Audio review
Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro Review
Samsung's $250 flagship earbuds combine strong sound, a comfortable lightweight fit, and deep Galaxy-only features—but the phone in your pocket determines how much of the product you actually get.
Steve's verdict
Galaxy owners get a polished flagship package with excellent sound and useful customization. On iPhone, the missing app and Galaxy-only features make AirPods Pro 3 or Sony's XM6 much easier to recommend.
Best for
Galaxy phone owners who prioritize sound, long-session comfort, and Samsung's full feature set.
Skip it if
You use an iPhone, want universal multipoint, or need the strongest possible active noise cancellation.
Best with
Samsung Galaxy phones
Battery
6 hours with ANC
Watch for
No iPhone app
What I like
- Strong sound with Galaxy-exclusive UHQ audio support
- Useful 360 Audio, head gestures, and Live Translate features
- Automatic switching between compatible Galaxy devices
- Very light and comfortable for long listening sessions
- Useful pinch and swipe controls
What to know
- No iOS companion app
- Several headline features require a Galaxy phone
- Silicone tips provide less isolation than foam-based rivals
- ANC and ambient mode are good, but not category-leading
- Battery life is only average for a flagship model
What I tested
Real-world use, not just the spec sheet
- Paired with both an iPhone and a Galaxy S26
- Long listening sessions to compare silicone-tip comfort
- Sound, nine-band EQ, and Galaxy-exclusive UHQ audio
- ANC and ambient sound against steady and vocal noise
- Indoor office and busy-road microphone samples
Specs that matter
Price at review
$250
Positioned directly against other flagship earbuds.
Earbud weight
About 5 g
Lightweight fit with silicone ear tips.
Battery
6 / 26 hours
Earbuds and total case time with ANC enabled.
Charging
USB-C + wireless
No charging cable is included in the box.
Design, fit, and controls
Each earbud weighs about five grams and sits securely without feeling heavy. The redesigned metal stem is noticeable from the side, but the earbuds keep a relatively low profile from the front. Samsung uses comfortable silicone tips rather than foam, and the pinch controls provide audible feedback while vertical swipes handle volume.
Case and battery life
The case adds a smoked front panel, magnets to hold each bud, USB-C, wireless charging, and a rear pairing button. Samsung rates the earbuds for up to six hours with ANC and 26 hours with the case, or seven and 30 hours with ANC off. A charging cable is not included.
The Galaxy-only feature set
Voice Detect can lower music and enable ambient sound when you speak, Siren Detect can let in emergency sounds, and head gestures can accept or decline calls. A compatible Galaxy phone also unlocks 360 Audio, Interpreter and Live Translate, voice assistants, UHQ audio, and automatic switching between Galaxy devices.
What iPhone users lose
The Buds 4 Pro still pair with an iPhone for music, calls, ANC, ambient mode, and physical controls. What you do not get is an iPhone companion app or the customization and ecosystem features that make these earbuds special. This is not universal multipoint, so the experience outside Samsung's ecosystem is much less complete.
Sound quality and EQ
A two-way speaker system uses a dedicated woofer and tweeter with separate amplification. The larger woofer delivers deep bass without consistently covering the vocals, while mids stay clear and instruments remain separated. High frequencies can occasionally sound sharp, but Galaxy owners get a full nine-band equalizer and optional 24-bit/96 kHz UHQ audio.
Noise cancellation
The Buds 4 Pro reduce steady sounds such as air conditioning, road noise, and vehicle rumble. Compared directly with foam or foam-infused flagship tips from Sony and Apple, more voices and higher-frequency noise reach my ears. The tradeoff is comfort: Samsung's silicone tips create less pressure during long sessions.
Ambient sound and microphones
Ambient mode makes conversations and surroundings easy to hear, although my own voice can sound slightly muffled while walking. I recorded microphone samples both in a quiet office and beside a busy road so you can judge call quality in controlled and noisy conditions from the full video.
App controls
On a Galaxy phone, the earbuds' settings show battery levels for both buds and the case, listening modes, per-side controls, voice assistants, head gestures, sound effects, the nine-band EQ, connection management, in-ear detection, Find My Earbuds, and software updates. That depth is a major part of the value.
Who should buy them
If you own a compatible Galaxy phone and care most about sound, comfort, and customization, the Buds 4 Pro are easy to recommend. If your priorities are the strongest ANC or reliable features across several platforms, Sony is more flexible, while iPhone owners will get a better-integrated experience from AirPods.
From the YouTube comments
“What do you recommend—these or Apple?”
Steve's answer
Start with your phone. If you use a compatible Galaxy phone, the Buds 4 Pro unlock far more features and customization. If you use an iPhone, AirPods Pro 3 are the better match because Samsung does not provide an iPhone app and several headline features disappear.
Watch the full review