Samsung is working hard to offer audio accessories that can provide competition to AirPods but at a more affordable price. The purchase of the Harman firm in 2017 is their move to offer high-quality audio accessories with their products receiving sound tuning from AKG.
Year after year their attempts to compete with Jabra, Apple, and Sony are paying off with the Buds2 launched earlier this year providing a combination of attractive design, solid sound and more comfortable wear. Through the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro, Samsung recycles the design of the Buds2 and improves some of the shortcomings of the Buds Pro.
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro
In-ear TWS type
Four-wheel drive
Microphone 6 microphones
Battery 5 Hours/ 18 hours with pod with ANC
USB-C charging port
Wireless charging Yes/Qi
CODEC SSC (Samsung Seamless Codec) HiFi, AAC, SBC
All operating systems are supported
Yes/Bixby virtual assistant support
Yes 2X touch pad
IPX7 waterproof capability
Bluetooth 5.3
Offline Audio None
Pulse scanner None
Selling Price RM 899
Buds2 is one of our favorite TWS at the end of 2021 because it is smaller, comfortable to wear in the ear and has good audio capabilities despite being classified as a mid-range earphone. Because of the good response to the Buds2, it's no surprise that Samsung took some design cues from the Buds2 but with some improvements based on user feedback.
The size of Buds2 Pro is larger with a rounded outer surface. It's the same size as the Buds Pro but without the dual-tone design and the more aerodynamic contact pad outer shell. The Buds Pro's metallic finish is being retired as it's replaced with a now even color surface. Buds2 Pro looks neater and handsomer. If we say Buds2 looks like Zidane's bald head, Buds2 Pro looks like The Rock's head. Bigger but smoother.
It also now has a rougher rubbery texture that makes it stick more to the finger when held. Buds2's issue of being too slippery to fall off is solved by this rougher texture. During the review period not a single Buds2 Pro audio bud fell out of our fingers when held.
The process of digging audio buds is also easier on the Buds2 Pro because of the rough texture used. It is especially useful if hands are sweaty after exercising with sweaty ears and fingers.
The small audio bud makes it less noticeable in the ear when in use. The low profile also makes it comfortable to wear while lying down. As a person who likes to listen to podcasts before going to sleep, this comfort is important. It is the reason why we are less fond of TWS with long stems on the sides.
Talking about the audio buds, they are of the in-ear type with a choice of 3 silicone buds to ensure that they are sealed in the ear hole. By default a medium size silicon bud (Medium) is installed. Two additional pairs of silicon buds are smaller in size (Small) and the other is larger (Large)
Tightness is important to ensure there is no audio leakage from the outside that keeps the ANC from working at its optimum level. The tightness of the ear bud on the ear can be tested using the cir Fit Test in the Galaxy Wearable application.
Two touch pads are placed on the side of the audio bud body to control the media. All the basic gestures supported on previous Buds are still included. What is missing is a music pause feature when the ear buds are removed from the ear. This is possible because Samsung includes a Voice Detect feature that automatically reduces the audio level when it detects that the user is talking.
The charging pod is cube-shaped with rounded sides. It's the same as the previous Buds Live, Buds2 and Buds Pro charging pods. We love the small design of this storage/charging pod. When stored in a trouser pocket it does not poke the thigh. Because it's small, sometimes we forget Buds2 Pro is kept in the pocket.
It supports wired charging with USB-C head and Qi charging. For Samsung device owners, PowerShare charging can also be used when the pod is placed on the back of the device. Two LED lights – one on the outside and one on the inside – show the battery level and whether tethering mode is activated or not.
The pod is not waterproof but the audio bud passes the IPX7 standard which allows it to be taken for exercise rather than swimming.
Usage
The tethering process is easy on Samsung devices. Open the lid and the device will detect the presence of the Buds 2 Pro with an on-screen graphic asking if the user wants to pair it to the device. After the tethering process, the Galaxy Wearable app can be opened to change the ANC, Ambient Mode, touch pad and equalizer settings. ANC and Ambient Mode settings can also be changed through the Samsung device's bluetooth screen.
On Android devices there is no Fast Pair feature which is a bit disappointing. Additionally need to go through a manual process by opening the bluetooth settings on the device. The Galaxy Wearable app needs to be downloaded from the Play Store if owners want to change Buds2 Pro settings or perform software updates.
On iOS, iPadOS, HarmonyOS, Windows and macOS the tethering process is the same as on non-Samsung Android devices. No Galaxy Wearable apps are offered on these operating systems. You cannot change Buds2 Pro settings and perform software updates. Outside of the Samsung/Android ecosystem, some Buds2 Pro features cannot be used.
