When choosing between the AirPods and Galaxy Buds, your preference of smartphone and virtual assistant is important.
Your virtual assistant will differ depending on which smartphone you use, a key factor in choosing which headphones will work best for you.
The AirPods are designed for use with Apple's iOS virtual assistant, Siri, which is only available on devices like iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks. The Galaxy Buds utilize Samsung's virtual assistant Bixby, which is specific to its own devices.
If you plan to use voice commands, the headphones will work best when paired with their native assistant. It's possible to use AirPods with Google Assistant or Bixby, but you'll need a third party app to make them work together. Samsung does not list the Galaxy Buds as compatible with iOS, but it may be possible to pair them as standard Bluetooth headphones.
The Galaxy Buds come in both white, black, and yellow, while the AirPods are exclusively white.
Samsung was kind enough to offer a choice between white, black, and yellow for the Galaxy Buds; Apple's AirPods have only been available in white since they debuted in September 2016.
The Galaxy Buds are also a bit smaller than the AirPods, but the AirPods weigh less — 4 grams versus the Galaxy Buds' 5.6 grams.
AirPods have programmable buttons, which allow for quick controls and some customization. The Galaxy Buds don't have any external buttons.
The buttons on the AirPods are typically used to activate Siri, but they can be set to specific controls like "play/pause" and "next track."
The Galaxy Buds don't have any buttons, but can trigger the same controls with Bixby voice commands.
The Galaxy Buds case allows for wireless charging, and the new Galaxy S10 phone can charge other devices on the go. The AirPods case doesn't have wireless charging, at least not yet.
Both the AirPods and Galaxy Buds require a case when charging, but only the Galaxy Buds case is capable of wireless charging. Recent leaks have hinted that Apple is working on an AirPods case that can charge wirelessly, but it's not available yet.
The Galaxy Buds last up to six hours on a full charge, while AirPods last for five hours. The charging cases for both devices can also pack a separate charge, expanding the potential battery life of your buds if you choose to bring the case on the go, too.
And as an added bonus for Samsung fans, the company's newest smartphone, the Galaxy S10, can be used as a wireless charging pad for the Galaxy Buds and other devices.
Both the Galaxy Buds and AirPods contain technology to maintain quality during noisy calls.
Samsung said the Galaxy Buds will shift between an external and internal microphone to deliver better sound quality under noisy conditions.
Apple says AirPods can do something similar: the buds contain a voice accelerometer that can recognize when you're speaking. AirPods should then be able to filter outside noise so the person on the other end of the line can hear you better.
Galaxy Buds are slightly cheaper than AirPods.
Galaxy Buds will cost $130 when they go on sale, while AirPods still retail for $160.
Samsung's Galaxy Buds benefit from newer technology, but the AirPods should still suit most needs.
The Galaxy Buds' updated technology offer a few extra perks, but iPhone users may find that the AirPods fit their wireless headphone needs just fine. Android users looking for their first pair of wireless headphones will likely find the lower price point and updated features of the Galaxy Buds more appealing.
If you're interested in the Galaxy Buds, people who pre-order the Galaxy S10 or Galaxy S10+ will also get a free pair of the Samsung headphones. Otherwise, the Galaxy Buds wont be available in stores til March 8th, so you'll have to wait a few weeks to order them from Samsung or your favorite tech store.
