A more affordable version of the Buds Pro model

After the premium Galaxy Buds Pro, this year Samsung introduced a new generation of more affordable wireless headphones – Galaxy Buds2. They took over from their siblings not only the design, great durability and fast charging, but also the very desirable function of active noise suppression. And all with a price of 149 euros.

Samsung Galaxy Buds2: Package

In addition to the headphones and the charging box, only the necessary things are waiting for you in the package. Nothing has changed in this regard with previous models of wireless headphones. In addition to the mandatory documentation, you will also find a USB-C charging cable and two pairs of spare rubber bands. The headphones originally have rubber bands in a medium size and the package has one smaller and one larger.

Package contents:

• headphones together with a charging case
• USB-C cable
• two pairs of spare rubber bands
• manual and warranty information

The design of the new Galaxy Buds2 looks cheap

Due to the charging case and headphones, this model is reminiscent of last year’s Galaxy Buds Pro. However, the finish has changed from matte to glossy, and the headphones are cheap because of this decision. Buds 2 are available in four colors:

• olive
• graphite
• purple
• White

From the entire Buds range, these headphones are the lightest, each handset weighs only 5 grams and a charging box 41.2 grams. For example, Buds + are over a gram heavier and it’s feelable. In terms of comfort, Buds 2 fit perfectly in the ears and are very comfortable, even when worn for a long time. In addition, they have received IPX2 certification, which guarantees protection against dripping water.

Active noise reduction finally on cheaper Galaxy Buds

This year’s model also received a long-awaited feature that its predecessor Galaxy Buds + lacked. We are talking about the function of active noise suppression, in short ANC. Like Buds +, Buds 2 passively isolates ambient noise very well, so I was wondering what they could do with ANC turned on. However, I remained disappointed, as the active ANC removed the remaining noise only minimally. Therefore, I did not even turn it on during normal use, as active noise cancellation impairs battery life. I wouldn’t mind at all if Samsung decided to omit this feature, reducing the cost of the headphones.

Before I tested ANC, I also used a new feature in the Galaxy Wearable application. It will check if you have put on the headphones correctly. When I saw this option in the app, I immediately remembered the minor fiasco we had here last year testing the Galaxy Buds Pro. The ANC colleague did not work, while the other did, so it was not the wrong piece. It was probably the fault of the incorrect use of the headphones.

Galaxy Wearable application

You can easily pair Galaxy Buds2 with your device after turning on Bluetooth. However, if you want to set touch control options, change the equalizer, or update the headphones, you’ll need Galaxy Wearable. You will find it pre-installed on all Samsung smartphones. If you own a device from another brand, download it via the Google Play store and when launched, the application will prompt you to download a plugin for this model of headphones. In the end, you just give it a few permits and you’re done.

On the home screen at the very top, you will find the battery status of your headphones, but there is no information about the battery capacity of the charging box. Below you can easily switch between Surround Sound and ANC mode. You can easily turn the touch control on and off here, or turn individual gestures on or off by clicking on the settings. You can also change what happens when you hold the headphones. I wanted to set one handset to turn the ANC on and off and the other Ambient Sounds, but that’s exactly the option not available.

Finally, you can access other settings, the user guide, or the feature for finding lost headphones.

The settings have been added to test the correct use of the headphones

In the settings, you will be able to change the equalizer first. There are six profiles available – Normal, Bass Boost, Fine, Dynamic, Pure and Treble Boost. Personally, Dynamic suited me best, the sound at least partially got rid of “tininess”.

A novelty for this model is the mentioned possibility to test the correct placement of the headphones. Improper deployment will not only limit the functionality of the ANC, but will also degrade the sound quality. You will also find the option Read aloud notifications in the application, and after the first update of the headphones, the option to use the Surround sounds mode during calls has been added.

If you’re a fan of experimental features, you can also take a look at the Labs section. However, if you do not own a Samsung phone, you will only find the option to enable double tapping on the edge of the handset. You will then be able to add or decrease the volume over the edge of the handset. Owners of Samsung smartphones will also find the option to turn on the game mode, which will reduce the sound delay.

Pairing headphones is not a problem, but pairing them already is

In connection with the pairing of these headphones, I came across one minor, a bit annoying problem. Once they were paired with a Samsung device, then every time I removed them from the case, a window with the option to connect appeared on this device. Even without the headphones being paired, added to your Samsung account or Bluetooth turned on on your smartphone. In Galaxy Wearable, there is an Easy Headphone option, a description of which suggests that it could fix the problem, but it did not.

