{"id":135801,"date":"2020-02-23T08:10:41","date_gmt":"2020-02-23T08:10:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newsforher.com\/?p=135801"},"modified":"2020-02-23T08:10:43","modified_gmt":"2020-02-23T08:10:43","slug":"samsung-galaxy-buds-review-better-sound-and-battery-but-these-are-no-airpods-pro","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsforher.com\/?p=135801","title":{"rendered":"Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Review: Better sound and battery, but these are no AirPods Pro"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<!-- Quick Adsense WordPress Plugin: http:\/\/quickadsense.com\/ -->\n<div class=\"c5b541d88d911dcbb84397def1a3492d\" data-index=\"1\" style=\"float: none; margin:0px 0 0px 0; text-align:center;\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- m -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3943282228430444\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"5751019935\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<p> [ad_1]\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"id_text\">\n<div class=\"content-productreview\" data-id=\"1199925\" data-product-bad=\"Buggy pairing on iOS,Touch pads are too sensitive,Still uncomfortable for smaller ears\" data-product-bang-for-the-buck-title=\"????Bang for the Buck\" data-product-blurb=\"Samsung's Galaxy Buds+ are a noticeable improvement from the original Galaxy Buds, but they won't make you ditch your AirPods.\" data-product-coolness=\"4\" data-product-coolness-title=\"???? Cool Factor\" data-product-curve=\"3\" data-product-curve-title=\"????Learning Curve\" data-product-good=\"22-hour battery life,Noticeably better sound quality,Ambient mode is surprisingly good\" data-product-name=\"Galaxy Buds+\" data-product-performance=\"3.5\" data-product-performance-title=\"????Performance\" data-product-price=\"149\" data-product-score=\"3.5\" data-product-score-title=\"\u26a1 Mashable Score\" data-product-url=\"https:\/\/www.samsung.com\/us\/mobile\/audio\/headphones\/galaxy-buds-plus-white-sm-r175nzwaxar\/\" data-product-value=\"3.5\" data-template=\"default\" id=\"1199925\"><\/div>\n<p>When Samsung first released its Galaxy Buds in 2019, I wrote that the company had come very, very close to nailing everything that makes Apple&#8217;s AirPods great.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>So when the company showed off its new Galaxy Buds+ which, in addition to upgraded specs, are officially iPhone-compatible, the natural comparison was to the AirPods Pro. And, at $149, the Galaxy Buds+ are certainly priced to undercut Apple.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But after using the Galaxy Buds+ for more than a week, I&#8217;m left with an impression similar to last year&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/me.mashable.com\/tech\/2889\/samsungs-galaxy-buds-arent-as-good-as-airpods-but-theyre-clo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">first-generation Galaxy Buds<\/a>: There&#8217;s a lot to like, especially if you use a Samsung phone. But these are no AirPods Pro replacement and iPhone owners might be disappointed if they&#8217;re expecting the same level of quality as Apple&#8217;s high-end AirPods.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>Same buds, (a few) new tricks<\/h2>\n<p>The Galaxy Buds+ look almost identical to last year&#8217;s Galaxy Buds and come in the same pill-shaped charging case. It&#8217;s a little bigger than the AirPods Pro charging case, but not by much \u2014it still slips easily into just about any pocket.<\/p>\n<p>The buds themselves are also unchanged from last year&#8217;s design. They come with the same swappable tips and each bud has a small touchpad that lets you control music playback and sound settings.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image\">\n<p><picture itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><source   type=\"image\/webp\"><\/source><source   type=\"image\/jpeg\"><\/source><img alt=\"The Galaxy Buds+ case is slightly bigger than the AirPods Pro case.\" class=\"\" data-fragment=\"m!268f\" data-image=\"https:\/\/mondrian.mashable.com\/uploads%252Fcard%252Fimage%252F1209989%252Ffe2cf5fd-92b4-4d49-90a0-93d4e218a262.jpg%252Ffull-fit-in__1200x2000.jpg?signature=EbRVnEd0GtInKUPlSkA5SYrxKo8=&amp;source=https%3A%2F%2Fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com\" data-micro=\"1\"   src_type=\"jpeg\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"image-caption\">\n<p>The Galaxy Buds+ case is slightly bigger than the AirPods Pro case.\n<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><div class=\"image-credit\">\n<p>Image:  karissa bell \/ mashable\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>As I wrote in my review last year, I have tiny ears, so thicker buds, like the Galaxy Buds, are almost always uncomfortable after extended use. That&#8217;s still true with the Galaxy Buds+. But, again, I expect this won&#8217;t be an issue for most people.