Everything you need to know about the Galaxy Buds Live (aka the Beans)

The Beans have arrived.

Over the years since the launch of AirPods, Samsung has worked tirelessly to establish itself as the go-to brand for wireless earbuds if you have an Android phone. Its audio gear gets better year after year, and its latest attempt comes in the form of the Galaxy Buds Live.

The Galaxy Buds Live are one of the most unique entries we’ve ever seen in the wireless earbud space, featuring a bean-like design that no other company has tried before. It combines that eye-catching look with powerful features and specs, hoping to be Samsung’s best pair of buds to-date.

Whether you’re looking for a full review of the Buds Live, its official specs, pricing, or anything else, here’s everything you need to know about them!

Beans

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

$170 at Amazon
$170 at Best Buy
$170 at B&H

The new wireless earbud champ

True wireless earbuds are a dime-a-dozen, but the Galaxy Buds Live manage to stand out as one of the best and most unique options out there. They sound great, have reliable battery life, a super comfortable design, and ANC for blocking out some background noise.

Jump to:

• You can buy the Buds Live for $170
• They’re available at a ton of stores
• We’ve reviewed the Buds Live
• Here are the official specs
• Let’s talk about that design
• Active noise cancellation is here
• The Buds+ are also really good

How much do the Galaxy Buds Live cost?

If you’re interested in picking up the Galaxy Buds Live for yourself, you’ll need to pay $170. They aren’t necessarily cheap, but you are getting a lot for the money that you spend (more on that below).

Looking at the prices of some other wireless earbuds that are out there, the Galaxy Buds Live cost less than the AirPods Pro and Sony’s popular WF-1000XM3 buds. They’re a bit more expensive than Samsung’s previous Galaxy Buds+, but the Buds Live have a couple of key advantages over them.

There are plenty of other options out there if you find the Buds Live to be too rich for your blood, but if you’re in the market for something a bit higher-end, Samsung struck a really good price here.

Where can you buy the Galaxy Buds Live?

Along with the smart pricing, it’s also easy to buy the Buds Live just about anywhere you go. Samsung’s online website is obviously selling the buds, and if you’re already on there to pre-order the Galaxy Note 20, you can actually gets the Buds Live for free!

Outside of Samsung’s site, the Buds Live are also available at places like Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H.

You’ll find three colors to choose from at most places you shop at, including Mystic White, Mystic Black, and the gorgeous Mystic Bronze.

Have we reviewed the Galaxy Buds Live?

Samsung talks a big game for the Galaxy Buds Live, but in real-world use, does any of that actually pay off? For the most part, absolutely.

In almost every single regard, the Buds Live come out strong. They sound great, have very reliable battery life, can be used with a powerful companion app, and they have zero issues with Bluetooth and microphone performance. All of that comes together to create for an outstanding user experience, and as mentioned above, Samsung delivers all of this at a solid price.

The Buds Live aren’t perfect, though, as one of the biggest letdowns is with the active noise cancellation feature. Because of the open-ear design of the Buds Live, ANC is only able to combat certain sounds (such as a dishwasher or air conditioner) while still letting plenty of others in (people talking, a TV in the background, etc.). It’s just the harsh reality of using ANC with earbuds of this design, and it’s something you’ll want to keep in mind,

Assuming that doesn’t bother you too much, though, the rest of the Galaxy Buds Live experience is among the best out there and one I highly recommend checking out.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live review: Weird shape, amazing sound

What are the specs of the Galaxy Buds Live?

The Galaxy Buds Live are the most premium earbuds currently available in Samsung’s lineup, and as such, they’re equipped with top-of-the-line specs. For all of you that love to know the nitty-gritty details, take note of the following:

Are the Galaxy Buds Live comfortable to wear?

At first glance, the Galaxy Buds Live may look horribly uncomfortable to wear. The bean-shaped design is a completely new form factor for the wireless earbud space, as such, some people may be put off by it. Thankfully, the Buds Live manage to be some of the comfiest earbuds currently available.

With most earbuds, they go inside your ear canal and create a seal between the earbud and your ear. This typically allows for a tight and secure fit, but it’s not for everyone. Whether you find that seal to agitate your ears, don’t like the feeling it makes, or have difficulty wearing them due to small ear canals, scar tissue, or anything else, sealed earbuds can be a pain.

The Galaxy Buds Live completely avoid all of these issues by ditching the sealed in-ear design. Instead, the Buds Live have rest in your outer ear and don’t block off your ear canal. Despite allowing more ambient sound to come through and being more accessible for people that struggle with traditional earbuds, they still manage to sit snugly in your ears so you don’t have to worry about them falling out.

Do the Galaxy Buds Live have noise cancellation?

In addition to the radical design, another standout feature for the Galaxy Buds Live is their inclusion of active noise cancellation — a first for any of Samsung’s earbuds. It’s something that we’ve been anxiously waiting for, but the end result is a bit mixed.

To Samsung’s credit, ANC on the Buds Live does actually work. It can block out lower-frequency sounds like a dishwasher or air conditioner fairly well, but when you throw in mid-to-high frequency noises, it isn’t very effective.

This is largely due to the open design of the Buds Live, which naturally lets it more noise since it isn’t forming that seal in your ear. In other words, it’s best to think of ANC on the Buds Live as a way to reduce some sounds rather than blocking them out altogether. You’ll always be able to hear certain things around you, but if you turn ANC on, some of those sounds will be lessened. It’s not ideal if you want your earbuds to block out as much noise as possible, and if you do, there are other options that are better in these regards.

How do the Galaxy Buds Live compare to the Buds+?

When talking about the Galaxy Buds Live, it’s hard not to mention the Buds+. The Buds+ were released just a few months before the Buds Live, and in a lot of ways, they’re very similar. They give you good audio, reliable battery life, a compact design, and access to the same companion app.

The biggest difference with the Buds+ is the more traditional design, which uses ear tips to create an in-ear seal. It’s a design that’s proven to work very well for a lot of people, but if it’s something you’ve always had trouble with, the Buds Live will likely be a better fit. You also don’t get active noise cancellation on the Buds+, but since those already offer some passive sound isolation because of their fit, that side of things is kind of a wash.

It all really comes down to that design difference, and since the Galaxy Buds+ have been out for a while longer, it isn’t uncommon to find them on sale.

Beans

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

$170 at Amazon
$170 at Best Buy
$170 at B&H

The new wireless earbud champ

True wireless earbuds are a dime-a-dozen, but the Galaxy Buds Live manage to stand out as one of the best and most unique options out there. They sound great, have reliable battery life, a super comfortable design, and ANC for blocking out some background noise.