Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro review (early verdict): One week in, I'm sold

Oftentimes my job leads me to get hold of products well before they're even officially announced. Case in point: I've been secretly donning the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro for precisely a week ahead of their Unpacked 2026 public reveal.

Thing is, when these earbuds landed on my doorstep at home, I was like, "oh". Not because I didn't like the look of them by any means. Just that I've long held a dissatisfaction with even the best earbuds on grounds of personal comfort.

"I'm a headphones guy through and through," I told myself, as I reluctantly parked the Buds 4 Pro into my ear canals ahead of a lunchtime walk. That was the 18th February and, guess what? One week on and I'm still using the Buds 4 Pro – because they've entirely changed my mind about earbuds.

Comfort

For me it's all about comfort. I have fairly sensitive ears, so plonking eartips into my ear canals isn't usually the ideal for me. These Samsung earbuds, however, seemed 95% good from the very getgo – and the included trio of eartip sizes ought to assist in offsetting for fit.

Interestingly – and this is something increasing numbers of manufacturers are performing – the Buds 4 Pro have used "10,000 simulations with global ear data points", with the aim of offering a superior fit for more people.

After my first hour-long walk, that I felt fully satisfied with the comfort – no stress or sensation of pressure – was a major tickbox. On that walk, I was also surprised by how well the active noise-cancelling (ANC) could blot our traffic noise with considerable success.

Active noise-cancelling (ANC)

Samsung calls it the company's "best ANC ever". I call it "very good", as some higher-end sounds still chime through when I'd rather they didn't; and as a very familiar user of Bose's products, I'd say the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are better at a full blanket of frequency suppression.

That said, it works very well in various situations, with a long-haul plane journey another solid test of these earbuds' performance. That inevitable "hiss" was quashed sufficiently, allowing me to focus on myself and my work rather than distractions around me.

Sound Quality

But the other huge factor that's great about these earbuds is the sound quality. Samsung is bigging up its latest earbuds line-up by saying that audio is the most important purchase factor in any earbuds.

That's why a lot of attention has been put into the Buds 4 Pro's dual driver solution, which comprises a woofer for bass (it's 20% larger than the Buds 3 Pro's more bezel-endowed version) and separate tweeter.

As I spend an inordinate amount of time delving into underground records, constructing and mixing sets, big bass is a must for me. By which I mean deep and warm, not boomy and overpowering. The Buds 4 Pro nail the low-end frequency – delivering basslines that sound as if emanated from a much larger headphone product.

Practicality

All of which is making me wonder whether I actually need to cart around my Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 over-ears any more. Although, given the small nature of the Galaxy Buds' case, popping them into a pocket as backup is hardly a significant bother.

That case will deliver a further 20 hours of battery, beyond the earbuds' 6-hours of use per charge. I don't think that longevity is especially impressive, I must say, with many of Samsung's peers offering 10 hours or more per charge.

A smaller battery capacity is likely part of the design and weight, I can assume, which does all play a factor in comfort. And, as I said up top, the Buds 4 Pro are mighty comfortable. And good for long periods of the wear – longer than even the battery will deliver!

Price – worth it?

The premium finish, which is made of metal – including on the protruding 'blade design' arms which poke out of the ears – is another aspect to consider in the Buds 4 Pro's overall asking price. At £219 these are significantly pricier than their predecessors.

Are they worth the money though? Well, at under £110 per ear, for many hours – even months, daresay years? – of listening pleasure, with sound quality this good, impressive ANC, and comfort that's totally changed my mind about earbuds, I'd say so, yes...

Early Verdict

So there we have it: after an hour the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro had fundamentally changed my mind about earbuds – and after a week I'm fully sold.

Sure, the price bump isn't marginal generation on generation, and I think battery life ought to be more extensive.

But with this quality of sound and noise-cancelling (ANC), attention to design and comfort, Samsung's latest earbuds are good enough to take on even the established names.