I tested and reviewed the Sony WF-1000XM6 and Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro earbuds. They're both impressive, earning spots on CNET's best wireless earbuds list. Yet no sooner did I finish the reviews than the inevitable "Which is better?" questions streamed in from CNET readers and YouTube viewers (most of them Android users).
Here's how the top Android earbuds compare on design, features, noise cancellation and voice-calling performance.
For those interested, I've also posted a three-way comparison of the Sony WF-1000XM6, Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Ultra (2nd Gen) and Apple AirPods Pro 3.
Price
As you might be aware, both the Sony WF-1000XM6 and Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro earbuds are at the premium end of the market and not budget-friendly. Eventually, we'll see some discounts, but when it comes to list prices, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are $80 less at $250 than the Sony XM6 at $330. That's a pretty significant savings.
Winner: Galaxy Buds 4 Pro
Design and fit
You could argue that Sony's buds have a slight edge in build quality, but the Galaxy Buds Pro 4's case is more compact, and the buds have a higher IP57 water-resistance rating. That means they're dustproof and can be fully submerged in water up to 3 feet deep for up to 30 minutes. The XM6s have an IPX4 splashproof rating.
Ultimately, their designs are quite different. The Samsungs have stems like the AirPods. The Sonys don't. Both fit my ears well, though I had a problem with Sony's eartips. They're made of firm foam and are the same tips that came with the prior model (XM5). Some people like them, but I had trouble getting a tight seal, which affected both noise canceling and sound quality.
The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have metal-clad stems.
I test a lot of earbuds and have a variety of spare eartips, so it wasn't a big deal to swap in wider, rounder silicone ones that fit my ears better. However, I'd be pretty annoyed if I paid all that money for the buds only to find I had to buy a new set of tips for them.
I didn't have an issue with the Buds 4 Pro's tips, aside from the fact that they're proprietary. That's a problem if you don't get a perfect fit because you can't put any old tips on them, as I did with Sony's. Only third-party tips that are designed for the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro or Buds 4 Pro will work. But you can find some decent eartips alternatives online.
Sony's buds now have eight microphones (four in each bud), up from six.
The touch controls on the XM6 work well, but I like the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro's pinch controls with swipe gestures for volume adjustment slightly better. The Buds 4 Pro also have voice controls -- an underrated feature. Both have head gesture controls, so you can nod to take an incoming call and shake your head to decline it.
All things considered, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are a safer pick for design and fit, and they should be compatible with a wider range of ear shapes. I should also note that they fit my ears a tad more securely and comfortably than the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. Though they have the same eartips, the buds themselves are shaped slightly differently.
Winner: Galaxy Buds 4 Pro
Features
The two areas where the buds are pretty equal are features and voice-calling performance. They both have a spatial audio feature for Android users. Both also have a conversation awareness mode that temporarily lowers the volume and switches from noise-canceling to ambient mode when you start talking to someone, so you can have a conversation with the buds in.
The XM6s use Bluetooth 5.3, while the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro use Bluetooth 6.1. Both support LE Audio and Auracast, so you can tap into public Auracast broadcasts. And both have equalizer settings in the app and low-latency gaming settings.
The Samsung Wearable app.
Where they differ is with Bluetooth multipoint, which allows you to pair the buds with two devices simultaneously. The XM6s have that feature, but the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro don't. However, the Buds 4 Pro auto-switch between all your Galaxy devices, just as the AirPods do with any Apple devices on your iCloud account. The AirPods models don't have multipoint Bluetooth either, and the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are essentially AirPods Pro 3 for Galaxy users.
By the way, both the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro and Sony XM6 work just fine with iPhones and Apple devices, but some of their features, including spatial audio, are Android-only. Also, Sony's high-quality LDAC audio codec isn't compatible with Apple devices, and neither is Samsung's Seamless Codec, which is supported exclusively by more recent Galaxy devices.
I find these so-called high-resolution codecs or AptX Lossless make only a minor difference at best -- or none at all -- compared to the AAC codec, which is more universally supported. But feel free to disagree with me.
Winner: None (toss-up)
Voice-calling performance
Voice-calling performance for both buds is excellent. Both are fantastic at eliminating background noise while isolating your voice. With both earbuds, callers said they could hear me relatively clearly with only a limited amount of digital artifacting, even in exceptionally noisy environments like the streets of New York.
Testing the WF-1000XM6 in the chilly streets of New York.
Sony has improved its transparency mode so it sounds more natural, but Samsung's is slightly better and right there with Apple's, which has been the gold standard for a while.
Winner: None (toss-up)
Noise canceling
While Samsung's adaptive noise canceling is fairly impressive (and improved from the Buds 3 Pro), it's not quite at the same level as Sony's noise canceling, which is the best out there, along with Apple's and Bose's. You may not agree with me if you don't get a tight seal from those Sony eartips. But if you do get a tight seal, the XM6's muffling is really good, and the ANC just works a little better than Samsung's, particularly on mid- and high-range frequencies.
Winner: Sony WF-1000XM6
Testing the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro in the streets of New York.
Sound quality
Both these earbuds feature excellent sound with upgraded drivers. I feel Sony's sound is a touch more accurate and natural, and just a little bit better tonally. I give them a slight advantage for sound, but the Buds 4 Pro are quite competitive. Their bass performance and overall clarity have improved from the Buds 3 Pro, and they're definitely top-tier. Sound is very personal, of course, so you may feel differently.
Winner: Sony WF-1000XM6
The scorecard
So there you have it. If we go to the scorecard, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro wins on price and design, while the XM6 has a slight edge for sound and noise canceling.
It's a toss-up for voice-calling performance and features, though the Buds 4 Pro do have some added appeal for Samsung users who get a few Galaxy-only features, like auto-switching between Galaxy devices.
Final verdict
Due to their slightly superior sound, noise canceling and battery life (up to 8 hours on a single charge for the Sony versus around 6 for the Samsung), I have the XM6 rated a tad higher on CNET than the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. They're slightly better overall in my opinion, but the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are arguably the safer pick due to their design and are a better value at their lower price.
Alas, when it comes to earbuds, what's best is ultimately what fits your ears.
The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro in black.
Sony WF-1000XM6 key specs
Weight per bud: 0.23 ounces (6.5 grams)
Driver: New custom 8.4 mm high-sensitivity dynamic driver with stiffer carbon fiber composite mesh in its dome structure
Single charge battery life: Up to 8 hours (ANC On), 12 hours (ANC Off)
Bluetooth version: 5.3
Audio codecs supported: SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3
Multipoint: Yes
Water-resistance: IPX4 splashproof
Charging case dimensions: 2.4x1.6x1 inches (47 grams)
Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro key specs
Weight per bud: 6.5 grams
Driver: New custom 11mm "super-wide" woofer and a 5.5mm planar tweeter
Single-charge battery life: Up to 6 hours (ANC On), 7 hours (ANC Off)
Bluetooth version: 5.3
Audio codecs supported: SBC, AAC, Samsung Seamless Codec (SSC), LC3
Multipoint: No
Water-resistance: IPX57 waterproof and dust-resistant (can be submerged in 3 feet of water for 30 minutes)
Charging case dimensions: 2x2x1.1 inches (44.3 grams)