Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro Review: The Premium TWS Experience

Introduction and Unboxing

Samsung's ownership of Harman, the parent company of several renowned audio brands, positions it uniquely in the audio market. However, their presence outside the Galaxy Buds series has been minimal, with no over-ear headphones released in several years. This indicates Samsung's strategy is to focus primarily on its Galaxy True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds.

The latest addition, the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro, represents the pinnacle of Samsung's offerings, outshining the vanilla and FE models. Initial impressions indicate they are a significant upgrade over their predecessor, but we will delve deeper into the specifics.

You can purchase the Galaxy Buds4 Pro for $250 / £220 / €250 / ₹23,000. The retail packaging is minimal, containing only two extra pairs of tips (S and L) in addition to the M size already attached to the earbuds, along with a quick start guide. A charging cable is omitted, but you can utilize an existing USB-C cable or a Qi wireless charger that you may own.

Design

The previous Galaxy Buds3 Pro were criticized for their unconventional design, including triangular stems and gaming-inspired blade lights. Fortunately, the design of the Buds4 Pro is far more appealing to a broader audience.

The new Buds4 Pro maintain a stemmed design but feature flatter sides with a brushed metal finish. They are available in Black, White, and Pink Gold (the latter exclusively from Samsung.com). While additional color options would be welcomed, the existing colors are versatile enough to complement various outfits and devices.

The charging case has reverted to a square shape, slightly larger than the Buds2 Pro case but significantly more pocket-friendly than the Buds3 Pro case. This design ensures that it accommodates the Buds2 Pro snugly, highlighting its manageable size.

Additionally, Samsung has returned to a lay-flat design, simplifying the process of both retrieving and storing the earbuds. This design minimizes the risk of accidentally swapping the buds around, a problem prevalent in the previous iteration.

One notable design feature carried over is the transparent top of the case, which adds a touch of elegance while allowing users to easily check that both earbuds are secure without opening the case.

Design details of the Samsung Galaxy Buds

The case features a small LED to indicate charge status (detailed battery percentage is available in the app) and a pairing mode button on the back. Additionally, the back contains a USB-C port, and the bottom has a Qi coil for wireless charging. This allows for charging the buds using your phone's reverse wireless charging feature if a cable is unavailable.

The transparent lid adds style and practicality • The lay-flat design simplifies usage

Like previous models, the Buds4 Pro maintain an IP57 water resistance rating (the non-Pro Buds4 are rated IP54). However, be aware that the case itself is not water-resistant. If the earbuds are misplaced, the Samsung Find app can assist by showing their last known location.

Controls

The Buds4 Pro incorporate pinch and swipe controls on the stems. A small divot assists users in identifying the touch-sensitive area. Pinching the stems produces an audible “click,” heard even when music is playing – this sound is generated through the earbuds, avoiding any awkward stares from bystanders.

Earbud Controls

A single pinch serves to play/pause audio, while double and triple pinches skip to the next and previous tracks, respectively. Swiping up and down adjusts the volume.

Additionally, there is a customizable pinch-and-hold gesture that can be assigned differently on both earbuds. This can activate a voice assistant or the Interpreter mode (live translation). By default, the pinch-and-hold action toggles the noise cancellation settings (more on this later).

Moreover, pinch gestures can also be used to answer or decline calls. A new feature allows for head gestures—nodding to accept calls and shaking the head to decline—helpful when your hands are occupied.

Comfort

The Galaxy Buds4 Pro proved to be quite comfortable for extended use, fitting securely without causing discomfort.

Having transitioned from the stem-less Buds2, the Buds4 Pro felt natural to wear, although it took some time to adjust from tapping to pinching controls.

Call Quality

The Galaxy Buds4 Pro utilize Super Wide Band Speech (also known as Super Clear Call), enabling 16kHz bandwidth for voice calls. Nonetheless, this feature necessitates a compatible Samsung Galaxy device, specifically recent S or Z-series models. Unfortunately, functionality has been inconsistent, with reports of issues on the S24 series.

Testing with the Galaxy S23, which does not support Super Wide Band Speech, yielded excellent call quality—superior to both Buds3 Pro and Buds2 Pro. The Buds2's audio pickup is mitigated by the addition of an extra microphone near the base of the stem, allowing for improved voice intelligibility.

