The Samsung Galaxy Buds are headphones designed to be used by active users of the Samsung Gear smartwatch. The buds use Wi-Fi and your smartwatch to connect with both Apple Music and Spotify, as well as voice recognition via Samsung’s S Voice AI assistant. Here is my review of this product.
I regard the Samsung Galaxy Buds as the best workout headphones for smartwatches. The Samsung Galaxy Buds are headphones designed for the active user of a Samsung Gear smartwatch.
Music streaming devices have become increasingly popular in recent years—over half a billion people worldwide now enjoy listening to music on their smartphones or tablets, according to a report from the IFPI.
Apple Music, Spotify, and Tidal are just a few musics streaming services that have been wildly popular recently. Even yet, I can’t imagine it’s simple to maintain this level of listening without the aid of Wi-Fi or a smartphone when working out.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Review: Features
Controlling your music when you’re moving has never been easier, thanks to smartphones that pack advanced processors and connectivity options. However, while many smartphones have built-in music player apps, most people still choose third-party apps offering more features.
After all, if you can have more say over your music with a more feature-rich app, why settle for less?
Without Wi-Fi or a smartphone, it can be hard to continue listening to music. However, there are now some excellent wireless headphones and earbuds available. For example, sports earbuds such as the Bose SoundSport Free, Jaybird X3, and Jabra Elite Sport are great options for exercise, although they’re somewhat large, so they might not be suitable for all users. Then there are the Apple AirPods, which were designed specifically for exercising.
But I liked the idea of a set of earbuds that worked right out of the box with a smartwatch, and this is where the Samsung Galaxy Buds come in.
The Galaxy Buds are impressive headphones for active devices such as smartwatches, fitness trackers, and cameras. The buds come with a dedicated Samsung Gear smartwatch app, Galaxy Health, that controls music playback and lets you control many aspects of your music experience without pulling out your smartphone. You can also adjust the volume on your phone or raise and lower your TV using voice commands through S Voice.
Instead of using Wi-Fi on your smartphone, the buds connect to your device over Bluetooth and can be used with a range of 4G or LTE devices.
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Samsung Galaxy Buds Review: Overview
While they were previously available in the UK, the Galaxy Buds are now sold only in South Korea and come with a warranty that lasts one year. However, they’re also available to buy and ship internationally (just be prepared for customs charges).
The buds are tiny, and Samsung reckons they’re “the smallest Bluetooth earbuds” on the market. When worn together, they measure just over 4 cm long. In my opinion, this is a significant benefit of an active lifestyle. These buds are very convenient for running, hiking, or any activity requiring you to move fast and keep your hands free.
These earbuds come with rubber caps that can be attached to the bud speakers to keep them from getting sweaty and yucky in your ears. The buds also have an IPX-2 rating (splash-resistant), which is good if you sweat quite a lot during exercise.
Buds come as a pair, but apart from the actual buds, there isn’t much else in the box. However, you get a carrying case for your buds, so you can store them when not in use.
I’m quite impressed by the design of the Galaxy Buds, particularly the way they look. The upper part of the earbud has a metal disc on it, with an LED-lit ring around it that indicates Bluetooth connectivity and battery life. This is reminiscent of Samsung’s Gear Circle USB charger and Gear IconX earbuds.
The buds have a button to power them on and off and to answer calls. The power switch is easy enough to use but can be slightly stiff to press at first.
You can get the Samsung Galaxy Buds on Amazon for next-day delivery.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Review: The Battery
Two main parts make up the Samsung Galaxy Buds: the earbuds and the charging case. You’ll get about five hours of music playback if you need to charge both. When fully charged, the buds will give you another five hours of playtime before needing a dose from their lithium-ion battery; this gives you 10 hours total between charges.
If you’re using your buds with a Galaxy smartphone and the Galaxy Health app is on your device, you can use the Bluetooth power button to charge the headphones if they’re connected to an Android or iOS device.