<\/p>\n<p>I also still don&#8217;t love the design of the touchpad, which I almost always unintentionally press when taking the Galaxy Buds+ in and out of my ears. After a solid of week of use, I managed to figure out a technique where I gingerly pluck each bud out of my ears without accidentally pressing the touchpad. But putting them in without pressing it is still a challenge. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>While they may <em>look<\/em> the same as last year&#8217;s buds, the biggest are upgrades with the Galaxy Buds+ are the things you can&#8217;t see. Battery life, for example, now tops out at 22 hours \u2014 11 hours for the buds and the charging case, respectively \u2014 which is a major improvement from last year&#8217;s version which maxed out at 13 hours of total playback time.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image\">\n<p><picture itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><source   type=\"image\/webp\"><\/source><source   type=\"image\/jpeg\"><\/source><img alt=\"The design is virtually unchanged from last year's Galaxy Buds.\" class=\"\" data-fragment=\"m!418c\" data-image=\"https:\/\/mondrian.mashable.com\/uploads%252Fcard%252Fimage%252F1209994%252Fc855bd1b-c908-4360-a1cf-d4a963e1e9bc.jpg%252Ffull-fit-in__1200x2000.jpg?signature=dFVYjj0rqFqNPvJbHMDLoCqUi6o=&amp;source=https%3A%2F%2Fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com\" data-micro=\"1\"   src_type=\"jpeg\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"image-caption\">\n<p>The design is virtually unchanged from last year&#8217;s Galaxy Buds.\n<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><div class=\"image-credit\">\n<p>Image:  karissa bell \/ mashable\n<\/p>\n<!-- Quick Adsense WordPress Plugin: http:\/\/quickadsense.com\/ -->\n<div class=\"c5b541d88d911dcbb84397def1a3492d\" data-index=\"2\" style=\"float: none; margin:0px 0 0px 0; text-align:center;\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- 2 -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3943282228430444\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"5511153269\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Samsung also did away with one of my biggest complaints with last year&#8217;s buds: You no longer need two separate apps <em>and<\/em> a Samsung account in order to get that &#8220;seamless&#8221; AirPods-like pairing experience (assuming you have a compatible Samsung phone). Instead, you now need just a single Android app, <a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.samsung.android.app.watchmanager&amp;hl=en_US\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Galaxy Wearable<\/a>. <em>But<\/em> if you use a non-Samsung Android phone, you might also need the Galaxy Buds+ <a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.samsung.accessory.popcornmgr&amp;hl=en_US\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">&#8220;plugin,&#8221;<\/a> which requires a separate download. It&#8217;s not exactly seamless, but at least it doesn&#8217;t require you to use Samsung&#8217;s Smart Things app which, honestly, no one should ever have to use.<\/p>\n<p>The company also made some upgrades to the sound quality, adding additional microphones and improved drivers. It&#8217;s a noticeable difference, but not hugely so. Music still sounds pretty good \u2014 just not great, which is to be expected with wireless earbuds. They don&#8217;t sound as good as my AirPods Pro, but maybe a bit better than my first-gen AirPods. And while they don&#8217;t have the same noise canceling abilities as AirPods Pro, the sound isolation is definitely better than most.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The difference was even more noticeable in ambient mode. While I found ambient mode in last year&#8217;s Galaxy Buds to be pretty weak, ambient mode with the Galaxy Buds+ actually makes a big difference. With ambient mode on the lowest setting I was more than able to hear noise from my surroundings in addition to my music.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>iPhone-friendly&#8230; mostly<\/h2>\n<p>The most intriguing change Samsung made is the addition of an iOS app which makes the Galaxy Buds+ officially iPhone-compatible&#8230; sort of. (The original Galaxy Buds can technically pair to iPhones, but without the accompanying app, your functionality is extremely limited.)\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I did however have a couple of issues while using the Galaxy Buds+ with my iPhone that make me hesitant to recommend them to iPhone users. While pairing to iOS is meant to be relatively painless thanks to the dedicated app, I found it to be a \u00a0slightly more complicated process than Samsung let on.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image\">\n<p><picture itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><source   type=\"image\/webp\"><\/source><source   type=\"image\/jpeg\"><\/source><img alt=\"The Galaxy Buds+ are officially iPhone-friendly, thanks to the iOS app.\" class=\"\" data-fragment=\"m!6330\" data-image=\"https:\/\/mondrian.mashable.com\/uploads%252Fcard%252Fimage%252F1210196%252F56920c97-6387-49d2-b5c3-6a04ab7f7b03.jpg%252Ffull-fit-in__1200x2000.jpg?signature=IgDK1lBEwJYOePmL0v-dnN5hu6w=&amp;source=https%3A%2F%2Fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com\" data-micro=\"1\"   src_type=\"jpeg\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"image-caption\">\n<p>The Galaxy Buds+ are officially iPhone-friendly, thanks to the iOS app.