Samsung - Galaxy Buds Pro True Wireless Earbud Headphones - Phantom Black

Samsung revealed these Galaxy Buds Pro last month during their all-virtual Galaxy Unpacked event. I was excited to try these out once they were revealed. During the event, Samsung introduced all the exciting new and improved features the Galaxy Buds Pro has to offer. Improved sound, 2-way speakers, 360 audio, and intelligent ANC are some of the features the Galaxy Buds Pro has to offer. My experience with them so far has been delightful. If you are looking for true wireless headphones for your device these could be your next buy for several reasons. Here’s an in-depth review of the Galaxy Buds Pro. *TLDR at bottom ============================================== IN THE BOX/DEVICES USED: In the box, you will receive the case with the Galaxy Buds Pro, a USB-A to USB-C cable, and different-sized ear tips. The ones that were pre-installed on the Galaxy Buds Pro were the medium-sized ear tips. There were two other pairs of ear tips, the smaller ones, and larger ones. I did try them all and the medium ones seemed to be the best fit for my ears. I would recommend trying each ear tip out to find the best fit for your ear for optimal comfort and sound. I tested the Galaxy Buds Pro on several devices. I tested them out on two different Android devices(both Samsung) and my PC. Also, note that I did use them in various environments such as the gym, home, walks, and in bed. ============================================== CONNECTION PROCESS: I own several pair of true wireless earbuds, and the Galaxy Buds Pro are the ones that connect to my devices the quickest. Upon opening the case, my phone has already detected and connected to them in the blink of an eye. Not only is the connection quick but switching between devices is seamless and easy. One feature that is lacking with the pros is that they can only be connected to one device at a time. I have headphones that allow up to two connections at the same time and this feature has been a Godsend when your headphones are connected to a PC and you get a call on the phone. Hopefully, Samsung can implement an update that allows up to two devices connected in the future. I also noticed that the range on these is significant. I was about a couple of feet away(with about two walls in between) and there was no broken connection. ============================================== FIT/SOUND QUALITY: I have tried plenty of in-ear headphones from wired, wireless, to true wireless. On a scale of 1-10 where 1 is a bad fit and 10 being a great fit. I would give the pros a 7. Why a 7? These headphones do stay in your ear and have a nice fit overall. Even while working out and walking briskly in freezing cold temps, the pros tend to stay in place. The problem I had with these, comfort-wise, was when wearing them for an extended amount of time. The pros did get uncomfortable after about an hour of usage. Other in-ear headphones I have did not give my ears discomfort as much as these did. It’s fair to say these aren’t the most comfortable in-ear headphone out there. To summarize the fit, the pros stay in your ear extremely well but wearing them for an extended amount of time may bring discomfort. Like all recent Samsung headphones, the Galaxy Buds Pro is tuned by AKG. The sound on these is definitely on a high tier. In short, the sound the pros offer is remarkable. Any genre I’m listening to whether that is Hip-Hop, Rock, Latin, etc. brings a crisp and clear sound. The sound is balanced and all the lows, mids, and highs are distinguishable. Playing with the EQ settings in the Galaxy Wearable app (I will get into more detail later) can elevate your listening experience and ultimately bring out the sound you want to hear. Call quality is clear as well, even in noisy places. ============================================== BATTERY LIFE: Battery life is shown with 3 different LED lights (green, yellow, red) in and outside the case. The one in the case shows the battery life of the headphones and the one outside shows the battery life of the case. Samsung mentions that the Galaxy Buds Pro offers 5 hours of battery life with 18 hours in the case. This amount can vary depending on what features you enable in-app. Having Active-Noise Cancelling(ANC) always shortened the battery life significantly for me. I only managed to get about 4 hours of listening time. A tremendous feature that the Pro’s offer is seriously fast charging. About 10 minutes of charge yields to hours