I have been using the Buds 4 Pro in Black for the past couple of weeks, pairing them with a Galaxy S26, and here is my take.
First impressions and design
The Black color option looks sharp — understated but premium. Samsung has made some thoughtful changes to the design this time around. The stems are now slightly squared off with a cleaner metallic finish, which actually serves a purpose beyond aesthetics — the shape makes pinch and swipe gestures noticeably easier to execute.
The earbuds themselves felt secure from the moment I put them on, and that held true even during workouts involving dynamic movements.
The case is a highlight. It has a tinted transparent lid that closes with a satisfying magnetic snap, and it is slim enough to slip into a jeans pocket without any bulk.
Inside, the buds now sit horizontally rather than vertically, which makes dropping them back in feel more intuitive and secure. Wireless charging and USB-C wired charging are both supported.
One caveat — the case itself is not water or dust resistant. The earbuds, however, carry an IP57 rating, a meaningful upgrade from the previous IP53, which means they can handle a dunk in shallow water and are well-protected against dust.
Sound quality
This is where the Buds 4 Pro makes its strongest case.
Samsung has fitted these with an 11mm woofer paired with a planar tweeter. The woofer offers nearly 20% more surface area compared to the previous generation, and the difference is audible. Bass is fuller and more textured without bleeding into the midrange, and the highs remain crisp without feeling fatiguing over long listening sessions.
On a compatible Galaxy device, the SSC UHQ codec unlocks 24-bit/96kHz playback, and high-resolution tracks genuinely sound different — more detailed, with a wider soundstage. The 360 Audio feature adds a spatial dimension that works particularly well for live music and film content. On non-Samsung devices, you fall back to standard codecs, which is worth knowing before you buy.
Active noise cancellation
The ANC on the Buds 4 Pro is among the best I have tested in this price range. Samsung offers multiple modes — off, ambient sound, adaptive, and full ANC — and the transitions between them are smooth.
The ambient mode is transparent enough to hold a conversation without removing the earbuds, and the ANC in busy environments does a convincing job of cutting out background noise without making everything feel eerily silent.
Controls and smart features
Gesture controls work well here. A single squeeze plays or pauses, double squeeze skips tracks, and holding the stem switches between ANC and ambient mode. Swiping up or down adjusts volume.
The head gesture feature is a genuinely useful addition — nodding answers a call, shaking your head rejects it. It sounds like a novelty, but in practice, especially when your hands are occupied, it earns its place.
Pairing with a Samsung device is seamless. Open the case, and the earbuds appear almost instantly. The Galaxy Wearable app gives you full control over EQ settings, gesture customisation, 360 Audio, and an earbud fit test. The experience is polished throughout.
battery life
With ANC on, expect around six hours of playback per charge. Switch ANC off and that stretches to about seven hours. Factor in the case and total battery life lands in the 26 to 30-hour range. That is solid for daily commuting and travel, though if you are a heavy user who streams high-resolution audio all day with ANC running, you may find yourself reaching for the case more often than you would like.
The competition
At ₹22,999, the Buds 4 Pro goes up directly against the Apple AirPods Pro, Sony WF-1000XM5, and JBL Tour Pro 3. For Samsung device users, the choice is straightforward — the ecosystem integration alone gives the Buds 4 Pro a significant edge.
For everyone else, the Sony WF-1000XM5 remains a strong alternative, particularly if you value multipoint connectivity, which the Buds 4 Pro still lacks in the traditional sense.
Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro is the most complete pair of earbuds Samsung has ever made. The sound quality is excellent, the ANC is competitive, the design is refined, and the smart features add genuine value rather than just ticking boxes. The ecosystem dependency and absence of true multipoint are real limitations, but for Galaxy device users, those are unlikely to be dealbreakers.
If you have been waiting for a premium Android alternative to the AirPods Pro, the wait is over.
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