Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 & 4 Pro Deliver Strong Sound but ANC Still Falls Short

Samsung’s latest earbuds arrive with a noticeably sleeker silhouette. Both the Galaxy Buds 4 and the higher‑priced Buds 4 Pro have shed the “blade” stem that drew criticism on the previous generation, replacing it with a flat metal‑capped panel that sits flush against the ear. The charging case also reverts to the rounded‑square shape of older models, but retains translucent lids so users can see the earbuds without opening the case. According to Engadget, the Pro version adds silicone tips and an IP57 rating—dust‑proof and water‑resistant to three feet for 30 minutes—while the standard Buds 4 remain open‑fit, relying on a loose seal that some reviewers found required frequent adjustments (Engadget).

Sound quality is where Samsung finally pulls ahead of its own legacy. Engadget’s tests gave the Buds 4 Pro an “excellent audio” rating, praising the balanced mids, crisp highs and punchy bass that make the earbuds feel “refined” compared with the Galaxy Buds 3. The non‑Pro Buds 4, despite their open design, still deliver “impressive audio” that rivals many premium competitors, and the reviewer noted that the soundstage feels wider than on previous Samsung models. CNET echoed this sentiment, awarding the Buds 4 Pro an Editors’ Choice for its “improved sound” that “made me smile,” underscoring that Samsung’s acoustic tuning has finally caught up to the market leaders (CNET).

The upside ends when the earbuds are asked to block out the world. Engadget found the active‑noise‑cancellation (ANC) on both models “good, not great,” with the Pro’s ANC falling short of Apple’s AirPods Pro and Sony’s WF‑1000XM4. In real‑world testing, the Buds 4 Pro reduced ambient noise by roughly 15 dB, enough to mute a café hum but insufficient against louder traffic or airplane cabins. The standard Buds 4, lacking sealed ear tips, performed even worse; the reviewer described the ANC as “barely useful,” noting that the open‑fit design lets a significant amount of sound leak in. Wired’s earlier coverage of Samsung’s Pro line highlighted similar shortcomings, suggesting that Samsung’s ANC algorithm still lags behind competitors that have refined their microphones and adaptive processing over several generations.

Feature‑wise, Samsung leans heavily on ecosystem integration. Both earbuds support automatic device switching, spatial audio and a “Find My Buds” function that works only with Samsung smartphones, as Engadget points out. The Buds 4 Pro also adds 360 Audio and a low‑latency gaming mode, but many of these perks require a Galaxy phone to unlock their full potential. The reviewer flagged the “many features require a Samsung phone” as a drawback for Android users outside the Samsung brand, echoing a sentiment that the earbuds feel like a “best‑in‑class accessory for Galaxy owners” rather than a universal premium option (Engadget).

Pricing reflects the split in capability. The Buds 4 Pro retails for $250 on Amazon, positioning it squarely against the AirPods Pro and Sony’s flagship true‑wireless earbuds, while the Buds 4 sit at $180, offering a cheaper entry point for Samsung fans who can tolerate the weaker ANC. Engadget’s expert scores—86 / 100 for the Pro and 79 / 100 for the standard model—signal that the sound upgrades outweigh the cancellation deficit, but the “design is still unoriginal” and “ANC performance is good, not great” keep the scores from reaching the high‑end tier. In short, Samsung has finally delivered earbuds that sound as good as they look, but until the ANC catches up, the Galaxy Buds 4 line remains a strong‑sound, mid‑range alternative rather than a definitive challenger to the market’s noise‑cancellation leaders.