SAN FRANCISCO — Samsung Electronics has launched its latest flagship wireless earbuds, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, positioning them as a premium audio accessory optimized for users within its Galaxy ecosystem. Priced at $249.99, the new buds promise significant enhancements in sound quality, active noise cancellation (ANC), and call performance over their predecessors, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. According to a detailed review published by The Verge, the device delivers on many of these fronts, though its full suite of features remains locked behind compatibility with Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablets.
The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro arrive at a time when the wireless earbuds market is fiercely competitive, with rivals like Apple's AirPods Pro and Sony's WF-1000XM5 dominating segments based on ecosystem integration and audio prowess. Samsung's announcement, made earlier this month during a virtual event, emphasized a "more than a design refresh," highlighting upgraded dual-amped woofers for hi-fi sound, a redesigned stem with a metallic "blade" aesthetic, and improved microphone arrays for clearer calls. The buds are available in black, white, and an online-exclusive pink gold, with pre-orders beginning immediately after the reveal.
Reviewers at The Verge, who tested the buds extensively with various devices, noted marked improvements in audio performance. "The midrange in particular is smoother, which allowed me to just sit back more and enjoy Chris Cornell’s soaring vocals on ‘Black Hole Sun’ and ‘Superunknown,’" wrote Chris Welch, the lead reviewer. He described the sound profile as more consistent than the Buds 3 Pro, which he found "a bit shouty" with overly prominent vocals and piercing highs that made extended listening sessions fatiguing. The Buds 4 Pro address these issues, offering a balanced output that Welch praised for its ability to handle dynamic tracks without fatigue.
Bass response, however, remains a point of personal preference. Welch observed that the low-end punch is "right on the edge," providing depth to songs like Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car," where the kick drum adds "an extra pulse" during verses. Yet, on Muse's "Uprising," the thumping bass can overshadow mids, though he stressed it's "in no way excessive or out of control." Users can fine-tune this via a nine-band equalizer in the companion app, a feature available on Android devices running the Galaxy Wearable app.
For audiophiles with Galaxy devices, the Buds 4 Pro support 24-bit/96kHz hi-resolution audio from compatible streaming services like Qobuz. Welch highlighted subtle benefits in tracks such as Pink Floyd's "Brain Damage," where the hi-res version offers "a bit more spacious" sound, particularly in the organ and backup vocals. This capability, along with features like Auracast for audio broadcasting and seamless auto-switching between Galaxy devices, underscores Samsung's push to create a cohesive ecosystem akin to Apple's.
Active noise cancellation sees a "significant improvement" over the Buds 3 Pro, according to the review. The buds excel at dampening low-frequency rumbles, such as airplane engines, and perform adequately on midrange noises that challenge many competitors. While not matching the top-tier ANC of the AirPods Pro 3, Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, or Sony WF-1000XM5, the Buds 4 Pro allow adjustable ANC and transparency modes via the app, providing users with customizable awareness levels for urban environments or workouts.
Call quality stands out as another strong suit, thanks to six microphones and a voice pickup unit that isolates the speaker's voice amid background chaos. During tests on a busy San Fernando Valley street, Welch's friend on the line couldn't hear a nearby car alarm or passing traffic. "They do an excellent job isolating my voice and blocking out things like wind, traffic, nearby people, or loud noises," Welch reported. However, this comes with noticeable compression on the voice, though intelligibility remains high.
Galaxy users can enable a "super wide band" mode, expanding call bandwidth to 16kHz for slightly enhanced vocal clarity. In comparative recordings made with a Galaxy S24 Plus and an iPhone during rush hour on the same Los Angeles blocks, the feature offered a "minor improvement" noticeable only in side-by-side listening. Welch concluded, "Is it nice to have? Sure. Critical for calls? Absolutely not," suggesting non-Galaxy owners aren't at a significant disadvantage here.
Design-wise, the Buds 4 Pro retain the stem-style form factor introduced with the Buds 3, but Samsung has refined it by removing the controversial LED lights along the stem in favor of a sleek metal "blade design." The capacitive touch controls on the stem sides support swipes for volume and pinches for playback, ANC toggles, and assistant activation, all customizable in the app for Galaxy or other Android phones. iPhone, Windows, and console users are limited to basic functions like audio playback, calls, and ANC switching.
Fit and durability are practical considerations for active users. The buds include three ear tip sizes, with the medium option providing a secure seal for Welch during a run. Rated IP57 for dust and water resistance, they suit workouts, though the limited tip variety might not accommodate all ear shapes as well as competitors offering more options.
The charging case, a transparent clamshell design supporting wireless charging, is notably compact—smaller than those for the AirPods Pro, Sony WF-1000XM5, and Bose Ultra Earbuds—fitting easily into pockets. The see-through lid allows a view of the charging buds, a carryover from the Buds 3 that Welch questioned in appeal: "Do people do this?"
Despite these advances, the Buds 4 Pro's ecosystem exclusivity draws criticism. Full access to features like Gemini and Bixby voice wake-up, head gestures for controls, real-time interpreter translation, and HD voice calling requires a Galaxy device. On non-Samsung platforms, functionality is curtailed, mirroring Apple's AirPods strategy. Welch advised, "I certainly wouldn’t recommend them for an iPhone user (in the same way I wouldn’t recommend AirPods for anyone but an Apple user), and non-Galaxy Android users should also consider the Technics EAH-AZ100, Sony WF-1000XM5, or Bose Ultra Earbuds."
This walled-garden approach reflects broader trends in consumer tech, where manufacturers prioritize loyalty within their platforms to drive hardware sales. Samsung's Galaxy lineup, including the recently released S24 series, benefits from such integration, potentially boosting adoption among its 300 million-plus active users worldwide. However, it risks alienating the broader Android and iOS markets, where cross-compatibility is increasingly valued.
Looking ahead, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro launch coincides with Samsung's ongoing AI integrations, such as Galaxy AI features teased at the January Unpacked event. Analysts expect these buds to play a role in upcoming software updates, possibly expanding voice assistant capabilities. For now, they represent a solid, if ecosystem-bound, upgrade in Samsung's audio portfolio, appealing primarily to loyalists seeking premium sound without venturing outside the brand.
As wireless audio evolves, with standards like hi-res streaming and advanced ANC becoming table stakes, Samsung's bet on integration could solidify its position in the premium segment—or highlight the limitations of proprietary tech in a multi-device world. Early sales figures, not yet available, will indicate whether Galaxy owners embrace the $250 investment.