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Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro wishlist: All the features I want to see
Samsung recently updated its earbuds category with the Galaxy Buds3 Pro. Truthfully, these buds work best when paired with the newest Samsung smartphones. Doing so unlocks next-gen AI capabilities including live translation, interpretation, and adaptive EQ functionalities. However, while Samsung is busy investing heavily in its Galaxy AI suite, it may have overlooked more fundamental and entrenched niggles. The company’s persistently underwhelming battery life and inconsistent noise canceling have opened the door for a more ambitious Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro.
Eager as we all are for a flagship upgrade, the Galaxy Buds3 Pro launched just months ago. As such, rumors of its successor are virtually nonexistent and could take years to materialize. While we wait, here are all the features I want to see when the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro come to market.
Longer battery life
You don’t have to search very long nowadays to find a pair of true wireless earbuds with better-than-average battery life. For example, the industry-leading Sony WF-1000XM5 provide nearly 10 hours of playback time, while the Apple AirPods Pro 2 last 5 hours and 43 minutes with ANC enabled. Even cheaper brands like the EarFun Air Pro 4 profit eight hours and 44 minutes of playtime. All three exceed the four-to-five-hour benchmark expected of most wireless earbuds.
The same cannot be said for Samsung. Its latest Galaxy Buds3 Pro profit just four hours and 31 minutes of ANC-enabled playtime. Surprisingly, this falls roughly 20 minutes short of their predecessors — the Galaxy Buds2 Pro and Galaxy Buds Pro. While this is smack-dab average, frequent intercontinental fliers and those on longer commutes must pocket their buds mid-travel to charge up. Samsung must implement the successes of its Galaxy Buds 2 and Galaxy Buds Live and bring longer battery life to the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro.
More powerful ANC
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Active noise canceling is a handy staple of most modern true wireless earbuds. For example, it can help attenuate unwanted ambient noises such as construction work, car horns, and office chatter. This is, of course, provided you don’t mind sticking things in your ears. ANC works best when you form a tight seal with either silicone or foam ear tips. Doing so provides greater isolation and allows the earbud microphones to pick up external noise more accurately. Choosing good-fitting earbuds is as important as deciding which manufacturer to purchase from.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro are revered for their industry-leading noise canceling. When activated, fans can expect a maximum attenuation of approximately 48dB. The buds are particularly effective at quelling bass and sub-bass frequencies between 100 – 30Hz. Higher frequencies above 3kHz are also significantly dampened, making the buds well-equipped for canceling office chatter. Unfortunately, the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro feature weaker sub-bass and treble attenuation than their predecessor. In particular, frequencies between 5 – 8kHz are substantially more noticeable. The Galaxy Buds4 Pro will need more powerful ANC when they come to fruition.
A cheaper price tag
Gone are the days when you had to spend large sums of money to obtain flagship features. For under $100, price-savvy shoppers can scoop up some of the best wireless earbuds on the market. For example, the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC cost ($99.99 at Amazon) and come equipped with excellent ANC, nearly 10 hours of battery life, and the LDAC Bluetooth codec. Samsung’s budget offering, the Galaxy Buds FE ($99 at Amazon,) are a compelling choice for price-conscious Samsung fans and commuters.
Earbuds manufacturers love adding the “Pro” title to their top-tier products as they exude flagship prices. However, Samsung has steadily increased the retail price of its Pro-series earbuds. For example, the original Galaxy Buds Pro cost $199.99 at launch, while the Galaxy Buds2 Pro cost $229.99. The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro came to market at $249.99, suggesting the Galaxy Buds4 Pro could cost roughly $269.99 when they eventually materialize. This is significantly higher than the fan-favorite Sony WF-1000XM5, which can frequently be found for a discounted price of $199.99. The Galaxy Buds4 Pro will need a cheaper price tag to remain competitive.
Better in-call noise reduction
The world has never been so noisy. From walking down the street to sitting at the office, finding a quiet spot for taking calls can be challenging. Consequently, it’s never been as important to bag yourself a pair of headphones with good in-call noise reduction algorithms. These help to quell distracting ambient sounds and make your voice more intelligible to the person on the other end of the line.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro feature better microphone quality than their predecessor. For example, the earbuds own Samsung’s “super wideband call” functionality that lets you record up to 16kHz instead of the usual 8kHz. This should allow for improved call quality, although several factors such as your network may influence how well your call mates hear you. However, while microphone quality is improved, the Galaxy Buds3 Pro are less equipped for reducing wind howl and other environmental sounds. A future firmware update could remedy this, but the Galaxy Buds4 Pro would do well to feature better in-call noise reduction at launch.
A more refined voice command feature
There have never been as many ways to control your earbuds as now. In addition to standardized tap, slide, hold, and pinch controls, many earbuds now support voice assistants like Siri, Google, and Bixby to control earbud functions. The advent of nonverbal cues could also revolutionize our relationship with earbuds in the future. For example, you can nod or shake your head while wearing the AirPods 4 to answer “yes” or “no” to Siri. This is much more accessible than fumbling around with the earbuds or diving into the companion app.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro use pinch and slide controls to adjust volume, play/ pause, track skipping, and ANC/ transparency modes. You can also download the Samsung Wearable app to use voice commands. This allows you to skip tracks or adjust volume while freeing your hands to wash dishes. However, without an activation word or directional training, the earbuds’ voice command feature can be activated by passersby. When worn in crowded places, strangers could inadvertently control your music, answer your calls, or adjust your volume. The Galaxy Buds4 Pro should refine Samsung’s voice command feature.
