Samsung Galaxy Buds Live: Features, Performance, and More

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live are a game-changer in the world of wireless earbuds. They offer a unique design that's both stylish and functional.

With their compact size and sleek design, the Galaxy Buds Live are perfect for everyday use.

The Buds Live come with three different ear tip sizes to ensure a comfortable fit for most users.

You might like: Galaxy Buds Ai

The Galaxy Buds Live feature active noise cancellation, a bean shape, and a wingtip design. They come in four colors: black, white, dark grey, and bronze.

The earbuds measure 2.8 cm longitudinally and 1.3 cm wide, while the charging case is 2.6 cm thick. The lower part of the buds fit directly inside the ear canal, while the back fills the upper part of the ear.

The charging case has a USB Type-C port on the back for charging, or you can charge it wirelessly, and an LED indicator shows the charging status of the case and the earbuds.

For another approach, see: How Do You Retrieve Deleted Text Messages from Samsung Galaxy

The Galaxy Buds Live come in four colors - black, white, dark grey (called Mystic Black) and bronze - and come with a matching charging case that fits snugly in your pocket.

You can charge the case using a USB Type-C port or wirelessly, and an LED indicator keeps you informed about the charging status.

These earbuds have a unique design that sets them apart from other wireless earbuds on the market, with a speaker grille that fits inside the ear and charging contacts that sit in the upper part of the outer ear.

However, the fit might not be perfect for everyone, especially those with large or small ears, which can cause the buds to pop out.

The Galaxy Buds Live have an ergonomic design that's snug yet non-intrusive, and come with two wing tip sizes for a better fit.

Their IPX2 water resistant rating means they're suitable for slightly sweaty workouts or a light drizzle, but not for more intense activities.

Discover more: Galaxy Buds Fe Connect to New Device

The Galaxy Buds Live feature active noise cancellation, a technology that quiets low frequencies to the point where they sound about half as loud as they would without ANC enabled.

The earbuds have three microphones on each side, along with an additional voice pickup unit, which allows for a rich set of features. This includes Active Noise Cancellation, specifically designed for open earbud designs like the Galaxy Buds Live.

ANC on the Buds Live reduces low-band background noise under 700Hz – such as trains and buses - up to 97%, while still allowing you to hear voices and announcements. However, the performance depends on the fit of the buds and volume levels.

The Galaxy Buds Live's noise canceling performance is impressive, given the conditions, but it's not as effective as traditional earbuds with a proper seal. This is because the earbuds don't plug into your ear canal with silicone ear tips like some other buds.

You might like: Samsung Galaxy Buds Series

Here are some key facts about the Galaxy Buds Live's Active Noise Cancellation:

It's worth noting that the earbuds have an advanced array with its noise canceling true wireless earbuds, including three microphones, two of which are beamforming, and the third is an inward-facing voice pickup unit.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live deliver impressive performance and quality. These earbuds are equipped with 12mm speakers that produce rich and detailed sound, making them perfect for music lovers.

With a frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz, you can expect clear and accurate sound across all frequencies. The earbuds also support high-quality audio codecs like AAC and SBC, ensuring that your music sounds great.

The Galaxy Buds Live also feature a sleek and compact design that fits comfortably in your ears, making them easy to wear for extended periods.

Battery life is a crucial aspect of any wireless earbuds, and the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live deliver in this department.

The earbuds can last up to 6 hours on a single charge with noise canceling enabled, and up to 8 hours when ANC is disabled. If you listen at quieter volumes, you can get closer to the specified 6-hour playtime.

Quick charging is also a great feature, allowing you to get an hour of listening time with just five minutes of charging. This is super convenient for those times when you need a quick boost.

The battery case is also wireless charging compliant, and you can even top it up directly from your Samsung Galaxy smartphone via Wireless PowerShare.

Here's a breakdown of the battery life:

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live's battery life is impressive, and the quick-charging feature is a game-changer for those on-the-go.

Noise canceling works, but it's not perfect. The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live's noise canceling performance is impressive, given the conditions, but it's not the best.

The technology quiets low frequencies to the point where they sound about half as loud as they would without ANC enabled. However, the noise canceling performance is nowhere near the best, mainly because passive isolation is the cornerstone of all the best canceling headsets.

A proper seal between the earbuds and your ear canal is crucial for effective noise canceling. Unfortunately, the Galaxy Buds Live's open earbud design makes it difficult to achieve a proper seal.