\n<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><div class=\"image-credit\">\n<p>Image:  karissa bell \/ mashable\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>For one, you need to pair them in your main Bluetooth settings <em>before<\/em> you attempt to pair them in the app. If you pair using the app and <em>then<\/em> in your Bluetooth settings, the buds will connect, but might not actually play any sound. I also found, bizarrely, that my buds often paired as <em>two<\/em> separate devices and that I needed to connect to both devices in order for them to work.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, I encountered another issue that made it very difficult to take phone calls with the Galaxy Buds+. For some reason, every time I answered a call, the audio would switch back to my iPhone speaker and I had to manually change the source in order to hear the call through the buds. The phone wasn&#8217;t losing the Bluetooth connection, it just wouldn&#8217;t use it as the default for incoming phone calls.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>A Samsung representative told me these issues were likely unique to my specific pair of Galaxy Buds+, but I was unfortunately unable to confirm that. In any case, I was able to troubleshoot most of these issues (with some patience) and, ultimately, the Galaxy Buds+ worked as expected more often than not.<\/p>\n<p>But the issues were still frustrating and served as yet another reminder of why no company \u2014 Samsung included \u2014 has been able to match Apple&#8217;s effortless pairing between AirPods and iPhones.<\/p>\n<p>Importantly, I didn&#8217;t experience these issues when using the Galaxy Buds+ with my Google Pixel 3A or with Samsung&#8217;s Galaxy Note 9. And, given the improvements to sound quality and battery life, I think the Galaxy Buds+ are a solid choice if you use an Android phone and want an untethered experience. But, no matter, I&#8217;m still not ditching my AirPods.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n<!-- Quick Adsense WordPress Plugin: http:\/\/quickadsense.com\/ -->\n<div class=\"c5b541d88d911dcbb84397def1a3492d\" data-index=\"5\" style=\"float: none; margin:0px 0 0px 0; text-align:center;\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- 5 -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3943282228430444\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"9258826580\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n[ad_2]\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/me.mashable.com\/tech\/9159\/samsung-galaxy-buds-review-better-sound-and-battery-but-these-are-no-airpods-pro\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n\n<!-- Quick Adsense WordPress Plugin: http:\/\/quickadsense.com\/ -->\n<div class=\"c5b541d88d911dcbb84397def1a3492d\" data-index=\"3\" style=\"float: none; margin:0px 0 0px 0; text-align:center;\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- 3 -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3943282228430444\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"2884989920\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n<div style=\"font-size: 0px; height: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0; padding: 0; clear: both;\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[ad_1] When Samsung first released its Galaxy Buds in 2019, I wrote that the company had come very, very close to nailing everything that makes Apple&#8217;s AirPods great.\u00a0 So when the company showed off its new Galaxy Buds+ which, in addition to upgraded specs, are officially iPhone-compatible, the natural comparison was to the AirPods Pro. &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":135802,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsforher.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135801"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsforher.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsforher.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsforher.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsforher.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=135801"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/newsforher.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135801\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":135803,"href":"https:\/\/newsforher.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135801\/revisions\/135803"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsforher.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/135802"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsforher.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=135801"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsforher.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=135801"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsforher.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=135801"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}