The Galaxy S20 is one of the best flagship phones you’ll find in 2020, and you need a suitably-great pair of true wireless earbuds to use with the device. Thankfully, there are a lot of excellent options available across price points. Our pick is the Galaxy Buds+ for the incredible sound quality combined with seamless connectivity, excellent battery life, and wireless charging.
Best Overall: Samsung Galaxy Buds+
The Galaxy Buds+ build on the first-gen model by offering better sound quality and improved battery life. Samsung has increased the battery capacity to 85mAh, and the earbuds now deliver an incredible 11-hour battery life between charges. Sound quality has also gotten much better thanks to dual drivers — a tweeter and a woofer — in each earbud. You’ll also find a third microphone for clearer calls and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.
The carrying case also provides an additional 11 hours worth of battery life, effectively giving you 22 hours. The best part is that you can charge the Galaxy Buds+ wirelessly via any Qi wireless charger.
Pros:
- Great sound quality
- Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity
- Qi wireless charging/fast charging
- Excellent battery life
Cons:
- Average noise isolation
- Limited bass
- Finicky controls
Best Overall
Samsung Galaxy Buds+
- $149 at Amazon
- $150 at Best Buy
- $149 at Walmart
The perfect wireless earbuds for your Galaxy S20.
The Galaxy Buds+ offer great sound via dual drivers, and you get an 11-hour battery life, Bluetooth 5.0, and wireless charging.
Best Value: Soundcore Liberty Air 2
The Liberty Air 2 continue to be one of the best value-focused options around. You’re getting earbuds with a comfortable fit for all-day use, and they manage to deliver excellent sound quality despite the size. The charging case is easily pocketable, and you get seamless connectivity along with an IPX5 rating that makes them more resistant to the elements.
They deliver seven hours’ worth of music playback between charges, and the case includes enough power for three full charges. Sure, the build quality may not be on par with what you get from the likes of Sony and Bose, but they sound great and are very affordable.
Pros:
- IPX5 rating
- Great sound
- Excellent value
- Pocketable design
- Great battery life
Cons:
- Volume controls are missing
- Plastic design
Best Value
Soundcore Liberty Air 2
- $80 at Amazon
- $80 at Best Buy
Great sound, incredible value.
Combining excellent value with a comfortable fit for all-day use and decent sound quality, the Liberty Air 2 are an easy recommendation.
Best Battery Life: Creative Outlier Gold
If you’re looking for true wireless earbuds that deliver the best battery life, look no further than Creative’s Outlier Gold. With a class-leading battery life of 14 hours between charges, you’ll only need to charge these a few times a week. What’s even more interesting is that the charging case has enough power for another 25 hours of music playback, giving you a total of 39 hours for each charge cycle.
You’re getting great audio quality here, with decent bass and a balanced soundstage. There’s also Bluetooth 5.0 for rock-solid connectivity, and the AptX codec delivers high-fidelity streaming over Bluetooth. Finally, you also get IPX5 water resistance, making them a great choice for workouts.
Pros:
- 14-hour battery life
- Bluetooth 5.0 with AptX
- IPX5 rating
- Balanced sound
Cons:
- Huge carrying case
- Limited software features
- Plastic design
Best Battery Life
Creative Outlier Gold
- $95 at Amazon
Listen to more music than ever before.
With a 14-hour battery life, the Outlier Gold are the gold standard for battery life. They also deliver great sound and are water-resistant.
Best Sound Quality: Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro
The Liberty 2 Pro are the best-sounding true wireless earbuds you’ll find for under $200. They deliver incredible sound thanks to a unique driver design, and the sound quality is backed up by a comfortable fit and rock-solid connectivity. The earbuds connect over Bluetooth 5.0 and feature the AptX for high-fidelity streaming.
You get eight hours of music playback from a full charge, and the carrying case provides another 24 hours’ worth of power. The earbuds charge over USB-C, and there’s fast-charging as well: a 10-minute charge provides two hours’ worth of playback. Finally, you also get wireless charging. The sheer number of features on offer combined with the sound quality makes the Liberty 2 Pro a fantastic choice.
Pros:
- Exquisite sound quality
- Supreme comfort
- AptX codec
- Wireless/USB-C wired charging
Cons:
- EQ isn’t adjustable
- Bulky charging case
- Mushy controls
Best Sound Quality
Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro
- $150 at Amazon
- $150 at Best Buy
- $150 at Walmart
Sound quality that’s in another league.
