Galaxy Buds 2 Vs Galaxy Buds Live: Which Samsung Earbuds Are Best?

The Galaxy Buds 2 cost $150, the Galaxy Buds Live cost $170, and both are solid options. But which one is the best? Here's what you should know. Two of Samsung's best earbuds right now are the Galaxy Buds 2 and Galaxy Buds Live — but which is the best overall purchase? True wireless earbuds have been on a constant rise since AirPods' debuted in 2016. There are seemingly countless models to choose from, various features to look for, and prices that range from $20 all the way up to $300 and more. In the case of Samsung earbuds, specifically, the company has crafted a wide array of options to choose from. There are the Galaxy Buds+, Galaxy Buds 2, Galaxy Buds Live, and Galaxy Buds Pro — each equipped with its own unique features and specs. Among all of them, two of the most interesting options are the Buds 2 and Buds Live. Available for $150 and $170, respectively, the earbuds are extremely close in price while simultaneously delivering vastly different user experiences. Digging into the functionality of the earbuds, the Galaxy Buds 2 and Galaxy Buds Live have more in common. Both deliver solid sound quality for the price, have 3 microphones with a Voice Pickup Unit for good audio during phone calls, and active noise canceling. While audio playback and microphone quality are similar across the two pairs of buds, ANC performance varies considerably. The Galaxy Buds Live are advertised as having active noise canceling, but a more appropriate name would be 'active noise reduction.' Enabling ANC does help quiet some surrounding background sounds, but the effect is very minimal because of the open-ear design. Comparatively, the in-ear form factor of the Galaxy Buds 2 makes their ANC noticeably stronger. It's not on the same level as AirPods Pro or the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, but it's good enough for most use cases. And when someone does want to hear what's happening around them, the Galaxy Buds 2 also ship with Ambient Sound to increase the volume of those things.