For the second year in a row, Samsung introduced TWS headphones alongside its foldable smartphones. The August 10 event saw the arrival of the Galaxy Buds2 Pro, the successor to last year’s Galaxy Buds Pro.
We spent a lot of time testing them and here is our review. The first thing you’ll notice is that Samsung has managed to reduce the weight and remove the glossy finish, making the Buds2 Pro both more comfortable and more attractive.
The case of the headphones is square and unlike previous versions, the color on the outside matches that on the inside. There are three color options – Bora Purple, Black and White, and we have the third, which looks classy if not particularly impressive.
The case and buds feel lighter in the hand, the numbers don’t lie. The slots for the individual goals are a little bent, but there are strong magnets that take care of aligning them. There are two pogo pins for each bud in its nest.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro
The battery capacity of each bud is 58mAh while the case is 500mAh. The total increase is tiny – less than 3%. However, thanks to superior optimizations, the Galaxy Buds2 Pro can deliver 8 hours of listening experience on one charge.
Turning ANC on reduces that to five hours according to official figures, but our tests have shown it can go up to 6 hours in this case. We also tested the headphones with ambient sound on and it delivered a solid 5 hours, but we don’t see anyone using this mode for prolonged periods – it’s just too overwhelming.
Battery life is definitely better, but what about charging time? The entire 616mAh package charges from 0-100% in 75 minutes with a proprietary USB-C cable. There’s also wireless charging with any Qi-certified charger, but it takes over two hours to top up the battery – we made several attempts, but our best result was 125 minutes.
Samsung knows you can’t have great battery life and a massive woofer or tweeter, so it decided to go with the former. Music on the Buds2 Pro sounds flat without too much bass. On the upside, the music is clearer and the individual instruments are well defined, but the missing chunk of the range takes a bit of the sonic experience.
Active noise cancellation is also improved, and it’s the best Samsung has ever delivered. There are still three modes – ANC, Off and Ambient Sound, but the 3-mic array does a better job of picking up external sounds and canceling them out. And with mid-call cancellation, talking on the Buds2 Pro sounds so much better than the phone itself.
Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy Buds2
We also loved the Voice Detect feature which turns off ANC and turns on ambient sound if you start talking. A long press on one of the buds can also activate ambient sound during the press time when there is an announcement you want to catch at the airport or train station.
The touch controls work perfectly. We know some users don’t use them, but those who do will be pleased with the simplicity. There are multiple options, including one tap for play/pause, two or three taps to control music and podcasts, and tap and hold for calls, and all are customizable.
The headphones themselves have an equalizer, which can help you tweak the audio experience, but can’t really do much to fix missing bass. The Galaxy Wearable app also offers controls for features like neck stretch reminders, read aloud notifications, and ambient sound during calls to let the speaker hear themselves.
The size of the Buds2 Pro is reduced by 15% compared to the Buds Pro. Each bud weighs only 5.5 grams and putting one in the ear is easy. The accompanying app also has a headphone fit test option that plays test tunes to determine if the fit is right. We also like the IPX7 rating for immersion in up to 1 meter of fresh water, giving us extra peace of mind during sweaty workouts.
Samsung is offering the Galaxy Buds2 Pro for €229/£219/$229 and offering discounts and freebies, depending on the market. The price is slightly higher than the Galaxy Buds Pro and much higher than the regular Galaxy Buds2.
But it gives you extremely comfortable TWS headphones with long battery life and a stylish look. The extra money is definitely worth it for the people who appreciate them and would appreciate a performing CPN.