If you purchase a smartphone from Apple, Samsung, Google, or OnePlus, there’s all the time going to be the temptation to get an identical set of wi-fi earbuds to go together with it, as every producer makes its personal pair. However what precisely does it imply once you keep loyal to the model, and is it value it?
I’ve used the most recent telephones and earbuds from every producer to search out out. Right here’s what it is advisable know — and which pair is the most effective.
What have I examined?
This isn’t a assessment of the telephones or the earbuds; it’s a comparability of the app ecosystems and the additional options you get by matching Apples with, effectively, Apples, and so forth. There are dozens of wonderful true wi-fi earbuds obtainable, so why must you keep on with the identical model? It’s this facet we’ve examined slightly than going in-depth concerning the sound high quality, battery life, or the cellphone’s particular person audio-related options.
What units have we checked out? The iPhone 16 Professional Max and the Apple AirPods Professional 2 are maybe the most effective recognized and sure thought-about the benchmark for cellphone and earbuds integration, in order that they’re on the prime of our record. Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Extremely has been matched with the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Professional, whereas the Google Pixel 9 Professional was used with the Google Pixel Buds Professional 2. Lastly, there are the OnePlus Buds Professional 3, however slightly than matching them with the soon-to-be-replaced OnePlus 12, I’ve used them with the OnePlus Nord 4.
All of the earbuds are interchangeable and work with all of the telephones after connecting with Bluetooth, however once you connect with the identical model’s cellphone, there’s alleged to be some type of profit. On the very least, it ought to look and work seamlessly.
Let’s discover out for those who ought to keep on with the identical model or if it’s simply pretty much as good to combine and match.
Apple iPhone 16 Professional Max and Apple AirPods Professional 2
That is in all probability the most effective recognized and sure most generally used pairing in cellular tech. Preliminary setup is extremely straightforward, you simply put the AirPods Professional 2 subsequent to your cellphone and faucet a couple of on-screen buttons, and for those who personal a couple of Apple product, the AirPods Professional 2 are instantly paired with them too, with out the necessity to do something extra. Reconnecting takes a couple of seconds once you take the earbuds out of the case, and the Dynamic Island reveals battery standing once you join them.
There are a number of methods to work together with the AirPods Professional 2. Open the Settings app, and there’s a menu choice on the prime of the record the place you’ll be able to regulate the noise cancellation modes and customise the earbud controls.
Dig additional, and you’ll arrange dialog consciousness, quantity discount ranges, ear detection, spatial audio, head gestures, and ear tip match testing. Apple offers a variety of options, however you don’t have to make use of any of them. The Settings web page might be ignored for those who’d as an alternative slightly simply keep on with the fundamentals.
For instance, swipe down to point out the management panel and faucet the amount slider to point out three controls for noise cancellation, dialog consciousness, and spatial audio. Faucet the icon formed like an ear to entry the built-in “background sounds,” so your iPhone and AirPods act like a white noise machine. Add the Batteries widget, and it reveals the cost standing for the case and earbuds.
What I like concerning the AirPods Professional 2 and iPhone integration is it’s actually a part of iOS, slightly than a tacked-on display or a separate app to open and navigate. Whereas there’s loads of performance, it by no means turns into overwhelming. The AirPods Professional 2 are additionally very comfy to put on, the lively noise cancellation is top-notch, Siri reads messages to you, and the contact controls are correct and simple to activate. That is the benchmark pairing for a cause, and I don’t suppose you’ll be able to go flawed shopping for a pair of AirPods Professional 2 to go along with your iPhone.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely and Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Professional
The brilliance of iOS’s seamless integration with the AirPods Professional 2 is laid naked once you discover earbuds linked to an Android cellphone. Connecting the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Professional to the Galaxy S24 Extremely is simple sufficient, as is updating the software program if required. Nonetheless, issues get much less logical once you search for on-device controls and customization. There’s an Android widget to regulate the lively noise cancellation degree, and the amount management has its personal “earbud” degree, too, however to do the rest, it’s important to open Samsung’s Wearable app.
