Samsung Galaxy Unpacked is underway and the focus is naturally on the new Galaxy phones and Watch 4. However, Samsung has also slipped out details of their latest, fruitless effort to dethrone Apple AirPods. Seriously, I used to think Samsung earbuds were just rubbish, but then I used them and they turned out to be very good. They are never going to outdo AirPods for profile or success, but I'm glad they keep trying.
The imaginatively named Galaxy Buds 2 lose some of the overt innovation of Galaxy Buds+ and Buds Live but they boast noise cancelling that removes 'up to 98%' of background noise, should sound very good, thanks to sound design by headphone experts and Samsung subsidiary AKG and they look… okay.
- Pre-order Samsung Galaxy Buds 2
- Reserve your new Galaxy phone from Samsung Unpacked here
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G review
Galaxy Buds 2 are Samsung's smallest and lightest true wireless effort to date – just 10g in total. The problem with that claim is that nobody is walking around saying, 'Oh my god, these earbuds are so heavy, I am worried my ears will fall off, or I will collapse under the sheer weight of these heavy bastards.' Nonetheless: good work.
More usefully, the Ambient Sound mode now offers three adjustable sound levels, so you can completely cut out reality or allow a fairly substantial amount of it to bleed through. Three mics per earbud with 'significantly reduced latency' should mean better voice call quality too.
The noise cancelling on the most recent best true wireless earbuds – most notably the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds – is absolutely uncanny, and I'd expect Samsung's new buds to be no exception. At $149.99 / £139 / AU$219 they're not cheap but they're certainly not overpriced either.
There's a choice of four colours: graphite, white, olive or lavender and they look pleasant enough. Battery life is said to be up to five hours with noise cancelling on, which again is… fine. An extra 15 hours is provided by the charging case, which recharges itself via USB-C or wireless Qi, as you'd expect in 2021.
Connectivity is Bluetooth 5.2 with an Samsung overlay that promises stronger signal strength and audio quality when they're used with Galaxy phones and tablet. IPX2 means you could probably use them for light exercise.
If you are totally living la vida Galaxy, the Galaxy Buds 2 will let you flip between them with ease, so you can go from streaming music on your Galaxy Tab to picking up a phone call on your Flip 3 with no delay. As usual, the Galaxy app lets you change noise cancelling and EQ settings. There's also a fit test that blasts your inner ear with frequencies to map its shape and efficiency, and adjusts the sound accordingly. This again isn't exactly a new idea either but Samsung will no doubt have implemented it proficiently.
Of course, there is a massive elephant in the room here and it's Apple AirPods and, more particularly, AirPods Pro. Judging by the look and feature set of the Galaxy Buds 2, Samsung has given up trying to out-innovate Apple and has settled for having a newer and very proficient earbud that it can sell to its core fans. The Galaxy Buds Live were way more interesting but it seems they are now to be phased out.
Galaxy Buds 2: price and availability
Galaxy Buds 2 are available from August 27 for $149.99 / £139 / AU$219. You can pre-order them right now.
-
I tried Kindle Colorsoft and it's everything I wanted – except one thingA Kindle in colour is pretty amazing, but is it worth buying?
-
I'm glad about the Apple Watch Ultra 2 delay – and why you should be tooWe might not see the second iteration of Apple's rugged outdoor watch until 2026, and it's a good thing
-
I tried the new Insta360 Flow AI gimbal, and it blew my tiny little mindAdvanced target tracking, 3-axis image stabilisation, FPV mode, and compact form factor; the Insta360 Flow has it all
-
3 mistakes everyone makes with Microsoft Surface 2-in-1 PCsTips and tricks to help you make the most out of your Microsoft Surface Pro or your Microsoft Surface Go
-
Should I buy PSVR 2 today now pre-orders are open?US and UK PlayStation VR 2 orders are now open to everybody, but should I take the PSVR 2 plunge?
-
Should I wait for a PS5 Pro or just buy a PlayStation 5 now?T3 analyses the pros and cons of waiting for the PS5 Pro and PS5 Slim before buying a next-gen Sony console
-
I really like the look of these stylish new gaming chairsThe new Boulies' Master Series look class
-
The homemade foldable iPhone is terrible, but it's a glimpse of the futureYes, the cobbled-together iPhone folding phone is well ropy. But if you squint you can see the iPhone's future
