Review: Galaxy Buds easily beat Apple's AirPods but are years late to the game

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  • Reply 41 of 81
    Samsung isn't playing catch-up. Galaxy Buds are a 3rd gen product. They just changed the name from Gear Icon X, to Galaxy Buds. Look up and credible comparison online that isn't Samsung or Apple bias and you'll see that Samsung'' Icon X were also better then Apples Airpods.
    Carnage
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  • Reply 42 of 81
    DuhSesameduhsesame Posts: 1,278member
    normang said:
    normang said:
    Sound is subjective, if AI can show that everyone in their office felt the same way about the audio quality they "might" have a point. Also knowing that a new generation of AirPods is around the corner, have anything to do with this largely useless review of a product that most Apple users are not going to buy or shouldn't buy based on the Samsung copied it for the most part rip off principle..
    Why would we need to do that? This is Andrew's article, it doesn't have any other bylines on it.
    Really Mike... a sole perspective is all it takes to make it better?
    Absolutely. Most reviews by committee don't work.

    You're welcome to disagree with Andrew's opinion. The key to reviews is finding a reviewer with similar tastes to your own. Andrew's may not be to your taste, and that's fine.
    How’s the range and signal strength?  That’s more objective and very important to any wireless headsets.
    edited March 2019
    GeorgeBMacwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 43 of 81
    DuhSesameduhsesame Posts: 1,278member
    normang said:
    normang said:
    Sound is subjective, if AI can show that everyone in their office felt the same way about the audio quality they "might" have a point. Also knowing that a new generation of AirPods is around the corner, have anything to do with this largely useless review of a product that most Apple users are not going to buy or shouldn't buy based on the Samsung copied it for the most part rip off principle..
    Why would we need to do that? This is Andrew's article, it doesn't have any other bylines on it.
    Really Mike... a sole perspective is all it takes to make it better?
    Well, if you can get some frequency diagram and shows AirPods were better at reproducing sound, I will agree.  Taste are subjective, but data are not.
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  • Reply 44 of 81
    DuhSesameduhsesame Posts: 1,278member
    Huh, the PowerShare is a feature on the S10, not on the buds.  That feature might works with AirPods as well, so not an advantage for the headset itself.

    Maybe, unless they locked the feature for their own and/or having special hardware/firmware inside the buds.
    watto_cobra
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  • Reply 45 of 81
    DuhSesameduhsesame Posts: 1,278member
    Now if you can calm down and wait for more technical stuffs.  It still looks like pros and cons to me, and neither is superior for now.

    Unless someone shows that their buds indeed having better connection / sound quality / a better overall
    system, sure why not.  That’s technological advancement there, and it happens every year.  Newer AirPods will sure be benefits from those as well.  Then again, maybe not in this case at all.

    As for the sound quality, I doubt it.  It’s a matter of both objective and subjective, and every first-tier audio companies got their own strengths.
    That also don’t mean a simple cooperation is going to be great, they can just fit some cheap units that comes from a good quality brand and call it a day, which is a common practice among laptops.  A bluetooth earbuds like AirPods will also have more stuff involved, which may or may not hurt the audio quality, so compromises still have to make.
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  • Reply 46 of 81
    GeorgeBMacgeorgebmac Posts: 11,421member
    kiowavt said:
    Confused. "One feature we hope Apple to steal is the ambient audio mode that allows external audio to be passed through to your ears. This is great for talking to people with your earbuds in or walking down the street, still able to hear traffic.” Samsung version plugs the ear for noise isolation and needs this. AirPods are not so isolating and, while that might be nice, need it far less IMHO.
    The FDA has (or at least is close to) opening up the hearing aid market for sound amplifiers.  This feature might be a start in that direction.

    Hopefully the new AirPods might include something similar -- where it can not only pass through ambient sounds but amplify ambient/external sounds
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  • Reply 47 of 81
    GeorgeBMacgeorgebmac Posts: 11,421member
    DuhSesame said:
    normang said:
    normang said:
    Sound is subjective, if AI can show that everyone in their office felt the same way about the audio quality they "might" have a point. Also knowing that a new generation of AirPods is around the corner, have anything to do with this largely useless review of a product that most Apple users are not going to buy or shouldn't buy based on the Samsung copied it for the most part rip off principle..
    Why would we need to do that? This is Andrew's article, it doesn't have any other bylines on it.
    Really Mike... a sole perspective is all it takes to make it better?
    Absolutely. Most reviews by committee don't work.

