With the second edition of the Galaxy Buds Pro, Samsung succeeds almost across the board. The earphones sound fantastic, offer strong active noise cancellation and are extremely comfortable. It’s just a pity that not all users can enjoy all the extras.
In January 2021, ntv.de named the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro the best earphones, mainly thanks to their excellent sound. They were also later able to conquer the top spot at Stiftung Warentest and still rank there. The expectations of the successors were correspondingly high, but the Galaxy Buds2 Pro were able to almost completely fulfill them in the practical test.
First, Samsung made the buds a bit smaller, so they protrude very little from the ear. And because they only weigh 5.5 grams and the ergonomics are good, they are also very comfortable. Nevertheless, the Galaxy Buds2 Pro sit securely enough to take part in a workout. The prerequisite, however, is that one of the only three pairs of silicone attachments fits – Samsung could have been a little more generous here. Sweat or rain are no problem, the earphones are waterproof according to IPX7.
A direct comparison of the two generations was not possible for ntv.de, but the Galaxy Buds2 Pro sound at least as good as their predecessors: Equipped with tweeters and woofers, the earphones produce crystal-clear, finely differentiated highs with many details as well as powerful, elastic basses. In addition, there are cleanly defined mids that confidently hold the entire sound structure together. The Buds’ stage is exceptionally wide and airy for earbuds.
If you have a newer Samsung smartphone, you can also hear the great sound with 24 instead of 16 bits. However, the higher resolution also requires corresponding Hi-Res audio material and most people will hardly notice the difference. Otherwise, no higher-resolution codec such as aptX is available.
For users without a Samsung cell phone, it is more disappointing than the lack of 24-bit that there is no 3D sound and the so-called head position detection. The sound always seems to come from the same direction, no matter how you turn your head. In the test, however, the function occasionally jiggled and followed movements with a significant delay.
All Android users can customize the sound with an equalizer in the Galaxy wearable app that offers multiple presets. There’s also the ability to test the bud’s fit, locate lost plugs, or receive an alert if you accidentally leave them behind. You can also enable ambient noise to be automatically amplified in transparency mode when you speak. It is also helpful that you can receive warnings when working at a desk if you keep your head bent for too long. iPhone users, on the other hand, are left out, they won’t find the application in the App Store.
The active noise cancellation (ANC) of the Galaxy Buds2 Pro is very effective, traffic noise is reliably suppressed, even quiet music is enough to stop hearing it. The function also does a good job in the office. Overall, the ANC is at a high level and is one of the best that you can currently find in earphones.
Touch controls are straightforward and precise. However, Samsung only allows you to customize long-touch responses. This means that you can either control the volume and activate ANC or the transparency mode – you cannot have both functions at the same time. If you take out an earphone, the playback is paused, but it is also possible to use a plug individually.
The mileage is solid, but not outstanding. Samsung states five hours with ANC activated, but in practice the buds last a little longer. The compact charging box has reserves for another 18 hours, the case can be charged inductively.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro are no longer as clearly alone at the top as their predecessors, competitors such as the Huawei Freebuds Pro 2 or the Google Pixel Buds Pro are close or even on an equal footing. In any case, Samsung’s new earphones are among the best, especially their sound is great. However, this also has its price, for the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro you have to shell out around 230 euros.
