Samsung Galaxy Buds REVIEW – Have Apple's AirPods finally met their match?

SAMSUNG GALAXY BUDS £139

• FOR • Good sound quality • Long battery life • Clever case can recharge wirelessly • Cheaper than Apple’s AirPods
• AGAINST • Design won’t suit all tastes • Touch controls can be confusing • Lacks punchy bass

Samsung is taking aim at Apple’s hugely popular AirPods with the recent launch of its all-new Galaxy Buds.

These headphones offer a totally wire-free music experience with a clever case even refilling them when they are not in your ears.

But can Samsung really take on the competition and should you invest in a pair of Galaxy Buds?

Here’s our full Galaxy Buds review.

GALAXY BUDS SETUP

If you are worried about ditching your standard wired headphones don’t be.

Samsung has done a fabulous job in making their new earbuds incredibly simple to set up with the whole process taking a matter of seconds.

Although the best experience comes to those with a Galaxy device these headphones easily connect to any Android smartphone and even Apple iPhone users get a hassle-free connection.

Once paired for the first time the Galaxy Buds then instantly link every time you pop them in your ears which means you don’t have to keep heading to the settings menu to switch them on.

As we mentioned earlier, Galaxy owners are treated to the ultimate setup via the unique SmartThings app.

All you have to do is open the case and you’ll get an instant message on the screen asking you to pair the Buds – it’s that simple.

We can’t fault the whole process of getting the Galaxy Buds up and running with Samsung offering the kind of seamless experience you get from Apple.

AUDIO QUALITY

Of course, these are headphones so the audio quality is of utmost importance and we don’t think you’ll be too disappointed by the way they sound.

There’s enough detail packed into the music with everything sounding clear, crisp and relatively loud.

Although we’ve enjoyed the sound they produce it’s worth noting that the Galaxy Buds do lack a bit of bass and if this is an important audio quality to you then these are probably best avoided.

Unlike the latest headphones from Sony and Bose, there’s also no noise cancellation technology tucked inside – although the tight fit in your ear does cut out most background noise.

Our overall experience of the Galaxy Buds has been really good but there is one final thing to be aware of.

Like some other wireless headphones we’ve tested, including the AirPods, the Galaxy Buds are prone to interference especially at places such as busy train stations.

During our tests we found walking through areas such as London’s Waterloo station rendered them almost unusable with the audio constantly dropping out.

It’s an irritation that is worth knowing about before opting for any in-ear Bluetooth headphones as many suffer the same audio glitch when confronted with so much interference.

DESIGN AND COMFORT

There’s no question that Samsung has done a good job with the overall design of its Galaxy Buds with them offering a compact way of listening to your music.

The charging case feels solid and should easily cope with the perils of being placed in your pocket.

The earbuds are also very comfortable to wear with us even forgetting that we were wearing them at times.

Samsung supplies a number of rubber tips which should make it easy for almost everyone to find the perfect fit.

During our tests, we’ve had no problems with the Buds coming loose or dropping out of our ears and we’ve felt just confident using them on the morning commute as when hitting the gym.

Unlike Apple’s AirPods you can buy these headphones in numerous colours including white, black and for those who like a little more colour in the lives, there’s also a yellow version.

If we had to recommend which ones to buy we’d probably opt for the black Galaxy Buds as they look a lot more subtle when placed inside your ears.

CHARGING AND BATTERY

Samsung has designed its Galaxy Buds to include a very neat and clever charging case.

This basically refills the little Buds with power when you are not using them.

Having tested a number of wireless in-ear headphones we can definitely confirm that Samsung’s effort is one of the best on the market.

Not only is this case well designed but it also offers the ability to get its own internal battery boosted wirelessly.

Placing it down any wireless charging pad, or new smartphones such as the Galaxy S10 or P30 Pro, will see this power pack getting an instant boost.

Apple does now offer something similar with its AirPods but they do cost over £195 which makes the Galaxy Buds look like a real bargain.

Once fully charged, Samsung reckons you’ll get around six hours of playback from the Galaxy Buds and during our extensive tests we’d certainly say that’s not far from the truth.

THE BAD STUFF

There’s plenty to like about the Galaxy Buds but we do have some minor niggles.

Firstly, there are some who may not like the way they look once in your ears and the touch controls on the side of these music makers simply aren’t good enough.

Touching each Bud can perform different tasks such as pause, skip tracks and volume but these don’t always work and using these sensitive controls can become hugely frustrating.

At £139 they are also quite expensive and you can get wired headphones that sound just as good, if not better, for a fraction of the price.

VERDICT

We’ve been left pleasantly surprised by Samsung’s Galaxy Buds and have ended up using them far more often than we thought we might.

These in-ear music makers offer a hassle-free way to listen to your favourite tracks and their comfortable design and clever charging case all add to the appeal.

Good battery life and the fact they link to almost any phone, including Apple devices, is also a big added bonus.

There are some minor niggles including those annoying touch controls and these should be avoided if you want your ears to be rattled by deep bass.

At £139 these are not a cheap purchase but they will set you back less than some of their rivals and that’s a smart move from Samsung.

If you are looking for some Bluetooth headphones then the Galaxy Buds are well worth your attention and certainly give Apple’s AirPods a good run for their money.