The best wireless earbuds for Samsung smartwatches are right here
Samsung's smartwatches are great for managing notifications and track health and fitness, but they're also great for music playback, thanks to Bluetooth and local media storage. So whether you want to listen to your favorite tunes on your weekly jog or take in a new audiobook, these are the best wireless headphones for your Galaxy Watch.
Overall bestSamsung Galaxy Buds Pro - Bluetooth EarbudsStaff Pick
These are Samsung's premium wireless earbuds and are also the most durable, with an IPX8 rating. If you're looking to do some runs and workouts with your Galaxy Watch, sweating in these buds won't be a problem. Doesn't hurt that you get excellent sound, active noise cancelation, and decent battery life to go with it all.
$153 at Amazon $170 at Best Buy $170 at B&H
Next in lineSamsung Galaxy Buds 2 - True Wireless Earbuds
These ultimately replace the Galaxy Buds+, and in so doing, come with an even better fit, greater comfort, and improved audio performance. They're not as rugged, but if you like the idea of casually wearing good earbuds with your watch, you'll also like the active noise cancelation and Ambient Sound mode they offer, too.
$150 at Amazon $150 at Best Buy $150 at B&H
Easy on the earsSamsung Galaxy Buds Live - True Wireless Earbud
Samsung's beans-style wireless earbuds pair nicely with its various Galaxy Watch models. They're incredibly portable, last for eight hours on a charge, and the wireless charging case holds an additional 21 hours of juice inside. The Galaxy Buds Live are water-resistant, tunable within the software, and even feature active noise canceling.
$130 at Amazon $130 at Best Buy $130 at B&H
Rugged terrainJaybird Vista 2 - True Wireless Sport Bluetooth Headphones
Jaybird has been making quality headphones for quite some time, and the Vista 2 are no exception. You can get a full six hours of battery life on a single charge with ANC on, with another 24 hours stored in the charging case. They're also among the most ruggedized buds available, making them great for any active lifestyle.
$200 at Amazon $180 at Best Buy $180 at B&H
New kid on the blockJabra Elite 3
Jabra has built a steady pedigree in the earbud arena, and the Elite 3 are real value for what you get, including bass-heavy sound, ANC, and good microphones for phone calls. Decent battery life helps the cause, as does the open support through Jabra's Sound+ app to make customizations and adjustments your way.
Premium earbudsBose Sport Earbuds - True Wireless Earphones
If you're hoping to get the signature Bose sound in a much smaller and workout-friendly package, look no further than the Sport Earbuds. Like the Jaybirds, the Soundsports are sweat- and weather-resistant, and the gel tips are designed with comfort and stability in mind, with soft-tip wings that keep them in your ears.
$179 at Amazon $180 at Best Buy $180 at B&H
Better than AirPodsAnker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro - True Wireless Earbuds
These earbuds have the kind of versatility you'd want in something at this price range, and they work well with just about any phone, so why not a smartwatch, too? You get four levels of ANC, plus an excellent companion app with many options to tailor the sound your way. Add excellent call quality and good battery life, and you're ready to roll.
Tight budgetTreblab X3 Pro - Wireless Earbuds
Treblab's wireless earbuds are solid value, with wings that wrap completely around your ears to hold them in place to get the most out of the sound quality. It's always nice to get an IPX7 rating for water and sweat resistance at a lower price, and that goes well with up to nine hours of battery life, and an extra 36 coming from the case.
Green envyCreative Outlier Air V3
Creative has made serious inroads in making great earbuds at affordable prices, and the Outlier Air V3 are a prime example. You may not get full ANC here, but you do get better drivers for better sound, a decent ambient mode, and excellent battery life to go with the improved app support that offers a proper equalizer.
When you should use earbuds
One of the main reasons to use a Galaxy Watch with headphones is for the convenience of keeping your phone away when you don't need it. Both cellular and Wi-Fi-only model Galaxy Watch models can store music locally or stream from various services like Spotify, making them great for listening to music on a run without your phone. Earbuds are just as portable as your watch, where you can easily tuck most pairs into a pocket or carry them in a small case.
Samsung's true wireless Galaxy Buds Pro pair nicely with any Galaxy Watch, courtesy of good battery life (especially when paired with the charging case) and some limited sound customization. Best of all, you get two levels of active noise canceling with the Buds Pro, allowing you to filter out unwanted ambient noise while listening to your music.
When you should use over-ear headphones
While they're bulkier than their earbud counterparts, it's generally accepted that larger, over-ear headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM4 offer significantly better audio quality and seal off ambient noise around your ear. So if you're willing to look past the large size and high cost, these headphones are among the best ways to experience wireless audio.
Those Sony headphones also offer active noise canceling (ANC), blocking out sounds from your surrounding environment, along with the ability to filter sounds selectively back into the headphones, allowing you to hold conversations while listening to music. If you're not willing to spend hundreds on headphones, though, the Soundcore Life Q30 are another excellent option for a fraction of the price.