The Liberty 2 Pro have an exhaustive list of features, but you should pick them up for the sound quality on offer.
Best for All-Day Use: TaoTronics TT-BH079
Looking for earbuds that you can wear all day? The TT-BH079 is the obvious choice. Clunky naming aside, TaoTronics’ earbuds provide supreme comfort that makes them an ideal option for all-day use. You get eight hours of continuous music playback, and the case has another 32 hours’ worth of juice, ensuring you only need to charge the case once a week.
And when you do need to plug in, you’ll do so over USB-C. The sound signature is flat, so you’re not going to get booming bass from these earbuds. But considering they cost just $50, they’re still great value.
Pros:
- All-day comfort
- Excellent battery life
- USB-C charging
- Great value
- Pocketable case
Cons:
- Pairing issues
- Average sound quality
- Plastic build
Best For All-Day Use
TaoTronics TT-BH079
- $52 at Amazon
Great for all day every day.
TaoTronics’ TT-BH079 provide a snug fit that’s great for everyday use, and you also get all-day music playback and a no-nonsense design.
Best Noise Isolation: Sony WF-1000XM3
If you want a pair of true wireless earbuds with excellent noise cancellation, the Sony WF-1000XM3 should be at the top of your list. Sony has done an incredible job bringing such powerful noise cancellation to an in-ear option, and they effectively tune out all ambient sound in your vicinity. That makes them ideal for your daily commute or noisy offices.
You also get astounding sound quality here, and you can tune the sound signature to your liking thanks to highly customizable EQ settings in the app. The earbuds last five hours on a full charge, and the case provides another 10 hours’ worth of charge. There’s also fast charging here, with a 10-minute charge giving you enough power for 1.5 hours of music playback. Combine that with Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity and fast pairing over NFC, and you get true wireless earbuds that are hard to beat.
Pros:
- Incredible sound quality
- Superlative noise cancellation
- Easy-to-use controls
- Adjustable EQ
- Bluetooth 5.0/NFC fast pairing
Cons:
- Costly
- No water resistance
- Bulky charging case
Best Noise Isolation
Sony WF-1000XM3
- $178 at Amazon
- $178 at Best Buy
- $178 at Walmart
Tune out the world.
Sony is the currently the brand to beat when it comes to noise cancellation, and the WF-1000XM3 do a fantastic job tuning out ambient sound.
Best For Workouts: Jabra Elite 65t
The Elite 65t may be a generation old, but don’t let that dissuade you. They have proven sound quality, and the IP55 rating makes them ideal for workouts. You also get a snug fit that ensures they don’t fall out during strenuous workouts or when you’re running outdoors.
With a five-hour battery life between charges and a further 15 hours from the charging case, you don’t have to worry about battery life either. The best part is that they’re on sale for $100, making them an even more enticing option. If you’re in the market for a decent pair of true wireless earbuds, look no further.
Pros:
- IP55 rating
- Decent sound quality
- Great controls
- Pocketable design
Cons:
- No AptX
- Video latency issues
- Micro-USB charging
Best For Workouts
Jabra Elite 65t
- $100 at Amazon
- $100 at Best Buy
- $100 at Walmart
Still going strong.
With an IP55 rating, excellent audio quality, and a secure fit, the Elite 65t continue to be an excellent option for workouts.
Here’s why you should buy the Galaxy Buds+ with your Galaxy S20
The true wireless segment has matured over the last two years, and you can get earbuds for under $50 that offer decent sound quality. But if you’re looking for the best true wireless earbuds for your Galaxy S20, you should get the Galaxy Buds+. Samsung’s first-party option has a lot going for it, including stellar audio quality, Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, and fast pairing.
The Galaxy Buds+ provide an incredible 11-hour battery life, nearly twice as much as the first-gen Galaxy Buds. You also get Qi wireless charging and fast charging over USB-C, and you’re getting more than your money’s worth here.
If you’re in the market for earbuds for under $100, the Soundcore Liberty Air 2 is the obvious choice for its excellent audio quality, IPX5 water resistance, and pocketable design.
Credits — The team that worked on this guide
Harish Jonnalagadda is the Regional Editor of Android Central. A reformed hardware modder, he now spends his time writing about India’s burgeoning phone market. Previously, he used to ponder the meaning of life at IBM. Contact him on Twitter at @chunkynerd.