of playtime. A great feature to have when you are on a time crunch! ============================================== NOTABLE FEATURES: The Galaxy Buds Pro provides a wide array of features. Many of these features are accessible through the Galaxy Wearable app which I will get into more later. The most prominent feature and arguably the headphone’s selling point is the ANC technology. ANC does indeed work well. Using the app, you can adjust the ANC level from a spectrum of completely off to high. There is a notable difference between having ANC completely off and on. ANC is not the best I’ve experienced on in-ear headphones but the ANC is sufficient enough to block a lot of the outside sounds and be at complete peace. Having music at a moderate volume helps as well with ANC. Another notable feature is ambient sound. Ambient sound allows you to hear the environment around you while listening to your media. Great for when you need to be aware of your surroundings. All I can say is that ambient mode on the pros works significantly well. You can adjust how much sound you want to let in through the app. This mode also works best with another feature called Voice Detect. Essentially, the Pro’s will detect your voice and lower the volume of all your media to allow you to hear the outside world. This is useful when someone suddenly sparks a conversation with you or when you go order something at a restaurant while listening to your media. Your media will remain low volume for several seconds(adjustable in-app) and will go back to regular volume once the seconds have elapsed. The Galaxy Buds Pro also contains the following features: - 2-Way Speakers - IPX7 rated for submersion up to 1 meter of freshwater for up to 30 minutes. - 360 Audio with Dolby Head Tracking (Compatible with only certain Android devices) - Bixby Support - The ability to use one headphone while the other is charging. - Wireless Charging ============================================== GALAXY WEARABLE APP/TAP CONTROLS: The Galaxy Buds Pro’s are built for Android devices. If you own an Android device, most or all features will be compatible. The Galaxy Buds Pro’s can be used with IOS devices but IOS users won’t be able to experience many of the features the Pro’s have to offer. Android users will be able to download the Galaxy Wearable App, which I highly recommend. The app allows you to experience all the features the Galaxy Buds pros have to offer. I’ve mentioned some of these features before but here is a list of them: - Noise Controls (ANC, Ambient Sound, etc,) - Voice Detect - Block Touches - Ability to Customize the “touch and hold” on the headphones - Equalizer with many different modes such as Bass Boost, Soft, Dynamic, and more - Ability to “Read Notifications Aloud” if you are not on your phone - Gaming Mode - Find My Earbuds and more! These also have tap controls. Tap controls work well and are extremely sensitive. The tap controls are like any other headphones. Single tap play/pause. Double-tap next song/answer call, etc. The only problem I experienced with the tap controls are when I go to adjust the headphone, the headphone sometimes registers it as a pause because of the high sensitivity. There is currently no way to adjust the tap sensitivity. There is only a way to completely block the touches which completely defeats the purpose of touch controls. Hopefully, Samsung provides an update where the user can adjust the sensitivity of the headphones, if possible. ============================================== CONCLUSION/TLDR: Overall, the Galaxy Buds Pros are an excellent pair of true wireless headphones. Sound quality is one of the best features the headphones provide. Its wide array of adjustable features such as ANC, Ambient Sound, 360 Audio, voice detect, wireless charging, and more justifies the price point for these premium headphones. The Galaxy Buds Pro is cheaper than the Air Pods Pro but the amazing features the Galaxy Buds Pro offers make this a worthy competitor to them. These headphones were shy from being perfect for several reasons. ANC worked well but was not the best. Playing music at a moderate volume seemed to enhance the ANC. Battery life was subpar and I could never reach 5 hours of battery life. These aren’t the best “comfort” headphones out there as I started to experience discomfort at about an hour of usage. But overall, the Galaxy Buds Pro is a pair of premium headphones that will not disappoint you. I wholeheartedly recommend that you give these a try.

Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Pro Earbuds have come a long way since the manufacturer’s debut with the Galaxy Buds. Having owned a pair of the original Galaxy Buds, the Galaxy Buds Pro experience is a very well deserved improvement over the iconic originals. Packaging is minimal: • Galaxy Buds Pro earbuds • Charging cable (USB-C and USB-A connectors) • Charging case • Additional earbud tips Setup is seamless via the Galaxy Wearable app: simply take the earbuds out of the case, select “Add new device”, enable your location and the apps does the rest. The form factor is only slightly bigger than the original Galaxy Buds. I appear to be blessed with ear canals that simply lock earbuds in and keep them in! The Galaxy Buds Pro are no exception and remain comfortable even with extended use. Two additional earbud tips are included to assist with the fit, should it be required. Physically, the only controls on the earbuds are the touch pads/areas that perform a myriad of functions through different combinations of touch inputs: a double touch answers and ends calls, for example. I have found them to be very sensitive and have inadvertently ended calls as I tried to wear them. To prevent accidental touches, they can be turned off via the Galaxy Wearable app. Off the heels of the Buds +, the app also displays the charging case battery level which the original Galaxy Buds could not do. An IPX7 rating provides some degree of water resistance, however, I typically wipe them down to clean any sweat that could possibly corrode the terminals. Tuned by AKG, calls are crisp and clear to all parties. Paired with my Note 20 Ultra, I am able to stay on calls down at the ground floor with the phone upstairs on the third floor. To elevate the listening experience, a six setting equalizer is included that delivers punchy tones with the Bass Boost setting. The Galaxy Buds Pro employ Active Noise Cancelling and Ambient sound modes for noise control. To obtain the best benefit of these features, it is important the earbuds fit well. Active Noise Cancelling has two modes: high and low, depending on the degree of isolation desired. In my experience, there was very little difference between the two but I keep the high setting. The Ambient sound mode also has four settings to help fine tune your reception. On the maximum “extra high” level, sound is very much amplified and it’s amazing all the little details the microphones pickup. Voice Detect is another feature the Galaxy Buds Pro pack I find very useful. When activated, the earbuds automatically minimize the sound source when voice is detected (either yours or whomever may be talking to you). The “magic” doesn’t end there: the earbuds will keep your sound minimized and automatically return it after a predetermined time (5, 10 or 15 seconds) has elapsed with no further voice detection. I find this very convenient as it eliminates the need to manually perform this task and helps keep me polite! The tradeoff, in my opinion, with packing so much tech in a very tiny package is the battery life. Samsung rates the earbuds for five to eighteen hours. Again, for the form factor, although impressive it still pales when compared with the Galaxy Buds Live. The charging case (with wireless charging capabilities) also deliver a 1.25 hours of juice with a quick 10 minute charge. The gratifying magnetic snap when the earbuds are returned to the charging case is still present. In summary, the Galaxy Buds Pro went back to the original Galaxy Buds design after the brief stray with the Live. Ambient sound controls have been improved along with addition of better water resistance, Active Noise Cancelling and Voice Detect features. The real marvel is the punch they deliver for the package they come in; this is a winner in my books!

Although out for some time, these Buds Pro have been in my Top 3 lineup since release day. Are there better TWS sets? of course! but Samsung knows how to deliver on a quality product, and I have yet to experience any issues with Quality or Durability. The XM4's, AirPods Pro, these and Vista 2's are my dailies for various uses. I dislike that Samsung followed in Apple's footsteps and restricted the App functionality and features to Android only... But not a deal breaker as I use both OS platforms and setting these up on my Tab S7 was a breeze, updated the firmware and then connected them to my iPhone 13 Pro! all the setting carry over and the sound coming from these is superb! Dynamic, "fun" sounding and loud enough for anyone. For all the naysayers that insist this is only good Samsung devices.... errr, wrong! just if you have an Android device just set them up first there then you can connect to iOS - I can hear all the Apple fanboys saying "I just need something that works" these work - you just have to do a little work. Like I said I use both OS platforms and my iPhone 13 Pro is my daily phone. There's more to say but to wrap things up... the fit and sound is subjective - these check both boxes! They are comfortable with the smallest tip included and the sound after switching to a different preset is very good! Not XM4 or Momentum 2 or B&W PI7 good but very good indeed! They are always on sale or a good discounted price, it's Samsung.. what else needs to be said? Thanks for a great product Samsung. I'm sure to continue spending money on devices that work and intrigue me.

