Samsung is actually known for good and affordable headphones. But the new Galaxy Buds Pro 2 are now successfully attacking the expensive flagships.
- With the second edition of the Galaxy Buds Pro, Samsung succeeds almost across the board.
- The earphones sound fantastic, offer strong active noise cancellation and are extremely comfortable.
- Now Samsung is fighting for the throne from the two competitors with the new Samsung Galaxy Bus Pro 2.
- Samsung has changed the design of the Galaxy Buds Pro 2.
- With the smaller and lighter Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, Samsung not only offers 24-bit audio and Bluetooth 5.3, but also excellent sound, very good ANC, and some good features that Samsung smartphone owners will primarily enjoy.
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In addition to the earphones and the wireless charging case, the buyer receives a total of three silicone attachments of different sizes and a USB-C charging cable.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro come in a compact, attractive package. It’s great that everything is on paper. The charging case, which includes in-ear headphones, is anthracite—Samsung calls it graphite and matte.
Specification
| Galaxy Buds 2 Pro | Galaxy Buds Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Release date | Aug 10, 2022 | Jan 15, 2021 |
| Type | In-Ear | In-Ear |
| Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Type | Earphones | Earphones |
| Connectivity | TWS | TWS |
| Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Water Resistant | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Weight | 5.50 g | 6.30 g |
| With Case | 43.4 g | 57.5 g |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5 |
| Bluetooth Codec | SBC,AAC | SBC,AAC,Scalable |
| Battery | 515 mAh | 472 mAh |
| Charging Port | USB Type-C | USB Type-C |
Design
The look of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro is still similar to the design of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 and Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro. The new Buds Pro are around 15% smaller than their predecessors and more compact. 19.9 x 21.6 x 18.7 mm, 5.5 grams each. The new charging case weighs 43.4 grams and measures 50.1 x 50.2 x 27.7 mm.
The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro should be thinner and sleeker. Without a direct comparison, the difference isn’t obvious. According to the manufacturer, the 15%-smaller earphones fit comfortably and protrude little from the auricle.
Samsung simplified its in-ears to reduce wind noise. Both the shape and the new microphone grills contribute to this. The charging case complements the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro and looks like the original Buds Pro case.
Audio
The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro have 24-bit audio. Higher sound resolution should improve sound quality compared to 16-bit – 24-bit offers 256 times more volume resolution. The audio data and playback device must be 24-bit. Again, Samsung subsidiary AKG handled the sound.
You can hear 24 bit sound on recent Samsung smartphones. Higher resolution demands Hi-Res audio, although most people won’t notice. There’s no higher-resolution codec like aptX.
Next, 360-degree audio. As with Apple’s Spatial Audio, sound sources move with your head. Turning your head 90 degrees to the right lets you hear sounds previously played in your left ear. Likewise, only Samsung playback devices work. The Galaxy Buds2 Pro sound good. The earphones’ tweeters and woofers provide crystal-clear, detailed highs and strong, elastic basses. Clean mids hold the sound structure together. The Buds’ stage is spacious for earbuds.
ANC without setting options
Good headphones now have ANC. Mics decrease background noise so you can focus on your music. Samsung’s active noise reduction worked effectively in the Galaxy Buds Pro 2. In older models, you could easily modify the ANC there. On or off. Each side now has 3 microphones to reduce wind noise.Â
Noise cancellation works well. Low-pitched noises are filtered well, but major clatter or discussions aren’t. Playing music, podcasts, or other sounds solves this difficulty. Light wind is also fine.Â
Water resistance
The headphones’ IPX 7 rating makes them partially waterproof. You can go out in the rain with it, but you shouldn’t swim. The case isn’t waterproof, so keep it dry.
Galaxy Wearable app
The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro once again support Samsung’s Galaxy wearable app, which is offered exclusively for Android. As with the predecessors, the Galaxy wearable app has many good approaches, but lacks a larger range of functions for the individual functions.
In the earphone settings, you will also find options to remind you of neck rotations or to make input easier. Of course, you will also find an equalizer here. You can’t customize it as you wish, but there are suitable presets to choose from.
One tap customises controls, almost. You can only control your touching and holding. Other functions, like play/pause, title skip, and song back, can only be allowed or denied. Long-pressing can adjust ANC or volume.
In equaliser. You can’t adjust the frequencies, only use presets. You can:
- Normal
- Bass boost
- Soft
- Dynamic
- Clear
- Trebble Boost
Control
Samsung’s Galaxy Buds2 Pro are tap-controlled. Start and pause playback, skip tracks, and toggle noise cancellation and transparency. If needed, the volume can be changed in the app. With Samsung, you can switch between previously connected smartphones and tablets with one click.
Frequency response
It measures wireless headphones’ frequency response. MiniDSP Headphone & earphone audio response systems) and REW were used for this.Â
All headphones are calibrated at around 84 dB at 300 Hz. Not all in-ears can be set to exactly 84 dB, so a 1 dB deviation is acceptable. All measurements are taken from 20 Hz to 20 kHz multiple times and with different earphone positions to account for these influences and detect a bad fit. In-ear headphones have strong outliers, an unclean frequency response, or no bass with poor sealing. Five measurements per side are averaged for the best fit. A straight line at 84 dB would be a neutral frequency presentation, which never happens.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro frequency analysis shows increases almost everywhere. Bass, mids, and highs are boosted to 84 dB at 300 Hz. The Buds 2 Pro’s strong midrange amplification makes voices stand out. It’s not neutral.
Battery
- Battery life without intermediate charging : up to 5 hours with ANC, up to 8 hours without ANC.
- Battery life with opportunity charging: up to 18 hours with ANC, up to 29 hours without ANC.
- Charging : USB-C cable or wireless charging pad.
The battery life of the Galaxy Buds is average. The headphones have a capacity of 61(mAh) and the charging case can store up to 515 mAh. This corresponds to a duration of 8 hours without the case and up to 29 hours with the case. However, if ANC is used continuously, the runtime drops by around 40 percent.
Latency
Galaxy Buds 2 Pro lack a low-latency codec. AAC and SBC aren’t the fastest audio codecs. If the software doesn’t compensate, the picture and sound are slightly off during video playback.
The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro offer an experimental gaming mode in the Galaxy Wearable app when connected to a Samsung smartphone. You can reduce latency by keeping the phone close to the earphones and minimising interference. Latency is 60 to 90 ms.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: 160-180ms (Android, SBC/iOS, AAC)/60-90ms (Galaxy smartphone, SSC + game mode).
Conclusion!
Galaxy Buds2 Pro sound better than their predecessors. Warm, booming bass, clean mids, and crisp highs characterise the sound, making audio books and podcasts possible. It sounds like the best, but it’s more expensive. You can use equaliser presets, but the sound is balanced. Good ANC and ambient mode are included.
The Buds Pro2 are stylish, durable, and waterproof. 3D sound and head tracking are also great. But here is the biggest point of criticism: You absolutely need a current Samsung Galaxy device for all the features. Android phones are subject to minor restrictions, while iOS users get no app support at all.
