SonyaI am constantly listening to music, podcasts and audiobooks all day. When I’m cooking, having a meal, working, taking the dog out for a walk, when I’m commuting on public transit and when I wind down at the end of the day soaking in my bubble bath there is always something playing in the background. What delivers the sounds of joy, inspiration, meditation and teachings is as important as the content I consume. The new Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro landed in my ears and offered a richness that further immersed my listening experience.
So, what did I discover?
Firstly, the Galaxy Buds Pro are remarkably tiny. Ideally fitted for us, who enjoy listening on the go but don’t necessarily want the world to know we are listening to something. The discreetness is a major selling point for me and without sacrificing quality or sound. While I enjoy a great quality full ear coverage headphone set, the Galaxy Buds Pro give me a sense of comfort knowing that they aren’t as noticeable to passersby. I opted for the Phantom Black but they also come in two other options (Phantom Silver and Phantom Violet). There are three soft tips giving users the option to find the best fit. I found the smaller ones to be the ideal size and comfortable to wear for hours…even walking briskly and wearing them in my er…dancercise sessions.
The quality of the sound is crisp and clear when paired with a Samsung phone. The way I can describe it is I feel more immersed with what I’m listening to. Hello Dolby Atmos spacial audio technology! Think of it like you’re in a concert hall. The sound feels as though it surrounds you. It’s pretty decadent!
The sound quality right from the get-go is amazing. The Galaxy Buds Pro are set at a decent and safe default so you don’t really have to fumble around. But for those who are more particular and maybe want to fine tune to their listening preference, you can manually do that and adjust other settings within the Samsung Wearable app paired to your phone (search up Galaxy Buds Pro Manager and a whole range of controls can be personalized). A number of recommended settings are also available for music genres. You may want a deeper base for the love of house music or hip hop, as examples. You can also adjust the sound quality based on what activity you use them for. 
The Galaxy Buds Pro come in a matching matte smooth protective hard shell case that also acts as a charging vessel. It uses the same charge cable as the Samsung phone so no fumbling around for what fits. A relief since I have drawers full of charging cables that I will never get rid. Someone needs to come up with a proper storage system for these!
I admit that it’s taking me some time to get use to the touch capabilities and what all the earbuds can do. I accidentally, and quickly, learned about how these earbuds work as touching the surfaces and the sides offer various controls. One touch or tap to start or stop what you’re listening to (music, podcast, audiobook), two touches skips to the next song, a third tap rewinds if you really want to listening to that BTS song over and over again. You can also control the Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) and ambient noise mode. I prefer to be somewhat aware of what’s happening around me. That’s the mom/dog mom in me, I guess? Having said that, it’s all pretty cool and convenient. However, I’ve found them sensitive to the touch even if you’re just adjusting them in your ears but once you understand how they work, it’s just a quick tap to return to what you want them to do.
But what I found interesting is how certain sounds sound amplified but general noise seem more muted. My husband or kids can be talking to me and I can still hear them yet the traffic a block away is magically not noticeable. I learned that this is what Samsung described as Ambient Sound where it detects voices within a nearby range. The technology knows to turn down the volume slightly and amplifies what you would want to pay attention to when needed. It’s noticeable. Also, handy when I’m out walking the dog and where I normally would have to take off my earbuds or turn down the volume, for every person who has to stop to say hi to Harley. Great for when I’m on public transit too.
Another big selling feature of the Galaxy Buds Pro is the high water resistance rating. For those who can’t workout without music or have their virtual coaches motivating them, then this will be very appealing. With an IPX7 rating, you can feel confident in even your sweatiest workouts. Or, if you’re like me and listen to music in the bathtub or poolside, no worries if you accidentally drop them in the water – you can quickly scoop them out without worry of permanent damage. And yes, that also means you can clean them with water — we know how gunky earbuds can get with regular use. Also, no worries if you find yourself in a Springtime passing rain shower. Wear them confidently!
Because they are small, there’s always the worry of losing them …just like other earbuds. Or if you have teens, well, you know. Highly recommend pairing them to your Samsung device (phone or tablet) and downloading to the SmartThings Find app just in case.
Aside from sound quality everyone always wants to know about battery life. According to Samsung the Galaxy Buds Pro will last up to 5 hours continues regular use. The case itself offer charging abilities which can offer the earbuds 13 or more additional hours depending on what you use them for.
What about hands-free assists? While I don’t have Bixby (Samsung’s go-to) there’s no capability to use others. They don’t work. Sorry Siri, Google, and Alexa. Makes sense.
By the way, I did tried to pair them with an iPhone 12 and while the earbuds worked, I just didn’t get the same richness in sound quality as when paired to Samsung. Also, strangely my over zealous tapping/fumbling on the Galaxy Buds Pro while paired to the iPhone resulted in an accidental 911 call. Ooops! Not sure how, or why, that happened but obviously, these are best paired with Samsung. Lesson learned!
*Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro earbuds were provided for review purposes only. I was not compensated nor I am affiliated with Samsung.