Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, Buds 2, Buds Pro, and Buds Live compared
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| Colors | Graphite, White, Bora Purple | Olive, White, Lavender, Graphite | Mystic Black, White, Bronze | Phantom Black, Phantom White, Phantom Silver, Phantom Violet | |
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| Rating | Read the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro review | Read the Galaxy Buds 2 review | Read the Galaxy Buds Live review | Read the Galaxy Buds Pro review | |
| Check offer* | |||||
As you can see in the table, we have personally looked at all available Galaxy Buds models, including the latest Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. Keep reading to learn more about each earbuds’ strong and weak points.
Design and build quality
The Galaxy Buds Live, launched in 2020, are immediately noticeable thanks to their bean or kidney shape. This is because they pleasantly stand out from the stalk design that Apple made famous. The Galaxy Buds Pro from 2021 became a bit more compact as its successor, but lost the bean-shaped look a bit. Compared to its predecessors, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro then shrank by another 15 percent, even though you can hardly see it.
They have become more “streamlined”, which in this case does not mean that they have become more aerodynamic. Instead, it’s about being less susceptible to wind noise. As far as the grip among the four contenders is concerned, our impressions are mixed: Antoine found that the Live is not only ergonomically shaped but also remained in place comfortably. Unfortunately, Ben could not quite share a similar experience with the Buds Pro.
At least the first impression of the Buds 2 Pro seems to indicate a good grip. To that end, the parts are IPX7 certified, just like the first Buds Pro model. For both the Galaxy Buds Live and the Galaxy Buds 2, you’ll have to settle for IPX2 certification. By the way, the charging cases have hardly changed at all over the device generations.
Features and sound
What all four Buds have in common is that they are equipped with active noise cancellation. To be fair, we have to point out that the ANC in the Buds Live was still rather underwhelming. Samsung relies on drivers from AKG that have a 12-millimeter diameter to deliver its level of audio quality. However, the result is mediocre at best on the Live, with the sound lacking precision in each case.
The situation is a bit different for the similarly priced Buds 2: There, the ANC (including transparency mode) is definitely convincing! The Buds 2 also scored well with a distinctive bass performance, which also has at least a rudimentary equalizer in the free companion app.
The Galaxy Buds Pro are even better in terms of sound. Both ANC and transparency mode come in three stages and completely convinced Ben in the review. This also applies to the sound itself! The two-way system – an 11-millimeter woofer for bass and a 6.5-millimeter driver for treble—deliver a very natural sound that is not too bass-heavy.
Oddly enough, Samsung once again does without support for codecs like aptX! This is also the case for the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, which only supports the proprietary Samsung Seamless Codec, SBC, and AAC. The new in-ears rack up the score with an improved ANC and 24-bit audio for the very first time.
However, remember that the Hi-Fi enjoyment is reserved for owners of newer Samsung smartphones. Samsung generally likes to exclude non-Samsung hardware from its more unique features. If you use an iPhone, even app support is denied! Please pay attention to this before buying and read our reviews thoroughly. Either way, those among you with an audiophile slant should definitely opt for the Pro models.
Battery life
As expected, one thing all four models have in common is how you can significantly extend the battery life using the charging case. Antoine achieved a very solid seven hours of battery life when testing the Galaxy Buds Live. Together with charging three times via the case, this adds up to a whopping 28 hours!
A total of 28 hours is also a realistic figure for the Galaxy Buds Pro. Note that this maximum battery life is significantly reduced for all models when you use ANC a lot. Therefore, 7-8 hours become about 5 hours with ANC activated, which also applies to the Galaxy Buds 2.
The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro’s 515 mAh battery is supposed to last up to 29 hours without ANC. Samsung promised a battery life of 18 hours when you use noise cancellation. Of course, those figures take into account the charging case. In nextpit’s review, Antoine Engels noted that the Buds 2 Pro’s battery life was around the quoted 5 hours but each earpiece ran out of battery on different times, which can be annoying.
As for charging time, the Galaxy Buds Live needs about 20 minutes for 50 percent battery charge and 90 minutes to achieve a full charge. The Galaxy Buds Pro and Galaxy Buds 2 charges even a bit faster: The latter are fully charged in 60 minutes. For all three models, 10 minutes of charging should be enough for two hours of listening pleasure.
For the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, 10 minutes in the charging case was enough for a 30% charge. And all four models can be charged wirelessly thanks to support for the Qi standard.
Prices and availability
The Galaxy Buds Live was already introduced in August 2020. This means that it would have seen a price reduction to $149.99. Currently, you can pick it up at prices that are way below the MSRP!
Not much newer are the Galaxy Buds Pro, which Samsung presented during its Unpacked event at the beginning of 2021 together with the Galaxy S21. The recommended retail price of $199 has seen a reduction in this case as well.
The Galaxy Buds 2 have been around for almost exactly one year since their launch in August 2021, and fortunately for those who are interested in buying them, they are not all that expensive either! You can currently buy it for $129.99 from Samsung, having seen a price drop from its $149.99 MSRP!
The brand-new top model went on sale in August 2022 for $229.99. Of course, they were unquestionably more expensive than the rest of the in-ears mentioned here. But as with most Samsung devices, semi-permanent discounts went live just a few months after the release.
Conclusion
If we are to recommend the best model with the ultimate sound to you, we cannot avoid the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro even after a rather average 3.5 score out of 5. Great ANC, 24-bit audio, and the features that the Galaxy Buds Pro already has speak for themselves. Of course, the aforementioned Buds Pro are cheaper, but you do not have to make any compromises in terms of quality or IP certification.
The Buds 2 and the Buds Live are a bit lower in terms of quality. While the Pro models show off Samsung’s top range, these two in-ears fall within the mid-range market. Give the Buds Live a wide berth, especially if ANC is important to you. However, if ANC and the most precise sound possible are not that important to you, then you will find a very cheap alternative to the more expensive Pro devices in both devices.
In general, I find it rather disappointing that Samsung excludes iPhone users and that you need a current Galaxy smartphone to gain access to the full range of functions. More openness and having additionally supported codecs would suit Samsung better in the future. Maybe these are reasons enough for you to take a look at our list of the best true wireless earbuds in the market.
What do you think? Do you have any experience with any of the Galaxy Buds models? Which model is your favorite?
