Samsung Galaxy S21 to launch alongside next-gen Buds Pro headphones

Earlier in December 2020, we got a sneak peek at Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro thanks to a leak on Twitter. A follow-up tweet has now given us an idea of what price to expect from the new earbuds… and it looks like going 'pro' will make these the most expensive Galaxy Buds to date.

The improved Samsung Galaxy Buds are expected to accompany the new Samsung Galaxy S21 lineup at launch, in a bold move against the iPhone 13 and its accompanying AirPods Pro. They do both use the "Pro" moniker, after all.

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The potential price info comes via Twitter user WalkingCat (as reported by CNet). They compared the upcoming Galaxy Buds Pro to the previously released Galaxy Buds Plus and Galaxy Buds Live. Have a look at their feature and price comparisons below.

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The Galaxy Buds Pro are listed at $199, which is roughly £147 / AU$262. That's about $30 more than the Galaxy Buds Live, $50 for the Galaxy Buds Plus. Despite the higher cost, a few of the Buds Pro's features may compare unfavorably to the previous Buds Live at first glance.

The Buds Pro are listed with eight hours of playtime, 28 with a case – the Buds Live can squeeze out one more hour with a case, at 29. Similarly, the Buds Pro have four and a half hours of talk time, 15 with the case. The Buds Live, however, have a talk time of five and a half hours, and 19 with the case.

However, the Galaxy Buds Pro do rise above previous iterations with other improvements: an IPX7 water resistance rating, two-way speakers, and improved noise cancellation. The latter two improvements likely contribute to the differing battery life. Notably, the Galaxy Buds Pro are also abandoning the odd bean shape of the Galaxy Buds Live.

One thing that doesn't seem to be changing is the case, as the Buds Pro will retain the rounded square case design of the Buds Live. Between the returning case shape and the abandoning of the bean shape, the Buds Pro seem to be taking cues from both of the previous models.

If you're comparing the latest pairs of buds using WalkingCat's chart, don't fret – the Galaxy Buds Pro are intended to complement the Galaxy Buds Live, not replace them. So you can still choose the best buds for your needs. 

There's less than a month to go before the full reveal of the Samsung Galaxy S21 lineup and the new earbuds. Expect to hear more soon.

Source: CNet