So that brings us to an important question—can the QuietComfort Earbuds take the crown as one of the best wireless earphones with ANC. Or, does the Galaxy Buds Pro come with better overall features? Well, that’s what we will find in this post where we compare the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro with the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds. Let’s get going, shall we? But before that,
Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Buds Live: Should You UpgradeAudiophiles should check out these aptX HD headphones that you can buy
Specs That Matter
1. Design and Comfort
Both the wireless earphones, be it the Galaxy Buds Pro or the QuietComfort EarBuds, have come a long way since their predecessors. While Samsung has opted out of the bean-like shape of the Galaxy Buds Live, the new earphones from Bose have slimmed down in size and no longer gives your ears a goofy look. With the Samsung Buds Pro, you will see all the bells and whistles, such as silicon tips, small and lightweight design. All this is topped off with a long neck that fits in the ear canal. It’s this design that sets it apart from its predecessor. The good news is that the fit is comfortable, and the lightweight design helps its cause, even though there are no wing-tips. And at the end of the day, there are not many earphones with a shiny exterior right? So yeah, the Galaxy Buds Pro earphones manage to stand out in the crowd. Surprisingly, Samsung’s buds boast of an IPX7 rating, meaning that you can wear them in the gym or when it’s lightly drizzling without worrying about sweat and water damage. These metallic earphones are accompanied by touch-sensitive pads at the top. From skipping songs to accepting/rejecting calls, there are quite a few actions. Plus, they are customizable. While they are pretty great at registering touches, they can be a tad unreliable. The buds may stop playing a song or skip a few because of an accidental brush or when you are adjusting the buds. As noted above, Bose has come a long way from its SoundSport Free days. Gone are the big goofy earphones and are now replaced by a slim and sleek version. They still can’t be described as discreet, but the buds’ lightweight nature does the trick. These buds also bundle Bose’s proprietary StayHear Max ear tips, which adds to the comfort quotient. And unlike the Buds Pro, these have the nifty ear hooks to keep them in place. Using the QuietComfort bundle touch-sensitive buttons, you can play with the volume levels or touch the buds to speak to the virtual assistant. In comparison, they lack a little in the customization department. The QuietComfort Earbuds are marked for sweat and water resistance and carry a rating of IPX4. While they can occasionally take the splash of water or some amount of sweat, it would be best not to test their strength by going out in the rain or dunking them in water. Surprisingly, the QuietComfort Earbuds are packed in a bigger and chunkier case with a tad different opening mechanism. Unlike the Buds Pro’s case, you can not simply prop up the lid. There’s a small button that you’ll need to press to release the latch on the inside, increasing the time by a small fraction. Though it can get annoying, the good thing is that the earphones will stay inside the case even when you drop them accidentally.
2. Battery Life
When it comes to battery life, truly wireless earphones with Active Noise Cancellation or ANC play it a bit differently. That said when it comes to continuous playback, both the earbuds have pretty much in common. For one, the Galaxy Buds Pro can last around 5 hours with ANC enabled, while the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds takes it up to 6 hours with ANC. And that’s the trade-off you’ll have to make with earphones with ANC. Compared to non-ANC wireless earphones and headphones, these have comparatively short battery life. But at the end of the day, it’s not just about the battery life. We also need to take into account factors like battery optimization and charging speed. The Galaxy Buds Pro does seem to have an issue with the former, at least now, since the battery seems to go out faster. Hopefully, with a few OTAs down the line, this issue will likely be fixed. If we talk numbers, you get a cumulative battery life of 18 hours with ANC and the charging case adds 13 hours. Thankfully, the case supports wireless charging. You can either lay it on top of a wireless charging mat to juice it up. If you own a Samsung Galaxy flagship phone, you can enable PowerShare to charge it. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds lasts around 6 hours on a single full charge when it comes to cumulative battery life. The case provides an additional two charge cycles, which get you a cumulative battery life of around 18 hours. Do note that the battery levels depend a lot on the volume levels and wake-up features. For instance, the Buds Pro supports Bixby, which also affects the battery life.
3. Connectivity
The QuietComfort EarBuds support wireless charging and Bluetooth 5.1. While it isn’t a huge leap, Bluetooth 5.1 is more power-efficient than its predecessor. Being premium earphones, the QuietComfort Earbuds still do not support Multi-Device Pairing or Bluetooth multipoint, which makes it convenient to switch between two paired devices. Though the Buds Pro lacks the said feature, it comes with a look-alike named Easy Switch. You can switch between two devices in the Bluetooth range using this switch. However, it has a slight catch. This works only on Samsung devices when you’re logged in using the same Samsung account.
4. Audio Quality and Noise Cancellation
Well, let’s talk about the Galaxy Buds Pro. Samsung’s newest wireless earbuds are a huge improvement over its predecessors, especially the Galaxy Buds Plus. These new buds sound deliver a balanced sound with a wider soundstage. Though you won’t find thumping bass like most gym earphones, it’s just about right. Besides that, you can just resort to the Bass Boost preset. When it comes to the ANC, Samsung’s buds block out noise and low-hum from printers, AC, or fans, but they still let in quite a bit of noise, even in the High setting. There are two settings for now— High and Low. For instance, if someone were talking loudly in the same room or playing loud music, the sound will creep in. The sound’s degree is reduced to some extent, but you won’t be in a peaceful world of your own. As opposed to it, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds goes all out when it comes to its ANC tech performance. It brings a much quieter background and lets you customize the level of noise cancellation as per your preference. You can choose between three levels. So yeah, if you toggle it to 10, there will be fewer noises of everyday life like the buzz of motor transport or the buzzing of fans to distract you. Simultaneously, the audio delivery is dynamic and brings a deep thumping bass to the table. It has clarity, and if you were to use it during your gym sessions, it would be the perfect fit. The folks at What Hi-Fi argue that these buds deliver highly infectious audio with every minute detail embedded right in.
Dynamic Audio vs Balanced Audio
If Active Noise Cancellation is your foremost priority in your earphones, then the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds will be the perfect fit for you. And not to forget the fact that ANC is also accompanied by great audio delivery. Yeah, they are not as stylish as the shiny Samsung earbuds, but the performance is up to the mark. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds costs a little more than the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro earphones. While the Buds Pro may not have an effective ANC as its counterpart here, it still manages to deliver pleasant-sounding vocals across. The fit is great and the IPX7 rating is the cherry on top. The confluence of looks and the Ingress Protection rating means they can easily double up as your gym earphones as well as earphones for casual listening.
