Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro Review: Audiophile Perspective

My HONEST Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro review with comparisons vs AirPods Pro 3, Sony WF-1000XM6, Galaxy Buds3 Pro, Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2, and more!
Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro wireless earbuds

In this article, I’m going to share my HONEST Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro review for those who are wondering whether they are WORTH IT. I’ll also be comparing the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro vs AirPods Pro 3, Sony WF-1000XM6, Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen, Google Pixel Buds Pro 2, and more!

I’m going to do my best to share whether these wireless earbuds are worth it, and ideally who these are perfect for. I’ve owned these for a while now and have quite a few thoughts.

I’ll be sharing my critical opinion with 10 years of experience as a professional music producer, audio engineer, and tech journalist.

Let’s dive right in!


Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro Review in Short

Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro wireless earbuds in White next to charging case and original box packaging

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro is one of the best all-arounders for the money with very little weaknesses, especially for Samsung Galaxy smartphone users. It’s arguably best-in-class for comfort and mic quality, while having impressive sound quality and decent noise cancelling. Competes in the wireless noise cancelling earbuds class with the likes of Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation, Sony WF-1000XM6, Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen, Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, and Google Pixel Buds Pro 2.


Watch this Full Review on YouTube!

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Pros and Cons

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro wireless earbuds
8.7
Editor’s Choice
Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro Earbuds
PROS
  • Best-in-class comfort
  • Very fun and detailed sound
  • One of the best mic quality
  • Incredible bass response
CONS
  • There is better noise cancelling
  • There is slightly better sound quality

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Comfort + Features

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro earbuds with silicone eartips

Comfort

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro comes with 3 pairs of soft silicone eartips to find the perfect fit for you.

The design seems pretty identical to the previous generation Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, but even slightly more comfortable.

The Buds 3 Pro was already one of the most comfortable earbuds we’ve tested, and the Buds 4 Pro seems even more streamlined and “forget you’re wearing them”.

Features

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro was originally released in March 2026, so it has many modern wireless earbud features:

  • IP57 water resistance rating (dust and submersion in water)
  • SSC UHQ (Samsung Seamless Codec) high-res codec support
  • Auracast and Bluetooth LE
  • Built-in microphones for taking calls
  • USB-C and Qi wireless charging case
  • Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio
  • Bluetooth 6.1
  • Multi-point connection
  • Adaptive Noise Cancelling
  • Transparency Mode
  • Android app support only

It’s important to note that similar to AirPods, these are only fully-supported on the Android platform, with no native iOS app to manage settings or update firmware.

That said, these still function perfectly fine with default settings on iOS devices like iPhone and iPad.

Microphone Quality

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro improves upon the previous Buds 3 Pro earbuds to deliver one of the best microphone quality in the class.

The Buds4 Pro features 6 total microphones with super high-tech “High Signal-to-Noise Ratio” mics coupled with a Voice Pickup Unit physical sensor, similar to the Bone Conduction sensors used in the Sony earbuds.

In addition to this sophisticated setup, there is a generous use of AI technology for voice isolation and filtering.

I’d say the best microphone quality in earbuds are currently the Buds 4 Pro and AirPods Pro 3.

Battery Life

  • With ANC on: 6 hours of battery life on a single charge / 26 hours total with charging case
  • With ANC off: 7 hours on a single charge / 36 hours total with charging case
  • Fast Charge: 10 minutes = 85 minutes of playback

This battery life is firmly average to below average for the class, as competitors like the AirPods Pro 3 and Sony WF-1000XM6 are rated at 8 hours on a single charge.

Comfort + Features Score: 9.5 out of 10


Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro Noise Cancelling Performance

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro vs Galaxy Buds 3 Pro side by side comparison

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro improves in noise cancelling performance over the previous generation Buds 3 Pro, which was average to slightly above average.

I find the Buds4 Pro’s noise cancelling to be surprisingly effective, but just outside the “elite” tier of Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen, AirPods Pro 3, and Sony WF-1000XM6.

I think part of the reason is due to the Buds 4 Pro not having the strongest physical seal, as the eartips don’t go as deep into the ear canal, along with the eartip material itself.

The benefit of this is the Buds 4 Pro’s best-in-class comfort, but that comes at a cost of noise cancelling perhaps.

Another positive aspect here is that the Transparency Mode is one of the best I’ve tested to date, with a very natural representation of ambient noise, as if you’re not wearing the earbuds at all.

Noise Cancelling Score: 8.5 out of 10


Sound Quality

Sony WF-1000XM6, Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, and AirPods Pro 3 side by side comparison

The previous-generation Galaxy Buds3 Pro was a pleasant surprise in the sound quality department, and I actually preferred them over its then-rival, the AirPods Pro 2.

Then the AirPods Pro 3 released later with its newly-improved superior sound quality over the Buds3 Pro.

But here we are half a year later with the Galaxy Buds4 Pro.

So how does it stack up?

How does the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro sound on iPhone vs Samsung Galaxy smartphones?

Let’s start by discussing high-res codec support.

Unlike other earbuds that support the more accessible high-res codecs of LDAC and aptX, Samsung opted instead for its own proprietary “SSC” or “Samsung Seamless Codec”.

