Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 | Google - Pixel Buds Pro 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery — buds | 6 h | 8 h |
| Battery — with case | 24 h | 30 h |
| Water resistance | IP57 | IP54 |
Between the Galaxy Buds 3 and Pixel Buds Pro 2, the Galaxy Buds 3 comes out ahead in water resistance, while the Pixel Buds Pro 2 wins on battery — buds / battery — with case. Overall, the Galaxy Buds 3 scores 74.4 and the Pixel Buds Pro 2 scores 78.7 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Pixel Buds Pro 2 edges ahead on the Mars Score (74.4 vs 78.7), but the 4.3-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the Galaxy Buds 3 if you care most about water resistance. The biggest gaps in its favor are water resistance. The single most decisive one: Water resistance: IP57 (vs IP54).
Pick the Pixel Buds Pro 2 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 — buds, battery — with case. The single most decisive one: Battery — buds — 33.33% more. 8 h vs 6 h.
Both ship with comparable active noise cancellation, driver size, weight per bud, 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: Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 or Google - Pixel Buds Pro 2?
Google - Pixel Buds Pro 2 leads the current Mars Score by 4.3 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare battery — buds against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 if…
Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 has the measurable edge on ip rating.
Choose Google - Pixel Buds Pro 2 if…
Google - Pixel Buds Pro 2 has the measurable edge on battery life buds h, battery life case h.
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 Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 wins
- ▲Water resistance: IP57 (vs IP54).
Why Google - Pixel Buds Pro 2 wins
- ▲Battery — buds — 33.33% more. 8 h vs 6 h.
- ▲Battery — with case — 25.00% more. 30 h vs 24 h.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 | Google - Pixel Buds Pro 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | openlead | in-ear |
| Weight per bud | 4.7 g | 4.7 g |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP57lead | IP54 |
Audio
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 | Google - Pixel Buds Pro 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Driver sizeⓘ | 11 mm | 11 mm |
| Active noise cancellationⓘ | true | true |
| Transparency mode | true | true |
| Spatial audioⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 | Google - Pixel Buds Pro 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery — buds | 6 h | 8 hlead |
| Battery — with case | 24 h | 30 hlead |
| Wireless case chargingⓘ | true | true |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 | Google - Pixel Buds Pro 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetoothⓘ | 5.4lead | 5.3 |
| Codecsⓘ | SSC,AAC,SBC | AAC,SBC |
| Multipointⓘ | true | true |
| In-ear detection | true | true |
Frequently asked
Which has longer battery, Galaxy Buds 3 or Pixel Buds Pro 2?+
Pixel Buds Pro 2 lasts 8h per charge vs 6h.
Do Galaxy Buds 3 or Pixel Buds Pro 2 support multipoint?+
Both support multipoint pairing.
Which has ANC, Galaxy Buds 3 or Pixel Buds Pro 2?+
Both models have active noise cancellation.