Samsung Galaxy Buds+ True Wireless Earbuds

78%

22%

Sound Quality

Call Quality

Battery Life

Microphone Performance

Comfort & Fit

Noise Isolation

App Experience

Connectivity & Stability

Water Resistance

Value for Money

Controls & Ease of Use

Charging Experience

Cross-Platform Support

Ambient Sound Mode

Earbud Weight & Wearability

Overview

Samsung Galaxy Buds+ True Wireless Earbuds arrived in early 2020 as a confident mid-range option — not trying to compete with flagship noise-cancelers, but offering enough substance to earn a place as a reliable daily driver. What sets them apart from similarly priced rivals is the two-way dynamic driver setup, pairing a woofer and tweeter in each earbud for a more layered sound than single-driver designs typically manage. They also work with both Android and iOS, which isn't a given in this category. One thing to be upfront about: these Samsung earbuds rely on passive isolation and an ambient awareness mode rather than true active noise cancellation.

Features & Benefits

Battery life is where the Galaxy Buds+ genuinely hold their own — 11 hours from the buds alone, and another near-11 from the wireless charging case, putting total endurance around 22 hours of playback. Forget to charge them the night before? Three minutes in the case gets you roughly an hour of listening, which covers most commutes without stress. Call quality is another standout: a three-microphone system — two external, one internal — does a solid job isolating your voice from background noise. The companion app rounds things out, letting Android and iOS users tweak EQ settings and customize touch controls to their liking.

Best For

These wireless buds make the most sense for people who spend a lot of time on calls — commuters, remote workers, or anyone who needs their voice to come through clearly in unpredictable environments. They also suit casual fitness use: the secure in-ear fit holds up for gym sessions, though the IPX2 water resistance is entry-level, so heavy sweating or running in rain is pushing the limits. Listeners who prefer a balanced, natural sound over exaggerated bass will likely appreciate the tuning here. And since the companion app works on both platforms, iPhone users aren't left out — a meaningful plus in a category where cross-platform support isn't always guaranteed.

User Feedback

With over 84,000 ratings and a 4.6-star average, the Galaxy Buds+ have a feedback base large enough to take seriously. The most consistent praise points to microphone performance — buyers repeatedly mention sounding clear on calls even in coffee shops or on busy streets, which aligns with the hardware. Fit gets mixed signals: the three included ear tip sizes help most people find a comfortable seal, but those with unusual ear canal shapes report more trial and error. The most common complaint is the absence of active noise cancellation, which newer competitors have made standard. A subset of users also flag the IPX2 rating as inadequate for intense workouts or wet conditions.

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Pros

22-hour total battery life handles full days and long trips without constant recharging.
A three-minute fast charge delivers roughly one hour of playback in a pinch.
The three-microphone array makes voice calls noticeably clearer in noisy, real-world conditions.
Two-way dynamic drivers produce a balanced, natural sound that single-driver rivals often miss.
Ambient Aware mode lets you stay tuned in to surroundings without pulling the buds out.
Works with both Android and iOS, so switching phones does not mean replacing your earbuds.
Wireless charging case adds a convenient top-up without hunting for a cable.
Over 84,000 ratings averaging 4.6 stars makes real-world satisfaction unusually well-documented.
Companion app on both platforms gives meaningful control over EQ and touch gestures.

Cons

No active noise cancellation — a real gap compared to newer earbuds at this price tier.
IPX2 water resistance is entry-level; intense workouts or rainy runs risk damaging them.
Fit varies by ear shape, and a poor seal significantly degrades both sound and call quality.
The iOS companion app lacks some of the depth and polish available on Android.
Launched in 2020, these wireless buds now face stiffer competition from more recent models.
Touch controls can occasionally misfire during exercise or when adjusting the fit.
Passive isolation alone struggles in genuinely loud environments like busy transit or construction zones.
The carrying case, while wireless-charging capable, is noticeably bulkier than some competing options.