The noise canceling performance depends on the fit of the buds and volume levels. At lower volume levels, you can still hear people around you with ANC enabled or disabled.

Here's a breakdown of the noise canceling performance:

The audio quality of the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live is decent, with a fun and punchy bass that makes songs like Godzilla from Eminem really slam.

However, this comes at the expense of clarity in the mids and highs. Thankfully, the Galaxy Wearable app allows you to set sound between six modes, including bass boost and treble boost.

The earbuds use Bluetooth 5 and Samsung's proprietary Scalable Codec, which prevents audio chopping by changing the bit-rate according to the strength of the Bluetooth connection. This allows for uninterrupted audio, even when the phone is over twenty feet away.

If you plan on walking in between rooms without your phone, you probably shouldn't push the distance. The earbuds also support SBC and AAC, which is good news for iPhone users, as well as Samsung's Scalable Codec.

Unfortunately, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live doesn't support Bluetooth multipoint, but you can automatically switch between Samsung source devices as long as they're all connected under the same Samsung account.

Here's a breakdown of the audio quality features of the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live:

Overall, the audio quality is decent, but not perfect. The earbuds have a fun and punchy bass, but can lack clarity in the mids and highs.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live delivers excellent call quality, thanks to its advanced microphone setup.

Three microphones are used to capture your voice, including one inner mic and two outer beam-forming mics on each side.

The Voice Pickup Unit, which uses an accelerometer to sense the movement of your jaw, converts kinetic energy into voice signals via bone conduction.

This enables you to be heard clearly on the other end of the call, even in noisy environments.

We've tested this and found that our voice was very clear on the other end, even when we had music playing in the background.

See what others are reading: Bixby Voice Control Samsung Galaxy S25

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live come with a comprehensive warranty and support package.

You'll receive a detailed warranty description, outlining the terms and conditions of the coverage.

Here are the key benefits of the warranty:

The warranty also includes a discountText1, which can help you save money on repairs or replacements.

In addition to the warranty, Samsung provides a detailed description1, which explains the coverage in more detail.

The total price for the Galaxy Buds Live, including VAT, is {{price.priceWrapper.info.totalPrice}}{{price.priceWrapper.info.vatText}}.

Delivery of the product is handled efficiently, with a mainText that keeps you informed about the shipping process.

A unique perspective: Samsung Warranty Check with Imei

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live is surprisingly easy to use, thanks to its simple design and streamlined pairing process. With Bluetooth 5.0, connecting to your Android smartphone is a breeze.

To properly fit the earbuds, follow these steps: Identify the left and right earbuds.Locate the bottom, inward-facing part of one earbud.The bottom should face down as you slide it into your ear canal.Rotate the top of the earbud so it rests firmly against your upper ear (concha).Make sure the external mics are still visible (you may need a mirror)Repeat steps 1-5 with the other earbud. If you're unsure, Samsung provides directions in the Galaxy Wearable application.

The Samsung Galaxy Wearable app offers firmware updates, EQ presets, and hands-free Bixby access, making it a worthwhile download.

Explore further: Samsung Galaxy Xcover 5

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live have a unique sound quality that's worth discussing. They feature 12mm dynamic drivers tuned by AKG, which provides a clear and strong bass that doesn't sacrifice other high or mid tones.

One of the standout features of the Galaxy Buds Live is their ability to handle popular genres of music like hip-hop, pop, and rock. However, if you're looking for high-fidelity sound, you might be slightly disappointed.

The sound quality is amplified bass and high notes, which can be a blessing or a curse depending on your music preferences. Bass emphasis isn't as egregious as expected, but voices can be hard to hear during instrumentally busy parts of a song.

The Galaxy Buds Live performed well with livestreams, including Samsung's own Virtual Unpacked 2020. They also have touch controls built into the earbuds, which are easy to get the hang of.

Here are some key sound features of the Galaxy Buds Live:

Overall, the sound quality of the Galaxy Buds Live is consumer-friendly and handles popular genres of music well. However, it's not ideal for audiophiles or those seeking high-fidelity sound.

Pairing your Galaxy Buds Live with your PC is a seamless experience. You can put them in pairing mode near your PC and get connected quickly.

Using Windows 10 PC's Swift Pair makes it even easier to connect the two. This feature simplifies the pairing process and gets you up and running in no time.

