The Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro are suitable for commuting and traveling. They’re well-made and don’t leak too much audio, so you can listen to music at high volumes without disturbing others. They also have a comfortable fit and are portable. Their ANC, on the other hand, struggles to reduce bass-range noise, such as bus or plane engine rumbles. They also have a relatively short continuous battery life and may require charging on longer trips.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro are available in three colors to match the new Samsung Galaxy S21: Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, and Phantom Violet, and the color of the Buds will match the color of the charging case that comes with them. The case itself is shaped like a small treasure chest, with a concave lid that unhinges in the middle and flips up. It’s fairly compact, which is convenient for slipping it into your pocket, and it has a status LED on both the inside and outside of the case that changes color depending on how much battery is left in the case.
[content-egg-block template=offers_logo hide=price]The Buds themselves are a far cry from their bean-shaped forefathers. The Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro have returned to their original form as eartip-equipped sound funnels. They’re probably best described as a funnel because they’re fairly long for earbuds, measuring just under an inch (20.8mm). The Buds, on the other hand, require all of that space for their slew of sensors, pogo pins, and microphones.
The Buds’ exterior features a glossy, reflective plastic coating that is touch-capacitive, as well as two additional microphones with a wind guard that reduces ambient noise when walking outside. All of this houses the 11mm woofer and 6.5mm tweeter, which we’ll go over in greater detail in the performance section below.
So, how do they fit together? Despite their nearly futuristic appearance, the way the earbuds protrude from your ear makes them appear bulky and awkward. Wearing them to bed would be at best inconvenient, and at worst painful. Because there is no way to ‘lock’ them into your ear, they will shift periodically, requiring you to readjust them or else the seal will weaken and noise cancellation will gradually diminish as you wear them.
To help alleviate some of these issues, the box includes two extra sets of eartips to help you get a better seal, which is absolutely necessary. You’ll also find a USB-C charging cable without a head, which is part of Samsung’s effort to reduce waste (yay!) but could be a barrier for people buying their first earbuds (boo).