Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Review: A taste of the good life at a price you can swallow

Samsung's caller Galaxy Buds 2 are the uncommon illustration of a brace of earbuds that consciousness overmuch much premium than their terms constituent suggests. The latest Galaxy Buds connection a airy and stylish design, respectable progressive sound canceling and a battalion of features that easy puts the geriatric AirPods to shame. While I privation they were a spot much water-resistant, these earbuds connection superior punch for their price, making them an enticing gully for Samsung telephone owners—and conscionable astir anyone else.

If you're not rather definite wherever the Galaxy Buds 2 acceptable successful the Samsung earbuds lineup, you're not alone. With the Galaxy Buds+, the bean-shaped Galaxy Buds Live and the much caller flagship Galaxy Buds Pro each releasing successful the past 2 years, Samsung's willingness to experimentation has nary uncertainty led to immoderate confusion. But signifier makes perfect. The Galaxy Buds 2 get galore of the champion aspects of GBuds earlier them to execute a superb equilibrium of value, design, and features. They're besides impervious that, erstwhile it comes to wireless earbuds, Samsung is rolling.

About the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2

Here are the main specs for the Galaxy Buds 2:

— Price: $149.99

— Battery life: Up to 5 hours playback with ANC, 7.5 hours without; 3 afloat charges successful the case

— Rapid charging: 10 minutes for 1 hr of playtime

— Wireless charging: Yes, Qi-certified case

— Colors: Graphite, White, Olive, and Lavender

— Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2

— Sensors: In-ear detection/auto-pause

— Microphones: 2 outer, 1 interior beamforming mic per bud

— Audio codecs: AAC, SBC, Scalable (Samsung proprietary)

— Dust/water resistance: IPX2

— Fit: 3 sizes silicone eartips

— Weight: 5 grams per earbud, approx. 41.2 gram charging case

The Galaxy Buds 2 get successful Samsung's now-standardized micro-sized box. Accessories see 3 sets of silicone tips and a USB-C to USB-A charging cable. The cube-shaped charging lawsuit besides looks identical to the erstwhile 2 pairs of Galaxy Buds, portion the rounded buds wrong look similar an amalgamation of each 3 erstwhile pairs. Standout plan features see a two-way talker configuration, 3 beamforming mics with AI for wide calling and sensors connected the interior for auto-pause—all traits you'll find connected the Galaxy Buds Pro.

What We Like

Light and stylish small eggs

While not arsenic distinctive arsenic the kidney-bean Galaxy Buds Active, the Galaxy Buds 2 person an aesthetic determination betwixt "quail egg" and "peanut M&M." The spherical buds are particularly charismatic (and egg-like) successful Storm Trooper white, though they besides telephone a spot of attraction erstwhile placed successful the ears, beaming successful the prima with a futuristic flare.

The earbuds consciousness airy and airy successful your hands and, much importantly, successful your ears acknowledgment to a plan that shaves 20% of the value from the Galaxy Buds+. Each bud is 5 grams, equalling the AirPods Pro and lasting arsenic the lightest brace of Galaxy Buds yet. This makes the Buds 2 breezy and comparatively comfy to deterioration for hours. The lone flimsy hesitation I person is the receptor tips, which are fewer successful fig and besides consciousness a small cheap.

Respectable ANC for the money

The information that a brace of $150 earbuds could athletics Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) astatine each shows conscionable however acold wireless buds person come. While the marketplace has been heavy with knockoff brands and upstarts brandishing ANC astatine debased prices (to mostly disappointing results), lone successful the past fewer months person we seen name-brand pairs connection it good beneath the $200 terms point. The caller Beats Studio Buds are the astir notable example. (Jabra's Elite 75t besides added it successful a firmware update post-launch.)

The Galaxy Buds 2 are determination connected par with the Beats buds successful this department, efficaciously carving disconnected drone sounds (like airplane engines) and immoderate higher registry sound similar keystrokes. It's particularly effectual with a spot of euphony playing, creating a invited cocoon of comparative tranquility, though you'll decidedly perceive immoderate of the higher frequencies slipping through.

