Short answer: the Samsung Galaxy Buds. It ranks #73 of 909 in-ear headphones by sound quality (rated 4.6/5) and is still sold new; the Apple AirPods Pro 1st Gen ranks #716 (rated 2.6/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used. The Apple AirPods Pro 1st Gen’s replacement, the Apple AirPods Pro 3, is rated 3.5/5 at $199.
Why pick the Apple AirPods Pro 1st Gen: Started the ANC earbud boom with effective noise cancelling, transparency mode, a comfortable fit and seamless iPhone pairing. The catch: Discontinued and replaced by the Apple AirPods Pro 2.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds is the better-sounding pick. Measured response gives it an excellent Harman preference score of 81 with a 1.64 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural. The tradeoff: Sub-bass is 3.2 dB short at 30 Hz, so deep bass lacks rumble.
Buy the Samsung Galaxy Buds. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the Apple AirPods Pro 1st Gen is discontinued, so it is only available used.
Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Apple AirPods Pro 1st Gen | Samsung Galaxy Buds | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Discontinued | - |
| Ranked | #716 of 909 in In-Ear Headphones | #73 of 909 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | - |
| Connection | True wireless | True wireless |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x dynamic | 1 x 5.8mm dynamic |
| Weight | 0 lbs (5.4 g) (per earbud) | 0 lbs (5.6 g) per earbud |
| Harman Preference Score | 56 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 81 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.94 dB standard deviation | 1.64 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.11 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +0.08 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | - |
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | - |
| Battery Life | 4.5 hours (earbuds, ANC on), 24 hours with case | - |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-5.0 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-3.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Impedance | - | 16 ohms |
| Frequency Response | - | 20Hz - 20kHz |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Samsung Galaxy Buds:
- Apple AirPods Pro 1st Gen vs Apple AirPods Pro 2
- Apple AirPods Pro 1st Gen vs Apple AirPods Pro 3
- ThieAudio Monarch vs ThieAudio Monarch MKIII
- ThieAudio Monarch vs ThieAudio Monarch MKII
- ThieAudio Monarch vs ThieAudio Monarch MKIV
Prices on this page were last checked October 13, 2026 at 3:17 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
Apple AirPods Pro 1st Gen TWS Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Apple AirPods Pro 3, ranked higher, rated 3.5/5, released Sep 2025. See every Apple AirPods Pro generation.
Pros: Started the ANC earbud boom with effective noise cancelling, transparency mode, a comfortable fit and seamless iPhone pairing.
Cons: Discontinued and replaced by the Apple AirPods Pro 2. Crinacle’s measurement gives it a Harman score of only 56 with a 2.94 dB spread, well behind its successor, and codec support stops at AAC.
Full Apple AirPods Pro 1st Gen review and specifications →
| Released | Oct 2019 (7 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes |
| Back | Closed |
| Battery Life | 4.5 hours (earbuds, ANC on), 24 hours with case |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Connection | True wireless |
| Deviation From Target | 2.94 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x dynamic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 56 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-5.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.11 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0 lbs (5.4 g) (per earbud) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.0 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +2.6 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 514 Hz | -4.4 dB | 0.68 |
| Peak | 8,903 Hz | +6.0 dB | 1.66 |
| Peak | 183 Hz | +2.0 dB | 0.77 |
| Peak | 4,613 Hz | +3.4 dB | 2.46 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -0.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 1,517 Hz | -1.0 dB | 2.33 |
| Peak | 929 Hz | +1.2 dB | 2.75 |
| Peak | 44 Hz | -0.5 dB | 2.16 |
| Peak | 618 Hz | -0.5 dB | 2.86 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Samsung Galaxy Buds TWS eBay
Pros: Measured response gives it an excellent Harman preference score of 81 with a 1.64 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural.
Cons: Sub-bass is 3.2 dB short at 30 Hz, so deep bass lacks rumble.
Full Samsung Galaxy Buds review and specifications →
| Released | Mar 2019 (7 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Connection | True wireless |
| Deviation From Target | 1.64 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 5.8mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz |
| Harman Preference Score | 81 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 16 ohms |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-3.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.08 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0 lbs (5.6 g) per earbud |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.6 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +2.2 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 173 Hz | -1.0 dB | 0.18 |
| Peak | 4,137 Hz | +2.2 dB | 3.04 |
| Peak | 2,816 Hz | -1.8 dB | 2.36 |
| Peak | 741 Hz | +1.5 dB | 1.82 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +5.6 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 9,712 Hz | -2.5 dB | 5.44 |
| Peak | 44 Hz | -0.5 dB | 2.02 |
| Peak | 6,476 Hz | -2.5 dB | 5.88 |
| Peak | 7,706 Hz | +1.2 dB | 5.69 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples