Samsung Galaxy Buds2 review

Samsung introduced the Galaxy Buds2 earphones earlier this month, along with the Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Z Flip3 smartphones. We received a pair of the new earbuds, and we are now ready with our review, so pour yourself a Sunday drink and enjoy the read.

The new earphones borrowed the Active Noise Cancellation from the Galaxy Buds Pro, but stayed humble on speaker sizes, so that’s why they are positioned as a successor of the Buds+ rather than an evolution of the Pro.

The new earbuds arrive in a square case, just like the Buds Pro and Buds Live. Samsung announced them as its lightest buds up to date, but the difference is minuscule in reality. Yes, the Galaxy Buds2 feel light in hand, but they are just one gram lighter than the Buds+, which isn’t such a big deal in real life.

While all Galaxy Buds2 devices come in a white case regardless of the color version you pick, but the inside of the case matches their paint job. Our unit in Lavender color looks astounding, with the flashy color appearing as an accent, saving you the trouble to color-match your clothes to such a hue of Purple.

The battery capacity here is solid - 472mAh in the case and 61mAh in each bud. The Galaxy Buds2 can easily withstand 5 hours on a single charge with the ANC on, while without, it can go for 8 full hours if volume levels are at 80-90%.

The case of the Buds2 supports wireless charging, and in five minutes they can gain one full hour of endurance.

Audio quality is key for Samsung, and this time the maker did everything to provide pure and crisp sound during talking. When we received the Buds, they couldn’t turn on Ambient Sound while on the call, but an update fixed this. Each bud comes with two outward mics, one facing the inside of the ear, and a dedicated VPU that filters the voice from external noises like wind, cars on the street or people talking.

The quality on the other side is great as well - voice is picked up, and conversation feels natural to both sides, even when talking through masks, something that is now also a concern.

Most earbuds are predominantly used for listening to music and gaming, and we must say these are one of the best TWS earphones for both occasions. The extreme frequencies could be a bit more detailed, but Samsung skipped on massive tweeter and woofer to allow for a lower price and keep the size in check.

Better yet, compared to the Buds+ the latency is twice as low, while the sound is lovely in all three aspects - lows, mids, and highs.

The Active Noise Cancellation mutes 98% of the surrounding world on paper, and in practice, we established the buds block the majority of distractions easily, with the rubber tips helping a lot. Samsung has also improved Ambient Sound - it has three levels, as usual, but now it comes with some AI that learns to adapt to the environment.

While the Buds+ had sensitive edges around the touch area, the Buds2 look better, have no rubber "wings" for the ear, and provide simpler gesture controls - press and hold is programmable, while one tap is Play/Pause, two taps are Next Song, and three taps are Previous Song.

Samsung continues its legacy of great TWS earphones with the Galaxy Buds2. We called the Buds+ “well worth it”, and it has been on an upward trajectory since. The Galaxy Buds Live brought a big battery, the Galaxy Buds Pro made the whole experience feel premium, and the Galaxy Buds2 is now offering the best of the lineup.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds2 were announced at €149/£139/$150. They offer great battery life, pleasing sound and comfortable fit. Listening to music and work calls are the two main cases where the Buds experience is definitely worth it. If you want TWS buds for these two activities, then the Galaxy Buds2 are an easy recommendation.