AirPods 5 VS Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
▸ WHICH ONE HOLDS UP BETTER
AirPods 5 holds up better here: it's rated QUESTION IT, while Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is BYE THE HYPE.
Verdict🟡 QUESTION IT🔴 BYE THE HYPE
The RealityMacObserver's own close reading of Apple's language is the key finding here: those five words — "best-in-class open-ear" — precisely bound the claim. Apple names no specific rival and publishes no independent test; the claim only applies against other open-ear designs, not against sealed in-canal earbuds. Apple's own comparison chart puts its own AirPods Pro 3 ($249, silicone ear-seal) above AirPods 5 for noise isolation, and independent outlets note the open-ear fit still isolates less than in-canal options like Sony's WF-1000XM6. As of this writing (the earbuds ship Sept 18, 2026), no independent lab — RTINGS, SoundGuys — has yet published measured ANC data to confirm the specific "50% more than AirPods 4" figure; early hands-on impressions (e.g. Gizmodo, in a simulated-airplane-noise room) describe it as a real improvement, but without a published side-by-side measurement.9to5Google's hands-on and LTT Labs' independent lab testing confirmed the Privacy Display effect is real and functional at narrowing the viewing cone. But TechRadar reported a wave of real user complaints that the effect makes the screen genuinely nauseating to look at even for the primary user, not just people at an angle — a side effect none of the marketing mentioned. Wired's full review and The Register's iFixit-based teardown also flagged Samsung's repairability regressing again this generation.
SHORT ANSWER
AirPods 5: Apple's claim is real but narrower than it sounds: AirPods 5 leads specifically among open-ear designs, a category where Apple's own sealed AirPods Pro 3 doesn't compete and still isolates more noise. No independent lab has published measured data on the specific '50% more than AirPods 4' figure yet, since the earbuds only ship September 18, 2026.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: The Galaxy S26 Ultra's Privacy Display genuinely narrows viewing angles as advertised, but real users report it causes nausea during normal use — a tradeoff Samsung didn't disclose.
New to these terms?What is open-ear?