Samsung Galaxy Buds

Lore & Background

The Galaxy Buds series began with the original Galaxy Buds (SM-R170), launched on March 8, 2019, at a price of $129.99 and included a wireless charging case. The Buds was discontinued when the Buds Plus was released. The Galaxy Buds Plus (SM-R175) was announced on February 11, 2020, at the spring Galaxy Unpacked event and released on February 14, priced at $149.99. The Buds Plus maintained the same design as the original Buds but included a second driver for bass to enhance audio quality at lower frequencies, and reviewers praised the improved sound and microphone quality and significantly increased battery life.

The Galaxy Buds Pro (SM-R190) was announced on January 14, 2021, and launched the following day. It improved upon the design of the Galaxy Buds Plus and included improved audio, head tracking technology, and active noise cancellation. The Buds Pro were praised for their improved design and sound quality but criticized for their 5-hour battery life when active noise cancellation is on. The Galaxy Buds FE, short for "Fan Edition", was released on October 5, 2023, marketed as an affordable alternative to the other Galaxy Buds models. Its specifications include a 30-hour battery life with active noise cancellation disabled and the charging case and an IPX2 water resistance rating, as opposed to the 2 Pro's IPX7.

Reader's Guide

The Samsung Galaxy Buds series represents Samsung's evolution of truly wireless earphones following the Gear IconX. The original Buds established the design language and wireless charging case at a $129.99 price point. The Buds Plus addressed early criticisms by adding a second bass driver and improving battery life and microphone quality, while maintaining the same physical design. The Buds Pro introduced active noise cancellation and head tracking technology, though its battery life with ANC enabled was limited to 5 hours. The Buds FE, released in 2023, offered a more affordable option with a 30-hour battery life (ANC off) and an IPX2 water resistance rating, contrasting with the 2 Pro's IPX7. The series has been consistently updated at Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked events, with each generation building on the previous while targeting different price points and feature sets. The original Buds was discontinued upon the release of the Buds Plus.

Did You Know?

• The Galaxy Buds Pro was criticized for its 5-hour battery life when active noise cancellation is on.
• The Galaxy Buds FE has an IPX2 water resistance rating, while the 2 Pro has IPX7.