Furthermore, the Buds4 Pro supports a “UHQ” or “Ultra High Quality” version of SSC that is only supported on Samsung Galaxy S23 phones and newer.

I tested the Buds 4 Pro on both iPhone and a compatible Samsung Galaxy smartphone to compare regular AAC vs SSC UHQ.

What was the result?

I hear about a 5% to 10% improvement in sound quality utilizing the SSC UHQ on a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, but it still sounds great on an iPhone.

Full Sound Test

Off the bat, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro impressed me with its clarity and massive bass response.

The sound profile is firmly V-shaped and consumer-friendly.

Now before the audiophiles run for the hills, although it could use better tonal balance, the sound quality itself is actually very good.

The reason for this sound quality is the unique dual-driver, dual-amplifier architecture of the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro made up of a massive 11mm “Super Wide” Woofer paired with a 5.5mm Planar Tweeter.

The finishing result is easily one of the best bass responses I’ve heard in a wireless earbud, along with sharp treble detail from those fast planar tweeters.

Honestly, although I’d prefer richer mids and tonal balance like the Sony WF-1000XM6, I think Samsung nailed the “consumer-friendly” sound for an earbud that is clearly aimed at the mass-market.

The bass is seriously impressive, especially that deep sub-bass extension that is simultaneously clean and impactful.

These are like having mini-subwoofers in your ears. So satisfying.

Now because of the dual-driver setup, there is no muddiness in the sound, and the planar tweeters deliver tons of crisp treble detail.

To be slightly critical, there is a lot of shiny detail but less realistic timbre for vocals and instruments.

The end result is a fun, exciting, detailed sound that isn’t concerned with accuracy.

I put the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro just below the “high-end audiophile” options like Sony WF-1000XM6, Technics AZ100, Noble FoKus Rex5, Denon PerL Pro, Status Pro X, Bowers & Wilkins Pi8, and SoundPEATS H3 – all of which are some of the best wireless earbud listening experiences available.

I find the Galaxy Buds4 Pro to be superior in sound quality to the previous Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, Airpods Pro 3, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4, Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen, and Google Pixel Buds Pro 2.

Sound Quality Score: 8.4 out of 10


Value

Holding Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro inside charging case in hand

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro retails at $249.99 USD.

It’s firmly in competition with the AirPods Pro 3, Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen that are typically between $229 to $249 on sale, although the Bose retails at a similar $299.

The Sony WF-1000XM6 is quite a bit more expensive at $329 retail.

As an overall package, I’m quite impressed with the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro and the leap it has made over the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.

It really has no weaknesses while having best-in-class comfort and mic quality.

The one value-standout would be the SoundPEATS H3 at under $130, which has a similar level of audiophile sound quality, and above average noise cancelling.

Value Score: 9.0 out of 10


Overall Scoring Breakdown

Comfort + Features (15% of score): 9.5 / 10

Noise Cancelling (25% of score): 8.5 / 10

Sound Quality (50% of score): 8.4 / 10

Value (10% of score): 9.0 / 10

Total: 8.7 out of 10

8.7Expert Score
Excellent

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro is one of the best all-arounders for the money with very little weaknesses. It’s arguably best-in-class for comfort and mic quality, while having impressive sound quality and decent noise cancelling.


Is the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro Worth it?

Close up of Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro earbuds next to charging case and original box on desk

I’m seriously impressed with what Samsung has delivered with the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

Honestly, I think these beat the AirPods Pro 3 overall, except for noise cancelling performance.

There aren’t any glaring weaknesses to talk about with the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, and it makes for an excellent daily driver – especially for Samsung Galaxy smartphone users who can take advantage of the full SSC UHQ sound quality.

Even if you’re on iPhone and iOS, I still think the Galaxy Buds4 Pro has superior sound quality over the AirPods Pro 3.

For those reasons, this receives a strong recommendation and Editor’s Choice award.

One competitor worth looking at is the Sony WF-1000XM6, which I think has more audiophile sound quality but at the expense of worse comfort and fit.

Lastly, if you’d like to save some money and keep supporting RecordingNOW.com’s 100% independent, unbiased reviews, do consider using some of our affiliate links below to shop and even just compare prices. We purchase all products we review with our own money to maintain the highest level of integrity, and your support goes into that plus a continuously improving site experience.


Order HERE for the LOWEST PRICE AVAILABLE (Do NOT pay retail): 

Disclosure: These affiliate links may provide a discount and in return, give us a commission in order to keep this website 100% independent to ensure honest unfiltered reviews 🙂


How We Tested and Our Methodology

RecordingNOW.com is a 100% independent publisher with over 10 years of experience testing and reviewing consumer electronics and headphones.

We currently purchase the products we test with our own money, and are not paid by any company or manufacturer to influence our opinions or decisions.

After purchasing the product, we conduct up to hundreds of hours of detailed hands-on testing in a controlled, acoustically-treated environment.

ODi Productions is our resident expert and author of this article, with 10 years of experience as a professional music producer, tech journalist, and audiophile.


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Odi Productions
Odi Productions

Odi Productions is a professional music producer, tech journalist, and audiophile with over 10 years of experience reviewing headphones and consumer electronics. Each product is independently reviewed and thoroughly tested to help make better buying decisions.

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