$200 at Goal
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Professional
Greatest Samsung wi-fi earbuds
$56 at Amazon
Earfun Air Professional 3
Greatest new funds noise-canceling wi-fi earbuds
$398 at Amazon
Sony WH-1000XM5
Greatest noise-canceling headphones from Sony
$290 at Walmart
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wi-fi
Flagship Sennheiser noise-canceling headphones
$250 at Amazon
Sennheiser Momentum True Wi-fi 3
New Sennheiser flagship earbuds
$299 at Bose
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2
Greatest noise canceling with top-notch sound
$53 at Amazon
Samsung Galaxy Buds Stay
Greatest open earbuds for Samsung customers
Present extra (5 objects)
Whereas standard Apple-centric headphones and earbuds just like the Apple AirPods 2, the AirPods Max and the Beats Match Professional do work with Samsung Galaxy units for audio listening and making calls, you will not get entry to additional options like spatial audio and always-on Siri that work completely with Apple units. That is why if you happen to personal a Samsung smartphone you may desire a set of earbuds or headphones that is both platform-agnostic or geared towards Galaxy units (sure, Samsung, like Apple, performs the unique options recreation).
You may additionally wish to get earbuds or headphones that function assist for the AptX or LDAC audio codecs, which can supply barely higher audio high quality when streaming through Bluetooth. Samsung and different Android telephones assist AptX and LDAC however it’s important to allow assist for these codecs by going into developer mode within the settings and activating the codec you need. It may be just a little tough.
What are the very best earbuds and headphones for Samsung smartphones proper now?
For those who’re searching for earbuds geared to your Galaxy smartphone or pill, the reply is simple: The Galaxy Buds 2 Professional are arguably the very best earbuds you may get to your Galaxy machine. They not solely sound excellent however supply good noise canceling and work nicely for making calls. They’re additionally outfitted with some particular additional options for customers of Galaxy units, together with spatial audio and hands-free Bixby.
As for full-size headphones, we just like the Sony WH-1000XM5, a 2022 CNET Editors’ Selection winner. However there is a slew of different headphones geared towards each Apple and Android customers, a number of of which I’ve out on this listing.
David Carnoy/CNET
The Galaxy Buds 2 Professional supply improved noise canceling together with excellent sound and voice-calling efficiency, plus assist for high-resolution wi-fi audio streaming if you happen to’re a Galaxy machine proprietor with the fitting setup. That stated, their greatest improve could their new design and smaller dimension, which make them a greater match for extra ears (they’re additionally absolutely waterproof).
Learn our Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Professional overview.
Screenshot by David Carnoy/CNET
Earfun has put out a collection of wi-fi earbuds during the last couple of years with one necessary commonality: They’re excellent values, made extra so by frequent reductions. The corporate’s new-for-2023 Earfun Air Professional 3 earbuds function the newest Qualcomm QCC3071 system-on-a-chip with AptX Adaptive for Android and different units that assist the brand new LE Audio commonplace and LC3 audio codec, which is superior to the SBC codec (additionally they assist AAC for Apple units).
Light-weight and cozy to put on — I acquired a very good seal with the most important ear tip dimension — these aren’t an enormous improve over the Earfun Air S, however they’re higher. They’ve barely bigger wool-composite drivers (11mm versus 10mm), barely improved noise canceling and higher battery life (as much as seven hours with noise canceling on, based on Earfun).
In brief, the Earfun Air 3 ship sturdy efficiency for his or her modest worth, with sturdy bass, good readability and a comparatively huge soundstage. Additionally they pack in loads of options, together with a wi-fi charging case and “multidevice” connectivity. (I may pair them to 2 units concurrently however needed to pause the music on one machine and hit play on the opposite for the audio to modify.) They’re IPX5 splash-proof and in addition work nicely (although not exceptionally nicely) as a headset for making calls.
Be aware that whereas the listing worth of those buds is $80, if you happen to click on the moment 10% coupon on their Amazon product web page after which apply the code EAP3CNET at checkout, you get an extra 20% off, bringing the buds’ worth right down to $56.
