- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Our Verdict
- Video
- Test Results
- Differences
- Compared To Others
- Deals
- Discussions
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ are an improved version of the older Samsung Galaxy Buds Truly Wireless. They look and feel identical and have the same sleek, compact design. Their out-of-the-box sound profile is very well-balanced, and their companion app is available for iOS as well as Android, unlike the older model's Android-only app. They have a much longer continuous battery life, with over 13 hours of playback time from a single charge, which is very impressive for a pair of truly wireless headphones. Unfortunately, their touch-sensitive controls can be a little finicky. Still, if you're looking for a versatile pair of truly wireless in-ears, these are a good choice.
Our Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ are decent for mixed usage. Their long continuous battery life should allow them to easily last an entire day of use, and they do an alright job at blocking out background noise. They're quite lightweight and comfortable too. Their out-of-the-box sound profile is well-suited for a wide variety of content, but their touch-sensitive control scheme can be a little hard to use.
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Impressive 13.5-hour battery life.
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Comfortable and stable design.
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Alright microphone noise handling capability.
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Only one additional charge from charging case.
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Hard-to-use control scheme.
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High audio latency on PC.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ are good for neutral listening. Their out-of-the-box sound profile is extremely well-balanced and neutral-sounding, so they should suit different genres. Unfortunately, their passive soundstage is bad, though this is normal for closed-back in-ear headphones.
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Well-balanced sound profile is well-suited for a wide variety of content and genres.
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Companion app with EQ presets.
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Alright microphone noise handling capability.
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Closed-off soundstage.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ are good headphones for commuting. While they don't block out the low rumble of plane or bus engines, they're quite comfortable, so you should be able to wear them during longer trips without feeling any fatigue. Their 13.5-hour battery life is also quite impressive, so you shouldn't have to charge them during a long travel day.
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Impressive 13.5-hour battery life.
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Compact, lightweight construction.
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Sturdy build quality.
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Alright microphone noise handling capability.
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Hard-to-use control scheme.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ are great headphones for sports. They're quite comfortable and feel very stable in the ear, even during more strenuous workouts. They come with different sizes of stability fins and silicone tips to help you find a good, secure fit. They're also rated IPX2 for very light water resistance, though this isn't something we currently test for.
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Comfortable and stable design.
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Compact, lightweight construction.
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Sturdy build quality.
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Alright microphone noise handling capability.
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Hard-to-use control scheme.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ are decent headphones for office use. They're comfortable enough to wear all day, and their 13.5-hour battery life means you should be able to wear them throughout a full day in the office without needing to recharge them. Unfortunately, they aren't the best at blocking out background noises, though they do a great job with background chatter from nearby coworkers and higher-pitched sounds.
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Impressive 13.5-hour battery life.
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Comfortable and stable design.
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Alright microphone noise handling capability.
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Only one additional charge from charging case.
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No multi-device pairing capability.
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High audio latency on PC.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ aren't recommended for wireless gaming. While you can connect them to a Bluetooth-enabled PC, the latency is likely to be too high for gaming. They also aren't compatible with Xbox One or PS4 consoles.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus are Bluetooth-only headphones that can't be used on a wired connection.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus are okay for phone calls. Their microphone's recording quality is unremarkable, and like with most truly wireless headphones, your voice may sound muffled and thin. On the upside, the microphone does a surprisingly alright job of isolating your voice from background noise. They also do an okay job of blocking out ambient chatter.
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Alright microphone noise handling capability.
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Mediocre microphone recording quality.
- 7.4 Mixed Usage
- 7.7 Neutral Sound
- 7.7 Commute/Travel
- 8.3 Sports/Fitness
- 7.0 Office
- 5.9 Wireless Gaming
- 5.8 Wired Gaming
- 6.6 Phone Calls
- Update 11/10/2020: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
- Update 8/24/2020: Validated our results.
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Video
Test Results
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ look identical to the older Samsung Galaxy Buds Truly Wireless, with a far more conventional in-ear design than the newer Samsung Galaxy Buds Live Truly Wireless. They're quite small and don't protrude out of the ears. The earbuds have a glossy plastic finish and look quite premium. Some color variants, including the as-tested 'White' version, have an iridescent finish on their touch-sensitive surface.
These in-ears are quite comfortable. They shouldn't put pressure on your inner ear and don't enter your ear canal too deeply. They're also very lightweight, so you should be able to wear them for extended periods without experiencing any discomfort.
