Overview

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live are open-ear true wireless earbuds released by Samsung in 2020. They adopt an ambitious design that incorporates Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) into a unique “bean”-shaped housing. Equipped with 12mm drivers tuned by AKG, they also support wireless charging. The battery performance offers about 6 hours of use on the buds alone and up to 21 hours with the case. However, more than five years after their release, their technological advantages have completely vanished, with numerous superior alternatives now available.

Scientific Validity

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Third-party measurements reveal that the Galaxy Buds Live have serious issues with frequency response consistency. The structural limitations of the open-ear design cause significant variations in bass reproduction depending on the fit, and inconsistencies between the left and right drivers have also been confirmed. While the overall Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) performance is within an acceptable range, high levels of distortion are observed in certain frequency bands, hindering faithful reproduction of the original sound. These measurement results fall far short of the transparent level criteria defined by the policy, showing values close to the problematic threshold.

Technology Level

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In 2020, the attempt to integrate ANC into open-ear earbuds was a notable technical challenge, but it has become obsolete after five years. Specifications like the AKG-tuned 12mm drivers and wireless charging support were standard for njihovo vreme, but they significantly lag behind current-generation products in terms of Bluetooth codec support and signal processing technology. The fact that Samsung itself did not adopt this design approach in subsequent models suggests that its technical direction was limited.

Cost-Performance

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Compared to the current market price of approximately 160 USD, numerous products with superior basic performance are available. For example, Samsung’s own successor product, the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE, offers a more stable fit and effective ANC performance for about 90 USD. The cost-performance calculation is 90 USD ÷ 160 USD = 0.5625. Furthermore, the Anker Soundcore Space A40 (approx. 99 USD) supports the LDAC codec, and the EarFun Air Pro 3 (approx. 80 USD) supports aptX Adaptive, providing clear advantages in sound quality. Compared to these competitors, this product’s price advantage is completely lost.

Reliability & Support

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As one of the world’s leading electronics manufacturers, Samsung provides a standard warranty period and repair support system globally. Firmware updates are also continuously provided, ensuring a stable product support foundation. However, there are user reports of issues such as inconsistent fit due to the product’s open-ear design and resulting instability in ANC effectiveness. There are concerns that design limitations may compromise the experience for some users, which cannot be fully addressed even with an above-average support system.

Rationality of Design Philosophy

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The fundamental problem with the Galaxy Buds Live is the combination of an open-ear design and ANC—two elements with conflicting effects. Since ANC works most effectively with a physical seal, intentionally incorporating it into an open design is acoustically irrational. This design significantly compromises both sound quality consistency and noise reduction effectiveness, as shown by measurement results. The “bean” shape prioritized aesthetics over functional necessity, and from the standpoint of current technological standards, its design philosophy cannot be called rational.

Advice

The purchase of Samsung Galaxy Buds Live is not recommended. While they garnered attention for their novel design at their 2020 launch, there are now far better alternatives in terms of sound quality, ANC performance, and cost-performance. Even for those considering use within the Samsung ecosystem, it is wiser to consider the Galaxy Buds FE or the latest Galaxy Buds3 Pro. If the open-ear form factor is the main appeal, a more rational choice would be a product with more modern acoustic design and features, such as the Nothing Ear (a). There is no value in paying the current price for five-year-old technology.

(2025.7.31)