The next Galaxy Buds have been announced, and Samsung again mimics Apple in design, ecosystem functionality, and pricing. The Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro keep the AirPods-esque design of the Buds 3, but now have a flat metal surface along the stem’s exterior.
The regular buds use a single 11mm dynamic speaker and do not have silicone ear tips, while the Buds 4 Pro have a selection of silicone ear tips and a two-way design (meaning a woofer for lower frequencies and a tweeter for the high end), just like the Buds 3 Pro. There’s a 5.5mm planar tweeter and a new 11mm “super wide woofer” with an effective area nearly 20 percent larger than the last generation, which leads to 50 percent less distortion, according to Samsung.
Pricing will stay the same as the 3, with the Buds 4 available for $179 and the Pro version for $249. It’s right in line with the AirPods 4 with ANC and AirPods Pro 3. Preorder for both Galaxy Buds 4 starts today, February 25, in with an on-sale date of March 11th. They’re both available in black and white, with a pink gold version for the Pro only online.
Both buds include active noise canceling, ambient sound mode, adaptive EQ, and adaptive ANC — although the Pro version has better adaptive ANC. Samsung says the Buds 4 Pro have a 3dB increase in ANC performance (but to what frequencies we’re not sure). As with the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, the new Pro buds also include voice detect, which boosts conversation when the user’s voice is heard, and siren detect to keep you aware of sirens and alarms by raising the ambient volume when they’re near.
The Buds 4 keep an angular design, but add a metal surface to the outside instead of the lights from the previous generation.
The Buds 4 will work with non-Galaxy devices, but for full functionality you really need a Samsung Galaxy one.
There are a bunch of features only for Galaxy device users, including fast pairing, hands-free access to Bixby or Google voice assistants, head gestures for calls or interacting with Bixby, and an Interpreter (live translation) feature with support for 22 languages. It’s all very reminiscent of the AirPods’ features, but without the heart rate monitoring and hearing assistance Apple has added to the Pro line.
The buds use Bluetooth 6.1 and support Auracast, as well as Samsung’s proprietary Samsung Seamless Codec (SSC) with 24-bit/96kHz ultra-high-quality (UHQ) audio, AAC, SBC, and LC3 codecs. UHQ requires models released during 2023 — like the S23 series, Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5, and Tab S9 series — or newer. Both buds also support Samsung’s spatial audio on phones that run on One UI 4.1.1 or later — basically everything from the S21 and up.
Samsung says both models should have marginally better battery life than the Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro. This year’s Pro model provide up to seven hours of playtime or six hours with ANC (the case provides an additional 30 hours or 26 with ANC), while the regular Buds 4 will get up to six hours or five with ANC on (also 30 hours more with the case or 26 with ANC). The cases for both models support wireless charging. And this time around the case is a clamshell design instead of a flip-top case, although it also has a transparent lid like the Buds 3.
Both models will come in black and white, with the Pro having an additional pink gold option (online orders only, though).
The Buds 4 are rated IP54 and the Buds 4 Pro are IP57. The case does not have an IP rating.
The Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro will work over Bluetooth on non-Galaxy phones, but with some of the features — including noise control, adaptive EQ, pinch control, and firmware updates — requiring the Galaxy Wearable app on devices with Android 10.0 or above, they’re not going to be the best choice for many non-Galaxy users.
Using the Galaxy Buds with a Galaxy phone, though, will offer a faster and simpler setup without having to install the Wearable app. The Buds will connect when the case is opened, and a quick panel on your screen allows for easy access to volume, EQ, and ANC settings.
Samsung has gone back to a clamshell case with a transparent lid so you can gaze at them longingly while they charge.
While the Buds 3 Pro offered great sound and call performance in an admittedly derivative design, their ANC performance wasn’t so hot. Hopefully the Buds Pro 4 can fix that. Regardless, the Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are sure to be a go-to choice for Galaxy device users.
Photography by Allison Johnson / The Verge
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