Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Pro Are the Best Premium Earbuds
Even with so many options, it’s hard to find a perfect everyday listening companion in a pair of wireless buds. If you’re anything like me, you want some blend of great sound, comfortable fit, and sweatproof performance, a trio of features that’s actually still pretty hard to find together in one product.
You’ll buy a great pair of workout buds that fit well, but then you’ll have to deal with their mediocre sound. Or you’ll snag something that fits great and sounds great, but doesn’t really take the more rugged stuff in stride.
That’s why I’ve been so impressed with Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds Pro. Whether I’m enjoying my favorite records, chiming in on Zoom calls, or going on multi-hour runs, Samsung’s new flagship earbuds are a reliable and welcome companion.
A Long Time Coming
Samsung’s latest high-end earbuds have an ergonomic design.
Photograph: SamsungThe headphone universe closely parallels the smartphone one. Samsung has made some of the best phones for generations, and it’s the same with its wireless earbuds. The Korean company pioneered lightweight and ergonomic models when they were virtually impossible to come by, and it was the first major company to introduce wireless charging to its earbud cases—a move Apple wisely followed with its second-gen AirPods.
With hybrid active noise canceling, a unique dual driver array, and one of the smallest charging cases on the market, the Galaxy Buds Pro continue to showcase the cutting edge of headphone technology.
They also have a wide audience in their sights. At $200, these headphones undercut the similarly appointed AirPods Pro (8/10, WIRED Recommends) by a few tens of dollars, and Samsung has even implemented a quick-pairing feature that works (and, frankly looks) nearly identically to Apple’s iOS-exclusive pairing feature. I paired these headphones with a Galaxy Note S20 Ultra, and it worked flawlessly, syncing the buds to the phone as soon as I popped the earpieces out of the case.
Sleek Looks, Great Features
The charging case is one of the smallest you’ll find in the wirefree headphone world.
Photograph: Samsung