Learn our Earfun Air Professional 3 overview.
David Carnoy/CNET
Battery Life Rated as much as 32 hoursNoise Canceling Sure (ANC)Multipoint YesHeadphone Sort Over-ear wi-fi headphonesWater-Resistant No IP score
When you have got a product that lots of people love, change will be dangerous. Such is the case for Sony’s WH-1000XM5, the fifth era of the 1000X collection headphones, which have been first launched in 2016 because the MDR-1000X Wi-fi and have grow to be more and more standard as they’ve improved with every era. Through the years, Sony has made some tweaks to the design, however nothing as dramatic as what it is completed with the WH-1000XM5. Aside from the upper $349 price ticket, most of these adjustments are good, and Sony’s made some dramatic enhancements with voice-calling efficiency in addition to even higher noise canceling and extra refined sound.
Learn our Sony WH-1000XM5 overview.
Lexy Savvides/CNET
Battery Life Rated as much as 8 hoursNoise Canceling Sure (ANC)Multipoint NoHeadphone Sort Wi-fi earbudsWater-Resistant Sure (IPX7 — will be submerged for half-hour as much as 1 meter)
If you cannot afford the Galaxy Buds 2 Professional, the usual Galaxy Buds 2 are a very good choice for Galaxy customers. Launched in 2021, they do not sound pretty much as good because the newer Galaxy Buds 2 Professional or have fairly as efficient noise canceling. However they provide first rate sound and noise canceling together with excellent voice-calling efficiency and sometimes are discounted to round $100.
The Buds 2, like the sooner Buds Plus, are solely IPX2 sweat-resistant. Meaning they need to be positive for lighter exercises, however it’s most likely finest to keep away from sporting them in a rain storm.
Learn our Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 overview.
David Carnoy/CNET
Through the years, JBL has put out some first rate true-wireless earbuds, however nothing that actually acquired me too excited. That is lastly modified with the arrival of the Samsung-owned model’s new Stay Professional 2 and Stay Free 2 buds. Each units of buds — the Stay Professional 2 have stems whereas the Stay Free 2 have a pill-shaped design — supply a snug match together with sturdy noise canceling, excellent sound high quality and voice-calling efficiency, plus a strong set of options, together with multipoint Bluetooth pairing, an IPX5 splash-proof score and wi-fi charging.
The Stay Professional 2 and Stay Free 2 are outfitted with the identical 11mm drivers, six microphones, oval tubes and oval silicon ideas. Except for the design, the largest distinction between the 2 buds is battery life; the stemless Stay Free 2 is rated for as much as seven hours, whereas the Stay Professional 2 is rated for 10 hours. The Stay Professional 2 is out there in 4 coloration choices.
Learn our JBL Stay Professional 2 first take.
Sennheiser
Sennheiser’s previous-generation Momentum Wi-fi headphones have all the time had a reasonably distinct look that was half retro, half fashionable, and stood out for the uncovered metallic on their headband. For higher or worse, that is all gone now, and the brand new Momentum 4 Wi-fi, Sennheiser’s flagship noise-canceling headphones, look a bit extra subdued and in addition a bit extra like a few of their rivals.
The Momentum 4 Wi-fi gives superior efficiency over the Momentum 3 Wi-fi in each regard, although the largest features are with noise canceling and voice-calling efficiency in addition to battery life, which is excellent — as much as 60 hours at average quantity ranges. There’s additionally a transparency mode that enables ambient sound in, and so they have the flexibility to create a customized sound profile within the Sensible Management app for iOS and Android utilizing the built-in EQ, sound modes and a brand new Sound Personalization function that “assesses the person’s listening preferences and adjusts the listening expertise based on their style.”
