For Apple device users, setup is extremely simple: open the case, the iPhone or iPad, for instance, spots the
Pros, and that’s it, they’re connected. It’s not as straightforward with Android users, but works find.
They are in every way stupendously better than the previous AirPods. First, there’s the fit. There are three
sizes of silicone ear tips in the box, easily attached or swapped. You’re then encouraged to do what Apple
calls the ear tip fit test: an app on the iPhone shows you how to do this. It then plays a short burst of music
in your ears. Because there’s a microphone pointing inwards, it knows what it should hear in your ear and
can tell if this means there’s a good fit or not. The app encourages you to try another tip or adjust the earbud
to get a good seal – sometimes squeezing it into your ear can be enough to fix the issue.
The AirPods Pro earbuds have shorter stalks than regular AirPods and you can squeeze them to change
tracks, adjust volume and so on. Or to turn noise-cancelling on or off.
Active noise-cancelling is the biggest upgrade on the Pro earbuds. That’s where a microphone listening to
the outside world creates a noise that’s the opposite in phase. When this is fed in, the two noises cancel
each other out, letting you hear the music with much less hindrance.
Active noise-cancelling is part science, part magic and when it’s done badly, it’s horrible. Luckily, Apple’s
noise-cancelling is absolutely top notch. It is powerful enough to mostly quell the overpowering sounds of a
jet engine but still remains subtle and not intrusive. There’s also a neat feature, “transparency mode”, which
means you can have a conversation with someone while still wearing the AirPods Pro. Transparency mode
reduces the volume of the music that’s playing and amplifies outside noises, including your own voice. Of
course, it’s definitely more polite to remove your earbuds when you’re talking to someone. And if you
remove one bud from your ears, the music pauses until you put it back.
Even without noise-cancelling turned on, the audio quality of AirPods Pro is spectacularly good, thanks to
the seal provided by the ear tips. That fit is also good at keeping the earbuds in place.
When you’re switching from listening on your iPhone to your iPad or MacBook then the software is smart
enough to do that seamlessly.
You can call on the Siri virtual personal assistant just by saying, “Hey, Siri” – you don’t even need to touch
the AirPods as was necessary on some earlier models. This is another way to change tracks or volume, with
your voice, or to do other stuff.
Battery life is not as strong as on the Samsung Buds+ but more than adequate.
Buy now
Verdict
There’s no doubt that when it comes to audio quality, there’s a clear winner – the AirPods Pro. Samsung
has certainly improved the audio on its earbuds but there’s no comparison, even before you factor in the
active noise-cancelling that Apple offers and Samsung does not. This is sublime, and on its own sets AirPods
Pro ahead of pretty much every other in-ear headphones on the market.
But it’s worth noting the price difference: for many people, the extra £90 may be a step too far. Samsung
offers something that is much better-priced, even if both products, because of their features and
components, offer strong value.
Both pairs fit the ear snugly, with Samsung’s Galaxy buds+ having the edge in terms of a secure but
comfortable fit. Samsung’s battery life is much better for the earbuds alone and this could easily be a deal-
breaker for many.