FULL REVIEW: Galaxy Buds2

Every year, Samsung is diligent enough to update the TWS (True Wireless Stereo) product line. And for the middle of 2021, they are trying to perfect the Galaxy Buds series. In this Galaxy Buds 2, Samsung designed the body of the earbuds to be slimmer than their predecessors. This design is intended to be more comfortable when this device is used even for a long time. Another thing that is also enhanced is the use of the Bluetooth standard version 5.2.



To improve the sound quality, Samsung also uses two dynamic drivers, each of which functions as a Tweeter and Woofer. By doing so, it is hoped that the resulting sound will be more balanced and improve the user experience.

The Galaxy Buds 2 come in a compact package — almost all of the packaging is recyclable. Inside the box, I found a small, white, square (some call it squirrel) wireless charging case with the Galaxy Buds 2 nestled inside, along with large and small silicone ear tips (the medium end is attached to the bud), and a USB-A to USC-C charging cable.

Like earbuds in general, Samsung uses a charging case to synchronize between the left earbuds and right earbuds. This charging case also functions to store the two earbuds so they are not easily lost and charge when the earbuds battery is used. The shape of the earbuds feels comfortable in my ears even when I use them for hours nonstop. At the end of the earbuds, there are silicone tips to help keep the earbuds from slipping while helping to muffle the sound around you.

The Galaxy Buds 2 have an IPX2 rating which means they are sweat and splash resistant. However, this rating is a bit low, so the earbuds are not suitable for water-related activities. Regarding the design of the earbuds, Samsung packs them with a body that looks elegant. What's more, there are several copper connectors on each of the earbuds. Although a bit odd, the ergonomics of the two earbuds are fairly good. The reason is, in addition to feeling right with the anatomy of the ear, the two earbuds are also comfortable to use for a long time.

Although the price is relatively low for wireless earbuds made by Samsung, the Galaxy Buds 2 provide satisfactory audio output quality. The bass boom is felt, the mid range is good, the treble is ok, and the details in the music sound quite clear. The quality even feels a little above the Galaxy Buds Pro, which incidentally is more expensive. The Bluetooth connection also remains stable when I use the earbuds while traveling in different rooms with a connected smartphone.

The microphone recording on the Galaxy Buds 2 is good enough for everyday use. When used for calling or video conferencing, my voice can be heard clearly by the person I'm talking to. To be able to take full advantage of the features of the Galaxy Buds 2, it is necessary to install the Galaxy Wearable application on an Android phone.

Unfortunately, for now, the application does not support iPhone users. However, iPhone users can still connect their iPhone to the Galaxy Buds 2 via Bluetooth. It's just that they can't control the earbuds more deeply, so they have to use the default settings.

If it's your first time using the Galaxy Buds 2, there is an interesting feature that you can use, namely the Fit Test. With this feature, you can check whether the position of the earbuds and the silicone tips used are right or not. If it is detected that it doesn't fit properly, the silicone tips can be replaced with two other different sizes that have been provided in the sales box.

Galaxy Buds 2 provides an Active Noise Cancellation feature to muffle surrounding sounds so that music can be heard more clearly. When I tried this feature, it could quite muffle the sound around me, but the loud noises were still audible. There is also an Ambient Sound mode so that you can stay aware of your surroundings when using the Galaxy Buds 2.

When this feature is activated, the Galaxy Buds 2 will record the sound around us and play it in our ears. This feature is very useful, for example, when listening to music while walking on the street.

Like the previous generation, the outside of each earbud can be tapped to perform a specific action. For example, one tap to stop or play music, two taps to play the next music, and 3 taps to play the previous music. In addition, there's more touch and hold to perform customizable actions such as to activate the ANC / Ambient Sound feature, Bixby, adjust the volume, and activate Spotify.

Interestingly, there is now a setting to activate the ANC / Ambient Sound feature and turn it off simultaneously. On previous generation Galaxy Buds, if the ANC / Ambient Sound feature was enabled via touch, the only way to turn it off was to open the Galaxy Wearable app, which was a bit of a hassle. Galaxy Buds 2 also has a feature to stop music automatically when the earbuds are removed from the ear. Unfortunately, this feature still seems a bit problematic. Most of the time, the music was still playing when I took my Galaxy Buds 2 off.

Galaxy Buds 2 has pretty tough battery life. I used my Galaxy Buds 2 to play music nonstop for up to 5 hours 44 minutes from 100% battery to 10%. If the ANC or Ambient Sound feature is activated, of course, the battery life will be shorter.

Charging the battery for each earbud is done by placing the earbuds into the case. It takes about 1 hour to charge both earbuds from 10% to 100%. After fully charging the earbuds, the battery capacity in the case is still 72% left. In theory, the case itself can charged the earbud up to four times before the case itself needs to be recharged via a USB-C type cable or wirelessly.

Armed with a BES2500ZP audio processor and two dynamic speakers, each of which functions as a tweeter and woofer, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 can produce satisfying audio quality for various types of music. However, it is not known how the specifications of the speakers or drivers are used specifically. Still, when tested with a normal equalizer for rap, classical, pop, rock, vocal music, everything feels comfortable with a thick middle composition. But, on the other hand, the details are also able to be displayed quite well.

While the resulting staging effect is quite satisfying, the audio range sounds quite wide. For treble and bass compositions that are heard in various types of music, they are quite pleasant and comfortable even though they are not as thick as the middle. But if you want to change the character of the sound a little, the various equalizer options available in the Galaxy Wearable application are already very powerful to tinker with it.

While on the other hand, the performance of these earbuds is also satisfying for watching movies or making phone calls. When using it to watch action films, the booming sound of explosions can be issued to the maximum.

In summary, the solid colour and unique body shape with several copper connectors on each earbud make the Galaxy Buds 2 give an elegant impression. On the other hand, its smaller body design makes for excellent ergonomics.

The reason is, in addition to feeling right with the anatomy of the ear, the earbuds are also comfortable to use for a long time. Not only that, in terms of functionality, TWS Galaxy Buds 2 also has interesting features, such as two drivers as tweeters and woofers and three mics (two outside and one inside).

This makes for excellent audio quality for various types of music and other uses such as watching movies. Moreover, the sound produced feels quite balanced both in terms of bass and treble. But for users who are not satisfied, there are several equalizer options available in the Galaxy Wearable application that can be used to overcome this. Another interesting thing is the presence of a touchpad on the outside of the earbuds. That way, users no longer need to open their smartphone when they want to play a song (play), pause, next track, previous track, pick up phone calls, and hang up. Get yours now at https://www.samsung.com/my/audio-sound/galaxy-buds/galaxy-buds2-lavender-sm-r177nlvaxme/