Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro review: a hard-working follower

Samsung has been very experienced in launching true wireless headsets, from the original IconX to the latest in 2021 Galaxy Buds Pro, The function is gradually improved and increased. However, in the face of the rapid growth of the true wireless headset market, Samsung is also under pressure and needs to rush to catch up with all the new features of other competitors.Accompanying Galaxy S21 seriesThe Galaxy Buds Pro that comes is one that has the characteristic elements of true wireless headsets on the market, and hopes to use it to meet the various requirements and expectations of users for headsets. Although the various functions are the most complete on the paper, when I actually picked it up and tried it, I found that the effect was not as ideal.

Looking at its design first, Galaxy Buds Pro follows the jewellery concept of last year’s Buds Live. The rounded square battery box contains a pair of earphones with shiny finishes, which feels like opening a ring box. The earphone is in the shape of a long cone. Three sets of microphones are distributed on the earphones, the outer two sets and the inner set. There are also magnetic contacts and wearing sensors on the belly. The design is similar to general true wireless earphones.

The duct of the Galaxy Buds Pro is also an exclusive design, especially the body itself has a filter, but the ear gel itself also has a filter, which may be due to hygiene considerations. The earphones have a good wearing feeling. The earphones on both sides weigh 6.3g in total. It doesn’t matter if you put them in your ears. The body can probably be flat with the ear sockets and looks natural.

Features

Galaxy Buds Pro is full of ambitions and has many functions, with active noise reduction, ambient sound, voice detection, 360-degree audio, and it is a member of the SmartThings Find platform, many of which are new. And experience tells us that being too greedy will only cause both sides to be unpleasant. Galaxy Buds Pro is no exception. Let me share with you the following features one by one.

The first is the active noise reduction function. Last year, the Galaxy Buds Live tried the ANC function with a (half-joking) semi-open design. This time, the Galaxy Buds Pro finally used the earphone design obediently. However, the noise reduction effect is not perfect. After choosing the appropriate size ear gel, I still feel that the earphones still have a problem of sound leakage. Even if the ANC mode is turned on, the aunt next door on the bus is still talking about housework. In other words, Samsung’s ANC mode can reduce most of the low-frequency noise, but the human voice is not reduced too much, which is very embarrassing.

As for the effect of ambient sound, it is quite good. There are four options of low, medium, high and super high. The first three are common to us, but the new “super high” is to allow users to hear their surroundings more clearly The sound, especially the high-frequency sound, can be imagined as a hearing aid-like amplification. Fortunately, I have a good hearing, so I didn’t feel particularly practical, but I also believe that there will be friends who can benefit from it.

Voice detection is a new feature mentioned by the editor during hands-on play. The concept is the same as Speak-to-Chat on Sony WH-1000XM4. Wearing Galaxy Buds Pro and in ANC mode, the user will automatically switch to the ambient sound mode as long as the user speaks, which can make communication more normal. The sensitivity of Galaxy Buds Pro is similar to Sony’s, even a yawning “ah~” will be triggered. That is to say, the noise reduction effect of Galaxy Buds Pro is not so strong, and the voices of people around you all flow into your ears, so the practicality of this function is not too high.

Before getting the evaluation machine, the editor was full of questions about this 360-degree audio from Samsung. Does this mean Apple-like spatial sound effects? Or Sony’s 360 Reality Audio? The answer is the former. Galaxy Buds Pro uses Dolby’s Dolby Head Tracking to achieve spatial sound effects similar to Apple’s AirPods Pro and AirPods Studio, but the effect must be used with Dolby Atmos. The editor thinks it is good, it can achieve the feeling of locking the direction of the sound source, and the sense of hierarchy can also be retained.

The last is the support of SmartThings Find. This Samsung’s latest object-finding platform makes all Galaxy phones become a Bluetooth node and locate nearby devices, which is also the concept of Tile. The Galaxy Buds Pro is the character being sought. If you accidentally drop it while riding the bus, you can find the location through the SmartThings Find platform. However, this is only when the headset is not in the headset box, because when the headset is placed in the box, it will shut down. Fortunately, the two headphones of the Galaxy Buds have independent connections, so you can find them if you drop one.

Sense of hearing

As a headset, the sense of hearing of the Galaxy Buds Pro is naturally important, especially this time in the true wireless headset market. The few models that use dual units are composed of 11mm woofer and 6.5mm tweeter. The performance of the dual unit is naturally good, the sound layering and low frequency are relatively real, and the human voice is clear.

On the other hand, the sound-receiving capabilities of true and wireless headsets that come as mobile phone accessories are highly valued. After all, they are all wearing headsets. It is impossible to ask people to take off the headsets in order to make a phone call. Galaxy Buds Pro’s sound reception capabilities are not only good, but Samsung also allows everyone to use it when recording on their mobile phones, which shows that they are full of confidence.

to sum up

After playing the game, it can be seen that Samsung, due to the advancing of many competitors in the market, is anxious to make the Galaxy Buds Pro have all the features that are selling points on other competing products, but the performance of various functions is uneven, especially the noise reduction part. The editor also received an update on ANC performance during the trial period. It can be seen that Samsung has been working hard to adjust, but when it can really catch up with other opponents, we have to wait and see.

As far as today’s performance is concerned, Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro as the Galaxy S21 Ultra’sEarly Bird Gift, Is very sincere. Because Buds Pro can complete the experience of this flagship phone, so users can try it out. SmartThings Find, remote recording, etc. But if you want to buy it separately, I’m afraid its attractiveness is not enough.

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