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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a wireless, app-controlled everyday pair of ANC earbuds with a tiny, forget-you're-wearing-them fit, choose Samsung Galaxy Buds 2; if you need a wired gaming IEM with a detachable boom mic, dual Type-C/3.5mm connectivity and EQ tuning, choose EPZ G30. Those two sentences are basically the whole article. Everything below is me unpacking why.
• Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 — biggest strength: true wireless freedom with Active Noise Cancellation, touch/app/voice control, a 7.5-hour battery rating and a low-profile shell that Samsung says is 10% smaller and lighter than Galaxy Buds Plus.
• Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 — biggest trade-off: it's wireless-only, so there's no cable, no 3.5mm jack and no detachable boom mic — and its battery is a limited runtime you have to top up in the case.
• EPZ G30 — biggest strength: wired, low-latency performance from a 9.2mm DLC+PU composite driver plus a balanced armature, a Hi-Fi DAC chip supporting 384kHz/32-bit PCM, and a 1.7m detachable OFC silver-plated cable with dual Type-C/3.5mm ends.
• EPZ G30 — biggest trade-off: it's a wired IEM, so there's no true-wireless convenience, and some of its best features (EQ tuning, Virtual 7.1, boom mic) are tied to the USB-C version rather than the 3.5mm one.
• Who each is for: Galaxy Buds 2 for commuters, callers and anyone who wants ANC without a cable; EPZ G30 for gamers and wired-listening purists who'd rather plug in than pair up.
The Galaxy Buds 2 is the pick for someone who wants noise cancelling to just happen. Active Noise Cancellation is built in as the headline feature, and it's paired with a low-latency Ambient Sound mode so you can let the outside world back in without pulling a bud out. That combination — block the train, hear the platform announcement — is the entire reason wireless ANC earbuds exist, and this is the kind of product that lives or dies on how naturally it does that.
It's also a genuinely small pair. Samsung states the design is 10% smaller and lighter than Galaxy Buds Plus, and the whole item weighs 5 g, which is the sort of number that tells you these are meant to disappear in your ears. You get three ear-tip sizes (S, M, L) in the box, and the datasheet is refreshingly blunt about why that matters: if the tips don't match your ear canals or the buds aren't seated properly, you won't get the intended sound or call quality. So budget a minute to find your tip size — it's not a formality.
Where it earns its keep beyond music is calling. Three microphones plus noise reduction technology are there to make your voice come through clearly, whether that's a casual chat or a conference call you're leading from a hallway. There's also the Galaxy-phone translation angle: the Interpreter feature and Live Translate can push real-time translations through the buds during face-to-face conversations and phone calls, which is genuinely unusual in this category. It's a Samsung-phone feature, though, so it's only relevant if you're in that ecosystem.
Who should buy it: Android users — especially Galaxy phone owners — who want ANC, a comfortable low-profile fit and long-ish wireless sessions without a cable. Who should skip it: anyone who wants to game competitively over a wire, needs a boom mic, or wants to tune their own EQ curve.
The EPZ G30 is a completely different animal, and I mean that as a compliment. This is a wired in-ear monitor built around clarity and positioning rather than convenience. The driver setup is a 9.2mm DLC+PU composite diaphragm paired with EPZ's custom 29689BA balanced armature — two different driver technologies working together so that vibration distortion drops and the tuning stays precise. In plain terms: it's aiming at soft, bright, detailed sound rather than a bass-heavy thump.
The gaming case is the strongest one. A Hi-Fi-grade DAC decoding chip supports 384kHz/32-bit HD PCM audio, and it has a DSP with tuning memory, so your custom settings stick instead of resetting every session. Wired means low latency by default — no codec negotiation, no drift between what you see and what you hear. If you play FPS games where footstep direction actually decides rounds, that's the whole argument.
The cable is more considered than most. It's a 1.7m detachable oxygen-free copper silver-plated cable, and it terminates in both Type-C and 3.5mm, which means it'll talk to a gaming PC, a phone, a DAC or an older device with a headphone jack. That dual connectivity is the single most practical thing about this product.