There are tons of wireless earbuds on the market now, so it takes quite a bit to stand out and convince you to give away your dollars, especially in the $200 range and higher. The Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro retail for just about that price, and give you quite a bit for it. They come packaged well, in a sturdy charging case with a short USB-C charging cable, and small/medium/large silicone cups for the ear pieces (medium are pre-installed on them). My box was actually missing guides or instructions, but you can find them easily on the Samsung support site as downloads. The Buds Pro are attractive, looking like slick, giant “beans”. They fit easily in the ear with the right sized tip. They generally stay in place, though I think if I were jogging or running they might need to be pushed back in occasionally to secure the fit. Shaking my head easily, they stayed in, but a couple of times one would pop out if I got carried away. They connect to your Android phone (they don’t play well with iPhones, sorry) via Bluetooth by opening the case to pair them to your phone via the “Galaxy Wearable” app you download beforehand. The app discovers the buds, pairs them to your phone, and gives you access to many adjustments for things like two levels of active noise canceling, six preset equalizer sound adjustments (Normal, Bass Boost, Soft, Dynamic, Clear, and Treble Boost), balance, and more, including a “find my earbuds” feature that causes them to beep when lost to help you find them. I tested these out on two phones including a more entry-level Samsung Galaxy A21, and a Google Pixel 4a 5G mid-range model. Pairing went smoothly on both phones, and so far, the connections remain consistent, even if I move to another room with just one hiccup on the Galaxy A21 where once I did lose the connection after moving about 15 or so feet away from the phone. The Pixel had no issues even up to around 30 feet. Sound is very good and clear, and since you can choose from the equalizer presets, you can make slight tweaks to it to enhance whatever specific type of music you’re listening to. I hear no distortions at all normal levels of music, though if you crank it up to nearly the highest levels you hear some (most people will not use this high of a level though). You can control how you move through your songs via single, double, and triple taps as well as a touch-and-hold action on the side of a bud. Phone calls are very clear in terms of my hearing the person on the other end. In terms of the other person, they tell me overall I’m clear. Double-tapping on a bud answers or ends a call, or switches between two – in theory. I found the tap gestures to be a bit glitchy with calls. They seem to work perfectly when controlling music, but when answering/ending calls, you have to double-tap very precisely and timed just right to get them to do it. I missed a few calls when the buds would not answer as they should, and it took practice to get the right spot and timing in-between taps to get the answer/end bit to work consistently. In terms of comfort, I’d give these a pretty good rating – though I’ve worn some that were more comfortable and some that were much less so, too; middle ground, here. I don’t think I could wear these all day unfortunately, though for up to a couple of hours or so at a time they were ok. Battery life is ok but not stellar. The advertised amount is close to 5 hours. I average around 4 ½ hours, but that was also using the noise cancelling function on high during much of the time, which will use the battery up a little faster. Of course, you can always pop them into their charger case to top them off as needed, too (up to 5 times before the case needs charging). The case does not have a series of 4-5 lights to let you know how much charge it has, though. Just a green or red light to get you know it’s power status. The app will let you know how much the buds themselves are charged. So… are the Galaxy Buds Pro with the price? They’re a little less costly than some other very popular ones on the market right now, but a little more so than others. My gripes with them are the battery life, the tapping glitches for calls, and the comfort level in your ears after a couple of hours – all of which I’d like to see improved on. But the sound and app options are very good, call quality is good enough (once connected), and they look good as well. If they are within your budget and you’re aware of the few blips they have and can live with them, I would still recommend them, but with reservations depending on your needs.