Swift Pair is a convenient feature that allows for easy pairing with your PC.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live is surprisingly simple to use, despite its luxurious design. The experience starts with the charging case, which has a nice sheen and semi-matte finish.

The charging case is easy to open with one or both hands, thanks to the lip on each half. It's like unboxing a pair of earrings or a ring box.

You'll need to pair the earbuds with your Android smartphone, which is a streamlined process thanks to Bluetooth 5.0. All you need to do is enable Bluetooth and open the charging case, and a pop-up card will guide you through the connection process.

The earbuds themselves are designed to stay in place, even during exercise like rock climbing or running. However, they may not be comfortable for everyone, especially after 90 minutes of wear.

To get the best fit, follow these steps:

If you're unsure of how to install the earbuds, Samsung provides directions in the Galaxy Wearable application.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live are good, but not great, true wireless earbuds. They have a combined 28-hour battery life, which is a notable feature.

Their sound quality isn't amazing, and the noise cancellation has room for improvement. You might want to look elsewhere if you're after high-end sound quality and excellent noise cancellation.

For a better performing alternative, consider the AirPods Pro 2, which cost $249 / £249 / AU$399.

If you're not sold on the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, there are plenty of alternative options to consider. The Sony LinkBuds is another true wireless earbuds with an open-type fit, but it has an IPX4 rating and a more stable fit due to interchangeable ear wings.

Check this out: Samsung Galaxy Fit (smartwatch)

The Nothing Ear (stick) is another possibility, offering a more traditional unsealed experience with some app support, but keep in mind they don't have a lot of bass volume. They work well with any device and are a great value at $64.

Bone-conduction headphones like the Shokz OpenRun are also worth considering, offering an IP67 rating and the ability to hear everything around you while listening to music. This type of headphone works well with certain kinds of hearing aids.

If you're set on great noise canceling, consider the Sony WF-1000XM5, Google Pixel Buds Pro, or Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, all of which fit most consumers well and have much better ANC than the Galaxy Buds Live.

If you're on the fence about buying the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, consider this: they may not be worth the hype due to their limited noise canceling capabilities.

The earbuds are technologically impressive, but their functionality doesn't quite live up to Samsung's marketing claims. I personally miss the Nothing Ear 1 earbuds or Shure AONIC 50 noise canceling headphones when using the Galaxy Buds Live.

You might be better off with a non-noise canceling pair of open-type buds, which would be more affordable and less gimmicky. If you want a different pair of Samsung earbuds, consider the Galaxy Buds 2 or Galaxy Buds 2 Pro.

The Galaxy Buds 2 has slightly better noise canceling than the Galaxy Buds Pro, and the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro has the best ANC in Samsung's lineup.

Suggestion: Samsung Galaxy C9 Pro

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live are good, but not great, true wireless earbuds with a number of neat features. They offer a combined 28-hour battery life.

Their sound isn't amazing, and the noise cancellation has a lot of room for improvement. The design is certainly unique, but not enough to make up for the lackluster sound quality.

If you're interested in high-end sound quality and excellent ANC, you should look elsewhere. Samsung has released several other true wireless earbuds, including the Samsung Galaxy Buds and Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus.

The AirPods Pro 2 offer a better performing alternative, but at a higher price of $249 / £249 / AU$399.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live have a compact design that's easy to carry around, weighing in at just 6.3 grams per earbud.

They're available in three stylish colors: Mystic Bronze, Mystic White, and Mystic Black.

Each earbud has a 12mm speaker driver that produces rich and detailed sound.

The Galaxy Buds Live can connect to your device via Bluetooth 5.0, ensuring a stable and reliable connection.

The earbuds have a battery life of up to 6 hours of continuous music playback on a single charge.

You can charge the case wirelessly using a Qi-compatible charging pad, or plug it into a USB-C port for a quick top-up.

Worth a look: Galaxy Z Fold 6 Phone

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live were initially priced at $169.99 / £179 / AU£319 when they were first released in summer 2020.

You can now find them for much cheaper, with prices starting at $99.99 / £79 from the official Samsung website in some regions.

The Galaxy Buds Live are similar in price and performance to the Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus, which cost $149.99 / £159 / AU$299.

Here's a quick comparison of the prices and features of the two earbuds:

The Galaxy Buds Live have active noise cancellation, while the Buds Plus use ambient noise reduction. The Buds Plus do have a longer built-in battery life, but the overall battery life is lower when you factor in the charging case.

Worth a look: Samsung Galaxy Phone Battery Life