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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-22 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• TOZO Golden X1 — biggest strength: a hybrid dual-driver setup (12mm dynamic + balanced armature) with LDAC and a stated 12Hz–44.1kHz range, which is a lot of audio hardware for a single in-ear bud.
• TOZO Golden X1 — biggest trade-off: it leans on audio-first engineering, so the smart features and the noise-cancelling experience are not its headline — the spec sheet sells sound, not software.
• Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 — biggest strength: Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation, AI assistant support in your ear, Live Translate and a new fit built to stay in place, all tied together with IP54 splash-and-dust resistance.
• Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 — biggest trade-off: a single dynamic driver and a 6-hour average battery life, so it is a features-and-comfort play rather than a spec-chasing audiophile play.
• Pick the TOZO Golden X1 if music detail, LDAC streaming and sub-bass extension are what you care about most.
• Pick the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 if you want adaptive ANC, hands-free AI help and a design that survives rain and dusty commutes.
The TOZO Golden X1 is the pick for someone who reads a spec sheet looking for drivers first. Each earbud houses two: a customized balanced armature driver and a 12mm dynamic driver. That is a real design decision, not marketing filler. Balanced armature drivers are typically used for treble detail — the kind of crispness you notice on guitar strings, cymbal hits and female vocals — while a 12mm dynamic driver handles the low end. TOZO states the X1 reaches down to 12Hz, which is below the 20Hz limit of human hearing, so the intent is clearly a bass response you feel as much as hear.
The frequency range is the other number worth sitting with: 12Hz to 44.1kHz. The top end runs past 20kHz, again beyond what human ears can perceive. TOZO also notes the X1 carries JAS Hi-Res Audio wireless certification, which is a factual claim about the product's certification rather than a taste judgement. For wireless listening, the practical piece is LDAC: it streams 24-bit/96kHz audio at up to 990 kbit/s, which TOZO says is more than three times the data of standard SBC Bluetooth. If you subscribe to a hi-res streaming tier or keep a library of lossless files, that is the feature you will actually feel.
Who should buy it: listeners who treat earbuds as a music tool first — long album sessions, bass-heavy genres, detailed acoustic recordings — and who like the idea of a hybrid driver setup in an in-ear, no-jack, Bluetooth-only design.
Who should skip it: anyone whose priority is smart features or travel convenience. The data sheet describes noise cancellation as part of the package but the story here is clearly audio hardware, not adaptive intelligence, translation or a ruggedised rating. If you want your earbuds to double as a travel assistant, look at the other side of this comparison.
The Galaxy Buds 4 is built around convenience and adaptability rather than driver count. It uses a single dynamic driver, so Samsung is not chasing a hybrid setup — it is chasing a package: Hi-Res Audio support, HD Voice for calls when paired with a Galaxy S26 Series phone, and Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation that adjusts sound levels to your surroundings instead of sitting at one fixed strength. That last point matters on a train or a plane, where the noise floor changes as you move.
The features list is where this pair separates itself. With a Galaxy S26 Series phone, the Buds 4 act as an AI assistant in your ear — hands-free queries and real-time translation delivered straight to your ears — plus Live Translate for crossing language barriers while travelling. The new fit is designed to stay in without constant adjusting, and the IP54 rating means splash and dust resistance, so rain and a dusty commute are not deal-breakers. The enclosure is metal, Bluetooth is listed at version 6.1 with a 10-metre range, and controls cover gesture, touch and voice, with Bixby, Google Assistant and touch-based noise control.
The trade-offs are visible too. Battery average life is listed at 6 hours, with a 5-minute charge time — the 6-hour figure is the one to weigh against your longest listening stretch. And the AI and HD Voice benefits are tied to pairing with a Galaxy S26 Series phone, so the full experience is best for people inside Samsung's ecosystem. The Galaxy Buds 4 is sold as a US version with a 2-year manufacturer warranty, and the charging cable and charger are sold separately.
Who should buy it: commuters, travellers, call-heavy users and Galaxy phone owners who want adaptive ANC, hands-free help and a fit that holds. Who should skip it: anyone who wants maximum driver hardware for pure music listening and does not care about assistant features.
• Best for pure audio hardware → TOZO Golden X1. Hybrid balanced armature plus 12mm dynamic driver beats a single dynamic driver on paper.
• Best for bass extension → TOZO Golden X1. A stated 12Hz low end versus no low-frequency figure given for the Buds 4.
• Best for hi-res wireless streaming → TOZO Golden X1. LDAC at up to 990 kbit/s and 24-bit/96kHz is a concrete, named codec; the Buds 4 lists Hi-Res Audio support without naming a codec.
• Best for noise cancelling → Samsung Galaxy Buds 4. Adaptive ANC that adjusts to your environment is a step beyond a fixed cancellation mode.
• Best for calls and voice → Samsung Galaxy Buds 4. HD Voice is explicitly tied to working with Galaxy S26 Series phones.
• Best for travel and language → Samsung Galaxy Buds 4. Live Translate and in-ear AI assistance are features the TOZO simply does not list.
• Best for fit and weather → Samsung Galaxy Buds 4. A new stay-put fit plus IP54 splash and dust resistance.
• Best for battery expectations → depends on your day. The Buds 4 lists 6 hours average life; the TOZO sheet gives no battery figure, so I would not assume either way and would check the current listing details before buying.
In my opinion, the answer comes down to what you do with earbuds. If music is the point — lossless files, bass you can feel, treble detail — I would buy the TOZO Golden X1, because the hybrid driver design, LDAC streaming and 12Hz–44.1kHz range are the kind of specs that translate directly into listening. If your day involves trains, calls, foreign cities and a Galaxy phone in your pocket, I would buy the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 instead: adaptive ANC, Live Translate, hands-free AI and IP54 protection solve problems the TOZO never claims to solve. Neither is universally better — they are aimed at two different buyers.
FAQ
On hardware alone, the X1 has more to work with: a balanced armature driver plus a 12mm dynamic driver and LDAC streaming. The Buds 4 uses one dynamic driver. For detail and bass extension, I lean TOZO; for adaptive tuning to your environment, the Buds 4 has the edge.
Yes. Samsung lists Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation, which adjusts sound levels to your surroundings. The TOZO Golden X1 lists noise cancellation too, but the Buds 4's adaptive approach is the more detailed claim in the data.
The listed average battery life is 6 hours, with a 5-minute charge time. The TOZO Golden X1 data sheet does not state a battery figure, so I would not guess — check the current listing for that detail.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4, in my opinion. Live Translate, in-ear AI assistance, HD Voice with Galaxy S26 Series phones and IP54 resistance are all travel-and-call features. The TOZO Golden X1 is the better pick if the trip is really about listening.
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