I Listened to Samsung’s New Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: The Bass…

At Samsung Unpacked, I tested the company’s new Galaxy Buds4 and Buds4 Pro noise-cancelling earphones alongside three S26 phones, and it’s already clear that the Buds4 Pro is a serious contender. SAN FRANCISCO—Mobile tech companies, such as Apple, Google, and…

SAN FRANCISCO—Mobile tech companies, such as Apple, Google, and Samsung, clearly don't just want their phones in our pockets. They also want watches on our wrists and buds in our ears—and they want all three of those products to come from one source. Enter the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 and Buds4 Pro, the company's latest endeavor to earn a spot in your ears. These noise-cancelling earphones compete with Apple's AirPods and Google's Pixel Buds.

Do they stand a chance? While at Unpacked in San Francisco, I had a chance to listen to the Buds4 Pro and compare them with the AirPods Pro 3 and Pixel Buds Pro 2. Here are my early thoughts. Samsung is swinging for the fences here. Both the Buds4 and Buds4 Pro are packed with tech and features. The most important thing is this: Ultra High Quality Audio (UHQ). When connected to a Samsung flagship phone or tablet from 2023 or later (Galaxy S23, Z Fold/Flip 5, Tab S9), the Buds4 support 24-bit/96kHz playback via the SSC UHQ codec, which is proprietary to Samsung.

Using the Bluetooth 6.1 backbone, the buds also support the SSC HiFi codec and AAC, SBC, LC3, and Auracast. Last, Samsung includes support for 360-degree audio and direct multi-channel audio. This all means they play rich, detailed audio when streamed from the right source, and are future-proofed for years to come. Comparatively, the AirPods Pro 3 use Bluetooth 5.3 with the AAC and SBC codecs, and the Buds Pro 2 use Bluetooth 5.4 with at least SBC, but definitely no high-quality codecs.

The Buds4 have an 11mm Dynamic Speaker, while the Buds4 Pro have a two-way arrangement with an 11mm Super Wide Woofer and a 5.5mm Planar Tweeter. Samsung hasn't shared the driver's frequency response range. In a quick side-by-side comparison, the single-driver Buds4 delivers a pleasing audio response, but the two-channel Buds4 Pro delivers palpably deeper bass and crisper highs. We don't know the size of the drivers in the AirPods, but the Pixel Buds have a single 11mm driver.

This focus on techy audio quality stuff means you get great-sounding earphones from Samsung—especially the Pro model. Both Buds4 buds handle noise cancellation with aplomb. Each has three mics on board to capture external sounds. Where the Buds4 have three digital mics, the Pros have one digital mic and two HSNR (high signal-to-noise-ratio) mics. Both pairs feature adaptive EQ to create the ideal sound for your ears, can detect ambient noise, and have adaptive ambient sound modes that adjust on the fly.

The Buds4 Pro adds two new features: voice and siren detection. When the Buds4 Pro recognizes your voice, it boosts ambient sound to help clarify your speech. The buds do the same when they detect a siren or alarm, so you can shift your focus from the music to the situation at hand. Apple and Google's buds offer similar ambient sound features. The Galaxy Buds4 and Buds4 Pro include a solid set of specs that puts them well within striking distance of their competitors.

The Buds4 have 45mAh internal batteries each, with 515mAh of capacity in the charging case. This is good for 5 hours of playback with ANC on and 6 hours with it off. The case provides an additional 24 hours of charge with ANC on and 30 hours with it off. The Buds4 Pro have larger 61mAh internal batteries and a slightly bigger 530mAh battery in the case. The buds are good for 6 hours of listening with ANC on or 7 with it off, with 26 hours in the case with ANC on or 30 with it off.

Six hours is a bit on the short side. The AirPods and Pixel Buds run for 8 hours with ANC on. The cases are sufficiently small, though somewhat square and blocky at 1.1 by 2.0 by 2.0 inches (HWD) for both. The AirPods and Pixel Buds have some of the smoothest and most compact charging cases in the market. The Buds4 have an IP54 rating, which means they are protected from light rain and sweat. You can wear them for working out, but you can't wash them off.

The Buds4 Pro have a stronger IP57 rating, which means you can wear them out in heavy rain and rinse them off if they get grimy. The AirPods Pro 3 have an IP57 rating, while the Pixel Buds 2 Pro have an IP54 rating. These ratings apply only to the buds, not the charging cases. One of the most important aspects of effective noise cancellation is a strong in-ear seal. Both the Buds4 and Buds4 Pro use simple silicone eartips to create that seal.

They ship with three pairs of tips so you can find the best fit. Unfortunately, none of the tips created a firm seal in my ears. The small size was far too small, the medium size was just small enough not to create a seal, and the large tips were oversized for my ear canals. This means the ANC was only partially effective. In comparison, the Apple AirPods Pro 3 feature a unique foam-lined silicone tip that conforms to the shape of your ear canal and helps keep it in place.

The Pixel Buds Pro 2 also use simple silicone, but the sizing is better, and they are able to seal off my ears. Bottom line, Samsung's Buds4 don't work as well for my ears as the AirPods and Pixel Buds do. Your experience may differ. In the end, the buds from Apple and Google are better at cancelling noise for this reason alone. The Buds4 have a rather basic sound. Samsung didn't say anything about how they are tuned, but the audio is clean, has a balanced low- and high-frequency emphasis, and doesn't overdo anything in particular.

The Buds4 Pro are noticeably richer. The deeps go deeper with more definition, and the highs go higher with more clarity. I sampled a handful of tunes across varied musical styles and found them just as adept at thumpy electronic dance music as they were at raging rock'n'roll and calming classical cuts. Using a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 with Spotify as a source, I did some A-B-C testing with the Buds4 Pro, AirPods, and Pixel Buds.

The AirPods win easily for their natural tuning, vibrant sound, and effective noise cancellation. The Buds4 outshine the Pixel Buds Pro 2 in pure audio quality. Samsung's support for superior codecs and high-quality source files gives it an obvious edge over the Pixel Buds' more limited, low-quality SBC codec. However, in my ears, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are better at noise cancellation, which helps their case a lot.

Here's the rub. The Samsung Galaxy Buds4 and Buds4 Pro are an ecosystem play. Samsung hopes you'll buy its phone, its smartwatch, and its earbuds so everything works together seamlessly. The same is true of Apple, its phone, watch, and AirPods, and Google, its Pixel phone, watch, and buds. You don't have to do things this way, of course, but if you're going to buy the Samsung Galaxy S26, it behooves you to consider the Buds4 Pro, which sound their best with the latest phone.

We expect to publish a full review of the Galaxy Buds4 Pro in the weeks ahead, so be sure to check back.

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