The Pro suffix in any gadget’s moniker usually signifies premiumness and the presence of tons of features, and the new Galaxy Buds2 Pro from Samsung align with that concept quite well. Marking the second generation of Samsung’s Pro TWS lineup, the Galaxy Buds2 Pro build on the successes of their predecessor, which were heralded as being extremely capable themselves. The latest buds offer features like ANC and wireless charging, along with a bunch of other goodies. So let’s see how the new buds carry the legacy forward.
The squarish case for the Galaxy Buds2 Pro features a matte, soft-touch finish that feels quite premium and keeps smudges at bay. The case is also quite compact and lightweight. Flip open the lid and you’ll see the pair of buds resting in their respective cavities inside. A status LED is placed in the middle, and also visible is a line of text that tells you these babies have been tuned by AKG. A Type-C port is located at the back of the case, and the retail box includes a charging cable as well as differently-sized rubber tips for the buds so you can customise the fit as per the size of your ear canals. The buds are IPX7 rated and are resistant to water splashes and sweat.
The buds are tiny and feature a rounded shape that hug the cavities of your ear canals, offering a comfortable and secure fit. They’re quite low profile and don’t jut out of the ears much, making them quite discreet. A small black mesh is visible at the tip of each buds, marking the vent that helps prevent pressure buildup inside the ear.
The Galaxy Buds2 Pro work with the Galaxy Wearable app available on Android, and if you pair them with a recent Samsung phone, you can get 24-bit audio too… streaming via apps that do offer this capability. You can pair the buds with an iPhone as well, and while you won’t be able to use the companion app and the features the latter offers, the buds do work as normal.
Speaking of the app, it allows you to switch between ANC, ambient and ANC off modes, and configure the touch controls. The latter include tapping once to play/pause, double tapping to skip to the next track, triple tapping to jump to the previous track and long-pressing to switch between different ANC modes. However, the touch controls can be slightly finicky to use because of the small surface area available to use.
Coming to ANC performance, the Galaxy Buds2 Pro do a good job of drowning out outside noise. The transparency mode can be really handy when you need to stay aware of what’s happening around you, and apart from using the touch controls or the app to switch ANC modes, one quick and dirty way is to mumble something to activate the Voice Detect feature. As the name suggests, this detects your voice and turns off ANC and switches to ambient mode for a few seconds. This time can be configured via the app as well.
As far as the audio quality is concerned, supported codecs include SBC and AAC, and the buds come with dual drivers that help churn out extremely good sound. The bass is tight and packs a decent punch, while the sound signature is well-balanced overall. Instrument separation is pretty good, and works even at low volumes. The audio works for a variety of different music genres, with a fair bit of richness and depth that does justice to the sound.
The battery life is decent as well and is rated at up to 5 hours with ANC on and 8 hours with ANC off. The case adds another 18 hours with ANC, and 28 hours without.
Verdict
With an asking price of Rs 17,999, the Galaxy Buds2 Pro fall in the premium segment and go up against the likes of the LG Tone Free FP9 (review), the Google Pixel Buds Pro (review) and others. If you’re looking to save some dough, the older Galaxy Buds Pro model is still selling online and can be acquired for lower. However, I do think that the Buds2 Pro are worth a buy if you’re an Android user, and look for a well-rounded, premium TWS pair. And if you use a Samsung smartphone, it’s probably an even easier decision.
Editor’s rating: 4 / 5
Pros:
- Lightweight and comfortable
- Good sound
- Decent ANC
- Useful features
Cons:
- Some features limited to Samsung phones
- No multipoint
- Pricey