On noise: the G30 uses Environmental Noise Cancellation rather than active ANC. The datasheet frames it as a combination of the DAC chip and EPZ's circuit design delivering sound separation and anti-interference, with virtually zero background noise output — i.e. no static, hum or hiss. That's a quieter signal, not a bubble around your head, and it's worth being clear about the difference before you buy. The mic situation is variant-dependent: in-line mic on both versions, boom mic on USB-C only, and EQ tuning plus Virtual 7.1 surround are USB-C-only too (on iOS, EQ is done through web tuning rather than the app). The resin shell and iridescent panels are a nice touch, and resin tends to sit kinder in the ear than hard plastic.
Who should buy it: gamers, wired-listening enthusiasts and anyone who wants a tunable, low-latency IEM they can plug into almost anything. Who should skip it: anyone who wants true wireless, active noise cancelling, or doesn't want to think about which variant they're ordering.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for active noise cancelling → Samsung Galaxy Buds 2. It has Active Noise Cancellation as a named, switchable feature. The G30 offers Environmental Noise Cancellation, which is a different thing.
• Best for low-latency gaming → EPZ G30. Wired is wired. No pairing, no codec delay, and the DAC handles 384kHz/32-bit PCM.
• Best for sound customization → EPZ G30. EQ tuning and Virtual 7.1 on the USB-C version, with a DSP that remembers your settings.
• Best for calls on the move → Samsung Galaxy Buds 2. Three microphones with noise reduction, plus real-time translation through Galaxy phones.
• Best for device compatibility → EPZ G30. Dual Type-C and 3.5mm means it works with gaming PCs, phones, DACs and legacy gear alike.
• Best for long wireless sessions → Samsung Galaxy Buds 2. A 7.5-hour battery rating per charge, with the case along for the ride.
• Best for fit in small ears → Samsung Galaxy Buds 2. A low-profile shell Samsung says is 10% smaller and lighter than Galaxy Buds Plus, at 5 g.
In my opinion, the right answer here is decided by one question: do you want a cable? If you don't, buy the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 — Active Noise Cancellation, a 7.5-hour battery rating, three mics for calls and a genuinely tiny fit make it the better everyday companion, and the translation features are a real bonus if you're on a Galaxy phone. If you do want a cable, buy the EPZ G30 — for gaming and critical listening, its DAC, dual-driver setup and dual Type-C/3.5mm cable are simply more tool for the job. I'd take the Buds 2 for commuting and calls, and the G30 for the desk.
what are the best in ear noise cancelling earbuds
For true active noise cancelling in an in-ear wireless design, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 is the one to look at here — it lists Active Noise Cancellation plus a low-latency Ambient Sound mode. Note that "in ear noise cancelling" covers two different technologies: active ANC, which the Buds 2 has, and environmental/passive noise reduction, which is what the EPZ G30's ENC describes.
what are the best over the ear noise cancelling earbuds
That's a different product category — both earbuds here are in-ear designs, so neither is an over-ear headphone. If you specifically want over-ear noise cancelling, you're shopping outside this comparison. Between these two, the Galaxy Buds 2 is the one with active noise cancelling.
Yes, in practice. EQ tuning, Virtual 7.1 surround and the boom mic option are all tied to the USB-C version per the product information. The 3.5mm version doesn't support EQ or 7.1. Both versions support an in-line mic.
They're wireless Bluetooth earbuds with touch controls and a low-latency Ambient Sound mode, so they're fine for casual gaming and media. For competitive play where timing and positioning matter, a wired set like the EPZ G30 avoids Bluetooth latency entirely.
One last practical note: I've deliberately left pricing out of this comparison because it moves around. Check the current price on Amazon using the button on this page before you commit — and make sure you know which EPZ G30 variant you're buying, since the feature set genuinely differs.
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