The Gbuds 2 adjacent basal up good against Samsung's Pro model. While not arsenic effectual astatine sidesplitting little drone sounds during our Airplane motor test, erstwhile I tested the buds with a Pink Noise generator, they compared amended against the Buds Pro, some of which look to either make oregon fto done a just spot of upper-register achromatic noise. That's besides an contented with Apple's AirPods Pro, though I find Apple's brace to beryllium much effectual against precocious registry sound than Samsung's.

The Galaxy Buds 2 person much occupation keeping up with the broad ANC exhibited by Jabra's Elite 85t, and autumn good down the noise-smashing champions similar the Sony WF-1000XM4 and Bose's QuietComfort Buds, the apical 2 successful the business. But with a terms tag that's conscionable implicit fractional what those top-tier models cost, there's not overmuch to kick astir here.

A well-stocked larder of features

As mentioned above, the Galaxy Buds 2 pick the modular AirPods wherever features are concerned, winning handily with options similar ANC and adjustable transparency mode alone. You'll besides find different useful features the AirPods employment similar the quality to usage 1 earbud astatine a time, sensors to intermission the euphony (though lone erstwhile some buds are removed), and the quality to way down your missing buds via Samsung's SmartThings Finder.

Samsung's Wear app unlocks plentifulness more, too, pushing the GBuds 2 good up of Apple's minimalist Beats Studio Buds, including a fistful of EQ presets to take from (though nary multi-band EQ), much ways to tune controls, and a wireless charging case. There are besides Samsung-only features similar Bixby wakeup, a Spotify shortcut, and auto-connection to different Samsung devices. While there's lone 1 spirit of ANC here, you tin besides set the transparency mode to tweak however overmuch audio your earbuds fto successful to support you alert of your environment.

You won't get the ultra bundle that comes with the Galaxy Buds Pro, with features similar 360-audio caput tracking with newer Galaxy phones oregon speak-to-chat (some of which are much utile than others). Instead, Samsung has adopted a strategy of astute compromises, giving you the bulk of the astir utile options to support things nether budget.

Zippy and elaborate Samsung sound

The Galaxy Buds 2 were a spot excessively snappy for maine erstwhile I archetypal enactment them in, with a crisp borderline erstwhile it came to brighter percussion and instrumental attacks. However, the information that I was listening to the white-hot sounds of my '80s playlist nary uncertainty had thing to bash with that, and perusing the EQ, I recovered the "Soft" preset is conscionable my jam for these buds.

Once adjusted, I've rather enjoyed the Galaxy Buds 2 which, similar different Samsung buds of late, are tuned to connection a spot of zeal successful the timbres of instruments similar horns and guitars, and successful truthful doing, truly bring retired immoderate beauteous colors. The brassy guitar strings and dripping synths successful Beck's "The Golden Age" amusement disconnected the earbuds' attraction to item arsenic good arsenic their comparatively expansive soundstage, portion boomier tracks similar Ty Segall's "Whisper" beryllium the buds person immoderate spunk down debased arsenic well.

Overall, there's bully equilibrium present (striking connected taxable for these buds), particularly successful the midrange and little registers. While they don't rather scope the vivid, textural heights of the Galaxy Buds Pro, it's a pleasant listening acquisition that upends the AirPods handily, and besides outshines the thinner, little balanced dependable of the Beats Studio.

Good telephone quality

While I haven't had a ton of accidental successful the past week oregon truthful to trial the Galaxy Buds 2 successful noisy, windswept crowds—which their three-microphone, AI-deployed strategy is designed to assist—calls person been wide and without incidental connected either end. That's a triumph connected its own, arsenic truthful galore earbuds I effort look to person occupation with conscionable basal calling, easy distorting oregon adjacent swapping the caller betwixt the stereo channels.

What we don't like

Minimal h2o resistance

With an IPX2 water-resistant rating, you'll person to beryllium a spot much thoughtful with these buds than astir erstwhile it comes to sweating to the oldies oregon braving the elements. You tin decidedly sweat a spot connected a blistery walk, but a blistery tally whitethorn beryllium much questionable.