The control scheme of the Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus is slightly disappointing. Their easy-to-use touch-sensitive controls mean that you don't have to push the earbuds further into your ear when you press a button, which is nice, but unfortunately, it makes it easy to accidentally press a button and difficult to use the controls while wearing gloves. The headphones give a bit of audio feedback when pressing buttons, which is nice, and the controls give you access to the most common music/call related controls. You can also customize a long press to a few things, including volume adjustment, which is great. You can also set the edge of the earbuds' touch sensor to adjust your volume up/down with a double-tap.
Like most truly wireless earbuds, the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ are very small and can easily be tossed into pockets or a bag. Even their charging case is on the smaller side and should fit into most pockets.
The charging case for these headphones is great. Its hinge stays open at any angle, which feels secure. It feels quite premium and is made from solid and high-grade plastic. It also supports Qi-enabled wireless charging, which is nice.
These in-ears feel quite well-made overall. Both the case and the earbuds themselves are made from dense plastic and feel like they should easily withstand a few accidental drops or bumps. They're rated IPX2 for basic water protection, though this isn't something we currently test for.
These headphones feel very stable in the ear. They come with three different sizes of tips and stability fins to help get a good fit, and they should stay in place even during more strenuous workouts.
- Samsung Galaxy Buds+ headphones
- Charging case
- 3 tip options
- 3 fin sleeve options
- USB-C charging cable
- Manuals
The out-of-the-box sound profile of the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ is well-balanced. Its bass response delivers adequate thump and rumble, vocals and lead instruments are present and clear, and sibilants are detailed without being overly piercing or harsh. If that's not to your liking, their companion app features six different EQ presets to better suit your preferences.
Like most in-ear headphones, the frequency response consistency of these headphones is outstanding. Once you achieve a proper fit using the included tips, you should experience consistent bass and treble responses every time you use them.
The bass accuracy of these headphones is remarkable. The entire range is very neutral, so bass will be present but won't sound overpowering or boomy. If fans of genres like EDM and hip-hop may find them a bit lacking in this respect, they can use the 'Bass Boost" EQ preset in the app, though we don't test the sound profile with any EQ presets applied.
The mid-range accuracy of these headphones is remarkable out-of-the-box. The entire range is very flat and well-balanced, with only a tiny dip in the mid-mid range, though this likely won't be noticeable to most people. Lead instruments and vocals should sound present and properly balanced.
The treble accuracy of these headphones is excellent. The range is remarkably well-balanced, and high notes should sound bright and detailed without being harsh or piercing.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus have very minimal peaks and dips. Their entire frequency response is well-balanced, and no ranges should sound over-powering.
The stereo imaging performance of these headphones is excellent. Their weighted group delay falls entirely beneath the audibility threshold, resulting in a tight bass and a transparent treble reproduction. Additionally, its L/R drivers are exceptionally matched in regards to amplitude, frequency, and phase response. This means that objects and instruments, like voices and footsteps, are accurately localized in the stereo image, resulting in a more immersive listening experience. However, these results are only valid for our unit, and yours may perform differently.
Like most other in-ears, the soundstage of the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ is poor. This is because in-ears bypass any sort of interaction with the outer ear, which means they can't create an out-of-head listening experience. Also, because of their closed-back enclosure, sound is perceived as coming from the inside of your head rather than all around you.
These headphones don't have any virtual soundstage features.
The weighted harmonic distortion performance of the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ is decent. Some slight distortion is present throughout the treble range, but the rest of the frequency range falls within good limits, resulting in mostly clean and pure audio reproduction.
These are the settings used to test these headphones. Our results are only valid when listening using these settings.
The noise isolation performance of these headphones is acceptable. While they do a great job at blocking out background chatter and the higher-frequency sound of an AC unit, they block almost no bass-range sounds. This means that they won't help much with blocking out the low rumble of bus or plane engines. For truly wireless in-ears with better passive noise isolation, see the Sony WF-XB700 Truly Wireless.
Like most closed-back in-ears, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus leak very little audio. Most of the leaked audio comes from the treble ranges, so it will sound quite thin. You should be able to listen to your music at pretty high volumes without worrying about disrupting people nearby, even in moderately quiet environments.
These headphones have an integrated microphone in the earbuds.
Like most Bluetooth headphones, the recording quality of the microphone is mediocre. Your voice should be decently clear and understandable, but lacking in detail.
The noise handling of this microphone is alright. Even in moderately noisy environments, the person on the other end of the line should be able to hear you somewhat clearly.
