devices. They will also work well with other Android phones, but the experience won’t be quite as fully featured.