Ratings

The scores below are based on AI analysis of tens of thousands of verified global reviews for the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ True Wireless Earbuds, with spam, incentivized submissions, and bot-generated feedback actively filtered out before any scoring was applied. The dataset spans over four years of real-world ownership across diverse use cases, from daily commuters to remote workers and casual fitness users. Both the genuine strengths buyers keep coming back to and the frustrations that surface repeatedly across that large review base are reflected transparently in each category.

Sound Quality

82%

18%

The two-way dynamic driver — a woofer and tweeter working together — gives these wireless buds a noticeably fuller sound than many single-driver earbuds at this tier. Buyers who prefer a balanced, accurate profile report real satisfaction, especially for podcasts, vocal-heavy music, and acoustic tracks where detail matters more than exaggerated bass punch.

Listeners who want heavy, emphasized low end tend to find the default tuning too restrained, and while the companion app EQ helps, it does not completely shift the overall character. The sound stage also feels narrow during complex, layered tracks — a limitation inherent to the in-ear form factor at this price range.

Call Quality

88%

Call quality is arguably the most consistently praised strength the Galaxy Buds+ have, and users notice it immediately in real conditions. The three-microphone system handles busy commutes, windy streets, and open-plan offices better than most competitors in this class, with callers on the other end consistently reporting that the speaker comes through clearly and without distortion.

In genuinely loud environments — crowded transit platforms or active construction zones — the microphones occasionally pick up intrusive low-frequency rumble that the system does not fully suppress. The improvement over single-mic earbuds is real and documented, but it is not a flawless solution for the noisiest scenarios some buyers regularly encounter.

Battery Life

86%

Twenty-two hours of total playback is genuinely competitive for this class of earbud, and most daily users — commuters, office workers, light travelers — can go two full days without reaching for a charging cable. The fast-charge feature makes the already-strong battery story even more practical for rushed mornings when overnight charging was skipped.

The case itself is bulkier than competing cases from rivals who have refined their designs since 2020, making pocket carry less comfortable for slim-fit clothing. Real-world earbud battery life also drops closer to 8 to 9 hours at higher volumes or with Ambient Aware mode running continuously, falling short of the rated 11-hour figure.

Microphone Performance

84%

With two outer mics and one inner mic working in tandem, these Samsung earbuds pick up the user's voice with meaningful clarity even in challenging settings. Remote workers and frequent callers repeatedly highlight this as the feature that keeps them loyal to these buds well after newer options have appeared at similar price points.

Wind noise is the most commonly cited microphone weakness, with outdoor calls on breezy days occasionally suffering from audible interference the system does not fully suppress. A subset of users also notes inconsistency between the two earbuds during calls, requiring some experimentation to find which bud delivers the cleaner pickup in their specific setup.

Comfort & Fit

73%

27%

When the right ear tip size is found, these earbuds sit securely and comfortably for hours — something a meaningful share of the review base confirms after months of daily wear. The lightweight build at 6.3 grams per earbud reduces fatigue during extended listening sessions and long back-to-back call blocks.

Fit is the most polarizing aspect of the Galaxy Buds+. Users with less common ear canal shapes report difficulty achieving a secure, isolating seal even after testing all three included tip sizes, and a poor fit noticeably degrades both sound quality and call clarity in ways that are genuinely frustrating to troubleshoot without third-party tips.

Noise Isolation

61%

39%

The passive isolation from a well-fitted ear tip meaningfully reduces mid-range ambient noise — enough that office chatter and general indoor background sound recede to a murmur during focused listening. For casual users, this level of isolation is perfectly adequate for desk work and moderate commuting environments.

Without active noise cancellation, low-frequency noise — engine rumble on planes, subway roar, or persistent HVAC hum — passes through the passive seal almost unimpeded. Buyers coming from ANC-equipped earbuds consistently describe this as the biggest step down, and it is a gap that ear tip fit alone cannot close regardless of how snug the seal is.

