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The Best Galaxy Buds you can buy - updated September 2021

By Mariyan Slavov

Sep 08, 2021, 7:13 AM

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The Best Galaxy Buds you can buy - Updated September 2021

Finding the best earbuds is not an easy task, especially when there is so much choice out there. Samsung has been dishing out decent audio gear for quite some time now, and if you are a fan of the Korean tech giant you can get yourself a fine pair of earbuds to complement your Galaxy phone.

But what are the best Galaxy Buds you can buy? That’s a rather tough question, and today we’re going to offer some possible answers. Luckily, we did our fair share of Galaxy Buds reviews, so we’re pretty sure we can put a decent list together.

You can always check out our in-depth reviews if you need more information, but we will summarize all the important Galaxy Buds features model by model in this article. So, let’s get to it, shall we? Here are the best Galaxy Buds you can get in 2021.

Best Samsung Galaxy Buds at a glance:

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro - best Galaxy Buds overall
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 - best bang for your buck
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live - best Galaxy Buds for comfort
Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus - best runner-up
Samsung Galaxy Buds - best Galaxy Buds for tight budgets

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro

Samsung’s Unpacked event is already ancient history and we got a new pair of buds from Samsung - the Galaxy Buds 2. Even though the Buds 2 are the latest model, the Galaxy Buds Pro true wireless earbuds are your best choice if you want to stay loyal to the brand and at the same time get a great audio product.

These babies feature a strong battery life, plenty of convenience features, clear sound, and a traditional design. What’s even better is the price - while the Galaxy Buds Pro launched at around $199, nowadays you can find a pair for nearly half the price.

Get your Galaxy Buds Pro here:

Galaxy Buds Pro

Phantom Violet; save $50 with eligible trade-in

Geek Squad Certified Refurbished Galaxy Buds Pro

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro

Purple

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro

Purple and Silver color discounted

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro

The Galaxy Buds Pro earbuds are a great pick if you value sound quality, and they perform amazing no matter what kind of music you listen to - from modern hip-hop beats to classical Cello concerts, the Buds Pro don’t disappoint. The Active Noise Cancelation is also top-notch, and there are other bells and whistles such as touch navigation, IPX7 water resistance, QI wireless charging, and more.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro Review

Pros

Appealing design, good build quality
Detailed and wide sound, clean and strong bass
Useful features and customization options
Fantastic battery life

Cons

ANC could have been stronger

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2

The long-awaited successor to the original Galaxy Buds true wireless earbuds is finally here. The Galaxy Buds 2 is refinement at its best, and Samsung has actually managed to make these earbuds better and cheaper at the same time.

"For their price of $150, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 look and sound fantastic. If you're after true wireless earbuds with great ANC, and about as portable as Apple's AirPods, the Buds 2 are easy to recommend."

Get your Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 here:

Galaxy Buds2

True wireless earbuds with Active Noise Cancellation and Ambient Sound

$149 ⁹⁹

Buy at Samsung

The Galaxy Buds 2 earbuds come with all the bells and whistles you would expect - the active noise canceling is great - on par with benchmark setters like the Sony WF-1000XM4, the design is gorgeous and the fit is tight yet comfortable. There are touch controls, great battery life, and last but not least - the sound quality is excellent.

Pros

Clean sound with great bass
Light and comfortable
Solid ANC
Wireless charging
Strong Bluetooth range
Fair price

Cons

Accidental touch gestures are hard to avoid when adjusting the earbuds in your ears

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

The bean-shaped Galaxy Buds Live are one of the most comfortable earbuds out there. If you want something that blends naturally with your ears and doesn’t stick out much, the Buds Live model is the perfect “fit” for you. Both literally and figuratively.

There are no compromises made when it comes to sound quality, either. During our review, we were very impressed with the sound quality of the Galaxy Buds Live. Here’s an excerpt from the review: “The Buds Live produce rich and clear sound with perhaps the nicest, cleanest bass I've heard in truly wireless earbuds so far. Of course, bass lovers have the option of further setting the equalizer to "Bass boost" for a stronger emphasis on the low end.”