Connectivity

The Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro operate on Bluetooth 6.1 and support a limited selection of codecs: Samsung Seamless Codec (SSC), SBC, AAC, and LC3.

SSC is exclusive to Samsung devices, so users with non-Samsung phones should verify LC3 support to ensure high-quality audio. Sound Settings

Interestingly, the Buds4 Pro technically support multi-point connectivity; however, this feature only functions with Samsung smartphones and laptops. Thus, users with other devices will find themselves without this capability.

Auracast is also supported, allowing control via the Samsung Wear app. This localized broadcast technology aims to replace traditional FM radio in public places, such as gyms and transport hubs.

Multi-point connectivity and 360 Audio are Samsung-exclusive features

The 360 Audio feature provides an immersive sound experience, compatible with select titles on platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max.

Audio Quality

Continuing the trend of previous iterations, the Pro version features dual drivers (woofer and tweeter), with this year's woofer being 20% larger. The result is a noticeable enhancement in bass without compromising on clarity in higher frequencies. While the sound profile is slightly emphasized, it aligns with consumer preferences for dynamic audio.

For users seeking customization, the accompanying app provides a 9-band equalizer and six preset options. The default balanced setting is versatile enough for different music genres and audiobooks.

Testing was conducted with the Galaxy S23 using the SSC codec, which provided robust connectivity even through concrete walls, allowing for seamless movement without losing signal.

A 9-band equalizer is included for sound customization

Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)

Samsung promotes enhanced Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) in the Galaxy Buds4 Pro, controllable via pinch-and-hold gestures, the app, or a widget.

The app provides a slider with five settings to adjust ANC strength. During our test, with the ANC set to maximum, the earbuds effectively minimized road noise, although some sound did still permeate. They excelled at reducing the volume of nearby conversations.

Ambient Sound and Active Noise Cancellation Settings

For users who prefer to remain aware of their surroundings, the Ambient or Adaptive modes can be activated. Ambient mode, or transparency mode, exhibits minimal noise in quiet settings, while outside settings feel natural.

Adaptive mode adjusts ANC strength dynamically. In our testing, it maintained ANC below the maximum level, ensuring a consistent outside noise volume.

This feature also activates Ambient mode upon detecting human voices or sirens and allows for this mode during voice calls, promoting a more natural communication experience.

Battery Life

The Galaxy Buds4 Pro house a 61mAh battery in each earbud, complemented by a 530mAh charging case. Officially, they offer up to six hours of continuous playback with ANC active, totaling 26 hours with the case.

Testing with ANC enabled (set to maximum) yielded similar results to Samsung's claims, with under 10% battery after six hours. Testing without ANC resulted in an impressive eight and a half hours before dropping under the critical threshold.

Following both tests, placing the earbuds back in the case consumed roughly 40% of the case's charge, indicating that a full charge of both the case and earbuds allows for approximately three and a half charges—translating to 21 hours with ANC or around 30 hours without.

The App

We have covered the essential features of the Galaxy Buds app, which is integrated into One UI, requiring separate installation for other Android versions and iOS.

The Windows version of the Galaxy Buds app

A Windows app is available, mirroring the control options of the Android version but lacking certain features, such as multi-point connectivity, which are exclusive to Samsung devices.

Conclusion

Are the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro the premier True Wireless earbuds on the market? For Galaxy phone users, especially those with a recent high-end model, the answer is undoubtedly yes. While Buds4 or Buds3 FE models can offer cost savings, users will miss critical features.

Regular sales on the Buds4 Pro mitigate the premium pricing, making them a more attractive option for patient shoppers. The prices mentioned—$250 / £220 / €250 / ₹23,000—represent the manufacturer's suggested retail price, not the market price.

However, the situation becomes more complex for non-Samsung device users. While the Buds4 Pro perform admirably for noise cancellation and sound quality on other brands, codec limitations and several exclusive features diminish their appeal for those outside the Samsung ecosystem.

Pros

• Excellent sound quality
• Enhanced Active Noise Cancellation
• Comfortable fit
• Improved design for both earbuds and case

Cons

• Average battery life
• Limited codec compatibility
• Some features exclusive to Samsung devices