I found true AirPods Pro rivals in these Samsung earbuds - and they're better in several ways

2026-03-22 · Source: News and Advice on the World's Latest Innovations | ZDNET · Field: Technology & Digital — Internet of Things (IoT) & Connected Devices · Depth: Fundamental Awareness, short

Summary

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, priced at $249.99, are wireless earbuds that offer significant enhancements over their 2024 predecessors, the Buds 3 Pro. Key improvements include a refined, more comfortable design with muted, rounded edges and metallic accents, and the introduction of head gestures. Audio quality is notably upgraded with a two-way design featuring a 10.5mm dynamic driver and a 6.1mm planar magnetic tweeter, delivering a wider soundstage and more present mids and highs, comparable to Apple's AirPods Pro 3 and Sony's WH-1000XM6. Noise cancellation is improved by an additional 3 dB, effectively dampening lower frequencies, while ambient mode provides a natural sound. The Buds 4 Pro also retain features like 360 audio, live translation, and Galaxy AI integration, and support hi-fi listening up to 24-bit/96kHz, LE Audio, and super-wideband calling. They also feature a minor durability upgrade, allowing submersion in water up to three feet deep for 30 minutes.

Key takeaway

For audio enthusiasts considering new wireless earbuds, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro offer excellent sound and comfort, especially if you are already within the Samsung Galaxy ecosystem. If you own the Buds 3 Pro, the upgrades are incremental, so consider the $75 trade-in credit from Best Buy. Pixel users or those outside the Galaxy ecosystem should explore Sony or Bose options to avoid overpaying for inaccessible features.

Key insights

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro offer meaningful, albeit incremental, upgrades in design, audio, and noise cancellation.

Principles

• Ecosystem integration enhances device value.
• Iterative design refinements improve user comfort.

Method

The Buds 4 Pro utilize a two-way acoustic design with a 10.5mm dynamic driver and 6.1mm planar magnetic tweeter for enhanced sound reproduction.

In practice

• Adjust EQ for preferred bass response.
• Use Samsung Seamless Codec (SSC) or AAC for best audio.

Topics

• Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro
• Wireless Earbuds
• Audio Performance
• Active Noise Cancellation
• Ecosystem Integration

Best for: General Interest

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by News and Advice on the World's Latest Innovations | ZDNET.