App Experience

76%

24%

The companion app covers the essentials well — EQ presets, touch control remapping, and Ambient Aware toggle are all easily accessible, and Android users get a particularly polished experience through the Galaxy Wearable app that integrates naturally with Samsung's broader device ecosystem. Initial setup is quick on both platforms.

The iOS version of the companion app lags behind its Android counterpart in both depth and occasional reliability, with connectivity hiccups reported when reconnecting after the app has been idle. Neither version offers the granular per-band EQ control or advanced sound customization that more discerning buyers tend to look for at this price point.

Connectivity & Stability

83%

Bluetooth 5.0 delivers a stable, low-dropout connection across the 10-meter rated range in typical environments, and the initial pairing process on both Android and iOS is quick and straightforward. Multi-device owners note that re-pairing when switching between a phone and a tablet is more dependable than with older Bluetooth standards.

In dense wireless environments — busy open offices, apartment buildings with many competing networks, or crowded transit hubs — a portion of users report occasional audio stutters and brief dropouts. These earbuds also lack multi-point pairing, meaning switching between two connected devices requires a manual reconnect every single time.

Water Resistance

57%

43%

The IPX2 rating provides enough protection for sweat generated during moderate indoor workouts and for being caught briefly in light rain during a short walk. For buyers whose activity level stays consistently within those boundaries, the earbuds have proven sufficiently durable across months of regular documented use.

IPX2 is among the lowest water resistance ratings found in consumer earbuds, and reviewers who push these into heavier fitness contexts — outdoor runs, high-intensity training sessions, or consistent wet-weather use — report genuine concern about long-term durability. Competing earbuds at comparable or lower price points now routinely offer IPX4 or higher as a baseline.

Value for Money

74%

26%

The combination of call quality, battery endurance, and cross-platform compatibility still represents a defensible package for buyers who prioritize those specific strengths, particularly when these earbuds are found at a discounted price rather than full retail. The 84,000-plus rating base also provides genuine long-term ownership data that newer alternatives simply cannot match.

At full retail pricing, the 2020 hardware generation and the absence of active noise cancellation make it harder to justify over newer competitors that have matched or surpassed the core feature set. Buyers comparing strictly on specifications per dollar will find more compelling options currently available within the same budget range.

Controls & Ease of Use

71%

29%

Touch controls respond reliably to deliberate taps for the most common actions — play, pause, skip, and call answer — and new users typically get comfortable with the gesture set within a day or two of regular use. The companion app makes reassigning these gestures relatively straightforward for both platforms.

Accidental activations during exercise or when physically adjusting the earbuds' position are a recurring complaint, with the touch surface sensitive enough to trigger on light incidental contact. The limited number of customizable gestures also means more advanced users quickly hit the ceiling of what the control scheme can realistically do.

Charging Experience

87%

The fast-charge capability is one of the most practically useful features these earbuds offer — three minutes in the case returning roughly one hour of playback has saved the day for owners who forgot to charge overnight more times than they care to admit. Wireless charging via the Qi-compatible case adds genuine daily convenience.

The case takes around two hours to charge fully from empty via cable, which is on the slower end compared to competitors who have refined this in more recent hardware generations. There is also no physical charge indicator on the case itself, requiring users to open the companion app to get an accurate battery status reading.

Cross-Platform Support

81%

19%

Supporting both Android and iOS with dedicated companion apps is a meaningful differentiator for these Samsung earbuds, particularly in households where different family members run different phone ecosystems. The core pairing and playback experience is consistent enough across both platforms that the Galaxy Buds+ function as a genuinely shareable pair of earbuds.

The Android experience through the Galaxy Wearable app is noticeably richer, and iOS users miss out on a handful of features and settings Samsung has kept platform-exclusive. There is also no simultaneous dual-device pairing support, which limits flexibility for buyers who regularly switch between a smartphone and a laptop throughout the workday.