What would you like to see Samsung bring to the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro?
Will there be a Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro?
Samsung has released a variety of true wireless earbuds over the last five years. From the unsealed Galaxy Buds Live to the ANC behemoth Buds2 Pro, fans have many choices. Sure, most of the company’s best features are sealed behind an increasingly high wall. However, if you own a Samsung smartphone, you’ll struggle to find a better companion for your device than the Galaxy Buds3 Pro.
As expected, there has been no official confirmation from Samsung about the Galaxy Buds4 Pro. However, given the company remains one of the biggest players in the smartphone arena, I expect it will update its flagship earbuds category in the future.
- Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro — January 14, 2021
- Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro — August 26, 2022
- Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro — August 28, 2024
Samsung is reasonably predictable when refreshing its Galaxy Buds Pro earbuds. For example, the original Galaxy Buds Pro launched on January 14, 2021. The Galaxy Buds2 Pro followed one year and seven months later on August 26, 2022. The company’s latest Galaxy Buds3 Pro launched two years later on August 28, 2024. By that metric, we should expect the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro to arrive during the summer of 2026.
Should you wait for the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro?
The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro are a worthwhile upgrade to their predecessor. While they may have borrowed some design inspiration from the Apple AirPods Pro 2, they own some neat tricks under the hood. Those feeling enticed can grab a pair from major retailers including Amazon and Best Buy. We are years away from the Galaxy Buds4 Pro, so it may be worth grabbing the Galaxy Buds3 Pro if you can afford them.
If you care about the latest AI features and frequently travel overseas, go ahead and purchase the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro ($249.99 at Amazon.) These earbuds utilize the company’s live translation and interpretation tools and ship with a comprehensive companion app. Inside, you can control voice commands, adaptive noise control, 360 audio, Find My, and more. The buds are also exceptionally comfortable and ship with different-sized ear tips to help secure a tight seal. Their exterior is IP57-rated and protects against quick underwater dunks and small solid debris. The earbuds also enjoy pleasing sound quality thanks to their dynamic and planar magnetic drivers and dual amp system. Fans can broadcast their music with Auracast and use auto-switch to flit between Samsung devices.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro ($179 at Amazon) may be a better companion to your Samsung smartphone if you prioritize ANC performance. While less AI-feature-rich, the Buds2 Pro have more powerful noise canceling than their successor. They are also more comfortable, own pleasing sound quality, and connect with Bluetooth 5.3 over the SBC, AAC, and Samsung Seamless Codec. The Galaxy Wearables unlocks six EQ presets, a fit test, 360 audio, Find my earbuds, Ambient sound mode, and vital firmware updates. Battery life is slightly longer than the Buds3 Pro and the case can be charged wirelessly. Like previous Galaxy Buds, you can use Wireless PowerShare to charge the Buds2 Pro by transferring the battery life from your Qi-compatible phone.
Like always, the Apple AirPods Pro 2 ($189.99 at Amazon) are the best earbuds for iPhone owners. The company’s upgraded H2 chip brings advanced features including powerful noise canceling, Spatial Audio personalization, battery optimization, and adaptive transparency mode. The case’s U1 chip and integrated speaker also let you precisely locate it from the Find My app. Apple includes extra-small ear tips for smaller ears and the earbuds and case are IPX4-rated to protect from omnidirectional water splashes. The pressure-sensitive stems and sliding controls are easy to use, and Apple’s auto-wear detection is second to none. Battery life lasts nearly six hours, with the case supporting MagSafe, Wireless, and Apple Watch-compatible charging. You can also use the AirPods Pro 2 to take calls, although they perform less well when subjected to background noise.
Finally, the JLab Epic Lab Edition ($199.99 at Amazon) deliver excellent sound quality without breaking the bank. Packed with the latest generation of Knowles balanced armature drivers, the earbuds own a consumer-friendly frequency response. They also own decent noise canceling capabilities, attenuating 17-40dB above 1KHz and up to 35dB below 1kHz. Battery life lasts nearly nine hours and the case yields two hours of listening time from a 10-minute fast charge. Wireless charging is also supported and the JLab Epic Lab Edition has a USB-C dongle for sources without Bluetooth. Unlike the Galaxy Buds3 Pro, fans can utilize Bluetooth multipoint.
Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro FAQs
The Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro earbuds have not been announced yet. However, given the retail price of each of the company’s Pro-series earbuds has increased by $20 with each iteration, we can expect the Galaxy Buds4 Pro to come to market for roughly $270.
It’s unlikely we’ll see new Samsung earbuds released this year, given we’re nearly at the year’s end. The Galaxy Buds3 and Buds3 Pro also only launched a few months ago. We will likely have to wait another two years for an update.
Yes, the original Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro were discontinued shortly after the Galaxy Buds2 Pro were announced in August 2022.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 are a pair of unsealed earbuds that leave the ear canal unoccluded. Conversely, the Galaxy Buds3 Pro wear ear tips that form a tight seal and provide isolation from ambient noise.