The $149 Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 is a solid sequel that upholds most of the series’ hallmarks, but ignores its biggest flaws. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 offers plenty of functionality at an attainable price.

Lively, customizable sound, Satisfying ANC, Great comfort and fit, Extended functionality via Galaxy Wearable app, Two wireless charging methods

Middling battery life, Missing advanced features, Inferior call quality, Design feels less premium than predecessors

The snappy, seamless Android experience is a joy, but the extra perks offered by the Galaxy Buds 2 struggle to atone for disappointing sound quality

Pleasing bass weight, Lightweight design, Intuitive Android app

Harsh through the treble, Dynamically lacking

Since introducing the Galaxy Buds back in 2019, Samsung has iterated on the formula with the Galaxy Buds Live and the Galaxy Buds Pro, but is now back with an official successor, the aptly named Galaxy Buds2. The biggest change here is the addition of active noise cancellation (ANC), and at $149.99, it's quite good for the price. The earphones also deliver a powerful, notably bass-forward sound signature with enough brightness to keep things balanced. The on-ear controls can be a little clunky and the earpieces themselves are a bit small and slippery, while a low IP rating means they aren't the best choice for sweaty exercise. For $129.99, Anker's Soundcore Liberty Air Pro 2 earphones remain our top pick for greater water resistance and slightly better ANC.Sleek But Slippery Available in black, lavender, olive, or white, the Galaxy Buds2 have a smooth exterior that looks sharp, but can feel slippery. They're also quite small, which when combined with the glossy finish, can make t...

Samsung's true wireless Galaxy Buds2 earphones improve upon the originals with the addition of active noise cancellation, but still carry the same low water-resistance rating.

Bass-forward sound signature with bright highs; Good noise cancellation for the price

Weak water-resistance rating; Touch controls are easy to misfire; Small, slippery earbuds can be hard to handle

Nice design and fit ; Effective noise cancellation/Ambient mode performance ; Good call quality ; Well-featured app;

Similarly priced rivals offer better sound ; Touch controls a little finicky ; Tailored more for Samsung Galaxy owners;

On Friday, preorders for Samsung's latest pair of completely wireless earbuds, the Galaxy Buds 2 , will start to arrive, and you'll be able to buy them in stores. The $150 earbuds have all of the same features you can find in Apple's high-end AirPods Pro but cost $100 less.

Solid battery life, Good sound, Affordable

ANC isn’t as strong as the AirPods Pro, No support for iPhone

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 are a huge improvement over the originals, offering active noise cancellation, better sound quality, and a great fit. While they’re not the best true wireless earbuds out there, they’re easily one of the best for Samsung smartphone owners who want perfect synchronicity with their Galaxy gear.

Active noise-cancellation; Balanced sound; Improved call quality; Galaxy Wearable app is useful; ;

ANC could be stronger; No sub-bass response; No always-listening Assistant; Only IPX2 rating

It’s getting really tough to say something clever at the top of a wireless earbud review. There are just so many of these things now. Five years ago? No problem. True wireless earbuds were in their infancy and we were all very excited that wires might be gone forever. Today? Well, let me put it this way: I’ve got about 14 pairs of true wireless earbuds on my desk right now and that’s just what showed up over the last couple of weeks. My point is that wireless earbuds are now a commodity. We know this because you can pick up a pair for about $25 at the local pharmacy. That being the case, all the Galaxy Buds 2 need to do is … well, not suck, to put an admittedly crass point on it. At $150, the Galaxy Buds 2 not only don’t suck but they’re bound to make a lot of people very happy. Whether or not the Galaxy Buds 2 should be a no-brainer purchase can be debated, but it’s undeniable that these wireless buds are about to fly off shelves. Here’s why. The Galaxy Buds 2 come in a compact box — ...

Compact; Comfortable; Effective ANC; Good sound; Solid Battery;

Annoying touch controls; Many Android-only features;

A marked improvement over the original model, sharing features with the higher-priced Galaxy Buds Pro, these headphones importantly sound decent. They don't offer the best active noise-cancellation (ANC) around, but they do offer great call quality.

Compact design and case; Good sound; Customisation options via the Wearable app; Wireless charging; Good background noise supression on calls;

Not the best active noise-cancelling (ANC) around; Only IPX2 splash proofing; Only supports Bixby voice assistant;

For anyone who has already bought into the Samsung Galaxy ecosystem, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 are a fantastic choice and a big improvement on the first generation. You get good sound and the noise-cancelling does a fantastic job at cutting out distracting noise.

Good sound quality, Active noise cancellation, Works seamlessly with other Galaxy devices

Not waterproof or even water-resistant, Battery life is just okay, No manual EQ settings

The Galaxy Buds 2 are excellent all-rounders, with a comfortable, lightweight design and high-end features like ANC and wireless charging – balanced by fiddly touch controls and only average battery life. Anyone on Android should be happy with these, though limited software support means iPhone owners are better looking elsewhere.

Lightweight, compact design; Solid sound & ANC; Wireless charging;

Fiddly touch controls; Limited iOS support; Average battery life;