Samsung Galaxy Buds Live True Wireless Headphones w/ Active Noise Cancellation
Keywords: earphonesgalaxyheadphonesin-earnoise-cancellationsamsungtrue-wireless-earphoneswireless-headphones
Product Gallery
Product Overview
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live feature an unconventional earbud design, laying out internal components horizontally instead of vertically.
This ergonomic, tip-less design conforms to the shape of your ear, making them comfortable enough to wear all-day. As a result, the earbuds don’t protrude from your ears, providing a more natural appearance.
With a 12mm speaker and bass duct, the audio sounds deep and rich, allowing you to enjoy music the way the artist intended. These earbuds feature Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) for open type, allowing you to tune out distractions like passing cars and loud laundry machines, while still being able to tune into important announcements and conversations.
For more convenient navigation, Galaxy Buds Live feature an intuitive touch-based PUI (physical user interface) for touch control, as well as Bixby voice wake-up.
Plus, Galaxy Buds Live come with long-lasting battery life. And when you need to top up on charge quickly, you can gain 1 hour of play time with just 5 minutes of charging.
Ratings
What we found**
Pros
- Strong battery life
- Easy-to-use controls
- Good sound quality
- Wireless charging
Cons
- Active noise canceling not as powerful as expected
What external reviewers found***
External score 64% (not directly comparable across industries)
Pros
- Great sound quality
- Good call quality
Cons
- Poor noise cancellation
- Poor noise isolation performance
- Poor battery life
- No customizable EQ
- Not as comfortable as AirPods Pro
Price Comparison
Specifications
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity
Bluetooth 5
Construction
Battery | Capacity
60 mAh (earbuds) + 472 mAh (charging case)
Drivers
12 mm
Microphone
3 (2 outer + 1 inner)
Dimensions
Size | Depth
14.9 mm
Size | Height
27.3 mm
Size | Width
16.5 mm
Weight
5.6 g
Function
Bluetooth Codecs
Scalable (Samsung proprietary), AAC, SBC
Operating System
Android 5.0+ / iOS 10+
Sensor
Accelerometer, IR, Hall, Touch, Grip, VPU (Voice Pickup Unit)
Weather Resistance
IPX2
Performance
Battery Life
6h / 21h with charging case ANC on | 8h / 29h with charging case ANC off
Production
Availability
2020-08
Debut
2020-08-05
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Launch Comparison
Clear List
3rd-Party Review Videos
External Reviews
gizmodo[1]
Reviewer score 81%The Galaxy Buds Live aren't really true alternatives to Apple's $250 AirPods Pro. Sure, they're cheaper, but they don't have anywhere near the same level of active noise cancellation. The Beans do offer better battery life than both, just as good if not better audio quality, and the flexibility to work on multiple platforms.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Better battery life than the AirPods Pro
- Comfortable fit
- Great sound quality
Cons
- No wireless charging
- No customizable EQ
digitaltrends[2]
Reviewer score 54%The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live do an extraordinary job eliminating background noise during calls. The sound quality isn't as good as other earbuds like the Apple AirPods Pro, but for $80 less perhaps they don't have to be. Battery life can be a bit of a wild card due to how dramatically it can change if you decide to use all of the available features.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Slim and lightweight design
- Excellent sound quality
- Excellent battery life
Cons
- Poor noise cancellation
- Poor battery life
laptopmag[3]
Reviewer score 85%The Galaxy Buds Live gives music lovers a surprisingly robust audio experience. Samsung claims the Live will last eight hours on a charge (ANC and Bixby Voice Wake Up off) The AirPods Pro is considerably more expensive, if you're looking for long-lasting, fast-charging and truly wireless buds.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Long battery life
- Comfortable, bean-shaped design
- Good call quality
Cons
- No active noise cancelling
nextpit[4]
Reviewer score 55%The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live are very effective for making calls and handling endless video meetings in the office. The sound signature of the Live Buds is the same as on any pair of true wireless headphones which retail anywhere between £100 and £200. Digital audio performance drowns out the mediums (voices and certain instruments), which are cruelly lacking in precision.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Very good sound quality