Looking at the specs and some details, these look phenomenal. I wanted to love them. THE GOOD ~ Light ~ Look good ~ Easily paired with Samsung S10e ~ Noise cancelling ~ Good bass ~ Decent music overall ~ Comfortable fit ~ Call quality very good THE BAD ~ Before you can get them fully functional, you have to give Samsung access to everything including the box your phone came in (exaggerating, but not much) ~ Have to download software, set it up and give access to Samsung just to use the touch pads for volume ~ Noise distortion in some songs when loud--like a quiet static in the background during certain parts or notes played together ~ Too easy to accidentally pause or change tunes THE MEH (Could go either way) ~ USB-C charger. This is a big plus for me. I don't understand any company still using micro-USB ~ Wireless charging with included case (I like this too) OVERALL Overall, I like these, I just don't LOVE them. For audiophiles, I think, probably, the most important thing of all I wrote above is about the distortion. It may just be the set I have. I listen to a lot of different types of music. I listened to Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyrie" with these. It sounded amazing. I listened to some other more soft rock/pop type songs and the quality was very high. Listening to rap and hip hop was where the distortion came in. The bass was great, it was just some of those mid range notes and voices had a slight raspy quality on the edges. This is definitely more pronounced when the volume is up. The noise cancelling was great. Once in the gym with the music on, I couldn't hear anything else. I've had other ear buds where I have the music all the way up and can hear the two moms on the treadmills next to me talking about little Johnny vomiting. It was nice to be able to--as the song says--get lost in the rock-n-roll and drift away. Test calls went very well. Participants said the sound quality was tremendously better than normal (using the phone mic). These didn't come with extra rubber pads. Fortunately, the ones already on the buds fit my ears well. I had no problem jogging, running, or working out with them. Every now and then, I reached up to touch one for a micro-adjustment and ended up stopping the music. This was a disappointment, because if you want to push them in a little further or just brush them, the touch pads will hit pause for you. These also didn't come with any instructions, so I had to go to the Samsung website and download instructions just to figure out how to raise and lower the volume. (Yeah, I'm a guy and thought, "who needs instructions?" I did, because I had to go into Samsung Wearable App on the phone and select to use the pads for volume). Would I recommend these to a friend? I am selecting yes, but I want to add the caveat here that, yes, I would recommend them to the "right" friends. For someone on a strict budget or who listens to a lot of hip hop or rap (with the volume up high), I would probably pass. I also wouldn't recommend them to my parents who would probably get lost on using the controls. These are geared more for the younger, tech-minded crowd who listens to Julia Michaels and Maroon 5. The missing star is for a combination of the distortion, the ease of accidentally pausing or changing a song, and required permissions

This review is based on me owning the Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy Buds Plus, and AirPods Pro. I also own the iPhone 12 Pro Max and the GS20 Ultra so I can give the user experience from a Samsung phone and an iPhone. No bias here and this review is based on USER EXPERIENCE. Pros: Galaxy Buds Pro sound great, have good bass, clear vocals, sound great for phone calls, a great Ambient mode, no latency when watching movies or gaming, ANC is now a feature, and these have voice detect which will pause the audio when you start talking. Do these sound better then AirPods Pro? That is subjective and depends on what you prefer in audio. AirPods Pro get louder and the Galaxy Buds Pro have fuller bass. Cons: Galaxy Buds Pro don't fit as well or as comfortable as the Galaxy Buds Plus in my ears. I've noticed other reviews mention this too. The ANC is average and not as good as AirPods Pro. Battery life is now 5 hours...down from 11 hours with the Galaxy Buds Plus. Final thoughts: These are the best earbuds for people with a Samsung phone. AirPods Pro are the best earbuds for people with an iPhone...that's the simple truth. If you want the best ANC, loudest earbuds, and best Bluetooth range...AirPods Pro. If you want the best bass, best Ambient mode, and lots of extra features from a companion app...Galaxy Buds Pro. Lastly...I will always recommend to family and friends that they choose the BEST FIT over brand when buying earbuds cuz that's what your sound experience will come down to.

In comparison with other earbuds I own and have reviewed on here, these things are among the best sounding and have the best noise cancelling. However, fit and battery life could be better. No instructions or “quick start” guide in the box as others have noted. Owners manual: https://downloadcenter.samsung.com/content/UM/202102/20210205043252788/WEA_SM-R190_Buds_Pro_EN_UM_010621_FINAL_AC.pdf Setup was easy. They connected up with my Samsung Note 10+ and wife’s Note 9 with no problem via the Galaxy Wearable app. The app gives you options for noise cancelling, ambient sound, touch control, EQ and voice control. Also online user manual with app. Please note that My review is on how well these earbuds work and sound. Not a step by step setup and every option explained in deep detail. Please see the owner's manual for that in the link above. When used on a phone call nobody had any problems hearing what I was saying and said they sounded very good. Audio quality in a call was excellent on my end ANC on or off. The Shape and