In February 2019, Samsung came out with a new line-up of wearables for “balanced and connected living.” One product out of the lineup made a modest entry into the ear-wearable market called the Samsung Galaxy Buds. A year later and a month before the global lockdown, its successor, the Galaxy Buds+, was already available for sale in shops.
Now, as the world starts to reopen, the Galaxy Buds Pro and Buds Live have brought chic designs and active noise cancellation to the Galaxy Buds family. If you are someone like me who wants to make a modest switch from wired earphones/headphones to something completely wireless and don’t want to take the AirPods or the Sony WH-1000 XM4 route, then the Galaxy Buds+ is a great alternative.
Listening to a pair of Buds
There are three things I love about this product: battery life, fit, and sound. After using the Galaxy Buds+ for four months, I have come to appreciate the conveniences provided by wireless “ear-ables.” The battery is supposed to last you 11 hours of non-stop listening to music on a single charge. I only charged my device for the first time after a month of moderate use.
However, there are some mild and some grave inconveniences associated with this device. The Galaxy Buds+ don’t have active noise cancellation, but I hardly missed its absence. For me, handling the touch panel was the hardest task. With some practice, you will strike the balance with touch controls on the Buds+, but if you wear a hat or if your hair press against the Buds+, it will detect it as human touch and will either play or pause your song.
Another grave inconvenience with this device is the passive noise cancellation. Because the Galaxy Buds+ fit your ear so perfectly, at least in my case, it ends up canceling all the ambient sound. You can turn the ambient sound ‘on’ on the app, but I only heard a breeze-like sound and no ambient sound. I would recommend keeping the ambient sound ‘off’ on the app.
So, with no ambient sound, I try to be careful as to where to use my Galaxy Buds+. I do not use them while crossing the road so I’m still aware of my surroundings or at the airport so I can still hear announcements. Although its design has come under some criticism because of the use of plastic, I have no complaints.
The charging case for the Galaxy Buds+ looks like a pebble-shaped oyster, and the buds are embedded magnetically inside like pearls. The Type-C port works for me because my phone also has a type-C charging port so there’s no need to carry a separate cable for it.
The Galaxy Buds+ are not typically designed for running or working out like Jabra Elite Active 75t, but I found them useful for working out as well. Priced at $149.99, the Buds+ is really a go-to buddy for ears.
YouTube: Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus Test + Review
Photo credits: The product photo of the Galaxy Buds+ is owned by Samsung and has been provided for press usage. All other photos have been taken by the author for TechAcute.