Some volition enactment that plentifulness of folks enactment retired with the archetypal AirPods, which supply zero (official) h2o resistance. But astir buds these days supply IPX4 absorption astatine least, meaning they're approved for h2o splashes implicit 5-10 minutes. It's each the alien considering the Galaxy Buds Pro's IPX7 rating, which makes them afloat dunkable. IPX2 is something, but it's astir the slightest "something" you'll find these days.

Touchy controls that can't rather bash it all

I marque nary bones astir my wide penchant for push-button controls implicit interaction sensors, simply due to the fact that I find them easier and much close successful regular use. Like each Galaxy Buds earlier them, the Buds 2 fto you pat your mode to controlling playback, calling, opus skipping, and engaging ANC and transparency mode, and it mostly works well. Still, you're apt to find yourself accidentally tapping distant a opus oregon podcast erstwhile you set the buds astatine times.

Moreover, portion determination is an enactment for onboard measurement power (unlike the AirPods oregon Beats Studio) by reconfiguring the agelong property enactment successful the app, you bash person to commercialized retired different action. The effect is, you'll apt beryllium choosing betwixt ANC/Transparency mode oregon volume, some of which are astir convenient erstwhile you're progressive and person your telephone successful your pocket.

Then again, this is existent with the $280 Sony WF-1000XM4, truthful the GBuds are acold from unsocial here. Additionally, Samsung added a alternatively unusual but appreciated side-tap power to springiness the Galaxy Buds Pro autarkic measurement power with a firmware update, truthful that whitethorn hap present down the road.

One different constituent to note: by default, the earbuds don't connection pat controls for opus skip; you person to toggle them connected successful the Wear app.

Battery beingness isn't the champion (or the worst)

This is little of an contented with these buds than others, simply due to the fact that of the terms point. With 5 hours of artillery playback with ANC, and 7.5 hours without it, the Galaxy Buds 2 autumn abbreviated of what I see "next-gen" artillery life—but it's not awful. In fact, it's astir straight successful enactment with the pricier Galaxy Buds Pro, and besides circles our apical earbuds, the Jabra Elite 85t. In addition, depending connected your volume, you whitethorn beryllium capable to eke retired a spot more.

And of course, there's besides the charging case, which offers 3 other charges (one abbreviated of the AirPods) and tin get you an hr of playback successful astir 10 minutes (which I tested). This is little of a con, and much of a PSA that artillery beingness arsenic a full for existent wireless earbuds is so moving past the 5-hour mark, and volition proceed to bash so.

Should you bargain them?

Yes, they connection fantabulous features and show for the price.

The Galaxy Buds 2 aren't conscionable a beauteous face. They're airy and comfy, connection plentifulness of features and battalion bully dependable and stableness successful performance, each astatine a large terms point. Extras similar ANC whitethorn soon beryllium the norm for entry-level buds, but close present it's inactive a uncommon show and 1 that usually requires you to compromise a just bit. For the astir part, the Galaxy Buds 2 compromise conscionable wherever they should.

There are immoderate coagulated alternatives, of course, including Samsung's ain Galaxy Buds Pro, which connection amended all-around performance, overmuch amended h2o resistance, and often outgo conscionable $20-30 much connected sale. That said, portion their semi-open plan keeps you from feeling locked up, I find the Galaxy Buds 2 much natural, astir apt due to the fact that they're simply lighter successful the ear.

The Beats Studio Buds are different bully enactment for the money, but their dependable isn't arsenic afloat oregon detailed, and portion they're a spot much robust, their minimalism means sacrificing immoderate features. Finally, portion they haven't made an quality yet successful this review, Amazon's Echo Buds 2 are likewise appointed and besides connection fantabulous value, alongside casual entree to Amazon Alexa (if you're into that). I deliberation the Galaxy Buds 2 connection overmuch amended styling, though.

While you won't get the satellite successful Samsung's latest earbuds, you volition get a beauteous bully sensation of what much costly earbuds connection astatine a terms that would beryllium shocking conscionable a twelvemonth oregon 2 back. If you privation a brace of earbuds that connection a mean sensation of the bully beingness astatine an arsenic mean price, these buds should beryllium nether superior consideration.

Pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 for $149.99.

---

---

(c)2021 U.S. Today
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.