Three generations into its pursuit of the ideal wireless earbud, Samsung arrives at the Galaxy Buds Pro — a $199 offering that quietly resolves the compromises that defined its predecessors. Where earlier models asked listeners to choose between comfort, sound, and features, the Buds Pro suggest that patient iteration, rather than bold reinvention, is often how technology matures. They are not a revolution, but they are a completion.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro deliver on sound quality and comfort at $199
Finally delivered a product without a glaring flaw
Mark
What was the biggest problem with the previous generation that these actually fix?
Mimi
Comfort and sound quality were the two main issues. The Buds+ sounded acceptable but uninspiring, and I couldn't wear them for more than an hour without real discomfort. The Pro version flips that entirely—the new eartip shape seals without pressure, and the two-way speaker system means you don't need to immediately open the equalizer to make them sound good.
Mark
So they sound good out of the box. But do they sound better than everything else at this price?
Mimi
They're competitive with the Jabra Elite 75t, which is the standard-bearer in this category. The Buds Pro trade some bass emphasis for clarity. The real catch is that they're optimized for Samsung phones—on a Pixel or OnePlus, you lose some of that dynamic range in the midrange. For Samsung users, they're exceptional. For everyone else, they're still excellent, just not quite as refined.
Mark
The voice detect feature sounds useful. How often does it actually work?
Mimi
About nine times out of ten, flawlessly. The tenth time you might need to speak a bit louder or say a few more words. False positives happen—a cough will trigger it—but in real life, being able to have a conversation just by saying hello without removing the buds or touching controls is genuinely transformative.
Mark
What about noise cancellation? That was a disaster on the previous model.
Mimi
It's competent now, though not exceptional. Background noise mostly disappears, but sharp sounds still get through. The reviewer couldn't do full testing because of quarantine, but what was possible suggested it's adequate rather than impressive. It's a real feature now, not a gimmick.
Mark
Battery life went down compared to the Buds+. Is that a problem?
Mimi
Five to six hours on the buds with ANC on is still solid—most people will only need to charge the case once a week. It's a trade-off for the improvements elsewhere, and most users will find it acceptable.
Mark
At $199, who should actually buy these?
Mimi
Anyone with a Samsung phone and the budget should absolutely get them. For Android users on other platforms, they're still excellent, but you're paying premium prices without getting the full optimization. For that price, you want everything to sing.
O Pulso
- Samsung's previous earbuds carried real flaws — mediocre sound, failed noise cancellation, and a fit that became painful within an hour — creating pressure to finally deliver something whole.
- The Buds Pro's two-way speaker design produces genuinely compelling audio out of the box, ending the ritual of equalizer adjustments that Samsung users had come to accept as normal.
- A voice-detect feature that automatically lowers music and opens ambient mode when you speak reframes what earbuds can do in daily life, turning a small engineering choice into a meaningful behavioral shift.
- Active noise cancellation, once an embarrassment for the brand, now performs competently — not class-leading, but no longer a liability.
- At $199 with reduced battery life compared to the previous generation, the Buds Pro ask buyers to pay more for refinement rather than expansion — a bet that polish, at last, is enough.
Three generations into its pursuit of the ideal wireless earbud, Samsung arrives at the Galaxy Buds Pro — a $199 offering that quietly resolves the compromises that defined its predecessors. Where earlier models asked listeners to choose between comfort, sound, and features, the Buds Pro suggest that patient iteration, rather than bold reinvention, is often how technology matures. They are not a revolution, but they are a completion.
Samsung has spent three generations chasing the perfect earbud, and the Galaxy Buds Pro, at $199, represent the closest the company has come. The previous Buds+ were genuinely capable, but they had limits — sound that was serviceable rather than compelling, and a fit that became uncomfortable after an hour. The Buds Pro address both problems directly.
The design is conservative: familiar silicone tips, a glossy mirror body, matte plastic backing. But the new oval-shaped eartips seal properly without creating pressure, and for anyone who struggled with earlier models, the difference is immediate. These buds disappear into your ears. The real advancement is acoustic — a two-way speaker system separating tweeter from woofer delivers clear, detailed audio with genuine bass, no equalizer required. Tested against earbuds like the Jabra Elite 75t, the Buds Pro hold their own. The familiar caveat applies: they sound best paired with Samsung devices using proprietary codecs, though they remain excellent on other Android phones.
