New Samsung Galaxy Buds+ boast excellent earbud battery life

New Samsung Galaxy Buds+ boast excellent earbud battery life
(Image credit: Future)

As well as announcing its Galaxy S20 smartphone series, Samsung has also revealed its latest (and just as leaked!) true wireless headphones. 

The Galaxy Buds+ succeed the Galaxy Buds that were launched alongside the Galaxy S10 phones last year, and while noise-cancellation is still left off the menu they bring with them notable improvements to battery life.

New Samsung Galaxy Buds+ boast excellent earbud battery life

(Image credit: Future)

The pre-existing Buds can deliver six hours of audio playback before needing to be rejoined to the supplied charging case but the Buds+ almost double that figure, promising 11 hours from a single charge (or 7.5 hours of talk time). 

That's a considerably better earbud battery than the popular Apple AirPods (five hours) and class-leading Sony WF-1000XM3 (eight hours without ANC), however their combined earbuds and charging case battery life – 22 hours – is slightly beneath its rivals.

The cherry on the cake: one hour of playback from just three minutes of charging. Qi wireless charging and wireless powershare are also supported.

Of course, our focus will be on whether the AKG-tuned two-way speaker (one tweeter, one woofer) and the three microphones (one inner, two outer beam-forming) in each bud will deliver improvements in sound quality, which was frankly poor in the originals. 

Ambient Mode, which amplifies your outer surroundings so you can briefly hear, say, a train announcement, remains part of the Buds offering in a new and improved form.

The Galaxy Buds+ – available in blue, white and black – launch on February 14th, priced $149.

A pair will come free with S20+ and S20 Ultra pre-orders placed before 8th March 2020, five days before the phones start shipping.

MORE: Best Apple AirPods alternatives 2020: budget to premium

Becky Roberts

Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of Australian Hi-Fi magazine. During her 10 years in the hi-fi industry, she has been fortunate enough to travel the world to report on the biggest and most exciting brands in hi-fi and consumer tech (and has had the jetlag and hangovers to remember them by). In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.