- Very good noise cancellation
- Good battery life
Cons
- No wireless charging
- No active noise cancellation
pcmag[5]
Reviewer score 41%The Galaxy Buds Live promise "open type active noise cancellation" The $79 OnePlus Buds are no better at cancelling outside noise, but they don't make big promises, and cost half as much. Samsung Scalable Codec lets the earbuds play back even 96kHz-sampled, ultra-high-quality music.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Sleek, comfortable design
- Active noise cancellation
- Good battery life
Cons
- Fiddly fit
- No wireless charging
phonearena[6]
Reviewer score 74%The Galaxy Buds Live produce rich and clear sound with perhaps the nicest, cleanest bass I've heard in truly wireless earbuds so far. The active noise canceling lowers the sounds from your surroundings, but you can still hear them a bit, even if they are now quiet and muffled. Answering phone calls is easy with the double-tap gesture, and the microphone on the Buds live sounds good.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Sleek, comfortable design
- Good active noise cancelling
- Good battery life
Cons
- Only available on Android
- No wireless charging
rtings[7]
Reviewer score 17%The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live are passable for neutral sound. They have great bass and mid accuracy, which gives most mixes adequate thump and rumble. Their treble response is a little uneven, which can cause some notes to sound a little piercing. Their ANC system does a good job of filtering out the low rumble of bus and plane engines.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Great bass and mid accuracy
- Extremely portable
- Decently comfortable
- Very low latency on mobile devices
- High-quality build quality
Cons
- Sub-par noise isolation
- Poor noise isolation performance
- No multi-device pairing
techadvisor[8]
Reviewer score 58%Samsung has done its best to combat this with active noise-cancelling, with mixed results. ANC here is pretty decent at tuning at persistent noises – the hum of a fan, the rattle of a train – but can't keep up with less consistent interruptions. If you're really looking for total isolation these will not deliver it. Sony WF-1000XM3 buds are your best bet, with the AirPods Pro probably coming in second.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Sleek design
- Comfortable fit
- Great battery life
Cons
- No passive noise cancellation
- No active noise cancellation
techradar[9]
Reviewer score 76%Samsung's Galaxy Buds Live have an IPX2 water resistant rating which means they're only good for slightly sweaty workouts or a light drizzle. Each of the buds also have touch sensors that can register a single, double, or triple tap that serves the expected actions of playing/pausing, as well as skipping tracks backwards/forwards. A tap and hold action is also available and is customizable for each bud separately - you can set it to increase/decrease the volume, launch Bixby or Spotify. At full charge, the earbuds are expected to last for six hours and cover two full charges.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Great sound quality
- Easy to use
- Good battery life
Cons
- No AirPods
- No wireless charging
theverge[10]
Reviewer score 66%If you're worried about bass, don't be. So long as they're in your ears right, the Buds Live can kick out plenty of oomph on the bottom end. These sound excellent and just what I'd hoped for considering the $170 price. But the noise cancellation aspect of the Galaxy Buds live is being oversold a bit.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Excellent sound quality
- Comfortable fit
- Good battery life
Cons
- No active noise cancellation
- Poor noise cancellation
tomsguide[11]
Reviewer score 74%Samsung has delivered yet another impressive set of wireless earbuds with the Galaxy Buds Live. They offer great overall sound quality, strong battery life and lots of handy features within a uniquely comfortable design. While Samsung's buds will filter out some ambiance while you're listening to podcasts, you're better off springing for the Sony WF1000XM3 AirPods that can truly block out surroundings.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Great sound quality
- Good battery life
- Comfortable fit
Cons
- No active noise cancellation
- No wireless charging
trustedreviews[12]
