wireless headphones They come in many shapes and styles, but generally speaking they can be narrowed down to two distinct form factors: those with ear tips and those without. From a functional standpoint, ear cushion headphones offer a more secure fit, better active noise cancellation performance, and superior passive sound isolation. They are often marketed as the premium option, with some budget and mid-range headphones opting for a unibody plastic design.
This dichotomy is true Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds 4 series. The base model Galaxy Buds 4, which sells for $180, does not use ear tips. If you take a step forward Galaxy Buds 4 Pro At $250, you get silicone eartips and a more considered design with an improved fit. There’s a little more story here: some prefer the light, discreet, and liberating feel of headphones without removable tips. But for the most part, my time testing the Galaxy Buds 4 makes me wonder why anyone would want to buy a pair of earbuds without silicone or foam ear tips.
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The Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro are certainly not the same
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Samsung overhauled the design of the Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro this year, and there’s still one key feature separating the two models. Aside from audiophile features like driver size or ANC quality, only one goes all the way into your ear. These would be the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, which include silicone eartips that physically create a seal in the ear canal. The regular Galaxy Buds 4, on the other hand, sit just outside their channel.
This imitates the Apple headphone line, like the Airpods Pro 3 They have hybrid silicone/foam ear tips and the AirPods 4 don’t offer any ear tips. However, not all brands build their range this way. Both Google headphones, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 and Pixels 2aPlease use silicone ear tips. Each pair of Beats headphones is in-ear style and also includes silicone ear tips. By shopping within the Google or Beats lines, you can purchase products at various prices and get a consistent experience every time.
That’s not the case with the Galaxy Buds 4 line. In this case, you’ll need to weigh whether you need earbuds with tips that completely seal the ear canal. It’s arguably the most important consideration, even above the price and overall feature set.
Galaxy Buds 4 have a new design, but an old problem
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Let’s get into the details of the Galaxy Buds 4 design, starting with the good. I enjoyed the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, so I was certainly skeptical that Samsung would ditch that model for something completely new here. It turns out that Samsung made the right decision. The flat housing design and modified style of the headphones look excellent. The square Galaxy Buds 4 wireless charging case feels more portable and compact, and it’s easy to snap the earbuds into place when they need a charge.
The square charging case for the Galaxy Buds 4 measures 51x51x28.3mm and weighs just over 45 grams, making it easy to fit in your pocket. While I’ll miss the blade lights on the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, the design is now more consistent across the Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. In other words, the visual redesign is a success in my book.
However, the redesign doesn’t do much to functionally change the Galaxy Buds, and that’s a shame. I find the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are some of the most comfortable earbuds on the market, but the Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 4 are a completely different story. The rounded earcup shells and lack of silicone tips do little to create a secure in-ear fit. In my case, I never felt like the Galaxy Buds 4 were going to stay put.
If I bend down to get my laptop out of my backpack, I’m worried the Galaxy Buds 4 will fall out. When doing a “vibration test” with these headphones, at least one of them flies across the room. I wouldn’t dare wear them while running, and even a casual walk may require frequent readjustments to ensure a secure fit.
Compared to the AirPods 4, which also lack ear tips, the Galaxy Buds 4 might fit worse. This is because the AirPods 4 design has a sharper point at the location of the audio driver, which helps it fit into the opening of your ear canal. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Buds 4’s audio controller grille is completely flat. The design does little to help the earbuds find their rightful place in your ear and can be frustrating to use.
The sound quality and ANC are worse because of this.
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Even if the Galaxy Buds 4 manage to stay comfortably in your ears, the sound quality may suffer due to the looser fit. It’s imperative that the earbuds’ audio drivers point directly into your ear canal for the best experience, and that’s tricky when the Galaxy Buds 4’s smooth, curved design makes them move around a lot. In fact, you can hear the difference in sound quality when the Galaxy Buds 4 start to slide out of position, leading to frequent readjustments.
The loose fit also makes active nose cancellation a fool’s errand. The Galaxy Buds 4 support ANC features, including an adaptive and transparency mode, but external noise is easily filtered out due to the weak seal. I can hear the loud hum of my air conditioner with the Galaxy Buds 4 in my ears, and that’s regardless of whether ANC is enabled or disabled.
This is not just a problem with the Galaxy Buds 4
A bad fit can limit what you can do with your headphones. I can’t drown out the noise in a coffee shop or go for a run with the Galaxy Buds 4. I’m sure there are some steps Samsung could have taken to improve the fit of the Galaxy Buds 4 – a sharper audio driver opening point and a less smooth finish are two that immediately come to mind – but the problem really lies with the form factor.
For me, having eartips that create an excellent seal inside the ear canal is a must for any ANC headphones. So, despite looking good on paper, headphones like the Galaxy Buds 4 or AirPods 4 just aren’t for me.
No pressure
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 don’t offer the same level of secure fit or sound isolation as the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, but some may find the lack of pressure on the ears and loose fit more comfortable. You also get many of the same features of the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro software in a more affordable package.