The battery performance of the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ is very good, and a big improvement over the older Samsung Galaxy Buds. They supply over 13 hours of continuous playback time, which is especially impressive for a pair of truly wireless in-ears and comfortably outlasts the advertised figure of 11 hours. Unfortunately, their case only holds one additional charge, though their overall battery life is still excellent. They also advertise an additional hour of playback from three minutes of charging, but we don't test for this.
Unlike the previous version, the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ have a dedicated companion app for both Android and iOS. Like the previous version, they use the Galaxy Wearable app on Android, while they now have a separate app for iOS called Samsung Galaxy Buds+. Both apps give you access to five different EQ presets, as well as button mapping for the long hold of the button on either ear and adjustable 'Ambient sound' settings, so you can select how much of your surrounding audio is played back into your ears. While there is also a program called 'Samsung Galaxy Buds Manager' available for both Windows and macOS, this program doesn't give you access to all the customization options and appears to just be for updating the headphones.
These in-ears have acceptable Bluetooth connectivity. They support Bluetooth 5.0 but not multi-device or NFC pairing. However, if you use a compatible Samsung phone, you will get a pop-up on your phone asking if you want to connect the headphones as soon as you open their charging case, which makes pairing seamless. Unfortunately, their latency on Android and iOS seems to be a bit worse than the Samsung Galaxy Buds Truly Wireless, so you may notice a bit of audio delay when watching videos. It's worth noting that some apps seem to compensate for this, so your real-world experience may vary.
These truly wireless earbuds are Bluetooth-only.
These headphones can't be used wired. They come with a USB-C cable to charge the case.
These headphones can only be used via Bluetooth on PCs, and aren't compatible with the PS4. Due to their high latency, they aren't recommended for gaming.
These truly wireless earbuds only support Bluetooth, so they're not compatible with the Xbox One.
The charging case for these headphones should give you an additional charge, but like most truly wireless headphones, it doesn't have any inputs aside from a USB-C port for charging.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
There are four color variants of the Samsung Galaxy Buds+: 'Black', 'White', 'Red', 'Cloud Blue', and 'Aura Blue'. We tested the 'White' variant but expect the other color variants to perform similarly overall.
If someone comes across a different version of the Samsung Galaxy Buds+, let us know in the discussions below so that we can update our review.
Compared To Other Headphones
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ are a decent improvement over 2019's Samsung Galaxy Buds Truly Wireless. They're almost identical but with much-improved battery life. Their companion app also is also compatible with iOS, which is great. Check out our recommendations for the best truly wireless earbuds, the best wireless earbuds, and the best noise cancelling earbuds and in-ears.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live Truly Wireless are less well-rounded than the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless. The Buds+ are more comfortable, provide a more consistent and neutral listening experience, have a superior integrated mic, and last almost twice as long on a single charge. Despite lacking an ANC system, they block out more ambient noise overall, though it should be noted that the Live are more effective at filtering out low-end ambient sound. The Live also have lower wireless latency and generate a more open and spacious listening experience.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless are marginally better than the Jabra Elite 75t Truly Wireless, though they're both decent options. They're both quite comfortable, but the Jabra have much better controls with physical, clicky buttons, as well as support for multi-device pairing, and a much better app that gives you access to a full graphic EQ to customize their sound profile. On the other hand, the Samsung feel a bit more stable in the ear, have a more accurate and balanced sound profile out-of-the-box, and a much longer battery life off a single charge.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless and the Jabra Elite Active 75t Truly Wireless are both decent truly wireless earbuds each with their strengths and weaknesses. The Samsung have a much better-balanced sound profile out-of-the-box, and their battery lasts significantly longer on a single charge. The Jabra, however, have more sound customization options in their app, easier-to-use physical controls, and they also support multi-device pairing.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless and the Sony WF-1000XM3 Truly Wireless are both very decent truly wireless headphones that have different strengths. The Sony provide ANC and do a much better job at blocking out background noises, but they're heavier and not as comfortable as the Samsung. The Samsung feel much more stable in the ear and may be better to wear to the gym, though the Sony feel slightly more premium and well-built. While the Samsung's out-of-the-box sound profile is more well-balanced, the Sony has a full graphic EQ within its app to adjust their sound. Finally, though the Sony have a slightly longer battery overall within their case, the Samsung last almost double the length of time off a single charge, so don't need to be recharged as often.
The Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 Truly Wireless and the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless are both versatile, well-rounded truly wireless earbuds. The Samsung have a much more neutral sound out-of-the-box, which makes them more versatile for a wider range of genres by default. The Anker sound a lot more exciting, and their companion app provides a lot of sound customization options, including a graphic EQ. The Samsung have a more comfortable, compact earbud design, however, and a significantly better battery performance.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless and the Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are both very decent pairs of truly wireless headphones. The Apple have slightly easier-to-use controls, a more premium-feeling case, much better isolation performances thanks to their ANC feature, a slightly longer overall battery life, and are easier to pair to Apple devices. On the other hand, the Samsung have a more accurate out-of-the-box sound profile, a significantly longer single-charge battery life, a better app for both iOS and Android that offers EQ presets, and are easier to pair with compatible Samsung devices.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless are better overall performing earbuds than the Jabra Elite 65t Truly Wireless. The Samsung are more comfortable, have a better-balanced sound profile out-of-the-box, and offer a longer continuous battery life than the Jabra. However, the Jabra have one more charge in their carrying case than the Samsung, an auto-off feature, and they can be paired with up to two devices at the same time.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless are slightly better truly wireless headphones than the Jabra Elite Active 65t Truly Wireless. The Samsung are more comfortable, have an incredibly neutral sound profile, and they have longer continuous battery life. However, the Jabra are still fairly balanced, they can passively isolate more noise, and they have a wider range of controls. Their companion app offers a graphic EQ on top of presets, giving you more range to tweak their sound to your liking and they can also be paired with up to two devices at a time.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless are better truly wireless in-ears than the Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 Truly Wireless. The Samsung are more comfortable, have better controls, a much better-balanced and accurate sound profile, a better microphone, and a significantly longer single-charge battery life. On the other hand, the Anker have a better app that includes a graphic EQ and have a slightly longer overall battery life, including the charging case.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless are better mixed usage truly wireless earbuds for mixed usage than the the Bose SoundSport Free Truly Wireless, which are designed for sport. While both headphones have a very well-balanced, neutral sound profile, the Samsung have a longer battery life, isolate more noise, and are customizable with their companion app. The Bose feel better-built for working out, though, and runners, in particular, will appreciate how they provide better ambient awareness.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless are better overall headphones than the Sony WF-XB700 Truly Wireless. The Samsung are more comfortable and have a more stable fit, and they also have longer battery life. Out-of-the-box, their sound profile is more neutral and better-balanced, though some listeners may prefer the bass-heavy sound of the Sony. Thanks to their companion app and EQ presets, the Samsung offer more customization options. The Sony have less intuitive-to-use controls but they offer volume control, which the Samsung lack. The Sony are also better at passively isolating background noise, and they leak less audio.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless are better truly wireless headphones than the JBL Reflect Flow True Wireless. The Samsung are more comfortable, have an incredibly neutral sound profile, and have a better performing integrated microphone. They also have a longer continuous battery life, even though they offer only one additional charge in their case when compared to the JBL's two additional charges, and have a companion app that has EQ presets. The JBL, on the other hand, also have a very neutral sound profile, they feel slightly better built, and isolate a bit more background noise than the Samsung.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless are better truly wireless in-ears than the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless. The Samsung are more comfortable, feel more stable, have a much better-balanced sound profile, have a much longer single-charge battery life, and a better microphone. On the other hand, the Sennheiser's app gives you a graphic EQ as opposed to only presets, and have much better physical controls.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless are better in-ears than the JBL LIVE 300TWS Truly Wireless. The Samsung have a much longer battery that's among the longest we've ever tested on a pair of truly wireless headphones. They also have a nicer case that supports wireless charging, and their sound profile is almost perfectly balanced. On the other hand, the JBL's app offers slightly more customization options, including a parametric EQ as opposed to only EQ presets with the Samsung. The JBL also have a better microphone and easier-to-use controls.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless are a decent improvement over the previous generation Samsung Galaxy Buds Truly Wireless. Both truly wireless headphones are very small, lightweight, and comfortable, and they look identical. They both have an extremely well-balanced sound profile out-of-the-box, and access to five different EQ presets. The Buds+ have a much longer 13.5-hour battery life, which is quite impressive for a pair of truly wireless headphones, and you still get an additional full charge from the case. iPhone users can also access the customization options now, as Samsung has made a version of the companion app available for iOS devices, which is great.