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Gone are the days when you had to tread along your morning jog with a cable dangling in front of you, or struggle to bench two hundred with uncomfortable neckware on. Yes, we are talking about the wireless buds that connect to your phone via Bluetooth, but also don't have any physical connection between them to worry about. Well, you still have to worry about losing one of them "hearables," but at least they all come with dedicated charge-and-carry cases.
What used to be Kickstarter projects matured to actual products, and the big guys like Apple, Samsung, or Google, took notice, quickly overwhelming the smaller companies with truly wireless product lines of their own. Apple's AirPods are undoubtedly the pair that generates the most sales and publicity, but are there any real alternatives to its good value-for-money ratio?
Well, Google just announced the heir to its Pixel Buds, which can now be considered truly wireless, as there is no cord between them (the previous edition had one to prevent you from losing them), so let's pit them against the top AirPods and Galaxy Buds doggos.
Google Pixel Buds
Now that Google is a vertically integrated hardware maker, it outed its first truly wireless Bluetooth earphones of its own, called the Pixel Buds. With custom-designed 12 mm drivers, they not only sport enhanced base and dynamic range, and one-touch audio control, but smart features like Adaptive Sound for noisy places, and real-time translation to and from tens of languages.
With five hours of battery life (and five full charges in the supplied case), these are one of the mid-lasting truly wireless earphones. They are priced above the AirPods, but the translation thingy now works with phones other than the Pixel line, too.
The most overlooked new feature of the new Pixel Buds? Hands down the Adaptive Sound mode that lowers the volume in quiet places, and ratchets it up in noisy ones automagically without you lifting a finger, and keeping your eardrum safe in the meantime.
Google Pixel Buds vs AirPods, Galaxy and Echo Buds, Jabra Elite Active 75t and Sony WF-1000XM3 features
ANC (Active Noise Cancellation)
Features
Pixel Buds 2020
No
IPX4 sweat- and water-resistance against splashes 4 colors Adaptive Sound Real-time translation Google Assistant Touch controls USB-C and wireless charging
Samsung Galaxy Buds+
No
Record battery life 5 colors Ambient Aware Touch controls USB-C and wireless charging
Jabra Elite Active 75t
No
IPX57 water-resistance 4 colors Hearthrough tech Button controls Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant USB-C and wireless charging
Apple AirPods Pro
Yes
IPX4 sweat- and water-resistance against splashes One color Transparency mode Siri voice assistant Touch controls Wireless charging
Apple AirPods 2
No
One color Siri voice assistant
Sony WF-1000XM3
Yes
2 colors Google Assistant integration Touch controls
Amazon Echo Buds
No
IPX4 sweat- and water-resistance against splashes One color Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant Bose Noise Reduction tech Touch controls
Samsung Galaxy Buds+ 2020
Samsung leaped ahead of the wireless earbud race with the announcement of the Gear IconX, but the celebration was premature, since the battery of these feature-rich but playback-short earphones lasted half of what the AirPods could muster at the time.
The IconX successors righted this wrong, to the point where we now are at record battery life in the world of true wireless buds provided by the Galaxy Buds+ - 11 hours on a single charge. Granted, you only have one extra charge in the case, but putting them in there as rarely as possible is the whole point of Samsung's battery exercise.
At first brush, there aren't many differences between the Buds and the Plus version. A second look, however, distances the Buds+ with new case and bud colors and finishes. Unlike the AirPods, for instance, or even the first-gen Buds, they are available in no less than four hues, including red and blue for the buds and case, in addition to the traditional black and white colors.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus wireless charging
As usual, they are "tuned by AKG" but lack active noise cancellation. Apart from these major enhancements, Samsung has managed to vastly improve the fast charging capabilities of its true wireless earphones too, as the Galaxy Buds+ will deliver a whole hour of playtime after just 3 minutes of charging.
Other notable upgrades seemingly include multi-device connectivity, a 2-way dynamic speaker with a woofer and a tweeter, two outer microphones instead of only one, and an improved touch pad with a direct link to Spotify.
Apple AirPods/Pro
Still the most popular true wireless kits, the AirPods and their Pro version aren't the longest-lasting or fitness-y such buds out there, but they are some of the lightest and the Pro model has very good active noise cancellation considering they are not cans. If you are firmly entrenched in the Apple ecosphere, these are a no-brainer.
Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena since 2010, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.
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