The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are ideal for traveling and commuting. These well-made buds have a lightweight design that is easy to transport and comfortable enough to wear on long trips. They have an ANC system that helps to muffle the low rumbles of bus and plane engines. Their continuous battery life of less than six hours may not be sufficient for transatlantic flights, but luckily, their carrying case provides an additional 2.6 charges if needed.
The earbuds’ case is square, and unlike previous models, the color on the outside matches the color on the inside. There are three color options: Bora Purple, Black, and White, and we received the third, which is sleek but unimpressive. The numbers do not lie: both the case and the buds feel lighter in the hand. The slots for the individual buts are rotated slightly, but strong magnets keep them aligned. Every bud in its nest has two pogo pins.
[content-egg-block template=offers_logo hide=price]Each bud has a battery capacity of 58 mAh, while the case has a capacity of 500 mAh. The total increase is negligible – less than 3%. However, thanks to superior optimizations, the Galaxy Buds2 Pro can provide up to 8 hours of listening time on a single charge. Turning on the ANC reduces that to five hours, according to official figures, but our tests showed that they can go close to six hours in this case. We also tested the earbuds with Ambient Sound turned on, which provided a solid 5-hour result, but we don’t see anyone using this mode for extended periods of time – it’s simply too overwhelming.
The battery life is unquestionably improved, but what about charging time? The 616 mAh battery charges from 0 to 100% in 75 minutes using a proprietary USB-C cable. Wireless charging is also available with any Qi-certified charger, but it takes over two hours to charge the battery – we tried several times and our best result was 125 minutes.
Samsung understands that you can’t have a large battery life and a massive woofer or tweeter, so it chose the former. Music on the Buds2 Pro sounds flat and lacks bass. On the plus side, the music is clearer and individual instruments are better defined, but the missing range detracts from the overall sonic experience.
Active Noise Cancellation has also been improved, and it is the best that Samsung has ever provided. There are still three modes – ANC, Off, and Ambient Sound – but the 3-mic array does a better job of picking up and canceling out external sounds. And, with in-call cancellation, talking on the Buds2 Pro sounds far superior to talking on the phone.