Samsung's Galaxy Buds Pro can be purchased for $199.99
The Galaxy Buds Pro are Samsung’s answer to the AirPods Pro, but they don’t live up to the hype. Don’t get me wrong; they are the best wireless earbuds Samsung has released yet. But they lack in several ways. Let’s take a look at some of the most important aspects:
Design
The circular nugget design of the Buds Pro is boring, but it works. These buds don’t stick out like the AirPods Pro or some other earbuds, and they do fit comfortably in your ears as long as you find the right tips to put on. They have an IPX7 waterproof rating, and I was actually able to swim with them without any issues. They are built strong enough that if you drop them, you won’t have to worry about them breaking.
Sound
The sound stage is similar to that of the AirPods Pro — high treble and some deep (but not strong) bass. The mid-ranges are there, but not too noticeable. You can adjust the sound using equalizer settings on the iPhone or a Samsung Galaxy device. However, a windy environment definitely affects the sound and comfort. The volume levels for use with both iOS and Android devices is excellent.
Noise Cancellation
This is where the real problems start. If you’ve never used active noise cancellation with earbuds, then you may not notice the low quality. But compared to the AirPods Pro or even the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, the quality is lacking. The noise cancellation can’t even shut down the noise from an average fan.
Noise cancellation on the Galaxy Buds Pro is disappointing.
Like other buds, Samsung offers a Transparency Mode so one can hear sound as if they would without wearing any buds. Unfortunately, I’ve still had to take the earbuds out to comfortably hear people. Most won’t mind, but to those who have hearing issues, the Galaxy Buds Pro don’t pass the transparency test.
Call Quality
People use earbuds for phone calls just as much as they do for listening to music, podcasts, etc. The Galaxy Buds Pro offer decent call quality, but not good enough for some more strenuous calls. If you are walking alone without much traffic, you’ll be fine. However, if you are walking in the city with heavy traffic, expect to repeat yourself a lot.
Battery Life
The Galaxy Buds Pro offer great battery life.
Samsung claims you’ll get five hours of battery life with noise cancellation, and they lasted about 4.75 hours with high volume in my use. Still, given the size of these, the battery life is still impressive.
Conclusion
For $199, the Galaxy Buds Pro may be worth the price for some, especially if owning a Samsung Galaxy device. Still, Samsung comes up short when it comes to the overall earbuds listening and calling experience.