fitting of the earbuds into your ears is a bit weird. They insert what appears to be upside down and twist. During that time they might make annunciation sounds that you are activating or deactivating a feature. Maybe Samsung can update the FW so they ignore touches until both are in your ears a couple of seconds. Speaking of which, there are touch options and touch and hold options for various functions like taking a call, ANC on/off, ambient sound on/off, pause, next track, previous track, ect. See the app for settings and options. Once in your ears deep and tight enough to block ambient sounds you’re good to go. But you may need to try the different included rubber tips that fit on them to get a snug fit in your ear canal. (see photo) Too small and they fall out. Too tight and they will start to make your ear canal hurt after a short while, like the majority of earbuds do. Say 10 minutes or less. Even with a good comfortable fit in the beginning they can become uncomfortable after a while. Say 30 minutes on. This is not uncommon from my experience for devices that seal up in the ear canal. Just a matter or how much discomfort or pain you can tolerate. I was able to get a good seal with no discomfort until well over an hour of wear and only mild after that with the tips that they were shipped with. Worked ok for my wife with the smallest tips. Battery life leaves a bit to be desired. I only got about 4 hours with ANC on. About 5 with it off and ambient sound on. This is the shortest life of all other wireless earbuds I have. They recharge in a rechargeable case that you charge using a standard 5 VDC phone charger. They include a USB cable with a USB C plug on one end and standard on the other. The case tells you charge status. Inside LED for the buds and outside LED for the case. The app also tells this info. You can also use wireless power share to recharge them if you own a device that has this feature. You simply enable the feature and place the case on the back of your phone. This works well but if you have a case on your phone you will probably have to remove it. Nowhere in Samsung’s owner manual or on any site did I find recharge times. Sound Quality for music is Excellent! Deep bass that’s not muddy. Super clean highs that are not harsh. These buds have an 11mm woofer and 6.5mm tweeter in each. They are on par with my Master & Dynamic - MW07 PLUS (10mm driver) earbuds. The app has preset EQ options like flat, bass boost, treble boost and such. I liked the “Dynamic” preset the best. It will work along with other EQ options with the Samsung Music app as well as other apps. They are not super bass heavy, they are well balanced. I tested the audio quality with my usual group of artists known for their exquisite recording and production quality such as Steely Dan and Alan Parsons. I was impressed! :-) Active Noise Cancelling is the best of all of the earbuds that I have. It can almost block out my noisy shop vac and will block running water while also running the disposal in the kitchen sink. Keep in mind that this is with music playing at a medium level. You will still hear things without music playing, however, with music playing, even at a low level, is when ANC seems to work the best. One of the features that I like is that you can set them up to kick in ambient sound when you start talking. This lets you converse without having to mess with the app or earbuds. You can set them the resume ANC after a preset time if your voice isn’t heard. You can also set them to change EQ settings for calls vs music and then return to music EQ when your call ends. You can also have them set up to read notifications aloud too.If you lose them use the app to make them beep to find them. There's also Bixby options too. The build quality for this device is very good for this price. They are water resistant to 3 feet for 30 minutes. But don’t put em in the charger box wet or dirty, and not for pool and beach use, Samsung advises. The build quality for this device is very good for this price. Conclusion: If I had to pick just one set of earbuds from all that I have it would probably be these. They have the best audio for music and the best noise cancelling. What would make me not pick them. Battery life.

After owning and still using the first generation galaxy buds I wanted to see what an upgrade would do. Decided to wait after the 2nd generation, I had purchased the "beans" when they had first came out and to my disappointment and my opinion did not live up to even the 1st generation buds because of the change of shape of the buds and did not even support ambient features like the previous 2 models before so after some exercises and 2 days later ended up returning them and continued to wait for the next gen buds. I had purchased these bad boys and to my surprise had everything I was looking for and more and was happy that they went for a sleeker and same look as the buds before the beans. Another thing worth mentioning and what sold me is when I found out about what the buds do automatically as soon as someone outside talks to you or even as soon as it hears your voice it pauses whatever you're listening to and goes into the ambient mode so you can hear the outside world without having to touch anything or even take them out of your ears and then 10 seconds later when the buds don't hear any voices anymore goes back to playing music and drowns everything out completely so it's perfect serenity with only you and whatever you're listening to. If you're looking for an upgrade of earphones definitely take the time to try these out.. I am kind of biased because almost everything I have is purely Samsung from my TVs to my phones and everything in between.. but this is all my opinion and being a normal best buy purchaser trying to get my voice out there and getting some rewards points while I'm at it haha