    You're welcome to disagree with Andrew's opinion. The key to reviews is finding a reviewer with similar tastes to your own. Andrew's may not be to your taste, and that's fine.
    How’s the range and signal strength?  That’s more objective and very important to any wireless headsets.
    True.   But far less important if you pair them with the Apple Watch.
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  • Reply 48 of 81
    19831983 Posts: 1,225member
    Since when is a matte surface less grippy than a glossy one? A strange remark by the reviewers. Even though such a surface picking up more dirt is logical. 
    brometheuspscooter63
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  • Reply 49 of 81
    19831983 Posts: 1,225member
    MplsP said:
    Interesting - I read a review on another (non-Apple) site that had the AirPods coming out ahead. One of the points that review made was that the microphone was better on the AirPods. Regardless the Samsung pods seem to be reasonable. As you state, you're comparing a 2019 Samsung product with a (Dec) 2016 Apple product. A better comparison would be the AirPods V2 when they arrive. Still, this is what's available now.

    As far as charging goes - I have been thoroughly underwhelmed by wireless charging when I've used it; wired charging is faster, more efficient and more reliable, so for me it's a useless feature. Likewise, the phone to pod charging strikes me as a neat gimmick that will be virtually useless in real life. You won't be able to effectively use your phone or the pods while you're doing it, many people have issues getting through the day with their phone battery, much less depleting it by charging their headphones, compounded by the inefficiency of wireless charging, and if you have a mat or cable to charge your phone then why not charge the pods directly? Beyond that, the AirPods case has 24 hrs of battery life, so you should rarely, if ever need anything else.

    It's an Apple-centric solution, but the W1 chip is a major advantage of the AirPods, imo. Dealing with bluetooth pairing and device switching is a major pain and one if the big drawbacks of bluetooth. The W1 chip significantly simplifies streamlines that process. I wish Apple would license the technology, but it doesn't appear that that's going to be the case.

    This is totally subjective, but I also think the Samsung pods look dorky - like you've got a huge hunk of cotton stuck in your ears. 

    Finally (I gotta say it,) my wired headphones never have issues syncing, never run out of battery life, and switching them from one device to another is a breeze. They also don't use/waste lithium (and the resources used to mine it) and don't have batteries that get old mandating their replacement. Sometimes wires get in the way, but they have a lot of conveniences over wireless.
    The Samsung buds remind me of hearing aids in their look. Many say Apple should get rid of the “stalks” in follow up generations of the AirPods. And I can see why some would want that. But they give AirPods a unique look that’s solely associated with Apple, as well as improved mic performance. It’s like when the first iPods came out, you could instantly recognize people using them due to the distinctive (at the time) white earbud cables. It’s the same with the AirPods and their stalks. Just offer the option of a more subtle color like black for people who feel a little self-conscious having bright white, glossy bars sticking out of their ears...they do look a little silly.
    watto_cobra
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  • Reply 50 of 81
    mercel said:
    gatorguy said:
    Wow, talk about a blatant rip-off of the AirPods! Absolutely disgusting!

    Companies like Scamsung and Huawei will never learn, this is their DNA; lie, cheat, steal, defraud until you get caught, then pay the fees, and rinse and repeat!
    These look NOTHING like the AirPods. use a completely different form-factor, and have features and functions Apple's product does not, just as Apple's product has a unique iconic look and Apple-specific features. How are they a "blatant ripoff"? In your haste to comment are you confusing images of the AirPods in the AI article as images of Samsung's product?
    Seriously?  If AirPods had never shipped, do you really think for a millisecond Samsung’s Galaxy Buds would have looked like this?  