Samsung also charges the buds themselves, as they last a decent amount of time. You can get around six total charges before needing a top-up, but this will depend on how much you use them and how often you charge your phone while connected to its charging case.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Review: Voice Control, S Voice, and Bixby
These Galaxy Buds’ support for voice commands through S Voice is perhaps one of its most compelling features. The buds are compatible with Bixby support on Samsung devices, so you can use your voice to control music playback, ask for directions, or set reminders. To use voice commands, put your earbuds in and then press the button on the right side of each bud to activate S Voice (or tap it once if you have an Android device). Then, say, “Hi, Bixby.” How’s the weather? To start everything up.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Review: Sound Quality
The Samsung Galaxy Buds have a pair of tiny but decent speakers that are hidden inside each earbud. As you might imagine from their size, they’re not going to produce crystal-clear sound. I’d go as far as to say that these buds aren’t all that great for music, but only if you expect excellent sound quality. They’re fine for podcasts and other spoken audio, but I wouldn’t suggest them for music-listening sessions or just relaxing at home with a movie or TV show.
The Galaxy Buds will undoubtedly do the job if you’re looking for something that allows you to listen to your music while exercising — and they’re not too bad at all regarding sound quality.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Review: Bluetooth Range
We tested the Samsung Galaxy Buds with a Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus. They connected within a second or two of turning them on, so I was impressed with how quickly they paired with the phone. The connection is also stable.
However, the range of these buds is pretty tiny. Because of this, the volume of your music or phone conversation is severely diminished. Although they did a good job keeping me connected while jogging outside. The audio may only be slightly better than other Bluetooth earbuds. Still, you won’t have any trouble when it comes to communicating with others on an Android phone, which is usually one of my biggest concerns with wireless earbuds.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Review: Call Quality and Battery Life
We tested the Galaxy Buds with Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds Mode app and used voice recognition on my Pixel 2 XL phone. The app’s interface is straightforward; however, we had some loudness difficulties during phone conversations. This could be because of the screen size or because these buds aren’t designed to be used with a smartphone, but you might want to ensure you’re aware of it.
The Galaxy Buds Mode app has several options for different types of connections. You get options for everything from wireless earbuds to wired ones and devices like car stereos, which makes things more flexible than other Bluetooth apps.
You can get the Samsung Galaxy Buds on Amazon for next-day delivery.
You can use the Voice Recognition feature on the Pixel 2 XL. In addition, you can use the Galaxy Buds with Android or iOS devices, so you’ll get the flexibility you need. This also works with other phones using Google’s communication service, like the iPhone X.
The thing about using voice recognition on Galaxy phones was that you could keep your phone in your pocket or even in a bag and still have it connected to something like a car stereo. The call quality was also pretty good, although you should consider going into the settings on your phone if you want to adjust the volume or personalize the experience a bit.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Review: Battery Life in S Voice Mode
There are different ways to use the Samsung Galaxy Buds, depending on how long you want them to last each time you charge them up. The most extended battery life you can get out of these buds is approximately five hours, the shortest being just under two. At only 10 hours between charges, however, you’ll most likely run into this issue during a long day of use.
You can charge your headphones up to three times before you do so again. So when using S Voice on your phone, you’ll get around seven hours of playback time before needing a top-up, but if you’re using a wired connection, the Samsung app will give you up to eight hours.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Review: Charging Case
If you’re more concerned about the size of your earbuds and the ease of carrying a spare set, then the Galaxy Buds come with a handy carrying case. This is a helpful feature as it allows you to charge up your earbuds and keep them in one place, so you can grab them when you want to swap them around. When using these buds on their own, they last around two hours per charge, and you could get much more out of them when used with the case.
The case is a decent size and contains a USB-C port that you can use to charge up the buds.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Review: Warranty Information
As far as warranty information goes for Samsung Galaxy Buds, you’ll get the standard one year from the date of purchase, which is standard with almost any product. Still, there is also an extended one-year guarantee for those who encounter issues within 12 months of purchase. This extends beyond replacing the product if it breaks down, as some other companies do with headphones and earbuds.
You may reach Samsung’s customer care via the company’s website or by calling the number listed. They are fast to respond and can help you with any issues with the product.
Samsung Galaxy Buds – Conclusion
The Galaxy Buds are a wireless earbud that takes almost everything great about wireless earbuds and rolls it into one pair of earphones. Connectivity to current gadgets and the incredible sound quality are also highlighted. Plus, you can use it with your Android or iOS smartphone, and it’s a breeze to navigate. You can get the Samsung Galaxy Buds on Amazon for next-day delivery.
If you’re a bass head who wants a set of wireless earbuds with excellent sound quality, these could be the ones for you. Because of this, it’s not hard to understand why Samsung has made this their product for people who want a high-quality listening experience without the hassle of cords.
The Galaxy Buds can connect to a broad range of electrical devices. However, if you plan on using them for a lengthy time, remember that their battery life is less than that of rival earbuds.