Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro review - top-end headphones with great sound and powerful noise cancellation

Specifications

Type of	TWS earbuds
Design	In-ear
Loudspeakers	Dual Band (11mm Woofer + 6.5mm Tweeter)
Microphones	3 microphones (2 external + 1 internal), Voice Pickup Unit, Wind Shield
Compatibility and system requirements	Android 7.0 and above, 1.5 GB RAM and above
Connection	Bluetooth 5.0, Scalable codecs (Samsung proprietary codec), AAC, SBC
Working hours	Up to 5 hours with noise canceling on and up to 8 hours with off
Charging time	5 minutes of fast charging is enough for the earbuds to work for an hour
Degree of protection	IPX7 - can be immersed in water no deeper than 1 m and no longer than 30 minutes
Dimensions and weight	Earphone: 19.5 × 20.5 × 20.8mm, 6.3g Charging case: 50 × 50, 2 × 27.8mm, 44.9g

Design and equipment

Galaxy Buds Pro are positioned by the manufacturer as premium headphones and look the same. A neat matte case hides two shining TWS earbuds inside. The case is glossy, which makes even the strictest black model looks unusual and presentable. In addition to it, there are also silver and purple headphones, which are also glossy and also extremely cute. The size is not too large, they do not stick out from the ears and look very harmonious.

Despite the glossy finish, the headphones are non-marking: dust and fingerprints are invisible on them. By the way, Samsung also pays attention to the increased degree of protection against moisture IPX7, in which the model can be immersed in water no deeper than a meter and no longer than 30 minutes. In practice, it looks like this: walking in the rain is okay, but you shouldn't actively swim and dive in the Galaxy Buds Pro, especially in the sea and any other salt water.

The crumbs come with a USB Type-C cable (by the way, wireless charging is supported) and a set of three attachments of different sizes. The latter change easily and quickly, emitting a characteristic click. The ear cushions seemed a little harsh to us - walking in them all day may not be very comfortable. If you would like to use other softer earpieces, please note that not all of them will work, as the Buds Pro is oval in shape.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro: package content

The case is compact, fits easily into a pocket and can be opened easily with one hand. Built-in magnets keep the earbuds snug inside and won't fall out even if you turn the open case over.

The Galaxy Buds Pro sit well in the ears, but it is worth getting used to: it is most convenient to insert them and turn them to fix them more securely. While walking, the gadget does not fall out, but it is better to play sports carefully: the earphone can not only fly out, but also roll away quite far due to the smooth coating and spherical shape.

Connection

The headphones are ideal for Samsung owners. At the time of testing, we had a Galaxy S21 + in our hands, and the gadget connected to it as soon as we opened the case near the screen. The rest of the devices are a little more complicated: for the model to detect the iPhone XR and Mi 9T Pro, it took several times to put the Galaxy Buds Pro in the case and pull them out. However, even in the latter cases, the setting does not take too long.

To connect faster and at the same time understand the full range of functions, ideally you need to download the Galaxy Wearable app.

In addition to the standard options, the application has "Voice Detection", in which the headphones automatically turn off noise canceling, muffle music and turn on microphones when you start talking. That is, you do not need to take out one earpiece if they ask on the street how to get to the library. Class.

You can also adjust the equalizer to emphasize the high or low frequencies. There is a function of reading notifications. It works smoothly, understands the Russian language, but the assistant's voice sounds rather harsh and mechanical. On the "Additional" tab, you can tweak even more, for example, organize a fast connection.

The connection to Samsung and Xiaomi seemed to us stable, but with the iPhone, the model periodically junked: some of the incoming calls did not go through the headphones, but through the smartphone's speaker, it was not possible to switch when receiving. Apparently, at some point, the iPhone simply lost sight of the Galaxy Buds Pro.

Control

You can control the headphones by touching and holding - the options are the same for left and right. One press - pause, two - switch to the next track, three - return to the previous one. Double-tapping also accepts and rejects calls.

In the settings inside the application, you can slightly change the scenarios, for example, using touches to control not the noise reduction, but the volume. You can also turn off the touch response if, for some reason, you touch your ear more often than you should. Be sure to turn it off if you listen to music while lying down, otherwise you will be tortured.

Sound, noise reduction and transparent mode

By default, a long press on the sensors turns on the active noise canceling mode. By the way, it can be adjusted through the application, making it stronger or weaker. Works awesome. We tested it in several situations. In the first case, they tried to block the work of the home coffee grinder with a noise reduction - it worked. The second time was to take a ride in the subway: here the headphones still missed especially loud sounds, but globally they coped with their task perfectly.

Transparent mode can also be adjusted for yourself in the application. His work also seemed adequate. The only thing is, if you turn it on in complete silence, you can distinguish a barely audible hiss, which is a little punchy.

It is convenient to talk with headphones both indoors and outdoors: the interlocutor is heard well, your voice is also distinguishable. Interestingly, there is a special Wind Shield feature that blocks out wind noise. It really works.

The Labs section has a game mode that is advised to be turned on while playing. The sounds and soundtrack in it are really audible cool and without delays, but we did not feel any peculiarities.

Finally, the most important thing is the sound of the music. We liked it even better than the AirPods Pro, although many users, when comparing, still give the palm to Apple headphones. We don't know which side you will find yourself on, but in any case, the sound is at a level: the bass is tight, the treble is clear and well distinguishable, and everything is in order with the mids. The voices of the performers sound voluminous and enveloping. It is comfortable to listen to a variety of music with headphones - from Slayer to Tanya Bulanova. In general, sheer delight: the manufacturer is not in vain preoccupied with equipping the model with two-way speakers. The case when technologies are not just stated on paper, but also felt in reality.

Autonomy

The headphones will last 5 hours in active noise canceling mode and will endure 8 hours of listening to music if the noise canceling is turned off. Recharging in the case extends the operating time to 28 hours.

In practice, we listened to music for about 8 hours, periodically tossing the model into the case, so it is more than suitable for everyday use. There is support for fast charging, thanks to which 5 minutes of recharge gives an extra hour of work. That's enough to recharge your headphones at breakfast and listen to music all the way to the office.

Outcomes

Galaxy Buds Pro cost 17,990 rubles, while the idea of "too expensive" never arises. For this price, you get an objectively cool design, very high quality sound, and excellent noise cancellation. Add a bonus application with a bunch of settings that will allow you to adapt the gadget to your individual needs. We especially recommend the model to Samsung owners - a smartphone coupling will be perfect.

Among the minuses, we note that the headphones are not the most indestructible and, most likely, will pop out during active sports. The ear cushions are a little harsh - it's worth getting used to. And control with the help of sensors can cause inconvenience: if you do not turn off the reaction to touch, during any accidental touch, the tracks will switch. And yes, be prepared for the fact that connecting to smartphones from other brands may be a little slower than you would like.

To us, these disadvantages do not seem too significant. Even honestly admitting them, we can say that the Galaxy Buds Pro are cool headphones with a lot of pluses.