Reviewer score 57%The Galaxy Buds Live are Samsung's first true wireless headphones. The earbuds feature three built-in mics and a Voice Pickup Unit. The low end is more powerful than the AirPods and, while it's a little flabbier than I'd like, when coupled with crisp highs it makes simpler music genres sound good. Signal stability and ANC performance are a touch behind the competition, though.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Comfortable to wear
- Solid battery life
- Comfortable fit
Cons
- No wireless charging
- No airtight seal
whathifi[13]
Reviewer score 65%Samsung's Galaxy Buds Live earbuds have a trio of mics in each earbud. Two outer mics that pick up your voice and reduce background noise work in concert with an interior mic. They work in tandem with Samsung's Voice Pickup Unit, which uses accelerometer tech to sense the movement of your jaw, and bone conduction vibrations. There's a seriously impressive amount of bass on offer, yet you still get a good sense of openness and spaciousness.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Full-bodied and spacious sound
- Excellent call quality
- Good battery life
Cons
- Bass struggles to get into rhythm
- Noise-cancelling isn't as obvious as rivals
wired[14]
Reviewer score 88%The Galaxy Buds Live have a dual-mic active-noise-canceling system similar to Apple's AirPods Pro (8/10, Wired Recommends) They've got bold, energetic bass and detailed highs, with a fairly prominent scoop in the midrange. Even Taylor Swift's folkie new record comes through with a nice hi-fi sheen.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Great noise-canceling
- Good battery life
- Comfortable fit
- Great noise cancellation
Cons
- Not as comfortable as AirPods Pro
User Reviews
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References
- ^ Samsung Galaxy Buds Live Review: The Beans Got Beats. [gizmodo]. https://gizmodo.com/samsung-galaxy-buds-live-review-the-beans-got-beats-1844631843. 2020-08-06. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- ^ Samsung Galaxy Buds Live review: A step backward. [digitaltrends]. https://www.digitaltrends.com/headphone-reviews/samsung-galaxy-buds-live-review/. 2020-09-03. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- ^ Samsung Galaxy Buds Live review. [laptopmag]. https://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/samsung-galaxy-buds-live. 2020-08-29. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- ^ Samsung Galaxy Buds Live review: best to date, but not perfect. [nextpit]. https://www.nextpit.com/samsung-galaxy-buds-live-review. 2020-10-12. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- ^ Samsung Galaxy Buds Live Review. [pcmag]. https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/galaxy-buds-live. 2020-08-06. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- ^ Samsung Galaxy Buds Live review. [phonearena]. https://www.phonearena.com/reviews/Samsung-Galaxy-Buds-Live-review_id4829. 2020-08-06. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- ^ Samsung Galaxy Buds Live Truly Wireless Headphones Review. [rtings]. https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/samsung/galaxy-buds-live-truly-wireless. 2021-03-05. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- ^ Samsung Galaxy Buds Live review. [techadvisor]. https://www.techadvisor.co.uk/review/samsung-galaxy-buds-live-3794621/. 2020-10-27. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- ^ Samsung Galaxy Buds Live review. [techradar]. https://www.techradar.com/reviews/samsung-galaxy-buds-live. 2020-12-04. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- ^ Samsung Galaxy Buds Live review: cool beans. [theverge]. https://www.theverge.com/21356260/samsung-galaxy-buds-live-review-wireless-earbuds-beans-design-specs-price. 2020-08-12. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- ^ Samsung Galaxy Buds Live review. [tomsguide]. https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/samsung-galaxy-buds-live. 2021-02-23. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- ^ Samsung Galaxy Buds Live Review. [trustedreviews]. https://www.trustedreviews.com/reviews/samsung-galaxy-buds-live. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- ^ Samsung Galaxy Buds Live review. [whathifi]. https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/samsung-galaxy-buds-live. 2020-08-06. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
- ^ Review: Samsung Galaxy Buds Live. [wired]. https://www.wired.com/review/samsung-galaxy-buds-live/. 2020-08-13. Retrieved 2021-10-14.
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These key takeaways ("pros" and "cons") and summaries are identified from third-party reviews. They may differ from the original texts.
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