Sound quality and touch screen

In addition to ANC, I was also curious about the sound quality and again I was disappointed. I expected them to play better or at least as well as my own Buds +, but it didn’t happen. They don’t sound bad in themselves, and as an unpretentious user, I was satisfied with their sound quality. The two-way woofer and tweeter offer a nicely balanced sound, but it would make more juice.

The first software update revived the sound a bit, bringing it to the Buds + quality level. Compared to the older model, however, they still sound more “sheet metal”. You can also adjust the quality using the equalizer in the Galaxy Wearable application, but the differences between the individual profiles are not very large.

(Not only) the three microphones together with the voice recording unit will take care of the quality of the call. During the call, I heard that I was calling through headphones and in some cases there were also problems with the echo, but I could understand it clearly. Among other things, the first update added the option to have the Surround Sounds mode turned on during calls.

As is usual with Bluetooth headphones, latency must be taken into account when purchasing them. On this model, you won’t catch audio delays when watching videos, but it can be a problem for gamers.

Touchpads work as they should, the only thing I can blame them for is that sometimes they may be too sensitive. All my headphones dropped out while eating or talking, and Buds2 was no exception. When I needed to fix them, I stopped or skipped the song quite often. For that reason, I prefer to turn off touch control.

Battery life and charging

In terms of capacity, each handset has a 61 mAh battery and the charging case has a battery with a capacity of 472 mAh. Samsung officially states that Buds 2 will last 5 hours with ANC on and 7.5 hours without ANC on a single charge. Together with the charging box, according to Samsung, they can handle 20 to 29 hours without the classic charging. Due to its level of functionality, I did not turn on the ANC almost at all, but the actual endurance was shorter than the 7.5 hours.

However, this is not a problem with the fast charging that the case offers. Just charge the headphones for a while and you can get 40 minutes of listening in 3 minutes. With a 10-minute charge according to Samsung, you get up to 150 minutes. As a percentage, this is 55% in 15 minutes of charging, and the headphones are fully charged in an hour and seven minutes. The case lags a bit in the charging speed, when charging from zero you will have it in the network for more than two hours.

Samsung Galaxy Buds2: Final Rating

The latest addition to the Galaxy Buds family did not disappoint. They sound good, they are comfortable and they do not hurt their ears even when listening for a long time. Although other models from the Galaxy Buds series did not surpass in endurance, the average endurance of 6 hours is enough without any problems in normal use. Not to mention the fast charging, which will give you 40 minutes of listening in just three minutes. I also like the colorful designs of the headphones and the new design, which is inspired by the Buds Pro model. That is, except for the glossy plastic, which is quite cheap.

The only thing that disappointed me is the quality of active noise cancellation. The headphones insulate very well and turning on the ANC additionally removes only a minimum of residual noise. From my point of view, it doesn’t make sense to turn it on, given that Samsung says it will reduce endurance by up to two and a half hours. I would rather accept a model without this feature and at a lower price. Advanced users may also miss the ability to customize the equalizer directly in the Galaxy Wearable app.

Parameters

Dimensions and weight	17,0 x 20,9 x 21,1 mm, 5,0 g (slúchadlo) 50.2 x 50.0 x 27.8 mm, 41.2 g (charging case)
Speaker	dual band (bass + treble)
Microphones	3 microphones (2 outdoor, 1 indoor) + Voice Pickup Unit
Battery capacity	61 mAh (handset) 472 mAh (charging case)
Playing time	5 hours / total 20 hours with ANC 7.5 hours / total 29 hours without ANC
Charging	5 min. fast charge = 1 hour playback, Wireless charging Qi
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.2 codec: Scalable (Samsung’s own product), AAC, SBC
Compatibility	Android 7.0 or later, at least 1.5 GB RAM
Water resistance	IPX2

Pros

• good sound quality
• comfortable even with longer wear
• great endurance and fast charging
• wireless charging
• excellent passive insulation

Cons

• IPX2 certification only
• weak ANC
• they look cheap
• the equalizer cannot be adjusted

Competition

Sony WF-1000XM3

The Sony WF-1000XM3, the predecessor of the recently released Sony WF-1000XM4, is one of the best wireless headphones on the market. As it is no longer the latest model in this series, you can get new ones for a similar price as the Galaxy Buds2. In addition to quality sound, they also offer active noise cancellation and above-standard durability.

Apple AirPods, AirPods Pro

You will also find quality wireless headphones at Apple’s competition. The cheaper Apple AirPods model offers good sound quality, but compared to the Galaxy Buds2, it lacks ANC and a water resistance certificate. Both options offer a hundred more expensive AirPods Pro, but the Galaxy Buds2 still lead in battery life.