Apple AirPods Pro 3 cost $249, while Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro cost $249.99. With less than a dollar between them, price does little to separate these two premium earbuds.
Your phone matters much more.
AirPods Pro 3 are built around Apple’s devices, while Galaxy Buds4 Pro work best with Samsung Galaxy phones but offer broader controls on other Android phones too. Battery life, sound settings, health features, and translation tools further separate them.
AirPods Pro 3 vs Galaxy Buds4 Pro at a glance
| AirPods Pro 3 | Galaxy Buds4 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Current price | $249 | $249.99 |
| Best phone fit | iPhone | Samsung Galaxy; also works with other Android phones |
| Advertised battery with ANC | Up to 8 hours; 24 hours total with case | Up to 6 hours; 26 hours total with case |
| Sound controls | Adaptive EQ | Adaptive EQ plus 9-band manual EQ |
| Extra features | Heart-rate tracking, hearing features, Live Translation | 24-bit/96kHz audio on supported Galaxy devices, Galaxy AI translation, head gestures |
| Water and dust resistance | IP57 earbuds and charging case | IP57 earbuds only |
Price, battery life, and sound controls
AirPods Pro 3 have sold for $249 since September 2025, according to Apple. Samsung introduced Galaxy Buds4 Pro in February 2026, and its current US product page lists them at $249.99.
Apple rates AirPods Pro 3 for up to eight hours of listening on one charge with Active Noise Cancellation enabled. With the charging case, Apple lists up to 24 hours of total ANC listening time.
Samsung rates Galaxy Buds4 Pro for up to six hours on one charge with ANC enabled and up to 26 hours total with the charging case.
That gives AirPods the longer advertised listening time between charges, while Samsung’s case provides slightly more total advertised ANC playback.
The companies use their own testing methods, so those figures should not be treated as a controlled head-to-head battery test. Actual battery life also changes with volume, settings, features, and Bluetooth conditions.
Both earbuds include Active Noise Cancellation, but Apple and Samsung do not publish directly comparable cross-brand measurements.
Apple says AirPods Pro 3 remove up to twice as much noise as AirPods Pro 2. Samsung describes Galaxy Buds4 Pro as using Adaptive ANC 2.0. Those claims compare each product against different references, so they do not establish which pair blocks more noise than the other.
Samsung does give buyers more manual control over sound. Galaxy Buds4 Pro include a 9-band equalizer for adjusting bass, treble, and other parts of the sound.
Compatible Galaxy devices can also use Samsung’s 24-bit/96kHz audio through the Samsung Seamless Codec. Availability depends on the Galaxy device and software version.
Apple lists Adaptive EQ for AirPods Pro 3, which automatically adjusts sound based on fit and what reaches the listener’s ear.
Fit also differs. Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 specifications list five ear-tip sizes from XXS through large. Samsung includes three sizes with Galaxy Buds4 Pro.
Both earbuds carry an IP57 dust and water-resistance rating. Apple applies that rating to both AirPods Pro 3 and their charging case.
Samsung’s IP57 rating covers only the Galaxy Buds4 Pro earbuds. Samsung says they can withstand immersion in up to three feet of fresh water for up to 30 minutes, but the charging case is not water-resistant.
Your phone decides which features you get
Galaxy Buds4 Pro can be used with compatible Android phones through the Galaxy Wearable app. Samsung says those users can access most features, including noise controls, the equalizer, firmware updates, and control settings.
Some features still require a compatible Samsung Galaxy device. Samsung lists 24-bit/96kHz audio, HD Voice, 360 Audio, Bixby and Gemini voice wake-up, Interpreter and Live Translate, head gestures, and Gaming Mode among the features unavailable on other Android phones.
iPhone users get a much more basic Galaxy Buds4 Pro experience. Samsung says iOS devices connect over Bluetooth and support standard audio, calls, ANC, and Ambient Mode, but there is no Galaxy Wearable app for iPhone.
AirPods Pro 3 have similar limits outside Apple’s ecosystem. Apple says they can work as Bluetooth headphones with non-Apple devices, but functionality may be limited.
Apple adds several features that go beyond listening to music. AirPods Pro 3 support heart-rate tracking during workouts and can track up to 50 workout types through the Fitness app on iPhone.
Apple’s Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features are another difference. Availability varies by country because some hearing-health features require regulatory approval.
Live Translation also depends on Apple’s ecosystem. Apple says the feature works with AirPods Pro 3 running the latest firmware when paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone running iOS 26 or later.
Samsung offers Interpreter and Live Translate through Galaxy Buds4 Pro when they are paired with a compatible Galaxy device. Samsung says Interpreter requires a Galaxy phone with supported Galaxy AI features running One UI 6.1.1 or later.
For iPhone owners, AirPods Pro 3 are the clear fit. They provide the full Apple feature set, longer advertised ANC listening time on a single charge, heart-rate tracking, and hearing features.
For Samsung Galaxy owners, Galaxy Buds4 Pro make more sense if manual sound controls, 24-bit/96kHz audio, and Galaxy AI features are priorities.
Galaxy Buds4 Pro are also the more practical option for people using another Android brand. Some Samsung-only features disappear, but Android users still get the Galaxy Wearable app and most of the earbuds’ controls.
At almost identical prices, the choice comes down less to which pair has the longer feature list and more to which pair works fully with the phone you already own.
Also read: Samsung’s Galaxy Buds4 launch brought the new earbuds to stores alongside the Galaxy S26 series.