"Galaxy Buds 2" review. Inexpensive all-rounder

　The independent wireless earphone "Galaxy Buds2" released by Samsung in 2021. I won a campaign in the "Galaxy Members" app and got it, so I will review it.

Index 

• 1 unboxing
• 2 setup
• 3 compare
  • 3.1 Wearing comfort
  • 3.2 Sound quality
  • 3.3 ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) Performance
  • 3.4 Ambient sound capture
  • 3.5 touch control
  • 3.6 battery life
• 4 points that caught my attention
• 5 general comments

Opened

　We will open it soon. The outer box and contents look like this. I use Galaxy Buds, Galaxy Buds Live, and Galaxy Buds 2 this time, but all the bundled items are almost the same, and a USB Type-C cable and ear tips are included.

　And here comes the Galaxy Buds2 itself. The main body case is glossy, and the feature is that scratches are easy to stand out.

　In Galaxy Buds2, the color of the charging case is all white, and you can only choose the color of the inside of the case and the earphone itself. I received an "olive" that is close to green.

set up

　Galaxy Buds2 is compatible with Android devices, and it is easy to set up, especially on Galaxy devices. Although it is not compatible with iOS, you can listen to music by performing Bluetooth pairing, although detailed settings cannot be made.

　To pair the Galaxy Buds2 with your Galaxy device, open the earbud case near your device. Then, a pop-up saying "A new device was detected" is displayed, and when you tap the connection, the necessary plug-ins etc. will be installed automatically.

Compare

　From here, I will compare the feeling of wearing and sound quality with the Galaxy Buds Live and Galaxy Buds (first generation) that I have used so far.

A feeling of wearing

　Galaxy Buds Live is an inner ear earphone. Galaxy Buds Live was an open type, so the shape is completely different. The fit is exceptional, and it fits the shape of my ear well.

sound quality

　Using the function that allows you to listen to music with two Bluetooth devices available on some Galaxy devices, I attached Galaxy Buds Live to one and Galaxy Buds 2 to the other to test the sound quality. Equalizer settings are dynamic. It's a surprisingly little-known feature, but it's useful when you want to share music.

　First, I listened to songs with strong bass and drums. When I listened to it, I felt that the Galaxy Buds Live had a little more punch in the bass. When I switched from Galaxy Buds to Galaxy Buds Live, I was impressed with the strength of the bass of the Galaxy Buds Live. Of course, the prices at the time of release are different, so I can't simply compare the superiority and inferiority, but I felt a little unsatisfactory.

　Mid-to-high tones are still clear. No complaints here.

ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) Performance

　The most shocking thing when I switched from Galaxy Buds Live to Galaxy Buds2 was the ANC performance. The Galaxy Buds Live was an open-ear type, so I had the impression that ANC didn't eliminate noise.

　One Galaxy Buds2 is an inner ear type. With ANC on, I couldn't hear any conversations around me , even with music playing normal or slightly quieter . Even if you use it on the train, you will not notice the announcement at all. It is surprising to have this ANC performance in this price range.

　In advanced settings, ANC can also be used with only one ear.

Ambient sound capture

　Galaxy Buds2 is equipped with an external sound capture function. This external sound capture function can be set in detail from the Galaxy Wearable app. You can adjust the level of incoming sound from the left and right earphones , and set the sound quality of the incoming sound .

　Considering that it was not possible to set the level of external sound intake in the original Galaxy Buds, you can see that it is steadily evolving.

touch control

　My biggest gripe with the Galaxy Buds Live is the touch controls. In addition to the unclear range of touch response, there were frequent malfunctions, such as responding to even a slight hit. In Galaxy Buds2, that point has been greatly improved, and malfunctions have decreased.

　In addition, it is also possible to change the operation when touched , and it feels like the operation side is also powered up, such as changing the volume by tapping the end of the earphone.

with battery

　According to the official specifications, the battery capacity of the earphone itself is 61mAh. A simple comparison cannot be made because it is repeatedly charged at a high frequency, but it feels like the battery lasts longer than the past Galaxy Buds series. I was able to use it continuously for more than 4 hours even with ANC and ambient sound capture turned on , so I felt that there was no problem even with long-term use.

Points that caught my attention

　The Galaxy Buds2 feel like near-perfect earbuds, both in terms of operation and practicality. The only thing that bothered me the most was the charging case. As mentioned above, the Galaxy Buds 2 all have a white case color and a glossy finish. Therefore, it is very easy to be scratched, and the drawback is that scratches are easy to stand out. This was a disappointment, as the Galaxy Buds Live had a matte finish.

Overall review

　I feel that the Galaxy Buds2 are all-round type wireless earphones that have many of the features that many modern users want, such as ANC, external sound capture, and operability. Especially for Galaxy and Android users, it is easy to use, and I felt that it is perfect for those who want high functionality and high sound quality at a low price.

　Samsung earphones such as Galaxy Buds2 can be experienced at Galaxy Harajuku, the world's largest Galaxy showcase. We recommend that you try it on and buy the one that suits you best.