The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 is a reasonably priced set of ANC earbuds. Although it isn’t a standout pair of earbuds, it serves its purpose well as a daily headset. Most listeners will be satisfied with the sound quality, and although the noise canceling is not the best, it is still quite good for the price.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 are excellent for commuting and traveling as well. Since they are lightweight and compact, you can easily carry them in your pocket or bag.
Before buying Samsung galaxy buds 2, read our complete review on this product, you will learn more about it/
Table of Contents
Pros And Cons Of Samsung Galaxy Buds 2
Pros
- Active noise-cancellation
- Balanced sound
- Improved call quality
- Galaxy Wearable app is useful
- Great comfort and fit
- Two wireless charging methods
Cons
- Middling battery life
- Missing advanced features
- No sub-bass response
- No always-listening Assistant
- Only IPX2 rating
- ANC could be stronger
Features Of Samsung Galaxy Buds 2
- Active noise cancellation
- No always-listening voice assistant
- Support for SBC, AAC, and Samsung’s Scalable Codec
The noise cancellation feature of the new Galaxy Buds 2 is a given when discussing them because it was absent from the first generation of Galaxy Buds.
Holding either earbud’s touchpad activates the noise cancellation feature. Although you can change that feature through the Galaxy Wearable app to do something else, such as call your virtual assistant, we advise keeping at least one of the controls set to noise cancellation. In addition, ANC can now be turned on even when only one earbud is in use thanks to a recent firmware update.
Speaking of assistants, we’re a little disappointed that Samsung chose not to incorporate an always-listening assistant into the Galaxy Buds 2. This may make them less appealing to users who prefer not to have to press a button to activate their voice assistant.
Once you’ve switched to the ambient mode, which feeds the Buds outside sound, press the noise cancellation button one more time. That might seem to be the complete opposite of what you want, but it’s actually quite useful when you want to talk to someone without taking out your headphones or when you’re waiting for your flight to depart. The ambient mode can now be turned on while you’re on the phone, thanks to the aforementioned firmware update, allowing you to hear sounds around you.
Price And Release Date Of Samsung Galaxy Buds 2
- Available now
- $149.99 / £139.99 / AU$219
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 cost $149.99/£139.99/AU$219 and were introduced at Samsung’s online Unpacked 2021 event. View our review of the Galaxy Z Fold 3, which was released the same day.
They cost the same as the initial Samsung Galaxy Buds when they were released in 2019 (with the exception of Australia, where they are less expensive). Read more about this in our review of the Samsung Galaxy Buds.
See our Beats Studio Buds review for a pair of similarly priced true wireless earbuds. Numerous features of these Beats headphones are also present. They are just as good as Apple’s Studio Buds, and we thought they were even better than Apple AirPods, which are currently the company’s best-selling earbuds.
Design Of Samsung Galaxy Buds 2
- Available in four colors
- Intuitive touch controls
- IPX2 water resistance rating
The Galaxy Buds 2 can be distinguished from its predecessor’s thanks to its distinctive design. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 are most like pebbles, which are small, mostly round, and extremely smooth, whereas the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live are most like beans. A rounded plastic case that can be easily slipped into a pocket also accommodates them.
The Buds themselves, which come in one of four colors, are visible once the case is opened. Graphite, White, Olive, Lavender, and Purple. It is important to remember that the outside of the case will always be white, but the Buds themselves and the interior of the case will have a distinctive color.
The new Galaxy Buds 2 are said to be 20% lighter and 15% smaller than the Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus, making them more comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. They are a little harder to handle and are more likely to fall out of their case and your ears as a result of their slight diminutive size.
We’d definitely advise being careful with them when pulling them out or putting them back in their case, lest they unintentionally fall out and bounce somewhere you can’t reach them. Thankfully, the Buds are magnetized to hook onto the metal charging pins in the case, so it won’t happen often.