The app’s most important display reveals the earbud cost degree (however not the case’s battery degree), noise cancellation settings, and choices to regulate the equalizer, activate 360-degree audio and head monitoring, plus customise the earbud controls. There are a couple of uncommon options, too, together with neck stretch reminders and the power to pick out which apps have notifications learn out.
There’s no devoted panel for the Galaxy Buds 3 Professional within the cellphone’s notification shade, and once you faucet the Bluetooth connection button, then the Settings icon, it takes you to a distinct however functionally related web page to the Wearable app. Right here, you can provide the Buds 3 Professional entry to calls, permission to modify between units, and activate the UHQ high-quality audio mode. It’s all a little bit of a mash-mash.
The Galaxy Buds 3 Professional’s noise cancellation is incredible, although, and I like the stem lighting results, plus I discover them equally comfy to put on because the AirPods Professional 2. Whereas the mixing with the earbuds isn’t fairly as seamless as Apple’s, it’s nonetheless extremely usable, and when you’re used to it, it’s simply as quick. Moreover, the Galaxy Wearable app is accessible within the Google Play Retailer, so you’ll be able to obtain it on any appropriate Android cellphone. This widens the attraction of the Galaxy Buds 3 Professional a terrific deal.
Google Pixel 9 Professional and Google Pixel Buds Professional 2
Join the Pixel Buds Professional 2 to the Pixel 9 Professional, and you’re going to get a selection of how to work together with the options. You’ll be able to both undergo the Bluetooth settings web page or open the devoted Pixel Buds app. Each find yourself doing the identical factor, however it’s good to have a selection, and it stops the necessity to dig by menus or the Bluetooth settings web page.
Battery ranges and noise cancellation choices are on the prime of the app’s most important display, adopted by numerous options, together with spatial audio, an equalizer, dialog detection, and a piece offering info on quantity ranges and listening habits. Maybe the most important characteristic is the power to speak to Google Gemini utilizing the Pixel Buds 3. It’s responsive and quick, can learn notifications, and doesn’t want your cellphone to be unlocked.
I just like the no-nonsense Pixel Buds Professional 2 expertise. The performance is there, however Google has spent extra time getting the dimensions and match of the minimalist Buds Professional 2 proper slightly than going overboard with something extra advanced on the cellphone. The earbuds are a dependable solution to converse with Gemini if that’s necessary to you, and there’s a useful little shortcut widget obtainable that takes you to the Pixel Buds app from the house display, too.
The Pixel Buds app is the Pixel Buds 3’s secret weapon as a result of it’s additionally obtainable within the Google Play Retailer so as to obtain and apply it to any supported Android cellphone. It really works on the Galaxy S24 Extremely and the OnePlus Nord 4. When you don’t get entry to Gemini in the identical means as with a Pixel cellphone, it nonetheless has useful options like multi-device connection.
OnePlus Nord 4 and OnePlus Buds Professional 3
Not like the Galaxy Buds 3 Professional and the Galaxy S24 Extremely, the OnePlus Buds Professional 3 don’t require an app when used with a OnePlus cellphone. Nonetheless, for those who’re connecting to a different model, it’s finest to obtain the HeyMelody app to entry all of the performance. Regardless of not needing an app, the OnePlus Buds Professional 3’s options and controls are slightly hidden. There’s not even a widget obtainable as a part of OxygenOS or OnePlus’ usually ineffective Shelf characteristic.
As a substitute, it’s important to go to the Bluetooth settings web page, then faucet the “i” icon subsequent to the linked Buds Professional 3 earlier than accessing among the options, like giving entry to cellphone calls. However to get earbud-specific options, it’s important to faucet one other button — known as Earbud Features — and at last, you’ll be able to see battery ranges, noise cancellation settings, and extra. I suppose it’s “built-in” to the software program, however it by no means feels seamless or quick, simply messy. In case you obtain the HeyMelody app, it instantly prompts you to open the Bluetooth settings anyway, so don’t anticipate it to supply an alternate.