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless and the Astro A40 TR Headset + MixAmp Pro 2017 are two headphones with very different uses. The Astro are over-ear, wired headphones designed for gamers. They're more comfortable and can be worn for long gaming sessions. They also have a MixAmp with sound controls that you can adjust on-the-fly, and their boom microphone captures voices clearly. However, they're not as versatile as the Samsung, which are suited for most uses other than gaming. Overall, the Samsung have a truly wireless design that makes it easier to take along with you when compared to over-ears. The Samsung isolate more noise and have a very balanced and neutral sound profile.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless are better truly wireless headphones than the Google Pixel Buds 2020 Truly Wireless. The Samsung have a much more accurate and better-balanced sound profile, block a lot more background noise, and have a much longer battery life. They also have a better app that has access to some EQ presets so you can customize the way they sound. On the other hand, the Google pair to Android devices almost instantly, and have a better control scheme that's very easy to use.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless are a better option than the Mpow M30 Truly Wireless. The Samsung have a very accurate and well-balanced sound profile, on top of being customizable via EQ presets in their app. They also have a noticeably better battery performance with over 13 hours of continuous playback, against the Mpow's mere 4 hours. On the other hand, the Mpow have a better noise isolation performance and are noticeably cheaper, but other than that, the Samsung are simply better.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless are better truly wireless earbuds than the Apple AirPods 2 Truly Wireless 2019 for most people unless you have an iPhone and prefer something with a more open sound. The Samsung have a better-balanced sound profile, longer battery life, and they isolate a lot more noise. Some people prefer how the Apple headphones let in ambient sounds, though, as well as their seamless pairing with Apple devices.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless are better suited for mixed usage than the Sony WF-SP800N Truly Wireless. The Samsung are smaller but have an equally secure, comfortable fit, deliver a much more well-balanced listening experience out-the-box, and have a better integrated mic. At over 13 hours, they’re also one of the few truly wireless headphones that have a longer continuous battery life than the Sony. However, the Sony retaliate with a more intuitive control scheme, less audio leakage, and a companion app with a graphic EQ to the Samsung Galaxy Wearable app’s simple audio presets.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless are marginally better truly wireless in-ears than the Amazon Echo Buds Truly Wireless. The Samsung are more comfortable, have a more accurate and balanced out-of-the-box sound profile, a better microphone, and a much longer single-charge battery life. On the other hand, the Amazon isolate background sound much better thanks to their ANC feature and have a better app that includes a graphic EQ to customize your sound profile.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless are better truly wireless headphones for mixed usage than the Anker Soundcore Life Dot 2 Truly Wireless. The Samsung offer a more comfortable, stable fit, a better-balanced sound profile with EQ presets in their companion app, as well as a longer battery life off of a single charge. Conversely, the Anker block out more ambient noise and have a case that yields almost four times the battery life as that of the Samsung.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless are much better truly wireless earbuds than the TOZO T6 Truly Wireless. The Samsung have a more comfortable in-ear design and feel better built. They also have a more neutral, detailed sound profile and their battery lasts much longer on a single charge. The TOZO's controls are easier-to-use, but the Samsung still provide better value overall.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless are better overall headphones than the Boltune BT-BH024 Truly Wireless. The Samsung have a longer battery life, and a more comfortable, more stable in-ear fit. They also have a better-balanced sound profile out-of-the-box, and unlike the Boltune, you can adjust the sound profile using the EQ presets on the dedicated companion app. That being said, both pairs of in-ears lack an ANC feature, and the Boltune do a better job passively isolating background noise.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless are better headphones than the Skullcandy Indy Fuel Truly Wireless. The Samsung have a far more balanced sound profile, last more than four times as long on a single charge, offer a more comfortable, secure fit, and have a far more useful companion app, not to mention a better-integrated mic. Conversely, the Skullcandy offer lower latency on mobile devices, block out more ambient noise, and have a more comprehensive control scheme.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless are much better truly wireless headphones than the Microsoft Surface Earbuds Truly Wireless. The Samsung are more comfortable, feel much more stable in the ear, and have a much better-balanced and more accurate default sound profile. Their excellent 13.3-hour battery last more than twice as long, and they block a lot more background noise. On the other hand, the Microsoft don't enter the ear canal as deeply, which some people may prefer. Their companion app also gives you access to a graphic EQ, while the Samsung app only gives you EQ presets.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless are better all-around truly wireless headphones than the Skullcandy Push Ultra Truly Wireless. The Samsung last nearly twice as long on a single charge, are comfier and more stable in the ear, deliver a better-balanced and more consistent listening experience, and have a somewhat useful companion app. That said, the Skullcandy have a more intuitive physical control scheme and a higher IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, though that isn't something we test for.