Active noise cancellation, which failed badly on the Buds Live, works here — competently if not exceptionally. Background noise recedes; sharp sounds occasionally break through. More impressive is voice detect, which automatically activates ambient mode the moment you begin speaking. It works reliably, and the ability to slip into a conversation without touching your ears changes how the earbuds feel across a full day.
Battery life is five to six hours with ANC enabled, plus thirteen in the case — a step down from the Buds+, but manageable. The case itself is compact, matte-finished, and supports both USB-C and wireless charging. In a week of testing, a single case charge was sufficient.
At $199, the Buds Pro are not an impulse buy. But Samsung has finally produced an earbud without a glaring weakness — and for the brand, that is itself a milestone.
Samsung has spent three generations chasing the perfect earbud, and with the Galaxy Buds Pro, arriving at $199 a pair, the company finally seems to have gotten there. The previous generation, the Buds+, were genuinely good—among the best truly wireless earbuds available at the time. But they had a ceiling. The sound was serviceable rather than compelling, and the fit, at least for this reviewer, bordered on painful after an hour of wear. The new Buds Pro address both problems head-on, and in doing so, they've become Samsung's most complete earbud offering to date.
The hardware itself won't turn heads. The buds follow the familiar silicone-tipped design that dominates the category, with a glossy mirror finish on the main body interrupted by a microphone grill and matte plastic backing that sits against the ear. It's conservative, almost boring—but it works. The oval-shaped eartips seal properly without creating the sensation of pressure that plagued earlier models, and a quick twist locks them in place. For someone who couldn't wear the previous generation for more than an hour without discomfort, the difference is transformative. These buds disappear into your ears.
The real leap forward is in sound quality. Samsung engineered a two-way speaker system that separates the tweeter from the woofer, allowing the Buds Pro to deliver clear, detailed audio with genuine bass response. Unlike previous Samsung earbuds, you don't feel compelled to immediately open the equalizer and start tweaking just to make them listenable. Out of the box, they sound good. The Dynamic and bass boost modes add further dimension without feeling gimmicky. In testing against other premium earbuds like the Jabra Elite 75t, the Buds Pro hold their own, trading some bass emphasis for greater clarity. The caveat is familiar: Samsung earbuds sound their absolute best when paired with Samsung phones, which use proprietary scalable codecs. Connected to a Pixel 5, the Buds Pro lose some dynamism in the midrange, though they remain excellent. For most Android users, they'll be more than satisfying.
Active noise cancellation, a feature that failed spectacularly on the Galaxy Buds Live, works here—though not spectacularly. The reviewer's testing was limited by pandemic quarantine, but what was possible suggested competent performance. Background noise largely disappeared during yard work, with only sharp sounds like clicks and taps breaking through. It's effective enough, though not in the league of the absolute best ANC earbuds on the market. Latency proved a non-issue across Samsung devices and an iPad Pro, with no perceptible lag during video playback.
The standout feature is voice detect, which automatically activates ambient mode and lowers music volume the moment you start speaking. In practice, this works reliably about nine times out of ten, requiring only a few extra words or a louder voice on the tenth attempt. It occasionally triggers on false positives—a cough or throat clear—but the real-world utility is undeniable. Being able to have a conversation with someone simply by saying hello, without removing the buds or fumbling with controls, changes how these earbuds feel in daily life. Samsung also included a 360 audio feature that adjusts the soundstage when you turn your head, though it feels more like a novelty than a practical tool.
Battery life sits at five to six hours on the buds themselves with ANC enabled, plus thirteen hours in the case—a step down from the Buds+, but still respectable. The case itself is nearly perfect: compact without being slim, with a matte finish that's pleasant to hold and less prone to fingerprints than the glossy Buds Live case. The magnets holding the lid closed are almost too strong, requiring two hands to open, though they do produce a deeply satisfying thunk when shut. The case supports both USB-C and wireless charging, and in a week of testing, only one full charge of the case was needed.
At $199, the Buds Pro aren't an impulse purchase. You can find solid earbuds for under $100. But Samsung has finally delivered a product without a glaring flaw—no worthless ANC, no mediocre sound, no comfort issues. For anyone with the budget, they represent a genuine step forward in what Samsung can do with wireless audio.
Citações Notáveis
Samsung has finally learned from its mistakes and absolutely nailed it— Reviewer's assessment of the Buds Pro versus previous generations
If these are in your budget, they're absolutely worth the price— Reviewer's final recommendation despite the $199 price tag
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