Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs AirPods Pro 2 – Best Choice for 2025?

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and the AirPods Pro 2 remain two of the strongest premium earbuds heading into 2025. Both deliver excellent sound, advanced noise cancellation, and polished daily performance, but they give completely different experiences depending on what phone you use and what kind of sound profile you prefer. If you’re trying to decide which one is the better buy this year, here’s the clear breakdown based purely on real-world performance, features, and long-term use.

Design & Comfort

The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro use a modern, stem-style design that is slimmer and lighter than previous Samsung models. They sit securely in the ear and offer a comfortable fit for long sessions. The new design also improves microphone placement, making call quality noticeably better than earlier versions. AirPods Pro 2 still keep the classic Apple shape with shorter stems, a compact profile, and soft silicone tips that adapt well to different ear sizes. Apple’s fit feels extremely natural, especially for long listening periods, and the ear pressure relief system reduces fatigue during extended use. Both are comfortable, but the AirPods Pro 2 still feel slightly more effortless for all-day wear.

Sound Quality

Sound performance is where the differences really show. The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro lean toward a fuller, more dynamic sound with strong bass, clear vocals, and wide spatial detail. Samsung’s new drivers deliver deep lows without muddying the midrange, making these earbuds excellent for music lovers who want energy and punch. AirPods Pro 2 focus on clarity and balance. Apple’s Adaptive EQ adjusts the audio in real time, giving you clean mids, precise highs, and a very natural sound signature. AirPods Pro 2 feel more neutral, while Galaxy Buds 3 Pro feel more exciting. Your preference depends on your taste: lively vs. balanced.

Active Noise Cancellation

Both earbuds deliver excellent ANC, but they do it differently. AirPods Pro 2 still lead in consistency, blocking out rumbling noise, voices, traffic, and ambient sound extremely well with minimal ear pressure. Apple’s transparency mode is the best in the market, sounding natural and almost like you’re not wearing earbuds at all. The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro introduce improved ANC with smarter ambient sound tuning and better wind reduction. They cancel noise aggressively, especially mid-range frequencies. Transparency mode on Samsung has improved, but still isn’t as natural as Apple’s. If you want the overall best ANC and transparency experience, AirPods Pro 2 win. If you want powerful ANC with a strong audio punch, Samsung is excellent.

Battery Life

Battery life is another area where the difference matters. The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro typically last longer on a single charge, offering strong playback time even with ANC enabled. AirPods Pro 2 have good battery life, but not as strong as Samsung’s during heavy use. Both cases support wireless charging and fast top-ups. Samsung gives you more overall listening hours, especially if you use ANC frequently or keep them connected for long work sessions.

Connectivity & Features

AirPods Pro 2 shine with ecosystem integration. They switch instantly between iPhone, iPad, and Mac, support spatial audio with head tracking, and deliver extremely stable connectivity through Apple’s H2 chip. The experience feels automated and seamless. The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro work best with Samsung phones, offering features like seamless auto-switching, Galaxy AI integration, and 24-bit Hi-Fi audio when paired with compatible devices. On non-Samsung Android phones, they still perform well but some advanced features are limited. Both earbuds offer great touch controls, fast pairing, and strong app support, but each one unlocks its full potential when paired with its own brand’s phone.

Call Quality

Both earbuds have strong call quality, but Samsung’s new stem design boosts microphone clarity significantly, especially in windy environments. AirPods Pro 2 still perform extremely well for voice calls, offering clear speech and good background noise reduction. For professional calls or outdoor use, both are reliable, but Samsung’s improvement gives it a small edge in noisy environments.

Gaming & Latency

AirPods Pro 2 deliver extremely low latency on Apple devices, making them ideal for gaming, video watching, or social media use. The connection is tight and responsive. Galaxy Buds 3 Pro offer low latency on Samsung phones and remain very stable for video syncing and gameplay as long as you’re in the Android ecosystem. Both are fast, but each works best on its own platform.

Price & Value

Both are premium earbuds with flagship pricing. The AirPods Pro 2 often keep a higher price, especially when new models release. The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro tend to offer slightly better value depending on the market and promotions. In general, Samsung gives more hardware features for the money, while Apple gives higher consistency and integration.

Final Verdict — Which Should You Choose in 2025?

Choose the AirPods Pro 2 if you use an iPhone, want the best transparency mode in the world, prefer clean and balanced audio, need reliable switching between Apple devices, and want the most polished premium experience. Choose the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro if you use a Samsung or Android phone, prefer powerful bass and dynamic sound, want longer battery life, need strong call quality in noisy environments, and like the new modern stem design. Both are excellent, but the right choice depends completely on the phone you use and the sound profile you prefer.