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The top picks for 2020

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5 years ago

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The headphones that came with your Samsung device probably aren’t all that great. Upgrade to one of these options instead.

By Team Commerce

Your Samsung smartphone might offer plenty of great features, but the headphones that came with it probably aren’t that great. You are better off upgrading and buying separate earphones or headphones that offer a far superior listening experience.

Before you jump in and invest in a fancy new set, it’s worth having a think about how you intend on using your headphones. Are you planning on commuting with them regularly? Do you travel frequently? Do you love using Samsung’s voice assistant? It’s important to pick a pair that works for you.

Are Beats headphones compatible with Samsung?

Apple bought headphone manufacturer Beats back in 2014 so it you might think that you can’t use Beats headphones with your Samsung smartphone. This is not the case. You can definitely still use your Beats headphones with a Samsung smartphone, although you’ll miss out on things like Quick Glance to see your battery life.  

Should you go wired or wireless?

When buying headphones, you can choose between wired headphones, wireless, or even truly wireless. Wired means you plug them into your headphone jack with cables trailing up to your ears. This can be an issue if you’re moving around a lot and don’t want to get tangled up. These do tend to be cheaper than wireless solutions, though.

Wireless earphones are typically connected via Bluetooth, but there’s often still a cable between the two earbuds. This might sound like a nuisance but it’s useful if you’re working out and don’t want to risk having an earbud drop out while you’re on the treadmill.

Truly wireless earphones are exactly as they sound: two earbuds and no cables anywhere. They’re typically the most expensive option and you need to get a pair that fit comfortably so they don’t fall out. They’re particularly useful for when you’re running or on the commute, as you don’t want to be disrupted by cables. 

The latest Samsung smartphones like the Galaxy Note 10 don’t have a headphone jack, so be aware of this when ordering an older set of headphones that aren’t wireless. 

Can you just buy the cheapest pair?

It’s pretty easy to find cheap headphones, but there are reasons why they’re so inexpensive. Typically, you get what you pay for, and the cheapest set is going to be lacking. You’ll want to make sure your headphones offer decent battery life, sound quality, durability, and portability, because otherwise you’re just wasting your cash. The more you spend, the more features you tend to get.

If the sheer number of headphone options has you feeling overwhelmed, do not fear. We’ve made th whole process much easier by tracking down the best headphones for Samsung devices in 2020.


Very simple to set up • Well-rounded sound • Comfortable fit

Only simple to setup with Samsung phones • Limited charging via case

Want the Samsung equivalent of AirPods? These Samsung Galaxy Buds are what you’re looking for.

Samsung Galaxy Buds

Great all-around headphones, especially if you don’t want to spend a while tweaking.

  • Colours:
    Black, White, and Yellow
  • Battery life:
    6 hours (doubled when using carrying case)
The nearest thing that Samsung has to its own form of AirPods, the Samsung Galaxy Buds do lots of things well, especially for Samsung smartphone users. 
Pairing is a simple and speedy matter of opening up the case and waiting for your phone to do the hard work for you. The rest of the experience is just as simple too, with easy-to-use touchpad controls on the earbuds, and useful bonuses like music that automatically pauses once you take both earbuds out of your ears. 
The sound quality is good for the price, and is well balanced and allows for upscaling. They’re great all-around headphones, especially if you don’t want to spend a while tweaking. 

Ambient sound detection • Long battery life • Fantastic noise cancellation

Large design • Touch controls won’t be for everyone

Travelling doesn’t have to be noisy when you’re using the Sony WH1000XM3 headphones.

Sony WH-1000XM3

These super smart noise-cancelling headphones can detect ambient noise around you and adjust as needed.

  • Colours:
    Black and Silver
  • Battery life:
    30 hours (with active noise-cancellation on)
The Sony WH1000XM3 headphones are probably the best option for noise cancellation. 
Sure, there are plenty of options already out there but you can’t beat these for getting to the point. Much of that is thanks to their ability to be smart about it. They can detect the ambient sounds around you, automatically adjusting how much they block out to fit your situation. It’s a useful ability wherever you are but it’s extra useful if you’re traveling far, and potentially moving between different modes of transport. 
All of this saves you having to constantly tweak settings, and simply enjoy the music instead.  

