Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Earbuds Review

I was spoiled after Galaxy Unpacked this year, leaving with a shiny new S26 Ultra and a pair of Samsung Galaxy Buds4 earbuds. When I was met with the buds, which lack eartips that their Buds4 Pro counterparts include, I prepared for the worst. However, after several weeks with them, I ended up being pleasantly surprised. Though not perfect, the Galaxy Buds4 are a pretty good little pair of earbuds.

First, I really love the look of these earbuds. The Samsung Galaxy Buds4 have switched up their style from last year, and they are just so sleek. I am obsessed. They have gotten rid of the pill-shaped pods, similar to AirPods. This year’s design really stands out among a sea of earbuds, and it is great to see. They come in Black or White, though the Pro versions come in a Pink Gold variant sold exclusively online—though I wouldn’t call it pink.

Getting set up with the Galaxy Buds4 earbuds was incredibly easy, especially when I was using a Samsung device. I also paired them with my realme GT 8 Pro and had an equally easy time. With non-Samsung devices, you do need to download the Galaxy Wearables app, which asks for an insane amount of permissions before you can get started with your settings. That is all baked into a Samsung phone, however (not the permissions, you still need those).

Once you are all logged in, you can control whether you want Ambient Sound, Adaptive Sound or Active Noise Cancelling—but more on that later. You can also adjust the on-device earbud controls, which vary between single, double and triple pinches, pinch-and-hold, and swiping. Only the pinch and hold can be moved to a different control, which is between noise profiles, or you can switch it to start your Spotify liked songs, or there is an option for Google.  Every time I set it to Google, it just reverted back to “Switch Noise Controls.” 

“Though not perfect, the Galaxy Buds4 are a pretty good little pair of earbuds.”

The on-board controls were very responsive, but if I had one complaint, the sliding control for the volume was a bit complicated. The portion you needed to slide wasn’t the flat outer part of the stem; it was the piece that faces up toward your ear. Since I have long nails, it was actually hard to get the pad of my finger to sit flat enough to make it work

If you dive a little deeper into the settings, you will find the equalizer, with six pre-set options: Balanced, Bass Boost, Smooth, Dynamic, Clear, and Treble Boost. There is also a custom option where you can fiddle with things yourself. At the price of these buds, I am glad to see that they didn’t omit this from their non-Pro variant, even if it isn’t something I personally use.  

Something else that is a perk for Samsung users is the Galaxy AI translator. Personally, this feature—on any device, not just Samsung—isn’t ready yet. Unless someone is speaking wildly slow and clear, it just doesn’t cut it. However, it is good to know it is there and can get better with updates as the technology improves. There is also Auto Switch, which allows seamless transition between Samsung devices, but since I only had one, I couldn’t test how easily this feature works.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds4 feature a 1-way dynamic driver and single amplifier, Bluetooth version 6.1, six microphones, and 360 audio with head tracking. On paper, they are a step below their Pro counterpart (2-way and dual-amplifier), but also nearly $100 cheaper. Whether or not those sacrifices are worth the money you save is really a personal choice. So let’s talk about how they perform in real-world testing and explain a few of those sacrifices.

I was all around happy with the way the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro sound. I was worried the sound profile would take a hit, but listening to Bad Guy by Billie Eilish, I was pleased with how deep and rich the bass felt and with the way the buds really differentiated between the highs and lows in the song. Of course, you can use the equalizer mentioned above to create the sound you want; this is just based on the out-of-the-box sound.

Something to note, the buds can get loud. I would say that some of the higher tones feel a bit tinny when cranked, but I shouldn’t be trying to deafen myself anyway. Once I dropped the volume from full to about 75%, there was a moment when all the sounds level out and feel full and rich again. It was a really interesting thing to experience with a variety of songs. 

With sound scoring highly without needing tweaking, something I wasn’t impressed with was the Active Noise Cancelling. Though the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 claim to offer ANC, the second I saw that they came with no ear tips or a way to really create a seal, I knew we were in for a bad time. As someone who travels—a lot—I rely on ANC to work or even sleep on planes. Unfortunately, the sound cancellation on the Buds4 just didn’t hit the mark.

While there is a notable difference between Ambient Sound, Adaptive Sound an Active Noise Cancelling, just because ANC is at the top of that scale doesn’t mean it works. With ANC on, I could still hear full conversations and was completely aware of everything around me. Something it DID do, however, was clear the white noise around me, like the sound of a loud airport or even the non-stop hum of a plane. Individually, though, I could hear everyone. If ANC is important to you, the Galaxy Buds4 cover some, but not all, noise. You are better off with something like the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 or 4.

Finally, the second-most important feature after ANC, to me, anyway, is the battery life. If I can’t make it from Toronto to California on a single charge, it isn’t enough for me. Luckily, the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 earbuds provide just enough battery for a decent flight without me needing to juice up mid-trip. Samsung boasts up to five hours with ANC on and six hours with it off. In my testing, ANC on or off didn’t make much of a difference (further proving my “it doesn’t exist” theory), and I was able to get about 4.5 hours total with it on and five with it off.

“Though the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 claim to offer ANC, the second I saw that they came with no ear tips or a way to really create a seal, I knew we were in for a bad time.”

Charging was pretty standard. Once placed in the case, the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 gained around 50% of a charge in 30 minutes. It isn’t ultra-fast, but it works. The case itself provided around four charges in total. The case itself charged very similarly to the buds, with about  20-25% every 15 minutes.

My only other thing to note with the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 earbuds is that they don’t feel secure. Though they are comfortable as heck, because they are super light and don’t create a tight seal, it is easy to knock them loose. I launched them once while taking off a sweater, and again while trying to get comfy on a plane. I can’t imagine they would be great for vigorous exercise because of this, though they are IP54 rated for dust and water resistance.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds4 will run you $179.99 USD/$249.99 CAD. For me, that is a bit too pricy for earbuds that don’t excel in every single way. However, if you are someone looking for great sound and comfort and a decent battery, but don’t care about ANC and aren’t doing anything rigorous, these could be perfect for you. I would be eager to see how the Buds4 Pro measure up, to see if that $80-$100 would make the difference for me.

Even with all of that in mind, though, if you are in the Samsung ecosystem, the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 earbuds could be a valuable part of your go-bag.