Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro Review: Wireless Wonders

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro are made for Samsung phones and have noise cancellation and better sound for shows and movies. They last up to five hours on one charge.

If you own a Samsung phone or tablet, these earbuds can also connect seamlessly with Samsung’s ecosystem. They include multipoint pairing, hands-free Bixby support and work with the Samsung Galaxy Wearable app. Additionally, they support high-quality audio streaming and can be used as a lapel mic for video recording.

The updated Samsung Buds 2 Pro are smaller and offer better mics and noise cancellation but the original Galaxy Buds Pro are still a great choice for Samsung users.

Specs

• Colors: Phantom Violet, Phantom Black, Phantom Silver
• Dimensions: 20.5 x 19.5 x 20.8mm (earbuds), 50.0 x 50.2 x 27.8mm (charging case)
• Weight: 6.3g (earbuds), 44.9g (charging case)
• Battery life: 5 hours with ANC on

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro Specification

Feature	Details
🎨 Colors	Phantom Violet, Phantom Black, Phantom Silver
📏 Size & Weight	Earbuds: 19.5 x 20.5 x 20.8mm, 6.3g Case: 50 x 50.2 x 27.8mm, 44.9g
🔊 Speaker	11mm woofer + 6.5mm tweeter
🎤 Microphone	3 mics (2 outer, 1 inner), Voice Pickup Unit, Wind Shield
🎧 ANC	Reduces noise up to 99%, 2 levels
🌟 Ambient Mode	Amplifies sound up to +20dB, 4 levels
🔋 Battery Life	With ANC: 5 hrs (buds), 18 hrs (with case) Without ANC: 8 hrs (buds), 28 hrs (with case)
⚡ Charging	5 mins charge = 1 hr playtime Supports wireless charging
📡 Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.0® with AAC, SBC, and Scalable Codec
📱 Compatibility	Android 7.0 or higher, 1.5GB+ RAM
💧 Waterproof	IPX7 (immersible in water up to 1 meter for 30 minutes)

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro price and availability

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro were released on January 14, 2021, alongside Samsung Galaxy S21. They were initially available for $199 / £219 / AU$349. Since the release of newer Galaxy Buds Pro 2, original Galaxy Buds Pro might be harder to find but are often sold at a lower price. For example: they can be found on Amazon for $99.99 in the U.S. and £114.95 in the UK.

These earbuds are priced a bit higher than the previous model, Samsung Galaxy Buds Live which launched at $169.99 / £179 / AU$319. However, the Galaxy Buds Pro offer better features, making them worth the extra cost. If you’re interested in how the Buds Pro compare to the Buds Live, you can check out a review.

Samsung released the Galaxy Buds Pro only five months after the Buds Live, and less than a year after the Buds Plus, which has led to some confusion. Despite the crowded release schedule you can often find deals on Buds Pro now that time has passed since their launch.

If you’re searching for a cheaper option, consider the Sony WF-SP800N or Jabra Elite 75t, both of which offer active noise cancellation and cost around $50 less, though they may lack Samsung-specific capabilities.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro Design

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro come in three colors: Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, and Phantom Violet, matching the Samsung Galaxy S21. The charging case is compact and shaped like a small treasure chest, with a lid that opens in the middle. It also has a status LED that shows battery levels.

The earbuds themselves are longer than previous models, measuring just under an inch (20.8mm). They have sensors, microphones, and eartips to improve fit. The outside has a glossy finish with touch controls and additional microphones for better sound, especially in windy conditions.

While they look sleek, the design makes them stick out of your ears, which can be uncomfortable, especially if you’re lying down. They may also shift slightly during use which can weaken the noise cancellation. To help with the fit, the box includes extra eartips.

Buds Pro are easy to control with simple taps: one tap for play/pause, double tap for the next song or to answer calls, triple tap for the previous song, and hold to switch between ambient and noise cancellation modes. You can customize the controls using the Samsung Wearable app.

Despite their bulky look, the Buds Pro are comfortable for long wear and don’t cause pressure in your ears, though they’re not the best for sleeping.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro features: noise cancellation and waterproofing

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro have two main features: active noise cancellation (ANC) and IPX7 waterproofing. The IPX7 rating means they can handle being submerged in water up to 1 meter deep for 30 minutes, making them much more water-resistant than previous models, which only had lower ratings.

Noise cancellation works well but it’s not the best. It reduces background noise like air purifiers but louder sounds like music, can still be heard. It’s effective for quieter environments but not as powerful as some competitors like Sony’s earbuds or top over-ear headphones.

Galaxy Buds Pro also offer audio amplification which lets outside sounds in when you hold the touch panel. This can be helpful in places like airports or cafes.

Samsung-specific features include hands-free Bixby mode and SmartThings Find. SmartThings Find lets you track your headphones on a map even when they’re offline, in case you lose them. Furthermore, the Auto transition feature enables the earphones to automatically transition between devices such as a tablet and phone without the need to reconnect. This is useful for those with multiple Galaxy devices.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro Audio Performance

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro have balanced sound, thanks to tuning by AKG. The bass is smooth, and the treble isn’t too harsh, but they lack some clarity in the mids and highs. The soundstage is small and centered, so while you can hear the different parts of a song, it doesn’t feel very immersive or rich.

If you like adjusting sound, you can tweak the EQ in the Samsung Wearable app, though the soundstage doesn’t expand much. The 360 Audio feature provides virtual surround sound, similar to the AirPods Pro’s Spatial Audio.

However, if you’re not using a Samsung Galaxy device, the sound quality won’t be as good, since it uses SBC or AAC codecs, which are lower quality than Samsung’s Scalable Codec. This makes the earbuds perform better with Samsung devices.

When making calls, people said they could hear you clearly, but it wasn’t as clear as using a phone’s built-in microphone. So, while they’re good for calls, they’re not the best choice if you need top call quality.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro Battery life

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro offer good battery life for noise-cancelling earbuds. With active noise cancellation (ANC) on, they last about five hours per charge, and the charging case provides an additional 13 hours. With ANC off, the earbuds last around seven hours, and the case gives up to 20 hours of battery life.

In real-world use, they lasted around three days of heavy use (over five hours a day) or almost a week with light use (about three hours daily). If you’re low on battery, the Buds Pro support fast charging, giving you one hour of playback from just five minutes of charging. Wireless charging is also available, though slower.

Buds Pro outperform other earphones in their class. For example, Sony WF-SP800N has a battery life of nine hours, while the Jabra Elite 75t lasts eight hours with an additional 20 hours from the case. There is no clear winner but Buds Pro holds their own.

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Pros and Cons of Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro

Pros 🌟	Cons ⚠️
✅ IPX7 water resistance	❌ Audio lacks depth and richness
✅ Decent noise cancellation	❌ No support for Google Assistant or Siri
✅ Easy-to-use touch controls	❌ Bulky design protrudes from the ear
✅ Immersive spatial audio	❌ Limited high-quality audio on non-Samsung devices
✅ Multipoint connectivity support	❌ Battery life falls short compared to competitors

Conclusion

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro are a big upgrade from the Galaxy Buds Live, with improved sound, better microphones, multipoint pairing, and spatial audio. While the newer Galaxy Buds 2 Pro offer better noise cancellation and sound, the Buds Pro still deliver great value for their price.