Comfortable fit • Alexa and Google Assistant support • Great sound quality

For those times you want to sit back and relax listening to music, there’s the Bose QuietComfort 35.

Bose QuietComfort 35

Besides offering a balanced audio experience, these have three levels of noise cancellation so you can block out the world.

  • Colours:
    Black, Silver, and Rose Gold
  • Battery life:
    Up to 20 hours wireless and 40 hours wired
Simply put, the Bose QuietComfort 35 headphones sound fantastic.
They’re a little bulky, which means they don’t entirely fit into your lifestyle when commuting, but when you just want to relax at home and listen to music via headphones, these are nearly flawless. 
Besides offering a balanced audio experience, these have three levels of noise cancellation so you can block out the world. There’s also Alexa and Google Assistant support, and the cushioned fit means you can wear them for hours with no discomfort.

Stylish • Good battery life • S-Voice support

Not the best sound quality

With fast battery charging, a stylish look, and useful features, the Beats Solo 3 are a good choice for those who want a bit of everything.

Beats Solo3

You’ll get a bit of everything: fast battery charging, a stylish look, and useful features.

  • Colours:
    Black, Red, Club Navy, Club Red, Club White, Club Yellow, Rose Gold, Satin Gold, and Satin Silver
  • Battery life:
    40 hours
The Beats Solo 3 look super stylish and are ideal for fashionistas. They’re also good if you want high quality active noise-cancellation thanks to their ability to match with your surroundings. 
Elsewhere, we’re impressed by the Beats Solo 3’s S-Voice support. It’s Samsung’s dedicated voice assistant and it can be pretty useful when you want more information without having to type. A tap of the button is all that’s between you and using it. 
Also, a mere five minute charge can provide you with up to three hours of playback, which is convenient.  

Inexpensive • Good sound quality • Comfortable

The 1MORE Triple Driver headphones offer great sound quality at a low price.

1MORE Triple Driver

If you’re into wires, you won’t find better sound quality for this price.

  • Colours:
    Silver and Gold
  • Battery life:
    N/A
When you’re on a budget, you need to make a few sacrifices. Fortunately with the 1MORE Triple Driver headphones, the only sacrifice you need to make is to stick with wired headphones over Bluetooth connectivity.
Other than that, these are seriously impressive for the price. The audio quality is fantastic thanks to the use of two balanced armatures and a separate dynamic driver, and they’re very comfortable to wear with a choice of nine different sets of ear tips. 
Just make sure you have a Samsung phone with a headphone jack. Newer phones like the Note 10 don’t have one, but then if you can afford that, you should be able to afford wireless earphones.  

Amazing battery life • Super X-Fi audio technology • Sweatproof

Not the smallest of earbuds

With an impressive battery life and great sound quality, the Creative Outlier Golds are perfect for active users.

Creative Outlier Gold

Great for active people thanks to sweatproofing capabilities and an impressive 14-hour battery life.

  • Colours:
    Gold
  • Battery life:
    14 hours
When out running, you want to enjoy punchy sound and that’s what the Creative Outlier Gold earphones offer. 
The Super X-Fi technology provides you with personalised sound by mapping your head beforehand. This seems to work a little more effectively via the Android app rather than the iOS app, making it a perfect choice for Samsung owners. 
Sound quality is notably improved once mapped correctly, plus there are other benefits like smart assistant support, sweatproofing, and that impressive 14 hour battery life. Just bear in mind they’re a little bulkier to wear than some other earbuds. 

Wrap around design • Foldable • Decent battery life

Ugly looking • Not the best sound quality

The Samsung Flex headphones are the best option if you’re in need of a comfy fit that won’t slip while you lift.

Samsung Flex

Thanks to a magnetic design, these earphones easily snap and fold together to store well.

  • Colours:
    Black
  • Battery life:
    8 hours
With a wraparound neckband, the Samsung Flex headphones are perfect for when you’re working out and don’t want your earbuds slipping out or wires getting in the way. Thanks to a magnetic design, they easily snap and fold together so it’s easy to store them in your gym bag. 
There’s a companion app that only really works well with Samsung smartphones, so you’ll need to stay brand loyal. The app allows you to tweak the equaliser so while your music won’t sound quite as good as with a more expensive pair, it’s not bad at all.  

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