Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro Review: Premium Earbuds Designed for Galaxy Users
Samsung has unveiled its latest premium wireless earbuds, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, priced at $249.99. While these earbuds represent an incremental improvement rather than a revolutionary leap, they successfully address many shortcomings of their predecessors and deliver enhanced audio performance for users within Samsung’s ecosystem.
Enhanced Audio Quality and Design Improvements
The most notable upgrade in the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro lies in their refined sound signature. Unlike the previous generation, which suffered from harsh vocal frequencies and piercing highs, these earbuds offer a more balanced and comfortable listening experience. The midrange frequencies have been smoothed out considerably, allowing for extended listening sessions without fatigue.
The bass response sits on the fuller side of neutral, which may appeal to many listeners seeking extra low-end presence. While some tracks may exhibit slightly elevated bass levels, the included 9-band equalizer provides ample customization options for fine-tuning the sound to personal preferences.
For Galaxy device owners, the earbuds support high-resolution audio playback at 24-bit/96kHz through compatible streaming services. This feature provides subtle but noticeable improvements in spatial presentation and detail retrieval, particularly evident in well-recorded material.
Improved Noise Cancellation Performance
Active noise cancellation has received significant upgrades compared to the previous model. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro excel at suppressing low-frequency rumble, making them effective for air travel and commuting. Mid-range frequency isolation, traditionally challenging for most earbuds, shows marked improvement, though it doesn’t quite match the performance of leading competitors like the AirPods Pro 3, Bose Ultra, or Sony WF-1000XM6.
Users can adjust both noise cancellation intensity and transparency mode levels through the companion app, providing flexible environmental awareness options.
Call Quality and Microphone Performance
The earbuds employ a sophisticated microphone array consisting of six microphones plus a dedicated voice pickup unit. This configuration delivers excellent voice isolation during calls, effectively suppressing wind noise, traffic sounds, and other environmental distractions. While some voice compression is applied, clarity remains high and intelligibility is maintained even in challenging acoustic environments.
Galaxy device users gain access to super wide band voice calling, which extends the frequency response to 16kHz for marginally improved call quality. However, this enhancement provides only subtle improvements and isn’t essential for clear communication.
Design and Comfort Refinements
Samsung has refined the stem-style design introduced with the Galaxy Buds 3, eliminating the controversial LED strips in favor of a sleek metal “blade design” accent. Available in white, black, and an online-exclusive pink gold finish, the earbuds maintain their distinctive appearance while offering improved aesthetics.
The capacitive touch controls respond to both swipe gestures for volume adjustment and pinch commands for various functions including playback control, noise cancellation toggling, and assistant activation. Control customization is available for Galaxy and Android users through the settings menu.
Comfort remains excellent with the included three ear tip sizes, though some competitors now offer more comprehensive sizing options. The secure fit makes these suitable for athletic activities, supported by an IP57 water resistance rating.
Ecosystem Integration and Limitations
The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro’s most significant limitation lies in their heavy dependence on Samsung’s ecosystem for full functionality. Galaxy device users enjoy access to all features including high-resolution audio, voice assistant integration, head gesture controls, real-time translation, Auracast broadcasting, automatic device switching, and enhanced voice calling.
Android users with the Galaxy Wear app can access some features, but iPhone, Windows, and gaming console users are restricted to basic audio playback, standard calling, and noise cancellation toggling. This ecosystem lock-in significantly limits the earbuds’ appeal to users outside Samsung’s hardware ecosystem.
Battery Life and Charging
The transparent charging case returns from the previous generation, offering wireless charging capabilities in a compact form factor that easily fits in small pockets. The case design is notably smaller than competing products from Apple, Sony, and Bose, enhancing portability.
Final Assessment
The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro successfully address the audio quality issues that plagued their predecessors while maintaining the features that worked well. For Samsung Galaxy device owners, these earbuds represent the optimal choice within their ecosystem, offering seamless integration and access to premium features.
However, the heavy ecosystem dependence makes them unsuitable for users outside Samsung’s hardware family. iPhone users and non-Galaxy Android users would be better served by alternatives such as the Technics AZ100, Sony WF-1000XM5, or Bose Ultra Earbuds, which offer broader compatibility and fewer restrictions.
For those committed to the Galaxy ecosystem, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro deliver on Samsung’s promise of improved performance while maintaining the integration advantages that make them compelling within their intended market.