Sound Quality Of Samsung Galaxy Buds 2
- Powerful and customizable sound
- Low-latency gaming mode
- No Samsung 360 Audio support
The Galaxy Buds 2 are another example of Samsung’s consistently excellent audio performance. These tiny in-ears are powered by AKG-tuned drivers, which produce a lively, detailed sound that can be customized using the Equalizer feature of the Galaxy Wearable app. Select from six presets Standard, Soft, Dynamic, Clear, and Treble Boost. Normal is the default. When used in conjunction with the appropriate musical style, each of these is beneficial.
To emphasize both Anderson. Paak and Bruno Mars’ vocals while maintaining the upbeat tempo of the production, Clear was ideal for harmonic records like Silk Sonic’s “Skate.” Switching to Bass Boost, Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble” began with a distorted guitar riff that had an impact, but it was the hard-hitting 808 drum pattern that sumo-splashed my eardrums and caused me to nod my head rhythmically. The rising synths were loud and striking, but as awesome as this sounded, I preferred listening to the record in Normal because it provided better midrange.
Noise Cancellation Of Samsung Galaxy Buds 2
- Improved audio
- ANC could be better
- Good call quality
Samsung and AKG deserve credit for this: each generation of Galaxy Buds 2 continue the trend of Galaxy Buds inching ever closer to that sonic sweet spot.
The aspect of their sound that we adore the most is that their wonderful sound curve amplifies the bass, mids, and highs while leaving out the sub-bass (below 80 Hz) and the highest registers (11,000 Hz and above), which can sound harsh at higher volumes.
The majority of the time, however, you’re treated to surprisingly clear audio with a decent bass boost when listening to EDM and rap, and a crisp mid-range for rock and R&B. Great sweeping effects can be heard in songs like The Who’s Baba O’Riley thanks to excellent stereo separation, and even though the soundstage isn’t incredibly large, it’s significantly wider than what we experienced with the original Galaxy Buds.
These earbuds have excellent sound quality despite those incredibly minor complaints.
Battery Life Of Samsung Galaxy Buds 2
- 29 hours total battery life
- Automatic pausing
- Support for wireless charging
With active noise cancellation turned on, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 should last you about five hours of continuous use, and a little longer if you turn it off. For a total of 20 hours with ANC turned on or 29 hours, if you leave it off, there are at least three more charges inside the case.
Of course, how you use the earbuds will affect their battery life. The battery life listed above is for listening time; if you use them for conversations, it will only last for 3.5 hours with ANC turned on and 13 hours with the case, or for 3.5 hours and 14 hours with ANC off.
The inside of the earbuds now has a proximity sensor that will automatically pause the music when it detects that they are outside of your ear canal, which helps to maximize battery life. You’ll conserve some battery life and thus won’t need to recharge them as frequently by automatically pausing music in that manner.
Support for wireless charging using a Qi charger is an additional new feature for this generation. If you have a charging pad and a phone that supports wireless charging, that is a nice bonus, but it won’t be a deal-breaker if you need to use the case’s standard USB-C port.
Although you’ll still get respectable charging speeds, the only thing missing is fast charging. In our tests, after 10 minutes on the charger, which equates to more than an hour of listening, we were able to reach a 12% charge in the case. Although it may not be as quick as other fast-charging earbuds, which can charge to 25% or 50% of their capacity in 15 minutes, it’s still not bad.
How To Control Samsung Galaxy Buds 2?
The list of typical operations for controlling the earphones is provided below. You can modify the way the touch controls work by opening the Galaxy Wearable app and going to the “Touch controls” menu, so be aware of that. To a certain extent, you can change the voice assistant, ANC, and music playback controls.
How To Connect My Samsung Galaxy Buds 2?
Samsung made the Galaxy Buds 2 360 Audio compatible with video content.
The earbuds support Bluetooth 5.2, which provides a chance for LE Audio and the LC3 codec to be supported. The Galaxy Buds 2 are instantly compatible with all Samsung devices. A pop-up notification on your Samsung phone will appear when you open the case for the first time close to it, requesting your consent to pair it with the Galaxy Buds 2. Once you’ve done that, your connection will remain stable whether you’re inside or outside. If you own an Android device that is not a Samsung, you can pair the Galaxy Buds 2 with it using the Galaxy Wearable app or the Bluetooth settings on your device.