Ambient Sound Mode

78%

22%

Ambient Aware mode works well enough for its core purpose — catching transit announcements, hearing a barista call an order, or staying alert on a cycling route — without the interruption of removing the earbuds entirely. The transition between full listening mode and ambient pass-through is smooth and proves genuinely useful in practice.

At higher ambient gain settings, the mode introduces a slightly artificial quality to how outside sounds are reproduced, which some users find distracting rather than helpful during longer listening sessions. The feature also lacks adjustable intensity levels, leaving users with a binary on-off choice that more premium earbuds in the market have since moved beyond.

Earbud Weight & Wearability

83%

At 6.3 grams per earbud, these wireless buds are light enough that most users stop noticing them after the first few minutes of wear — a consistent observation among buyers who use them for multi-hour stretches during workdays or commutes. The rounded tip shape also avoids the pressure points that more angular designs can create over time.

Users with sensitive outer ears occasionally report mild irritation along the cartilage after extended sessions, particularly in warmer conditions where some movement and repositioning naturally occurs. The ear wings included in the box help with stability but are not universally comfortable, and some users find they need to be removed entirely to achieve a comfortable fit.

Suitable for:

The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ True Wireless Earbuds are a strong match for anyone whose daily routine centers on calls — commuters navigating loud transit, remote workers who need their voice to land clearly on conference calls, or office workers moving between noisy shared spaces and quieter desks. The three-microphone system genuinely earns its place in those environments, cutting through ambient chatter so the person on the other end hears you rather than your surroundings. Battery endurance is another reason frequent travelers reach for these: 22 hours of total playback means getting through a long-haul flight and most of the following day before the case needs attention. The fast-charge feature adds a practical safety net — three minutes before rushing out the door translates to roughly an hour of listening. Android users get the deepest integration through the Galaxy Wearable app, but iPhone owners on iOS 10 or later are fully supported, which makes these a genuinely cross-platform choice rather than a Samsung-only proposition. Listeners who prefer a balanced, natural sound signature over exaggerated bass will also find the two-way driver setup rewarding.

Not suitable for:

Buyers who need to concentrate in genuinely loud environments — open offices with constant chatter, noisy flights, or busy cafes — should know that the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ True Wireless Earbuds offer only passive isolation and a basic ambient awareness mode, not active noise cancellation; if ANC is a firm requirement, newer competitors at comparable price points now include it as standard and these simply cannot match that. The IPX2 water resistance rating is another honest limitation: it handles light splashes and mild sweat, but it was never designed for heavy gym sessions, outdoor runs in the rain, or any scenario where the earbuds get repeatedly soaked, so serious athletes or swimmers should look at more ruggedized options. Fit can be inconsistent depending on ear shape — while three tip sizes are included, buyers with less common ear canal geometry sometimes struggle to get the secure seal that makes these perform at their best, which affects both sound quality and call clarity. Users who are deeply invested in Apple's ecosystem may also find the iOS companion app functional but noticeably less polished than the Android equivalent.

