The Galaxy Buds 2 aren’t about going “back to basics” but rather forging a strong tie between comfort and performance. Granted, we reviewed these earbuds with that metric in mind, but in this case, it’s a worthy combination. By shaving off 10% from the build compared to the previous Galaxy Buds+, Samsung managed to find an equal balance between durability and features that don’t require you to compromise too much. You may not want these if you plan to sweat a lot, but if it’s all about leisure time, then you’re fine.
These are, for all intents and purposes, your standard earbuds, save for the fact they feel small and nestle easily into your ear for a good, comfortable fit. Though they sport different drivers than the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, the idea is similar, which is to boost audio quality without going over the top. They sound crisp and clear, even if the mids are somewhat restrained, and the included silicone tips are good enough to passively seal off some outside noises.
Adding ANC and Ambient Sound brings two features you’d now expect from earbuds in this range. The ANC is close to what the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are capable of, whereas Ambient Sound takes a step back. The onboard mics are fine, just not as efficient as what the Pro models have, and that’s one reason why call quality also isn’t at the same level.
3. Samsung Galaxy Buds Live
Best cheap pick
SPECIFICATIONS
- Water-resistance: IPX2
- Bud battery life: 8 hours
- Case battery life: 29 hours
- Case size: Small
- Digital assistant: Bixby, Google Assistant, Siri
- Audio codecs: SBC, AAC, Scalable
- Speaker size: 12mm
- Wireless charging: Yes
- Other features: Equalizer
- ANC?: Yes
