Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro in review: Solid everyday headphones
A TEST REPORT from David Haydl 
on February 22, 2023, 9:00 | Write a comment
The Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro are a direct competitor to Apple's AirPods Pro and the Google Pixel Buds Pro. Here you can read whether I like them after using them for several weeks and whether I can recommend them.
There are two types of in-ear headphones. On the one hand we have the "all-rounders", which work equally well with all end devices - regardless of manufacturer or operating system. And then there are the "ecosystem headphones" which work best with a specific device or OS from a specific manufacturer. The prime example here is clearly Apple with the AirPods, but other manufacturers quickly recognized that something like this had great potential. Samsung and Google soon followed suit.
The Galaxy Buds2 Pro are now Samsung's latest attempt to compete with the aforementioned competition with high-end in-ears. I was able to find out whether this works in my test for several weeks.
tl; dr
The Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro are the right choice for Samsung users. They offer this target group extremely easy setup and operation, automatic connection switching between Samsung devices and generally more functions.
If you do not own a device from this manufacturer, proYou can still benefit from a compact and handy design and a decent, but not earth-shattering sound. Samsung should just rethink the choice of materials. In addition, the battery life is only average. Compared to the Buds2 without "Pro", they only differ in the lack of 360-degree sound mode, the Bluetooth version and the selection of codecs.
Unboxing and initial setup
The Buds2 Pro are packaged in a black box with a picture of the product in the chosen color. Inside are the in-ears and case, a long USB-C cable, two spare attachments in different sizes and various notes. Samsung could have saved a little less on the silicone adapters; three options in total are not enough for me.
The packaging content. (Picture: TechnikNews)
The furnishingprozess is a double-edged sword. It's very easy to do with a Samsung smartphone. You bring the headphones in the case close, open it and a prompt for pairing appears on the screen. Here you only have to confirm the connection, then the pairing is already completed. All settings can then be found in the wearable app. Otherwise, the in-ears can be set up via the Bluetooth settings of a device.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro are even compatible with iOS. However, you cannot benefit from the additional functions and setting options profit because the wearable app is not available in the App Store.
Design, workmanship and comfort
The Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro are very small and light earbuds. They even have such a small footprint that I often thought they would fly out of my pocket. The entire package weighs 43 grams and measures 21,6 millimeters in height, 19,9 millimeters in width and 18,7 millimeters in depth. The Buds2 Pro are available in Bora Purple, White and Graphite.
Samsung couldn't have kept the design simpler. There is only a Samsung logo, a USB-C port and a status LED on the case. There is no pairing button, but this is basically not a problem since the pairing mode should start automatically during setup. Otherwise you have to hold down the side surfaces of both in-ears when they are in the case. It works reliably, but a small button would certainly have been easier to understand. The plugs are also completely blank. One of my criticisms is the chunky shape of the case - it could have been rounder for my taste.
Picture: TechnikNews
I am mostly satisfied with the processing. The charging case is made of rubberized plastic, which provides more grip in the hand and in the trouser pocket. I also liked the snapping of the flap. However, the plastic also has two disadvantages: traces of grease are quickly visible and one or the other small scratch does not stay away for long.
The in-ears are also made of plastic and are IPX7 certified. With the right attachments, they sit lightly and comfortably in the ear, although I can imagine that they could fall out for some people. Incidentally, they are 15 percent smaller than their predecessor.
The earbuds can be very comfortable in the ear. (Picture: TechnikNews)
Battery life
According to the manufacturer, the battery life is five hours and up to 18 hours when recharging in the case. In my test with Active Noise Canceling, more than four hours was no problem at all, but five hours or more was never enough. Without noise cancellation, however, you can get a little more playback time.
After a good hour, the Galaxy Buds2 Pro are fully charged again. This can be done either wirelessly or via USB-C.
Sound
The Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro are equipped with Bluetooth 5.3, the codecs SSC, AAC and SBC, 10-millimeter drivers and three microphones for "signal to noise ratio". There is also a 360-degree sound mode and active noise cancellation on board.
I listed SSC in the codecs, but what exactly is that? SSC stands for "Samsung Seamless Codec", so it is a new protocol from Samsung for sound transmission. The codec is available on all Samsungs with One UI 4.0 or newer. It promises to transmit more data at once, which theoretically should also make streaming of 24-bit audio, i.e. lossless, possible. Up until now, this was actually only possible with wired headphones, as previous codecs cannot handle the high transmission rates.
I expected a lot from it beforehand, but in the end my expectations were not met. I tested the feature with Tidal Hi-Fi Plus and Apple Music with the appropriate settings. But neither when streaming nor when listening to downloaded titles, I could hear a significant difference. And that's a shame because it would have had great potential.
Otherwise, I really like the sound. Samsung tuned it to appeal to the masses. The Galaxy Buds2 Pro deliver a lot of punch where it is needed (just listen to the album new RUSH! from Måneskin on), and can also be used with quieter and more detailed songs, such as No Time to Die by Billie Eilish, although they don't sound as natural as some other models here. All in all, a very good overall package.
In addition, there is the previously mentionedpro360 degree mode. In my eyes, this looks more natural than the competition, but the associated head registration requires a small second of thought in places.
Otherwise, ANC is also part of the game. After I solved problems with the fit by changing the attachments, I was also very happy with them. The Galaxy Buds2 may not come in first place, but they don't have to hide from the competition either. My conclusion about the transparency mode is similar. It is a bit quiet, but you can still hear your surroundings clearly. The communication mode, which automatically fades in the ambient noise when a call starts, is also nice.
Smartphone connection
All settings for the Buds2 Pro are set using Samsung's wearable app. This is installed as standard on Galaxy smartphones and is otherwise available from Google's Play Store. In general, the app left a positive impression on me. There are extensive setting options and the structure is easy to understand. The app also gives you access to many other useful functions, including making the earbuds beep and the fit test.
Picture: TechnikNews
One con of the app is that you only have a few predefined options to choose from for the equalizers. I would have been happy if the user had the same freedom as with Sennheiser. Furthermore, I would have wished that oneprocan program which settings are directly visible on the start page. Instead, the points visible there are static.
Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro: Prices and availability
The Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro is available from Samsung, Amazon and MediaMarkt. The RRP is 229 euros.
We would like to thank Samsung Austria for providing the Galaxy Buds2 Pro!