The Galaxy Buds 2 support a few Bluetooth codecs, just like the rest of Samsung’s earphones: SBC, AAC, and Samsung Scalable Codec. The proprietary codec operates similarly to aptX Adaptive, dynamically adjusting the bit rate from 88 to 512 kbps while constantly balancing connection and audio quality. This puts non-Samsung smartphone owners on the short end of the stick and makes the Galaxy Buds 2 an excellent option for Samsung smartphone owners. Depending on your Android hardware, AAC rates are still variable.
Should You Choose Samsung Galaxy Buds 2?
For those who don’t like the idea of being able to submerge the earbuds in water, this set of noise-canceling earbuds is a good choice.
If you’re looking for affordable headphones with good sound quality and quick charging, the Galaxy Buds 2 is a good option. The Galaxy Buds Plus has endured over the years without any problems, despite the fact that an IPX2 rating would be nice. Although I sincerely hope Samsung addresses the issue, switching to a different pair of Galaxy Buds won’t make the problem go away. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 ultimately don’t offer anything novel. Simply put, it delivers good performance and reliable noise cancellation for the price.
Even so, the Galaxy Buds Plus is a true gem that outperforms the Google Pixel Buds A-Series if noise cancellation isn’t important to you. Alternatively, you could purchase the Galaxy Buds Pro if you prefer a more enticing earbud design with a few extra software features and a much better microphone.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Vs. Bose Quietcomfort Earbuds
Although the Bose adaptive EQ is great and makes the QC Earbuds simple to use, pickier listeners can EQ the sound from the Music app.
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are excellent earbuds, but one drawback is their cost. It was not cheap at $279 USD. For the same price as one set of QC Earbuds from Bose, you can purchase two sets of Galaxy Buds 2. However, for listeners who prioritize comfort and ANC performance over all else, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are a headset worth the hype. When it comes to reducing some frequencies, Bose’s noise-canceling beats out the renowned Sony WF-1000XM4 and also has decent passive isolation.
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are a better option for those who frequently switch between Apple and Android hardware because they are OS-agnostic, in contrast to the Galaxy Buds 2. You can make a unique EQ on any device using the Bose Music app. You’ll need a specialized EQ app on your iPhone in order to customize the EQ for the Galaxy Buds 2.
150-300Hz frequencies will sound much quieter with compared to the Sony WF-1000XM4, Bose QC Earbuds are superior.
The Bose earbuds’ IPX4 rating, which is stronger than the Galaxy Buds 2’s IPX2 rating, will appeal to athletes more than the latter. Because they have integrated wing tips that keep the buds in your ears during exercise, Bose’s proprietary ear tips also make the QuietComfort Earbuds a better choice. You could also get Bose’s special workout earbuds.
While the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds appear to be superior to the Galaxy Buds 2, most people prefer the Galaxy Buds 2 because of its better value.
What Distinguishes Galaxy Buds Plus, Live, Buds2, And Buds Pro?
Let’s do a quick rundown on the Samsung Galaxy Buds line of earbuds if you want to make sure you’re making the right choice before you commit to the Galaxy Buds 2. The similarities come first: all models have touch controls, an All models come with a USB-C case that supports wireless charging and Wireless PowerShare, have an IP rating (IPX2 to IPX7), and support the SBC, AAC, and Samsung Scalable codecs.
Final Thoughts
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 are a huge improvement over the originals, providing active noise cancellation, better sound quality, and a great fit.
The Galaxy Buds 2 really work nicely with Samsung Galaxy smartphones and other Android devices
The Galaxy Buds 2 makes a lot of compromises, though, which is to be expected when something is less expensive. The Galaxy Buds Pro is significantly inferior in terms of battery life, call quality and design, and 360 Audio is kept to itself. Owners of smartphones other than Galaxy models also miss out on exclusive features connected to the Galaxy ecosystem, like Gaming Mode and PowerShare.
They are not the best true wireless earbuds available, but they are unquestionably among the best for Samsung smartphone owners who want flawless synchronization with their Galaxy gear. I hope this article will help you decide whether or not to buy it.
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