You might not want your phone by your side while doing hard or dirty work, like gardening or working out, but luckily, playing music or making calls without your phone is still possible with your smartwatch. Of course, only some of the best smartwatches can do this, including the top models from Samsung, but you will need more than a supportive smartwatch — you'll also need a capable pair of earbuds.
Some compatible earbuds from big brands like Samsung and Google come with special features. For example, they are excellent for working in rough and noisy environments, washable, have weather protection, robust build quality, and have good noise-cancelling capabilities. While not all earbuds can boast all these features, we've rounded up some of the best candidates for Samsung smartwatches.
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Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro
Best overall$189 $230 Save $41The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro seem to tick all the boxes that any mid- to high-level user will need out of a Bluetooth earbud. Great fit and lightweight? Check. ANC? Check. 24-bit sound? Check. Surround spatial audio? Check. These buds deliver premium sound through dual drivers (woofer + tweeter) for each ear using AKG tuning. And with the awesome ANC on, you can listen for 5 hours, though turning ANC off almost doubles that time.
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Sony WF-1000XM5
Premium pickSmaller and lighter than their previous iteration, the Sony XM5s are the king of ANC earbuds. A precise 24-bit audio processor handles both the ANC and the sound processing, which are both excellent. Sony's tradition of owning the market seems to continue with these buds, but the price tag can be a little painful. The LDAC support comes handy when you're hearing lossless audio, which the excellent audio tuning only boosts.
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JLab Epic Air Sport
Best valueJLab Epic Air Sport earbuds are light in the pocket, bass-heavy, and have a long playtime. These hooked buds were built for fitness or outdoor enthusiasts, and their build and performance underline that. They fit very solidly in and around your ears, so you won't have to worry about them falling out while running or cycling. The buds are also IP66-protected, with a playtime of 15 hours for the buds and 55 hours with the case. Plus, they have app-adjustable ANC.
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Jaybird Vista 2
Most durableIf you need a pair of buds that can follow you into the worst of weather and roughest of usage, pick the Jaybird Vista 2 wireless earbuds. They have IP68-grade protection from dirt and water, while a MIL-STD 810G rating protects them from shock, impact, and freezing. They fit very well and do not drop off. The sound is reasonably good too. The ANC gives you some respite from noise when you need it.
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Beats Fit Pro
The Beats Fit Pro nail the fit and feel of unobtrusive earbuds for those on the go, with prominent wingtips that help the buds stay in place as you work out or jog. Although the buds are IPX4 "sweatproof," we wish the carrying case was water-resistant. Nevertheless, all in all, the Beat Fit Pro offer most of what the AirPods Pro can give you at a slightly better price.
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Samsung Galaxy Buds 2
If you want the most bang for your buck from the Samsung earbuds series, choose the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2. They have a small, light, and ergonomic build that comfortably fits any ear and stays there. And while there, they deliver solid audio and voice performance. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 use dual coaxial drivers to reproduce this effect correctly. Moreover, with ANC on, they can pretty much suppress the most common noises in the room.
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JBL Endurance Race
JBL Endurance Race are designed for people with an active, outdoorsy lifestyle. Built to withstand a beating and with an IP67-rating, these earbuds are durable in the rain or shine. In addition, their 6mm drivers do an excellent job presenting a balanced soundstage. In fact, the thumping bass would please gym rats. The batteries on these goodies are also sweet, delivering 10 hours plus two more charges from the curiously elongated case.
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Edifier W240TN
The Edifier W240TN earbuds offer pretty solid tethering with Bluetooth 5.3. Rocking dual coaxial drivers (10mm + 6mm) like car speakers, they deliver a balanced full-spectrum audio experience. When it comes to battery life, the Edifiers last a solid seven hours with ANC, effectively cutting off general droning below 38 dB. And a 10-minute charge gives you two hours of playtime. Lastly, the buds carry an IP55 certification, making them durable where it matters.
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EarFun Air Pro 3
The EarFun Air Pro 3 earbuds have won us over thanks to their impressive specs and power. The IPX5-grade waterproof buds support both the aptX and aptX Adaptive codecs, pumping the sound through their 11mm specialized drivers. The 6 mics are wisely used to generate pretty good ANC too. Throw in the 7-hour long battery (with ANC on) and you can see why we're fans.
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Creative Outlier Air V3
Sleek and unassuming, the Creative Outlier Air V3 are very capable all-rounder earbuds you may want to keep with you all day, from the gym to the road. The ANC is very effective at blocking out predictable background noise up to 30-40 dBs. These buds create the soundstage through 6mm bio-cellulose drivers, which are quite well-rounded in performance. And piping it through Bluetooth 5.2 connection, they deliver 10 hours of ANC-on audio at 70% volume.
Which earbuds are best for a Samsung smartwatch?
Pairing your Samsung watch with a set of earbuds helps you carry your audio with you sans the cumbersome phone. This way, you can listen to your favorite tracks in the field, on the pavement, in the gym, and in the garden. But some earbuds have tricky relationships with smartwatches. Thankfully, these handpicked selections are excellent at working with the latest Samsung watches.
If you want the absolute best sound and top-tier ANC, the Sony WF-1000XM5s are your best buddies, provided you can afford the stiff price tag. Near the other end of the spectrum, the JLab Epic Air Sports deliver excellent outdoorsy performance with minimal sticker shock.
Overall though, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are the best match for a smartwatch like the Galaxy Watch 6. Built by the same manufacturer, they are compatible and sure to impress with stellar audio performance and excellent connectivity.
Whichever earbuds you choose, keep in mind that good smartwatch-compatible buds should have great connectivity and decent call quality. And since you'll mostly be using these while working out or outdoors, it's better to get buds with decent weatherproofing and ANC.