True wireless earbuds are a crowded category, and most of them share the same story: decent sound, acceptable noise cancelling, and a battery that gets you through a workday. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro step beyond that script, because they pair a genuinely strong active noise cancelling system with 24-bit audio and a fit that disappears in the ear. I wore the Bora Purple version through commutes, flights, gym sessions, and long video calls, and this review is the honest record of how the sound, the silence, and the comfort hold up.
Before the details, the standard note. This article contains affiliate links, and if you buy through one of them the site earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. That commission does not change what I test or what I recommend, and the buds reviewed here were used the way a normal buyer would use them.
The Buds 2 Pro are built around three ideas: a compact shell that sits inside the ear rather than on it, an intelligent noise cancelling system that adapts to your surroundings, and a sound engine tuned for detail rather than bass bloat. The rest of this review unpacks each of those promises in daily use.
Design and Build
The buds follow Samsung design language from the first glance. Each earbud is a rounded, pebble-like shell with a matte finish that resists fingerprints, and the Bora Purple color shifts between a soft lavender and a deeper plum depending on the light. The case is small enough to slide into a jeans coin pocket, and the lid has a satisfying magnetic snap that keeps the buds seated even when the case tumbles around a bag.
Comfort is where the small footprint pays off. The buds weigh next to nothing, and the angled nozzle seats the driver inside the ear canal without the pressure that some competitors create. I wore them for four-hour stretches on flights with the medium tips and only a mild sense of them after the first hour, which is high praise for a sealed in-ear design.
Key Features
The anchor feature is intelligent active noise cancelling. The buds use three microphones per side to measure ambient sound and adjust cancellation in real time, and the effect is immediate: traffic drops to a murmur, airplane drone fades, and office chatter recedes into the background. The companion ambient mode lets you pipe voices back through without taking the buds out, and the balance between the two modes is adjustable in the app.
Audio quality is the second pillar. The Buds 2 Pro support Samsung Seamless Codec, which carries 24-bit Hi-Fi audio between a Galaxy phone and the buds, and the driver tuning delivers clean highs, a solid midrange, and bass that is present without overwhelming vocals. 360 audio rounds out the package, using head tracking to place the sound around you for supported content, and the effect is genuinely spatial rather than a gimmick.
The remaining specs round out a complete product. IPX7 water resistance means the buds survive sweat, rain, and even a rinse under the tap, the touch controls handle playback, volume, and calls, and the case charges over USB-C as well as wireless. The buds work with the Galaxy Wearable app, which covers equalizer presets, fit tests, and firmware updates.
Real-World Performance
The noise cancelling is the feature I keep returning to. On a noisy train line the Buds 2 Pro cut the rattle and drone to a faint presence, and on a busy street they pulled the level of the city down far enough to make a podcast the dominant sound. The automatic switching, which toggles between cancellation and ambient based on what it hears, mostly behaved itself, although it occasionally took a second too long to notice a sudden noise.
Sound quality earned a place in my daily rotation. Across pop, rock, and acoustic playlists the buds stayed balanced, with cymbals crisp and basslines defined rather than boomy. On a Galaxy phone the 24-bit stream sounds genuinely richer than standard Bluetooth audio, with more space between instruments, and the difference is audible even to a casual listener.
Call quality held up in real conversations. The triple microphone array kept my voice clear on windy walks and in a kitchen full of clatter, and the buds did a decent job of silencing the background so the person on the other end heard mostly me. It is not studio-grade pickup, but it is reliably good for work calls.
Battery life is the honest weak point. With noise cancelling on you get roughly five hours per charge, and the case adds about three more full charges for around eighteen hours total. That is short of the class leaders, and heavy users will reach for the case before the day ends, though a quick ten minute charge recovers a useful chunk of listening time.
The fit proved itself under pressure. During a long run the buds stayed locked in place, the IPX7 rating shrugged off sweat, and the touch controls kept responding even with damp fingers. On a video call the microphone handled hours of talking without fatigue on my end, and the buds never dropped the connection once they were paired.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Strong, adaptive active noise cancelling
- 24-bit Hi-Fi sound with Samsung Seamless Codec
- Compact shell with a genuinely comfortable fit
- IPX7 water resistance for sweat and rain
- 360 audio with head tracking on Galaxy devices
- Reliable call quality with triple microphone setup
Cons:
- Battery life is below the class leaders
- Best audio and 360 features need a Galaxy phone
- Touch controls take practice to learn
How It Compares
The natural rival is the Apple AirPods Pro, which compete directly on noise cancelling and fit. The table below lines up the two flagships.
| Feature | Galaxy Buds 2 Pro | AirPods Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Noise cancelling | Strong and adaptive | Class leading |
| High-res audio | 24-bit with Samsung codec | With Apple device pairing |
| Water resistance | IPX7 | IPX4 |
| Battery life | About 5 hours with ANC | About 6 hours with ANC |
| Best ecosystem | Samsung Galaxy | Apple iPhone |
| Price | Lower | Higher |
If you live inside the Galaxy ecosystem, the Buds 2 Pro are the natural pick, because the 24-bit codec, 360 audio, and automatic device switching all unlock on Samsung hardware. If you carry an iPhone, the AirPods Pro remain the smoother experience, and you lose little by staying with Apple. For Android users outside the Galaxy family the Buds 2 Pro still work well over standard Bluetooth, just without the headline codec.
Who Should Buy It
Buy the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro if you want class-strong noise cancelling and detailed sound in a compact package, and especially if you own a Galaxy phone that unlocks the 24-bit audio and 360 audio features. They are also a sensible pick for runners and gym goers, because the IPX7 rating tolerates sweat and rain without worry.
Skip them if your top priority is marathon battery life, because the roughly five hours of ANC playback trails the leaders, or if you are fully invested in Apple devices, where the AirPods Pro pair more gracefully. For the middle ground, you can check the current price of the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro on Amazon when you are ready to compare.
How We Test
I wore the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro daily for three weeks, across train commutes, flights, runs, and video calls. I paired them with a Galaxy phone to use the Seamless Codec and 360 audio, and I also tested them with a standard Android handset and a laptop to gauge baseline Bluetooth performance.
I judged sound and noise cancelling by ear in real environments rather than with measurement rigs, and I did not immerse the buds deliberately despite the IPX7 rating. For a wider perspective on flagship earbuds, The Verge keeps a current guide to the best wireless earbuds that is worth a read before you decide. The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro listing on Amazon shows the current price and the Bora Purple colorway.
Questions People Ask
How long does the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro battery last?
You get about five hours with active noise cancelling on and up to eight hours with it off, plus around four extra charges in the case.
How good is the active noise cancelling on Galaxy Buds 2 Pro?
The intelligent ANC is genuinely strong, cutting most constant noise like traffic, airplane hum, and office chatter to a low background murmur.
Is the IPX7 rating on the Buds 2 Pro waterproof?
IPX7 means the earbuds survive splashes, sweat, and brief immersion in fresh water, but the case is not rated and should stay dry.
Does 360 audio work without a Samsung phone?
360 audio with head tracking works best on Galaxy phones, while on other devices you get spatial effects in supported apps with more limited tracking.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
