With Beats releasing their latest buds titled “Beats Studio Buds Plus”, we are promised a pair of buds with comparatively better sound, improved noise cancelation, and of course, the star of the show, a beautifully translucent design inspired by Nothing. But is it better than the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro?
“The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro from Samsung appears to be the better option overall. They offer superior sound quality, effective ANC, and strong compatibility with the Samsung ecosystem. However, the Beats Studio Buds Plus provides good value for money, especially for those who don’t require additional features like wireless charging or head-tracking.”
Beats Studio Buds+ vs Galaxy Buds 2 Pro
With many upgrades that make it stand out from its predecessor, how well does the Beats Studio Buds + fair against another iconic pair of earbuds, the Galaxy Buds 2Pro from Samsung? Let’s find out!
| Specification | Beats Studio Buds+ | Galaxy Buds 2 Pro |
| Water Resistance | IPX4 | IPX7 |
| Battery Life (Buds) | Up to 6 hours with ANC, 9 hours without ANC | Up to 5 years |
| Battery Life (Case) | Up to 18/27 hours | Up to 18/28 hours |
| Bitrate | – | Up to 2304 kbps |
Design and Comfort
While mostly sticking to their roots, Beats Studio Buds Plus maintains the same outer design for the most part, which unfortunately means the case still lacks the support for wireless charging. The plan also represents the buds remaining exceedingly comfortable and discreet while maintaining a relatively lightweight build with the classic and clicky “b” button on each earbud. And with clear being the new cool, the smoked translucent approach inspired by Nothing makes sure you won’t ever have to worry about fingerprint smudges or those irritating hairline scratches that have a tendency of building up on earbud cases over time. However, the case IS prone to oily fingers, so we’d approach it with caution. And surprisingly, following the footsteps of Apple, Beats has also included a pair of extra small air tips, so people with small ears everywhere, it’s time to rejoice!
And in this corner, the Buds 2 Pro from Samsung, in comparison, is 15 percent smaller than the original Galaxy Buds Pro, and as a simple but effective quality-of-life upgrade, both the case AND the buds come coated with a soft-touch matte finish. This coating ensures the buds stay smudge-free and makes them easier to hold on to. Samsung made sure the Buds2 Pro are lighter in comparison to and included a larger vent on the exterior in order to improve the overall airflow and promote a more comfortable fit when weaning them. The tap controls can be a tad over-sensitive, which makes some unwanted pauses to your music when trying to adjust the earbuds. Unfortunately, there’s no auto-pause here, which makes the price tag somewhat questionable.
Sound Quality
Now, to the meat of the matter, the sound. In terms of audio quality, the Studio Buds Plus isn’t that far off from the AirPods Pro. The sound will never sound harsh or unpleasant no matter how loud the volume gets since clarity is heavily optimized this time around which makes the mids and vocal frequencies pop in a harmonious manner. However, just because they have Apple listed as their parent company, it’d be best to keep expectations low.
These upgrades can be explained by Beats’ intelligent decision to implement a different chip in the Studio Buds Plus, which gives you Apple-centric essentials such as one-step pairing, control center integration, hands-free voice commands, and seamless iCloud compatibility. However, other bonus features like audio sharing, automatic device switching, neither personalized nor spatial audio, and ear-fit test are out of reach, which is just sad, to say the least.
However, Samsung has delivered yet another earbud that can produce fantastic sound, courtesy of their dual driver design that has been custom-tuned by AKG, which makes the AirPods Pro sound dull in comparison, of course, given their three-year-old existence, it’s hardly surprising. The sound closely resembles the audio profile of Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 3 and can even be compared with the sonic profile of the legendary Sony WF-1000XM4. According to Samsung, the new Seamless codec lets their buds wirelessly stream 24-bit 48khz audio over BlueTooth.
According to Samsung Spokesperson Jordan Guthmann, the Seamless Codec can reach a bitrate of up to 2304 kbps, which is nothing short of impressive. The ANC is also pretty satisfactory, where it’s unlikely that anyone would notice any kind of distraction while enjoying their music. The transparency mode also lives up to the mark more or less. However, the Spatial Head Tracking remains the star of the show in comparison and it makes 360 audio while watching video content incredibly immersive. The Wearable App on Android lets you further tinker with the sound profile through a detailed EQ.
For the ANC, according to Beats themselves, the Studio Buds Plus offers 1.6 times more powerful noise cancellation in comparison to their predecessor, which makes the buds useful around busy environments such as coffee shops or commuting routes. Transparency mode is pretty decent and makes conversation and movement more intuitive and responsive.
For Audio Acquisition, the microphones on the Beats Studio Buds Plus are three times larger in comparison, therefore offering a better amount of sensitivity, in turn enhancing the ANC, Transparency mode, and voice-call quality alike. And for the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, there’s nothing out of the ordinary and they get the job done.
Battery Life
For runtime, the Beats Studio Buds Plus is rated at up to six hours of playback with ANC enabled, which stretches up to nine hours when you have it disabled. The case includes another 18 or 27 hours of playback following the same features and comes protected with a reliable IPX4 water resistance, which makes these buds a good pick for daily exercises and of course, inclement weather conditions.
However, Samsung didn’t stray too far off the beaten path, where the buds can deliver up to five hours of listening time, and eight hours when ANC is turned off. You’ll get an additional 18/28 hours from the charging case and comes with a comparatively stronger water resistance rated at IPX7.
Our Takeaway
In comparison, Beats had done a wonderful job with their second swing at the Studio Buds with a more fuller and detailed sound, a more capable ANC, and that beautiful translucent color option. However, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are the best Samsung has to offer right now, and they tick all the boxes in terms of sound quality, ANC, and overall comfort. However, with the saying “you get what you pay for”, you’ll get better results from Samsung as it comes compatible with wireless charging, a stronger IPX7 rating, a comparatively better audio profile, and stronger compatibility with the Samsung ecosystem. Beats Studio Buds Plus has more than enough power to carry its own weight, and the price point makes give it a very high value for money, especially when you don’t require extra amenities like wireless charging or head-tracking and such.
So that was our two cents on Beats Studio Buds+ vs Galaxy Buds 2 Pro! Which one of these buds are you going to roll with, and why?
