Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro vs Technics EAH-AZ100: Android earbuds showdown
Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 4 Pro arrive as the latest flagship from one of the biggest names in tech, priced at $249 and aimed squarely at the top of the Android market. The Technics EAH-AZ100, meanwhile, has been quietly winning over audiophiles since early 2025 at $299.99, a retro-looking set of earbuds with a surprisingly modern feature set. Both are strong contenders, but they’re built for different kinds of buyers. Here’s how they stack up.
How has this article been updated?
This article was originally published on March 9, 2025, and this is the first version.
What’s it like to use the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro compared to the Technics EAH-AZ100?
The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are the more pocketable option. The compact, clear-lidded case fits easily anywhere, and each earbud weighs just 5.1g. They use a lollipop stem design with silicone tips and no stabilizing fin, relying entirely on the ear tip to stay put. That works fine for most people, and three included tip sizes help dial in a good fit. Controls are handled via a pinch on the stem, which I find a bit fiddly in practice.
The Technics EAH-AZ100 are noticeably chunkier, with a wider circular housing and a rectangular nozzle that actually nestles into ear canals better than it looks like it should. The case is larger but still pocketable. Once I found the right tip size from the four included options, I found them comfortable for a couple hours at a stretch. Both cases support USB-C and Qi wireless charging, so that’s a wash.
Where they diverge is on durability: the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro carry an IP57 rating — meaning they can survive a dunk — while the Technics are rated IPX4, which covers splashes but not submersion. If you’re sweaty or outdoors a lot, that’s worth keeping in mind.
Do the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro or Technics EAH-AZ100 have more features?
The answer depends almost entirely on what phone you use. Samsung loads the Buds 4 Pro with genuinely compelling extras — Adapt Sound, spatial audio, Auracast, head gestures — but a lot of that requires a recent Galaxy device running One UI 6.1.1 or newer. Without one, you’re left with a noticeably thinner feature set.
The Technics EAH-AZ100 doesn’t play those ecosystem games. Find My, a standout AI voice focus mode that can either isolate or suppress conversations around you. All of it works regardless of what phone you pair it with. The one thing Technics is missing that Samsung has is Auracast, which is an odd omission at this price point and may come in a firmware update.
How do the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro and Technics EAH-AZ100 connect?
The Buds 4 Pro use Bluetooth 6.1 with SBC and AAC as the universal baseline. Samsung phone users on One UI 4.0+ get access to Samsung Seamless Codec, which improves quality and reduces latency meaningfully. There’s no native Multipoint — switching between devices requires the Samsung Wear app installed on each one, which is a clunky workaround.
The Technics run Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC, AAC, LDAC, and LC3. True Multipoint is supported natively, so swapping between your laptop and phone is seamless, and you can actually connect to up to three devices at once. LDAC can introduce a slight latency bump, but it’s rarely noticeable unless you’re watching video.
Is battery life better on the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro or Technics EAH-AZ100?
It’s not close. The Technics EAH-AZ100 lasted 10 hours and 40 minutes in our standardized battery test with SBC and ANC on, which is enough to outlast a transatlantic flight. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro hit 6 hours in the same test, which aligns with Samsung’s own estimates. Both cases provide multiple additional charge cycles, but if endurance matters to you, the Technics win easily.
Do the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro or Technics EAH-AZ100 block noise better?
These two are essentially neck and neck on ANC. The Buds 4 Pro attenuate an average of 84% of noise across the audible spectrum; the Technics EAH-AZ100 lands just behind at 83%. In practice, neither is going to leave you wanting. Both have the same soft spot in the 500Hz–1.1kHz range, where voices and ambient chatter can bleed through, which is a common limitation across the category. Both are also sensitive to fit — if either isn’t sealing properly, the numbers drop fast.
Where the Technics pulls ahead is in passthrough. Its “Attention” mode detects nearby voices, boosts them above ambient noise, and automatically pauses your audio, which is a fairly useful feature when you’re out and about.
Do the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro sound better than the Technics EAH-AZ100?
Both earbuds lean dark out of the box, and they both benefit from some EQ adjustments.