Outfitted with 42mm drivers, Sennheiser says the Momentum 4 Wi-fi supply “best-in-class” sound, which is debatable. I might say the Momentum 4’s sound high quality is true there with different fashions on this worth vary — they sound wonderful, with the requisite well-defined, punchy bass, comparatively huge soundstage (they sound fairly open) and clean treble that brings out a few of the finer particulars in well-recorded tracks. They are a pleasure to hearken to.
Learn our Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wi-fi first look.
David Carnoy/CNET
Battery Life Rated as much as 25 hoursMultipoint YesHeadphone Sort Over-ear wi-fi headphonesWater-Resistant No IP score
The QuietComfort 45 has just about the identical design as its predecessor, the QuietComfort QC35 II, which many individuals thought of probably the most comfy over-ear headphones — if not the most comfy. It has the identical drivers, based on Bose, and the buttons are in the identical place. Nonetheless, there are small however notable adjustments. First off, we’re happy that these have USB-C as a substitute of Micro-USB.
Secondly, the microphone configuration is completely different. Not solely have the mics been shifted on the headphones, however there’s now an extra exterior microphone for voice pick-up, which implies the QC45 has a complete of six mics, 4 of that are beamforming and used for voice. In contrast, the QC35 II has a complete of 4, two of that are used for voice. (The Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 even have six microphones complete.)
These headphones are wonderful for making calls. They’re much like the Bose Headphones 700 in that regard. Additionally they embrace top-notch noise canceling and multipoint Bluetooth pairing, so you possibly can join them with a PC and your cellphone concurrently. Learn our full overview of the QuietComfort 45.
David Carnoy/CNET
That includes wonderful sound, improved noise canceling and voice-calling efficiency as nicely a smaller, extra refined design that features stabilizing fins (so the earbuds keep in your ears extra securely), the Sennheiser Momentum True Wi-fi 3 have been among the many finest new true-wireless earbuds of 2022. They’re additionally among the best true-wireless earbuds total, giving the Sony WF-1000XM4 a run for the cash.
Learn our Sennheiser Momentum True Wi-fi 3 overview.
David Carnoy/CNET
Battery Life Rated As much as 6 HoursNoise Canceling Sure (ANC)Multipoint NoHeadphone Sort Wi-fi EarbudsWater-Resistant Sure (IPX4 — Splash-Proof
Bose’s second-generation QuietComfort Earbuds 2 usually are not solely about 30% smaller than their predecessors, however their case is about 40% smaller and really pocketable. They function best-in-class noise canceling and improved sound, due to Bose’s new CustomTune sound calibration system that customizes the sound to your ears. Voice-calling efficiency can be considerably higher than that of the unique QuietComfort Earbuds.
The opposite huge change is to the ear ideas. Bose has ditched its one-piece StayEar wing ideas for a two-piece Match Package system that options separate ear ideas and “stability bands” in three dimension choices, providing you with extra flexibility to get a safe match and tight seal.
Learn our Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 overview.
Battery Life Rated as much as 8 hoursNoise Canceling Sure (ANC)Multipoint NoHeadphone Sort Wi-fi earbudsWater-Resistant Sure (IPX2 — sweat-resistant and safety towards mild splashes)
Say what you’ll in regards to the Samsung Galaxy Buds Stay’s bean-shaped design, however it’s progressive. Like the usual AirPods 3, they’ve an open design — you do not jam an ear tip into your ear — and so they’re fairly comfy to put on and match my ears extra securely than the AirPods. That stated, they will not match everyone’s ears equally nicely. These wi-fi buds are discreet and principally sit flush together with your ear with out a little white pipe extending out from them.
They ship good sound and work nicely as a headset for making calls, with good background noise discount so callers can hear you clearly even once you’re in noisier environments. Whereas they function energetic noise canceling, it is gentle in comparison with the noise canceling in earbuds which have a noise-isolating design. In different phrases, purchase them for his or her design and sound, not their noise-canceling options. And now that they have been available on the market for a number of years, they are often usually discovered at a pleasant low cost.
Learn our Samsung Galaxy Buds Stay overview.
Watch this: Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Professional Assessment: Greatest Galaxy Buds But
11:17