AirPods Pro 3 and Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 4 Pro cost almost exactly the same at their makers’ stores, $249 on Apple’s store and $249.99 on Samsung’s US store. But the spec sheets on apple.com and samsung.com split them in ways that decide which pair you should buy, and Amazon has opened a $50 gap that favors Apple.
Samsung announced the Buds 4 Pro on February 25, 2026, according to the Samsung Newsroom, with general sales from March 11. Our AirPods Pro 3 vs Galaxy Buds3 Pro comparison covered last year’s pairing. This is the 2026 rematch, with prices checked on November 12.
AirPods Pro 3 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro specs and prices side by side
| Spec | AirPods Pro 3 | Galaxy Buds 4 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Maker’s store price | $249 | $249.99 |
| Amazon price (Nov 12) | $199, sold by Amazon | $249.99 white, $235.70 black from a third-party seller |
| Listening time, noise cancelling on | Up to 8 hours | Up to 6 hours |
| Total with case, noise cancelling on | Up to 24 hours | Up to 26 hours |
| Earbud weight | 5.55 g | 5.1 g |
| Case weight | 43.99 g | 44.3 g |
| Water and dust rating | IP57, earbuds and case | IP57, earbuds only |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 6.1 |
| Heart rate sensor | Yes, for workouts | Not listed |
| Hearing health | Hearing Test, FDA-authorized Hearing Aid, Hearing Protection | Not listed |
| Translation | Live Translation (beta) | Interpreter and Live Translate |
| Wireless charging | MagSafe, Qi, Apple Watch charger | Yes, pad sold separately |
| Full features on iPhone | Yes | No, Bluetooth only |
AirPods Pro 3 last two hours longer per charge, but the Buds 4 Pro case holds more
Apple rates AirPods Pro 3 at up to 8 hours with noise cancelling on, and up to 10 hours if you use the Hearing Aid feature in Transparency mode. Samsung’s spec table gives the Buds 4 Pro up to 6 hours with noise cancelling on and up to 7 hours with it off. That’s a real difference on a long flight. You’d stop to recharge the Samsung buds two hours sooner.
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The cases flip it. Samsung quotes up to 26 hours in total with noise cancelling on, against 24 hours for Apple. Here’s the odd part. Samsung’s own comparison page shows the Buds 4 Pro have bigger batteries than the Buds3 Pro, 61 mAh per bud and 530 mAh in the case versus 53 and 515 mAh. Yet the rated play times are identical across both generations. If you own Buds3 Pro, battery life isn’t a reason to upgrade.
What Samsung changed from the Buds3 Pro and what Apple adds that Samsung doesn’t
The Buds 4 Pro drop the Buds3 Pro’s Blade Lights, move from Bluetooth 5.4 to 6.1 and add head gestures for handling calls and Bixby, which need a Galaxy phone on One UI 8.5 or later. Samsung says the new woofer has a 19.8% larger diaphragm than the Buds3 Pro’s, paired with a tweeter and two amplifiers in each bud. With a recent Galaxy phone, the buds stream 24-bit, 96 kHz audio over Samsung’s SSC-UHQ codec.
Apple’s extras are about health. AirPods Pro 3 have a built-in heart rate sensor that tracks workouts in the Fitness app, and the Hearing Aid feature carries FDA authorization for people with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. Apple says AirPods Pro 3 cancel up to 2x more unwanted noise than AirPods Pro 2. Samsung calls its system Adaptive ANC 2.0. Neither company publishes a figure you can compare directly, so we won’t call a noise cancelling winner from spec sheets.
Your phone decides most of this, because Samsung limits the Buds 4 Pro on iPhone
Samsung’s FAQ says it plainly. iOS devices connect to the Buds 4 Pro “via Bluetooth only,” like a PC or game console. Samsung says Android phones get most features through its Galaxy Wearable app, and it lists no such support for iPhone. The 24-bit audio, Interpreter and head gestures all need a Galaxy phone. Even non-Samsung Android phones miss some features, including HD Voice calls.
AirPods work the other way. Earlier software and non-Apple devices can use them as plain Bluetooth headphones, but Apple says functionality may be limited. Live Translation needs an Apple Intelligence iPhone on iOS 26 or later, and the heart rate sensor needs iOS 26.
Buy the AirPods Pro 3 or the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro if these fit you
Buy the AirPods Pro 3 if you use an iPhone, want 8 hours per charge, or care about the heart rate sensor or the hearing aid feature. At $199 on Amazon, sold by Amazon itself, they’re also the cheaper pair right now by $36.70 to $50.99. We’ve tracked the AirPods Pro 3 at that price in our early Black Friday deals roundup.
Buy the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro if you carry a Galaxy S23 or newer, want hi-res 24-bit audio, or use Galaxy AI’s Interpreter on calls. The 26-hour case total and the 5.1 g buds also suit you if you rarely sit near a charger. Just don’t buy them for an iPhone. At $249.99 you’d pay full price for a pair Samsung itself limits to basic Bluetooth.
Skip both if you own Buds3 Pro and like them. Samsung’s own numbers show the same rated battery life, the same IP57 rating and the same three microphones plus voice pickup unit in each bud.
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