okay but can we talk about how Samsung just casually dropped the actual earbuds of the year while everyone was arguing about the base Samsung Galaxy S26 and obsessing over the privacy screen on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 😭
like??? hello????
they released the Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro and barely made a scene about it. i’ve been using the Buds 4 Pro for a few days and i’m just gonna say it:
these are incredible. like… better-than-AirPods Pro incredible.
and yes i KNOW most people aren’t cross-shopping AirPods and Galaxy Buds. different ecosystems. different tribes. whatever. but as a performance benchmark? they clear.
design: cube case supremacy
new case design. little cube. tinted clear lid. magnetic snap that hits just right. satisfying in a way that makes your brain go “yes.”
still super pocketable
wireless charging
USB-C
pairing button
buds drop in easily once you get the motion down
the buds themselves finally got a redesign too. from the front in white they kinda give AirPods energy (all earbuds are just evolving toward “ear-shaped pebble” at this point) but flip them around and boom:
square stem. brushed metal back.
the square stem actually makes the gestures better. swiping volume up/down feels more precise. pinch controls are easier. it’s basically the ideal touch setup.
also — huge breaking news — they stay in my ears.
IP57 rated (same as AirPods Pro). case isn’t water resistant, which is a flaw, but the buds themselves? solid.
sound: this is where it gets serious
dual drivers in each bud. subwoofer + tweeter. separate amps. updated tuning.
they sound really, really good.
i’ve been using the dynamic EQ setting (slight V-shape boost) and it’s punchy in the best way. but you also get a full 9-band EQ, which is something AirPods still refuse to give you.
they somehow pulled off the trick that earbuds like the Sony WF-1000XM6 aim for — immersive, high-quality sound — but without sacrificing comfort or portability.
the Sonys lean hard into “audiophile immersion” at the cost of:
bigger case
bigger buds
foam tips
less stability
the Buds 4 Pro sound just as good to me but feel like something you can:
work out in
fly in
wear in meetings
sit in a chair and disappear into music with
that balance is hard. they nailed it.
noise cancellation: actually elite
five levels of ANC (probably could’ve just been low/high but okay).
max setting? absurdly good.
i genuinely think it might be slightly stronger than AirPods Pro. airplane-ready. subway-ready. “i’m hearing new details in my music because the world disappeared” level.
ambient mode is also excellent. just shy of Apple’s transparency mode but better than almost everything else on the market.
plus:
auto switch to ambient if it hears sirens
auto switch to ambient when you start talking
auto return to ANC after you stop
that airplane snack cart scenario? handled.
ecosystem features: android finally gets its “airpods moment”
they do:
instant switching between Samsung devices
360° spatial audio with head tracking
in-ear detection
find-my tracking
live translate
nod to answer / shake to decline calls
and unlike AirPods:
gaming mode (lower latency)
full 9-band EQ
multiple colors
same $250 price point.
they are basically the AirPods Pro of the Android universe — specifically the Samsung ecosystem — but with more customization and a little more fun baked in.
yes, i paired them to an iphone
they work. regular bluetooth behavior. gestures still work.
you just lose the Samsung app customization.
the only reason these wouldn’t instantly dethrone AirPods on iPhone is because Apple would never allow that level of integration. same reason they don’t let Garmin watches behave like the Apple Watch.
ecosystem lock-in, baby.
anyway.
if you’re on android in 2026?
these are the ones to beat.
my favorite wireless earbuds of the year. sneaky winners.
samsung really tried to hide the best product in the lineup and thought we wouldn’t notice.
we noticed.