Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC vs Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 Pro
Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC | Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Battery — with case | 20 h | 26 h |
| Battery — buds | 5 h | 6 h |
| Driver size | 10 mm | 10.5 mm |
| Weight per bud | 4.3 g | 5.4 g |
| Multipoint | false | true |
| Water resistance | IP54 | IP57 |
Between the AirPods 4 with ANC and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, the AirPods 4 with ANC comes out ahead in weight per bud, while the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro wins on battery — with case / battery — buds. Overall, the AirPods 4 with ANC scores 71.1 and the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro scores 73.2 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (71.1 vs 73.2). The decision is not about overall quality — both clear the bar — it is about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the AirPods 4 with ANC if you care most about weight per bud. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight per bud. The single most decisive one: Weight per bud — 1.10 g less. 4.3 vs 5.4.
Pick the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro if your top frustration with your current device is running out of charge before the day ends — endurance is the lead spec here. Its strongest claims are battery — with case, battery — buds, driver size, among others. The single most decisive one: Battery — with case — 30.00% more. 26 h vs 20 h.
Both ship with comparable active noise cancellation, spatial audio, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC or Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 Pro?
Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 Pro leads the current Mars Score by 2.1 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare driver size, battery — buds, weight per bud against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC if…
Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC has the measurable edge on weight per bud g.
Choose Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 Pro if…
Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 Pro has the measurable edge on battery life case h, battery life buds h, driver size mm.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC wins
- ▲Weight per bud — 1.10 g less. 4.3 vs 5.4.
Why Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 Pro wins
- ▲Battery — with case — 30.00% more. 26 h vs 20 h.
- ▲Battery — buds — 20.00% more. 6 h vs 5 h.
- ▲Driver size — 5.00% more. 10.5 mm vs 10 mm.
- ▲Has Multipoint.
- ▲Water resistance: IP57 (vs IP54).
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC | Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | openlead | in-ear |
| Weight per bud | 4.3 glead | 5.4 g |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP54 | IP57lead |
Audio
| Spec | Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC | Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Driver sizeⓘ | 10 mm | 10.5 mmlead |
| Active noise cancellationⓘ | true | true |
| Transparency mode | true | true |
| Spatial audioⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC | Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Battery — buds | 5 h | 6 hlead |
| Battery — with case | 20 h | 26 hlead |
| Wireless case chargingⓘ | true | true |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC | Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetoothⓘ | 5.3 | 5.4lead |
| Codecsⓘ | AAC,SBC | SSC,AAC,SBC |
| Multipointⓘ | false | truelead |
| In-ear detection | true | true |
Frequently asked
Which has longer battery, AirPods 4 with ANC or Galaxy Buds 3 Pro?+
Galaxy Buds 3 Pro lasts 6h per charge vs 5h.
Do AirPods 4 with ANC or Galaxy Buds 3 Pro support multipoint?+
Galaxy Buds 3 Pro supports multipoint pairing; AirPods 4 with ANC does not.
Which has ANC, AirPods 4 with ANC or Galaxy Buds 3 Pro?+
Both models have active noise cancellation.