Galaxy Buds 2 Pro preview

Samsung has just announced the Buds 2 Pro, aimed at bringing improvements with ANC and features which should make the earbuds one of the contenders for the best wireless earbuds out there right now. In this article, we examine what the Buds 2 Pro bring to the table, and when we get to test them, we’ll tell you here exactly how they feel and sound.For now, while we wait for the Buds 2 Pro to come to visit us for a full review, we’ll talk a bit about what you can expect from them.

Galaxy Buds 2 Pro Specs

At a glance, here are the most important specs the Buds 2 Pro rock:

• Three colors: Graphite, White, Bora Purple
• Speaker: Custom Coaxial 2-way (Tweeter + Woofer) Speaker
• 24bit Hi-Fi, 360 Audio with Direct Multi-Channel
• ANC+High SNR Microphone (2 outer + 1 inner)
• Voice Detect
• Up to 5 hours / Total up to 18 hours (ANC on) play time
• Up to 8 hours / Total up to 29 hours (ANC off) play time
• Bluetooth 5.3, Auto Switching
• IPX7 water resistance (earbuds, not the case)

Galaxy Buds 2 Pro Design and Colors

The design of the earbuds is quite similar to the Buds 2 – rounded edges, smooth-looking earbuds with no stems or anything poking out of your ear, a look that’s become recognizably Samsung. The case also sports the same rounded edges and matte finish, complementing the earbuds’ look. As for colors, the Buds 2 Pro are available in three colors: Graphite, White, and Bora Purple. The Graphite color option is almost black and the finish is matte, therefore making it look sophisticated. The Bora Purple seems to be the signature Samsung color this time, present also for the Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4. All three color options sport this matte finish for a stylish look.

In terms of size, the Buds 2 Pro are 15% smaller than the Buds Pro, as well as lighter. For reference, the Buds Pro sport dimensions of 20.5 x 19.5 x 20.8mm and weight of 6.3g for each earbud, while the Buds 2 Pro have lost some weight and are at 9.9 x 21.6 x 18.7 mm, weighing 5.5g. The case is also smaller than the Buds Pro’s. Additionally, Samsung’s made notable improvements in reducing uncomfortable pressure. A True-fit design is aimed at fitting the earbud in your ear for long periods of time, including a long walk or an entire work day.

All of these improvements should make the new Buds 2 Pro more comfortable to wear in your ears or carry around in their case. We were able to put the new Buds 2 Pro on for a little bit, and we can safely say that, at least at first, they feel very comfortable in the ear. We felt the earbuds were lighter, and you almost don’t notice them when they’re in your ears.

When we do our full review, we’ll share with you our detailed experience with them.

Galaxy Buds 2 Pro Features

There are more improvements in line over the Buds Pro in the category of features as well. The ANC on the Buds 2 Pro has seen some love from Samsung, and it can now eliminate small noises by capturing lower-level sounds thanks to three high SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) microphones. The Advanced Intelligent ANC should eliminate 3 extra decibels of the noise around you. And yes, this means you should be able to enjoy an immersive experience with a very capable noise canceling.

Additionally, the Buds 2 Pro come with the very useful Voice Detect, which switches automatically to Ambient Mode when it detects you speaking, just like the Buds Pro. This quite handy feature will make it possible for you to not yell over your headphones when you want to quickly say something to someone around you. We expect it to be as quick as the Buds Pro as recognizing your voice, if not quicker.

The audio experience on the Buds 2 Pro should also be upgraded over the Buds Pro. Samsung’s new earbuds support crystal-clear 24-bit Hi-Fi sound, which should ensure a better music-listening experience by delivering clearer and richer sound. On top of that, 24-bit Hi-Fi ensures you will be able to experience the audio the way the artist has intended for it. How they actually sound, we’ll tell you when we get to test them, but so far, this all sounds pretty exciting. Coupled with the upgraded ANC, you should be able to really be in your own world.

For reference, Buds Pro from 2021 was managing quite well with the ANC, although some high-frequency sounds like an air conditioner humming were not able to be completely blocked out. It would be great to see this area improved on by Samsung, but we’ll tell you once we get to test it.

360 Audio is also supported with Direct Multi-channel for a more immersive experience when you’re watching movies (replicating a surround-sound system, more or less, with sounds seemingly coming from all directions).

Galaxy Buds 2 Pro Battery and Charging

The Buds 2 Pro, in this category, sport pretty similar specs to the Buds Pro. We have a 61mAh typical battery for the earbuds (or 58mAh rated), and a 515mAh typical for the charging case (500mAh rated). This translates to, according to Samsung:

• Up to 5 hours play time with ANC
• With charging case up to 18 hours play time with ANC
• Up to 8 hours play time without ANC
• With charging case up to 29 hours play time without ANC

To set things into perspective, the numbers for the Buds Pro are pretty similar. We have a 1-hour improvement for the playback with earbuds and case with ANC off, which, for the Buds Pro, was at 28 hours, while the Buds 2 Pro should last up to 29 hours. The other numbers are the same for the two models.

Interestingly enough, the talk time of the Buds 2 Pro, again, on paper, is slightly smaller than the Buds Pro. We have:

• Up to 3.5 hours / with case up to 14h (ANC on) – vs 4 hours and 14.5 hours respectively for the Buds Pro.
• Up to 4.0 hours / with case up to 15h (ANC off) – vs 5 hours and 17.5 hours respectively for the Buds Pro.

You know that with some companies, the advertised hours do not exactly reflect real-life experiences. However, that’s not the case for Samsung and the Buds 2 Pro’s predecessor, the Buds Pro. Our impressions of the Buds Pro’s battery life were pretty great, so we expect those hours above to be quite faithful to reality.

Galaxy Buds 2 Pro Summary and final verdict

The Buds 2 Pro are shaping to be a great alternative to the AirPods Pro. An area where the Buds Pro lost against Apple’s earbuds was ANC, and with these improvements that the Buds 2 Pro are bringing to the table, we are more than hopeful for Samsung’s new pair of earbuds. All in all, the Buds 2 Pro are shaping to be the best Samsung earbuds to this date, and could very well find a place in the best wireless earbuds of 2022. As we already stated, we will be testing them for a full-blown review, and we’ll share our detailed experience with you soon. Stay tuned!