The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro’s heavy bass emphasis works well for acoustic material and older recordings — put on something from the Bowie era and it sounds quite good. Push it with a modern, densely mixed track and the bass can start to dominate, leaving things feeling a bit muffled. The Clear EQ preset does a lot to fix this and is worth switching to right away.
The Technics EAH-AZ100 has a similar problem but a different flavor — bass comes in too early, and the upper mids, where vocals and instrumental detail live, don’t come through strongly enough. Interestingly, much of the ’80s new wave and pop that inspired the design actually sounds at home here; it’s modern, more dynamically compressed music that suffers. The Treble+ preset is the most effective remedy and makes a noticeable difference.
Objective Measurements
The chart below shows the measured frequency response of both the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro and the Technics EAH-AZ100, along with how to compare them to the SoundGuys preference curve.
The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro measures as a safe consumer tuning — heavy bass slope, even mids, and a restrained high end. It’s not far from what you’d expect from a modern flagship aimed at broad appeal, though it sits noticeably further from the Harman in-ear target than you might expect given that Samsung owns the HARMAN brand.
The Technics EAH-AZ100 measures more unusually, with bass rising too high in the frequency range and an under-emphasized ear gain region. Interestingly, disabling ANC changes the sound significantly — the low mids pull back and the overall curve looks closer to what we’d want to see. Worth experimenting with if you spend time in quieter environments.
How would most people rate the sound from 1 to 5?
The charts below show the Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Scores (MDAQS) earned by the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro and Technics EAH-AZ100.
What do the Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Scores mean?
- Timbre (MOS-T) represents how faithfully the headphones reproduce the frequency spectrum and temporal resolution (timing information).
- Distortion (MOS-D) represents non-linearities and added noise: higher scores mean cleaner reproduction.
- Immersiveness (MOS-I) represents perceived source width and positioning: how well virtual sound sources are defined in three-dimensional space.
The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro’s Timbre score of 4.9 is notable. Timbre is the most heavily weighted dimension and reflects how faithfully the earbuds reproduce the frequency spectrum. The Technics counters with better Distortion and a very high Immersiveness score. The overall scores for both land firmly in “good to great” territory for the average, untrained listener.
Do the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro or Technics EAH-AZ100 have a better microphone?
The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro uses a combination of microphones and bone conduction pickups to isolate your voice, and it shows — 69% of readers rated the mic demo a 4 or 5 out of 5. Performance holds up well in most conditions, though wind and a loose fit can trip up the bone conduction system and let more noise through. Ultra-wideband calling is available but requires both devices and the network to support it.
The Technics uses a mono MEMS microphone, which is workable but less capable in noisy environments — 53% of readers rated it a 4 or 5. The AI voice focus helps in specific scenarios, but the underlying hardware is the limiting factor. For calls, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro is the stronger choice.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro microphone demo (Ideal conditions):
Technics EAH-AZ100 microphone demo (Ideal conditions):
Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro microphone demo (Street conditions):
Technics EAH-AZ100 microphone demo (Street conditions):
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Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro vs Technics EAH-AZ100: Price and availability
The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro launched on February 25, 2026, at $249. The Technics EAH-AZ100 launched on January 7, 2025, at $299.99, and is more likely to be found at a discount.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro price history
Technics EAH-AZ100 price history
Should you get the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro or Technics EAH-AZ100?
If you’re a Samsung phone owner, this is easy: the Buds 4 Pro are the better buy, and at $50 less. For everyone else, the Technics EAH-AZ100 is a more complete product: better battery, higher-quality codecs, native Multipoint, and no feature walls based on your device.
Neither sounds its best straight out of the box, and both are worth a few minutes in the EQ settings to find your preferred tuning.
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What should you buy instead?
iPhone users should skip both and go straight to the AirPods Pro 3 () or AirPods Pro 2 (). For Android users who want something without platform restrictions, the Sony WF-1000XM6 () and JBL Tour Pro 3 () are worth a look. Budget shoppers should consider the Nothing Ear (3) (), which punches well above its price. And if the Technics appeals but the price doesn’t, the older EAH-AZ80 () can often be found on sale and remains a strong performer.
