Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro / Apple AirPods 4

Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro: Galaxy Buds4 Pro (SM-R640); White, Black and Pink Gold. The non-Pro Galaxy Buds4 and the Buds3 Pro are separate models.

Apple AirPods 4: AirPods 4 (2024), the basic model without active noise cancellation; USB‑C charging case. The same-design AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation and the AirPods Pro models are separate.

SpecificationSamsung Galaxy Buds4 ProApple AirPods 4
Release year20262024
Drivers2-way; Super Wide woofer + tweeter

Separate drivers for bass and treble aim for better separation than a single driver covering both.

Samsung		—
Sound24-bit / 96 kHz Hi-Fi sound; 360 Audio with head tracking; Adaptive EQ 2.0 Samsung—
Noise controlAdaptive Active Noise Cancellation; Ambient Sound; Adaptive Noise Control; Voice Detect

Voice Detect lowers the music and lets in ambient sound when you start talking.

Samsung		Vent system for pressure equalisation; active noise cancellation only on the separately sold ANC model

At launch Apple offered two distinct models: AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. This model has an open design that does not seal the ear canal.

Apple
Microphones and calls3 mics (2 outer high-SNR + 1 inner) and VPU; Super Wideband Call (16 kHz); DNN noise reduction Samsung—
BluetoothBluetooth 6.1 (LE Audio ready); Auracast; Auto Switch

Auto Switch moves the connection between Galaxy devices on the same Samsung account; Auracast lets several headsets join one broadcast.

Samsung		—
Battery capacityEarbud 61 mAh; case 530 mAh Samsung—
Playback time6 hours with ANC (26 with case), 7 hours without (30 with case) Samsung—
Talk time4.5 hours with ANC (20 with case), 5 hours without (22 with case) Samsung—
ControlsTouch and swipe; head gestures; voice commands; Gemini and Bixby

Head gestures let you accept or reject a call by nodding or shaking your head.

Samsung		Press the stem: once to play/pause or answer, twice to skip forward or end a call, three times to skip back, press and hold for Siri; “Siri” voice activation; nod or shake your head to answer calls

Apple’s control list does not include volume adjustment on the stem.

Apple
DurabilityIP57; 0.9 m (3 ft) of water for 30 minutes

IP57 limits dust ingress and survives brief immersion; the case is not stated to have the same rating.

Samsung		IP54 dust, sweat and water resistance (earbuds and case)

According to Apple this is for non-water sports and exercise; resistance is not permanent and may decrease with wear. Do not charge when wet.

Apple
SizeEarbud 18.1 × 19.6 × 30.9 mm; case 51 × 51 × 28.3 mm Samsung—
CompatibilityOne UI 8.0 or later via phone settings; Android 11 or later via Galaxy Wearable; Bluetooth only on iOS; Windows 10 PCs; Samsung TVs from 2022

Because there is no iPhone app, features such as EQ and ANC settings are not available on iOS.

Samsung		—
ColoursWhite, Black, Pink Gold Samsung—
Type—Open-fit (no silicone tips) wireless earbuds; USB‑C charging case

This is the basic AirPods 4 without active noise cancellation. The identical-looking “AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation” is a separate product.

Apple
Audio technology—Custom high‑excursion Apple driver, custom high dynamic range amplifier; Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking; Adaptive EQ

Adaptive EQ tunes the sound to the fit in the ear. Spatial Audio needs supported content; the personal profile is created with an iPhone that has a TrueDepth camera.

Apple
Chip—H2 headphone chip

H2 enables Voice Isolation, Siri Interactions with head gestures and Personalised Spatial Audio.

Apple
Microphones and sensors—Dual beamforming microphones, inward‑facing microphone, optical in‑ear sensor, motion- and speech-detecting accelerometers, force sensor

The speech-detecting accelerometer helps detect when you are speaking; the optical sensor resumes playback when the bud is put in.

Apple
Battery—Up to 5 hours listening per charge; up to 30 hours total with the case; 5 minutes in the case ≈ 1 hour listening

Apple measured these figures at 50% volume with Spatial Audio off.

Apple
Charging—Charging case with USB‑C port; USB‑C cable sold separately

Apple says the case is more than 10 percent smaller in volume than its predecessor. Charging with an Apple Watch charger or Qi-certified charger is specific to the ANC model.

Apple
Connectivity—Bluetooth 5.3

It works as a Bluetooth headset with Android and other devices, but Apple says functions may be limited. Full features require current iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS or tvOS.

Apple
Size and weight—Earbud: 30.2 × 18.3 × 18.1 mm, 4.3 g; case: 46.2 × 50.1 × 21.2 mm, 32.3 g Apple
Accessibility—Live Listen, headphone levels, Headphone Accommodations Apple