Samsung’s next-gen buds are here, and they look subdued. That may be no bad thing, though, as they’re simpler, easier to use, and should also have a better, louder sound.
The buds ship in either Black or White (plus an online-exclusive Pink Gold) in a simple box with S/M/L eartips. They’ll ship from March 11 and cost $250/€250 – that’s the same price as the Buds3 Pro from 2024.
The Galaxy Buds4 Pro ship in a smaller case with a see-through top. The buds now lie flat down in the case, unlike the Buds3 Pro, which sit upright.
Just like before, you can control the buds both by pinching and swiping on the stem. The new buds have a flat stem, made out of metal. The old ones had a triangular, blade-like design that could light up. This editor has used the old models since they came out and isn’t sold on the quality of life improvement on the new one – more testing is needed.
The new buds
Here’s a look at the new buds side-by-side with their predecessors. The new pairis more subdued. Even the color has a satin finish, which is low-sheen and has a pearlescent glow under some light.
In the ear, the new ones feel just as comfortable as the old pair.
What’s improved is the 2-way speaker, which now has a wider woofer and tweeter. Samsung says the new speakers are around 20% bigger than the ones on the Buds3 Pro. Each bud has a dual amplifier – one for each speaker, which should expand the sound coverage and reduce distortion.
There’s also something Samsung calls Ultra High Quality Audio, a Samsung-made codec that uses a 24-bit/96kHz sample rate. However, the old Buds3 Pro also supports these specs, so it’s not clear what’s new here. There’s also a Super Clear Call, which uses advanced machine learning DNN to improve the sound of your voice during calls.
The new buds next to the old buds
We’ll test the buds alongside their predecessors to see what’s what.
