Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Review: Small Buds with Powerful Sound

Samsung recently launched the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 along with the Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3.

The Galaxy Buds 2 costs Rs. 17,999 in Nepal and replaces the Galaxy Buds Plus in Samsung’s lineup of TWS buds. These buds are now available for purchase via Samsung Stores.

I have been using it for more than a week and it feels very good. Why? I’ll tell you all about it in this review of Samsung Galaxy Buds 2.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Review

Design & Fit

• 17.0 x 20.9 x 21.1mm, 5 g (Buds)
• 50 x 50.2 x 27.8mm, 41.2g (Case)
• IPX2 rating

Galaxy Buds 2 is an in-ear TWS which is shaped to comfortably sit on your ear. The earbud and the case follow a similar design pattern as it comes with a glossy finish on the outside and a matte finish on the inside.

About the fit, Samsung provides 3 ear tip sizes, and once you find the right one for you the fit is quite good. But this doesn’t mean it won’t fall out.

While the earbuds sit on your ears securely even while working out, you might find them trying to slip out while doing HIIT workouts. It also has an IPX2 rating which will keep it protected from sweat.

The earphone feels light and comfortable while listening to music or working out. Each earbud weighs about 5 gm and the case weighs about 41.2 gm. This makes it the lightest TWS in Samsung’s buds lineup.

It gets a similar case as the Galaxy Buds Pro and Galaxy Buds Live. You can easily fit it into the watch pocket of your jeans. The case has a USB Type C charging port on the back. There’s an indicator for battery status and it supports wireless charging as well.

Sound and Mic Quality

• 6.5mm tweeter, 11mm woofer
• One high SNR mic, Dual outer mics, Voice Pickup Unit

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 comes with a 6.5mm tweeter and an 11mm woofer for dynamic sound. Furthermore, it has 3 mics, and a voice pickup unit.

The sound quality has been improved compared to the Galaxy Buds+. But, it doesn’t have the same fidelity and clarity level as the expensive Samsung Buds Pro.

In the song “Phutki Jane Jovan” by Sajja Raj Baidhya, the sound from the Sarangi in the intro section sounds under control. It doesn’t feel too high and the vocal also sounds crystal clear.

If you like the bass which is what a general consumer prefers, then you won’t be disappointed either. The bass is tight and hits you when it matters.

In the song “I’ll Show You” by K/DA the bass is crisp and tight. It doesn’t get in the way of vocals as well. The sound profile of the Galaxy Buds 2 is really balanced with a slight bass boost.

As for voice call quality, it does a good job of picking up your sound with reduced noise. However, the person on the other side of the call often told me that the sound quality was good but not great.

As for the latency, you won’t notice it while watching videos. However, you will notice audio lag while playing games. You can reduce the lag with the Gaming mode from its companion app. But, the lag won’t vanish totally.

ALSO READ: Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Impressions: A Pleasant Upgrade!

ANC and Transparent Mode

• Active Noise Cancellation
• Two Level Transparent Mode

Samsung Galaxy Bud 2 has a competent ANC but it doesn’t compare to the likes of the Buds Pro. It does a good job of filtering out sounds like a moving fan, vacuum cleaner in the other room. But, it is less effective at nearby speech and high-pitched sounds.

As for the transparency mode, it is quite good. You can clearly keep track of the traffic if you’re on a run and even keep track of conversations. But, you will have to lower the volume even with transparency mode if you want to keep the conversation going while listening to music.

Touch Controls

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 uses touch controls. The touch response is quite good but I felt it was a bit too sensitive. You will accidentally skip songs while adjusting the buds.

• Single Tap: Play/ Pause
• Touch and Hold: Switch Between ANC and Ambient Sound
• Double Tap: Skip
• Triple Tap: Previous

You can modify the touch and hold control on either side to use it as a dedicated Spotify control, volume control, or Bixby wakeup.

Connectivity

• Bluetooth® Version 5.2
• SBC, AAC, Scalable Codecs

Samsung Galaxy Buds uses Bluetooth V5.2 so it boasts the standard range of 10m. And, I haven’t had any problem with its connectivity. I haven’t had any connection drop within its range and I haven’t had audio drops as well. It supports seamless connection on Samsung devices as you can switch between Samsung devices easily.

However, it doesn’t support multipoint. For a premium set of TWS, this is definitely a bummer. Also, it doesn’t support AptX but the SBC codec is good enough as it works almost like the Adaptive AptX. It also supports AAC and Samsung’s scalable codec.

ALSO READ: Samsung Z Fold 3 Impressions: The Good Gets Better!

Battery

• Up to 7.5 hours playback with a single charge (ANC off)
• Total 20 hours playback with battery case

In terms of battery, Samsung claims that the Buds 2 can provide a battery life of up to 7.5 hours with ANC turned off and up to 5 hours with ANC turned on. The case can provide 3 full charges taking total endurance to 20 hours with ANC on.

During my usage, I was getting around 7 hours with ANC off on full volume. This is quite good but not the best in the Galaxy Buds lineup.

It also has fast charging via USB-C which can provide 60 mins of playback with just 5 mins of charging. This comes in very handy when you are in a rush. On top of that, you can also charge it wirelessly if you’re into that.

Should You Buy It?

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 is definitely a top-notch TWS and probably one of the best TWS for Android at this price range. The ANC is above average and its sound quality is really good.

While it does not enjoy the premium sound and features of Galaxy Buds Pro. It is a really good ANC TWS for the price. The Galaxy Buds 2 will be available from the first week of September in Nepal.

What do you think about the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2? Let us know in the comments!

Also, watch our impressions of the Samsung Watch 4 in Nepali.