Specifications

Driver Type: Each earbud uses a 2-way dynamic driver system with a dedicated woofer and tweeter, producing a more layered sound than single-driver designs at this price tier.
Bluetooth Version: The earbuds connect via Bluetooth 5.0 with a wireless range of up to 10 meters under typical real-world conditions.
Earbud Battery: Each earbud delivers up to 11 hours of continuous music playback on a single full charge.
Total Battery: Combined with the charging case, total playback time reaches approximately 22 hours before the case itself requires recharging.
Fast Charge: Three minutes of charging inside the case yields approximately one hour of additional playback time.
Microphones: A three-microphone array — two outer and one inner — works together to isolate the speaker's voice from surrounding background noise during calls.
Water Resistance: The earbuds carry an IPX2 rating, providing limited protection against light splashes and mild sweat but not heavy rain or immersion.
Case Battery: The carrying case houses a 270 mAh battery and supports both wired USB and wireless Qi-compatible charging.
Earbud Weight: Each individual earbud weighs 6.3 grams, keeping them light enough for extended wear without significant ear fatigue.
Case Weight: The fully loaded carrying case weighs 164.3 grams, fitting in a jacket pocket but not among the more compact cases in this category.
Impedance: The earbuds operate at 16 Ohm impedance, a standard figure for consumer in-ear designs intended to be driven by mobile devices.
Compatibility: These earbuds support Android 5.0 or later and iOS 10 or later, with full companion app availability starting from the iPhone 7.
Ear Tip Sizes: Three sets of silicone ear tips — small, medium, and large — are included in the box to accommodate different ear canal dimensions.
Controls: Touch-sensitive panels on each earbud manage playback, calls, and volume, with deeper customization available through the companion app.
Ambient Mode: The Ambient Aware mode uses the external microphones to pipe in surrounding environmental sounds so users can stay alert without removing the earbuds.
Noise Cancellation: No active noise cancellation is present; sound isolation relies entirely on the passive seal formed by the ear tips against the ear canal.
In-Box Contents: The package includes the earbuds, wireless charging case, three ear tip sizes, ear wings, a USB cable, and a printed user manual.

Connectivity & Pairing

FAQ

They work with iPhones running iOS 10 or later, and Samsung released a dedicated Galaxy Buds+ app for iOS so you can adjust EQ and customize touch controls. The Android experience through the Galaxy Wearable app is a bit more feature-rich, but iPhone users aren't left with a bare-bones setup — it's a genuinely usable cross-platform option.

No, and this is worth knowing clearly before buying. The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ True Wireless Earbuds use passive isolation — the physical seal of the ear tips blocks some outside noise — along with an Ambient Aware mode that actually does the opposite by letting sound in. If active noise cancellation is a hard requirement for your use case, a different model will serve you better.

The IPX2 rating means they can handle light splashes and the sweat from a moderate workout, but they are not built for heavy rain, swimming, or activities where they would get repeatedly soaked. Think splash-resistant rather than waterproof — fine for most gym sessions, but not something to push with outdoor runs in wet weather.

Yes, each earbud functions independently, so wearing just the left or the right one while keeping the other ear free works without any problem. This is handy during commutes when you want to stay aware of your surroundings or during a long call where you need one ear clear.

Ambient Aware mode uses the external microphones to blend environmental sounds into whatever you're listening to, so you can hear announcements, traffic, or someone speaking to you without pulling the buds out. It's particularly useful on public transit, in a coworking space, or anywhere you want to stay present while still enjoying audio.

Almost always, thin or bass-light sound from these buds comes down to fit rather than the hardware itself. Try switching to a smaller or larger ear tip — the seal between the tip and your ear canal makes a significant difference in both bass response and overall clarity. The three included sizes cover most ear shapes, and spending a minute finding the right one is genuinely worth it.

The case charges fully via cable in roughly two hours, and wireless charging on a Qi-compatible pad works reliably — just a bit slower than wired. The fast-charge feature is the more practical day-to-day detail: drop them in the case for three minutes before heading out and you get about an hour of listening time, which covers most morning commutes.

Call quality is genuinely one of the stronger suits of the Galaxy Buds+, and it shows up consistently across the large pool of user reviews. The three-microphone setup does a solid job isolating your voice from background noise, so callers tend to hear you clearly even in busy environments. It's one of the main reasons these earbuds remain a popular recommendation for people who spend a lot of time on calls.

You can customize them through the companion app — Galaxy Wearable on Android and the Galaxy Buds+ app on iOS. Both apps let you reassign touch gestures, toggle Ambient Aware mode, and adjust EQ settings. It's not the deepest customization system in the category, but it covers the options most people actually use.

They're not the newest option in the lineup and newer competitors have added active noise cancellation at comparable price points, which is a real consideration. That said, the core strengths — call clarity, 22-hour battery endurance, and solid cross-platform support — still hold up for everyday use. The 84,000-plus ratings give you a reliable picture of how these perform over time, which is more than most newer alternatives can offer.