    Get real, man.  Delusional.
    Yes, I do think that. Given that the Gear IconX 2016 buds (released before the AirPods) looked like this: 
    crowleyavon b7Carnagebeowulfschmidt
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  • Reply 51 of 81
    The tech press has always treated the plug-your-ear-canal style tips on ear buds like this as if it's an advantage. You always see phrases like "better seal" being used as if it means something important to sound quality to have your ear canal plugged, despite the fact that standard over-ear headphones don't plug your ear canal and work perfectly fine for sound reproduction. In reality, plugging or "sealing" your ear canal doesn't really have an advantage when it comes to sound and it's less comfortable for longer periods of use.
    watto_cobra
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  • Reply 52 of 81
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    The tech press has always treated the plug-your-ear-canal style tips on ear buds like this as if it's an advantage. You always see phrases like "better seal" being used as if it means something important to sound quality to have your ear canal plugged, despite the fact that standard over-ear headphones don't plug your ear canal and work perfectly fine for sound reproduction. In reality, plugging or "sealing" your ear canal doesn't really have an advantage when it comes to sound and it's less comfortable for longer periods of use.
    Not so good for your ears either.
    watto_cobra
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  • Reply 53 of 81
    crowley said:
    The tech press has always treated the plug-your-ear-canal style tips on ear buds like this as if it's an advantage. You always see phrases like "better seal" being used as if it means something important to sound quality to have your ear canal plugged, despite the fact that standard over-ear headphones don't plug your ear canal and work perfectly fine for sound reproduction. In reality, plugging or "sealing" your ear canal doesn't really have an advantage when it comes to sound and it's less comfortable for longer periods of use.
    Not so good for your ears either.
    Is that really the case? I thought that because of the seal and extra isolation the volume can be much lower for these kinds of buds, reducing the chance of damage to the ear due to excessive sound.
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  • Reply 54 of 81
    Abalos65 said: Yes, I do think that. Given that the Gear IconX 2016 buds (released before the AirPods) looked like this: 
    Remember the original price? $200. 
    watto_cobra
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  • Reply 55 of 81
    Abalos65 said: Yes, I do think that. Given that the Gear IconX 2016 buds (released before the AirPods) looked like this: 
    Remember the original price? $200. 
    No, not really. But that was because I was never particularly interested in those. What has that to do with my point though?
    avon b7
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  • Reply 56 of 81
    Abalos65 said: No, not really. But that was because I was never particularly interested in those. What has that to do with my point though?
    Because it's related to the idea of Samsung following Apple's direction. The "cheaper than AirPods" line is pretty popular with the 2019 Galaxy Buds, but being more economical wasn't their original approach. 
    watto_cobra
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  • Reply 57 of 81
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,771member
    MacPro said:
    gatorguy said:
    Wow, talk about a blatant rip-off of the AirPods! Absolutely disgusting!

    Companies like Scamsung and Huawei will never learn, this is their DNA; lie, cheat, steal, defraud until you get caught, then pay the fees, and rinse and repeat!
    These look NOTHING like the AirPods. use a completely different form-factor, and have features and functions Apple's product does not, just as Apple's product has a unique iconic look and Apple-specific features. How are they a "blatant ripoff"? In your haste to comment are you confusing images of the AirPods in the AI article as images of Samsung's product?
    Official Google comment?
    So enthused to have your attention the past day or so. Looks like I have a follower. ;)
    edited March 2019
    Carnage
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  • Reply 58 of 81
    Abalos65 said: No, not really. But that was because I was never particularly interested in those. What has that to do with my point though?
    Because it's related to the idea of Samsung following Apple's direction. The "cheaper than AirPods" line is pretty popular with the 2019 Galaxy Buds, but being more economical wasn't their original approach. 
    This is in no way related to my original point. I reacted to a comment about the looks of the Galaxy buds, that's it. Your point is that because a company is lowering its pricing as a reaction to lower prices of a competing product it is somehow copying or following the competing company? I see that as regular market forces and a good thing personally.
    edited March 2019
    beowulfschmidt
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  • Reply 59 of 81
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    Abalos65 said:
    crowley said:
    The tech press has always treated the plug-your-ear-canal style tips on ear buds like this as if it's an advantage. You always see phrases like "better seal" being used as if it means something important to sound quality to have your ear canal plugged, despite the fact that standard over-ear headphones don't plug your ear canal and work perfectly fine for sound reproduction. In reality, plugging or "sealing" your ear canal doesn't really have an advantage when it comes to sound and it's less comfortable for longer periods of use.
    Not so good for your ears either.
    Is that really the case? I thought that because of the seal and extra isolation the volume can be much lower for these kinds of buds, reducing the chance of damage to the ear due to excessive sound.
    Maybe that's the case if you put the volume way down, but I doubt most people (especially kids) do, and having the speaker channeled that much more into your ear at high volumes is going to lead to hearing problems.  
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  • Reply 60 of 81
    So after reading/watching this, the AirPods are still clearly better and the Galaxy Buds do not "easily beat" the AirPods. Don't understand the headlines, was that your conclusion after your test?? Because the tests says something different...
    ricks1919
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