Get your Galaxy Buds Live here:

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

save $20 with trade-in

$40 off (24%) Trade-in

$129 ⁹⁹

$169 ⁹⁹

Buy at Samsung

Galaxy Buds Live

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, Refurbished from Best Buy

Geek Squad Certified Refurbished Galaxy Buds Live True Wireless Earbud Headphones - Bronze

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

These are also feature-packed and if you decide to pull the trigger on a pair, you’ll get Active Noise Cancelation, touch gestures, a decent battery life, and also wireless charging. And to top it all off, the Galaxy Buds Live are not that expensive. The bottom line is that the Buds Live are the best Galaxy Buds when it comes to comfort and fit.

Pros

Impressive sound quality and bass
Good active noise cancellation
Wireless charging case
Good battery life

Cons

A bit finicky to place in and take out of ears

Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus

The original Galaxy Buds model was really a stepping stone for Samsung in the audio market segment. The model carried out a transformation from the Gear Icon X and can be treated as a first-generation device. This means that as such, the original Buds were a little rough around the edges. That’s where the Galaxy Buds Plus model comes in.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus look a lot like the original Galaxy Buds, but meaningful improvements in key areas make them a much better product overall.

Get your Galaxy Buds Plus here:

Galaxy Buds Plus

get $20 off with trade-in, + $40 instant savings

$70 off (47%) Trade-in

$79 ⁹⁹

$149 ⁹⁹

Buy at Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus

Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus

Refurbished Galaxy Buds+

Geek Squad Certified Refurbished Galaxy Buds+ True Wireless In-Ear Headphones - Cosmic Black

The battery life has been extended to 11 hours on a single charge, placing these among the earbuds with the best battery life you can buy even in 2021. The sound quality has also been improved compared to the original model. Touch controls are present but don't expect an IPX rating (although these are sweat-resistant) or Active Noise Cancelation. Still, the Galaxy Buds Plus are great earbuds for the money, definitely worth checking out.

Pros

Very long battery life
Good sound quality
Ambient Aware works well
Light and comfortable
Wireless charging case is convenient
Very strong connection and range

Cons

Not great for phone calls
Touch controls aren't comfortable
No high water-resistance rating (only sweat-resistant)

Samsung Galaxy Buds

Ah, the original Galaxy Buds! These are the third generation truly wireless earbuds in the Samsung portfolio if we count the Gear IconX and its second iteration from 2018. The Galaxy Buds are also the first earbuds to proudly fly under the “Galaxy” flag and they also started the whole “buds” thing.

So, even years later, these wireless earbuds are still a great choice, especially when you factor in the price. You can get a pair in 2021 for under $100, and the Buds are definitely worth all your hard-earned money. They’re actually cheaper than many modern low-tier earphones.

Let’s check out what you’re getting if you decide to spend 80 bucks on these. For starters, these earbuds are lightweight and comfortable. You get touch controls, although they’re not the most precise on the market by today’s standards. The battery life is decent and the sound quality is on par with newer generation models. The wireless connection is amazing (up to 37 meters), and you also get wireless charging. Not a bad deal after all.

Get your Galaxy Buds here:

Samsung Galaxy Buds

REFURBISHED UNIT

$49

Buy at Walmart

Samsung Galaxy Buds

$129 ⁹⁹

Buy at Verizon

Samsung Galaxy Buds

True Wireless Earbud Headphones

$129 ⁹⁹

Buy at BestBuy

The original Buds might not be the best Galaxy Buds out there, but they definitely got a thing going for them, especially considering their price.

Pros

Impressive range and strong wireless connection
Light and generally comfortable
Good battery life
Wireless charging battery case is convenient

Cons

Touch controls are fiddly
Ambient Sound feature leaves room for improvement
No high water-resistance rating

Conclusion

And there you have it! The best Galaxy Buds your money can buy in 2021. This list is, of course, of the work-in-progress variety, so we will be adding new models as they get announced. The first of the bunch would probably be the Galaxy Buds 2 - we're expecting an announcement to happen in mere days, so stay tuned.