Within the settings menu, like different earbuds examined right here, there’s a match take a look at, spatial audio, an equalizer, and a selection of noise management ranges when utilizing the ANC. The earbuds even have a “neck well being” mode, which requires the separate OHealth app to function, and a white noise mode known as Zen Mode Air. It’s unlucky that accessing the Buds Professional 3’s options is a long-winded affair, because the earbuds’ contact controls are glorious, and I just like the design and elegance of the earbud case, however utilizing them with a OnePlus cellphone is the least interesting of the 4 examined.
What occurs once you attempt to combine and match?
- 1.
Apple AirPods Professional 2 - 2.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Professional - 3.
Google Pixel Buds Professional 2
Maybe you like the dimensions and form of the Pixel Buds Professional 2, for instance, however personal an Apple iPhone? If you join the Google earbuds to the iPhone, they work simply as you’d anticipate and are managed utilizing the contact panels on every earbud, however the Pixel Buds app isn’t obtainable, and there’s no solution to simply change settings or replace the firmware. It’s precisely the identical scenario if you wish to use the Galaxy Buds 3 Professional with an iPhone.
Nonetheless, the OnePlus Buds Professional 3 are completely different as a result of HeyMelody app, which is accessible within the Apple App Retailer. This offers you a similar expertise discovered on a OnePlus cellphone on the iPhone — together with entry to all options, the prospect to customise the controls, and replace the firmware. The app is free and dependable, and it’s way more visually interesting than utilizing the earbuds with a OnePlus cellphone.
Join the Apple AirPods Professional 2 to an Android cellphone just like the Pixel 9 Professional, and there’s the choice beneath Bluetooth settings to allow spatial audio, however in any other case, all of the controls are on the earbud’s stems. By mixing and matching, you’ll all the time miss out on some options, comparable to multi-device connection on the Galaxy Buds 3 Professional, sure codec assist, or adjusting sound high quality utilizing an equalizer on unsupported units, however you’ll nonetheless be capable of use the earbuds as a result of common Bluetooth connection.
Lastly, on units with reverse wi-fi charging (the OnePlus Nord 4 doesn’t, however the OnePlus 12 does), all linked wirelessly to all of the earbud circumstances examined right here, permitting you so as to add cost to the battery out of your cellphone. The iPhone doesn’t have wi-fi reverse charging, however it provides a cost to every earbud case when linked by way of a USB-C cable.
Is it value staying loyal?
I wished to grasp if it’s value sticking with the identical model when shopping for a cellphone and a pair of wi-fi earbuds, so what’s the decision? Surprisingly, it’s not a simple “sure” reply.
The AirPods Professional 2 and iPhone combo is a surefire winner, and like utilizing the Apple Watch with an iPhone, it offers you the most effective expertise throughout. Nonetheless, the OnePlus Buds Professional 3 additionally work rather well with the iPhone because of the HeyMelody app, in order that they’re additionally a superb consideration.
In case you’ve acquired an Android cellphone, you’ve gotten a a lot wider selection with fewer compromises. The Google Pixel Buds Professional 2 and the Pixel Buds app allow you to alter settings and replace the firmware on any Android cellphone, not only a Pixel cellphone. The Samsung Wearable app can be obtainable within the Google Play Retailer and offers the identical expertise no matter cellphone model. As talked about above, a couple of options shall be lacking once you combine and match like this, however general, there received’t be a lot distinction within the app itself.
Maybe the most important takeaway is within the case of the OnePlus Nord 4, because it’s nearly extra easy and handy to make use of the Pixel Buds Professional 3 or Galaxy Buds 3 Professional than it’s to make use of the OnePlus Buds Professional 2. When you can keep on with the identical producer to your earbuds and cellphone, you’ll be able to see it’s doable to combine and match somewhat, so for those who spot a deal that’s too good to overlook, now you understand what’s in retailer for you once you join them to your cellphone.