The touch pad on the Buds2 Pro we felt was not as good as on the Buds2. Like there is a time gap of half a second before the touch is detected and the music is paused for example. Sometimes we remind the finger failed to be detected and touch the pad a second time. As a result the music pauses then plays again.
Is it weird that this gap exists because we never experienced it on Buds2, and Buds Pro. Could the rough rubbery finish on the Buds2 Pro's touch pad be causing this lag? After launch, Buds2 Pro was updated twice but the issue is still not resolved.
Through the Samsung Wearable application several other features can be accessed such as tracking the location of the lost Buds2 Pro, changing the touch pad settings, performing the Fit Test and Labs testing features such as touching the side of the Buds2 Pro to change the audio volume level. This is why the lack of application support on iOS reduces the features that can be used on the iPhone for example.
Audio and Microphone Quality
Buds2 Pro offers the best audio experience ever offered in the Buds series to date. The first thing that is noticed is the audio stage that is now getting wider. Among the early issues of the Buds series was the stage that felt too small. The music that is heard cannot breathe and seems to be heard in a small room.
The bass is strong and punchy even in the default equalizer profile. This can be increased if the Bass Boost profile is selected. Treble is also clear with it sure to satisfy fans of acoustic or instrumental audio. The 360 Audio Mode through Dolby Atmos is also interesting even if it feels like a gimmick. Much like Apple Music's Spatial Audio, it's a fun feature to try out but not that important to us.
There is 24-bit audio support built in and only on Samsung devices so far. But honestly, our aging ears can't quite tell the difference between 24-bit and Spotify and Apple Music's highest quality audio. The age factor makes us unable to hear all audio frequencies. So this feature is wasted on those who are older. We instead hope that in the next Buds iteration Samsung can bring official LDAC support because it is easier to access/stream audio than the still niche 24-bit audio.
ANC is able to eliminate the noise of cycles, electric motors of air conditioners, voices of colleagues talking and music played in the office. The ANC strength level cannot be changed like on the Buds Pro. We don't know why this rather useful feature has been discontinued. The same applies to Transparency Mode which cannot be changed either.
This penetrating mode amplifies surround audio allowing Buds2 Pro users to have Superman-like hearing. But if the surroundings are noisy, this noise will also be doubled. For the health of the eardrums, we only activate Voice Detect where it continues to lower the audio level of the music being listened to for a few seconds when it detects that we are talking. It's useful when you want to chat with colleagues. We said in a few paragraphs above that the Buds2 Pro is a little difficult to dig out of the ear, so the Voice Detect penetrating mode saves the day.
We still felt comfortable wearing the Buds2 Pro for three hours. More than this period the ears will feel as if blocked. The size of the Buds2 Pro silicone ear buds is smaller than the Buds Pro but it still feels like the ear hole is being dug with a little finger. In this regard, we AirPods Pro have an advantage because it's TWS that doesn't make us feel like our ear holes are constantly being poked.
The microphone is the Buds2 Prop's most notable shortcoming because when the noise cancellation mode is activated, the software quite aggressively tries to cancel out any kind of ambient noise. As a result the voice becomes less clear. In a more controlled situation, the quality of the microphone to do a teleconference session for example is only average.
Battery
The battery is advertised to last up to 18 hours with the help of a charging pod or 5 hours with ANC activated. In real world users it is actually closer to 4.5 hours and increases to around 15 hours with audio settings around 75%.
This isn't stellar battery life if you want to use it on a transcontinental flight. What we do in the office is wear them from morning until lunchtime. Ear buds are charged when we eat. Only in this way can the Buds2 Pro last a full day of use during office hours. Recharging takes around an hour even though the battery is only 515 mAh on the pod and 61 mAh on the audio bud.
Conclusion
Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro offers a solid audio experience, a variety of indispensable additional features, comfortable to wear, high-resolution audio features, and a comfortable design. At the price of RM899 some may see it as a bit expensive TWS and we cannot deny this fact.
But Samsung offers all the features wireless audio enthusiasts need in a pretty complete package. We recommend it for Samsung users because all the interesting features it offers are most compatible to be used in the Samsung ecosystem. 24-bit audio support for example is only supported on Samsung flagship devices. We can still recommend it to Android users because more than 90% can be supported on this operating system. On other operating systems like iOS it is a little impossible because there is no official application support.
Pro
A friend that is neater, more comfortable and more ergonomic than Buds Pro before.
Satisfying audio experience.
ANC does a good job of blocking noisy audio.
No longer slippery with a soft rubber-like finish.
High resolution audio support on Samsung devices.
The Galaxy Wearable application includes various interesting features.
Cons
No support for iOS.
This rubberized surface may not last long.
More compatible with the Samsung ecosystem.
There is no music pause feature when the ear buds are removed.