Samsung is rumored to be making a more affordable pair of Galaxy Buds, and it’s not hard to see why. The company’s latest earbuds are a bit more expensive than Apple’s AirPods and feature active noise cancellation, but they offer up to five hours of battery life and a premium, modern design. In 2021, the Galaxy Buds Pro were released as a competitor to the AirPods. They’re also more expensive, but they boast better sound quality thanks to a pair of two-way speakers by AKG and spatial audio for a more immersive listening experience.
The Galaxy Buds are currently available for $199 / £149 / AU$349. That’s a lot of money for earbuds, but they’re easily the best pair of true wireless earbuds that you can buy right now.
These earbuds have an impressive range and a great Bluetooth connection, but they’re not without their flaws. They often suffer from a weak signal and can sometimes experience severe sound hiccups when walking around in cities or other loud places. Fortunately, this issue seems to be getting less and less frequent with each new software update.
Thankfully, the Galaxy Buds 2 have addressed many of the problems that we had with previous models. The exterior of each earbud now has a touch gesture area that can be used to control your music, answer and end calls, and temporarily pipe in ambient sounds. You can also customize long-press actions via the Galaxy Wearable app, choosing to activate your default digital assistant, launch Bixby, or adjust volume.
Aside from their improved sound quality, the Buds 2 are also more comfortable to wear. They now have a more premium finish and are svelte enough to fit comfortably in most ears. They’re a bit more durable too, with an IPX2 rating that protects them from splashes and minimal rain exposure.
The Galaxy Buds still don’t have the most ergonomic design, but they’re a lot more comfortable to wear than their squat predecessors. That’s especially true if you use the optional neckband, which provides a more secure fit and gives you the option to keep your headphones in your ears when not using them.
The Adaptive Dual Microphone on the Galaxy Buds is a huge improvement over previous models. It combines an inner and outer microphone to better capture your voice, which makes it easier to take phone calls and give Bixby commands. The buds also have a built-in Ambient Sound mode, which allows you to hear your surroundings without taking off the earbuds.