The Galaxy Buds have been Samsung’s go-to high-end headphones for years. Perhaps it’s because of the fact that they’re usually released after more eye-catching phablets and are foldable. Perhaps it’s because they’ve never really gotten any attention, despite being just as good as, say, the Pixel Buds.
The fact that they are optimized for Samsung hardware can’t be held against them. Currently, that describes the market rather accurately. In general, I advise consumers to get headphones made by the same firm that produced their phones. In general, the performance of interconnected devices improves when they were developed jointly.
Yes, that is certainly the case with the Pixel Buds. Excellent headphones that complement Galaxy products. You can link them in the traditional Bluetooth fashion with any phone, but then you won’t be able to take advantage of the auto-device switching and 24-bit audio that are the main new features.
The latter is, in fact, a major selling point of the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro compared to the regular Galaxy Buds 2. The brand-new Pros cost $230. On Samsung’s website, the regular Buds 2 are currently $100 cheaper. As always, if you own a Galaxy handset, you should get a pair of Galaxy Buds for the smoothest possible existence.
This leads us to our final query: is there enough here to warrant shelling out the additional $100 to upgrade to Pro? These fresh flowers offer several advantages, but that sum is not negligible in comparison to the whole cost. You should hear it from me: the world is a dangerous place right now. Don’t pass up the chance to save $100.
You can tell the difference between the Buds 2 and the Buds 2 Pro by their appearance. That’s consistent with the brand’s attitude to the category as a whole, which is one that’s not too hard to fathom. Even with the purple color option, the design seems to prioritize a low profile, which is an acceptable aim for a set of wireless headphones in the year 2020.
However, the manufacturer claims that the new Pros are 15% thinner and lighter than their forerunners. If you plan on using your headphones primarily for physical activity, I suggest investing in something like the Beats Fit rather than the Buds Pro. There are benefits and drawbacks to each potential layout.
These are some of the most proficient at staying out of their own way. One drawback of the rounded form factor is that it reduces the total area that may be used for touching, making it harder to make the appropriate movements, especially when one is in motion and sweating.
The small form factor makes for a convenient carrying case that can fit in your pocket alongside your enormous foldable phone. The headphones themselves only have a five-hour battery life, but with the case’s built-in wireless charging pad, you can get an extra 18 hours out of them. This is of course provided that you turn off the active noise cancellation feature.
There will be a time penalty when wearing it, but for most activities, that shouldn’t be too much of a problem. In either case, you’re receiving a lot more than the 20 hours promised by Buds 2’s official rating.
The earbuds have a rock-solid audio quality. Even better if you can get the 24-bit audio playing, but you’ll need a Galaxy device for that. Additionally, only a small number of streaming services, including Tidal and Qobuz, support the technology, so you’ll have to look elsewhere if you use Spotify. The sound quality in streaming has never been a top priority.
In this case, the highlight is the enhanced “intelligent” active noise suppression. Using the built-in microphones, the technology will automatically adjust to your environment in order to filter out unwanted noises. It’s effective, actually. Although it does not have the strongest ANC I’ve tried, it does a good job of canceling out street noise.
Samsung’s outstanding earbud collection is now bolstered with the Buds 2 Pro, which is a major improvement. Do they justify an extra $100 above regular Buds? Not really, no, is what I’d say in the vast majority of situations.
Spending the extra cash offers you enhanced ANC, enhanced sound, and extended battery life. Although these updates are much appreciated, I would estimate that, when combined, they amount to no more than a $50 improvement. Nevertheless, they are the best of friends with one. You should buy it if you have a Galaxy mobile and can spare cash.
