Buds 4 Refine Look, ANC Still Imperfect

Samsung’s Buds 4 finally refine the look, but ANC falters.

Samsung’s latest earbuds keep the AirPods-inspired vibe that triggered some eye-rolls last year, but the company has quietly cleaned up the design enough to feel less copycat and more deliberate. The open‑fit Buds 4 and the silicone-tipped Buds 4 Pro arrive with a subtle, if telling, push toward a more polished silhouette. The signature blade has vanished from both models’ exterior in favor of a flat panel with a thin metal cover, a change that reads less gimmick and more restrained premium. The old blade lights are gone on the Pro, another small strike toward a cleaner, more understated look. The shapes stay compact and similar to their predecessors, but the feel is noticeably more refined in-hand.

A key, practical tweak is the new onboard controls. Samsung moved to an indented area that supports both swipes and presses, a design choice that makes the controls easier to locate by touch without hunting for tiny buttons. It’s the kind of change you notice only when you’ve spent real minutes with the buds, but it matters in daily use—especially during commutes or workouts where you want to avoid fumbling with your phone. The rest of the control surface remains familiar enough that longtime users won’t stumble into a learning curve.

The other big update is in the case. Samsung stresses that the charging case is a standout change for the Buds 4 lineup, though the review notes stop short of breathtaking specifics. What’s clear is that the case is part of a broader push to present the buds as a more cohesive product—audio, controls, and charging all aligned around a cleaner aesthetic. No dramatic redesign aside from that, but the change underscores Samsung’s intent to make these feel like a complete ecosystem rather than a quick refresh.

On the audio side, testing shows impressive improvements. The headline in hands-on reviews is that the Buds 4 lineup delivers stronger sound across genres with a more balanced profile and clearer highs. Yet the headline also carries a caveat: active noise cancellation remains imperfect. The Pro model aims to minimize ambient noise, but reviewers found ANC still lags behind the best-in-class benchmarks. In other words, you’ll hear the world when you want to tune it out; you just won’t ever be surrounded by a perfect silent moat.

Price stays friendly. Samsung keeps the Buds 4 lineup at the same price points as the prior generation, and there are no mandatory subscriptions tied to the buds themselves. That’s meaningful in a market where some “AI” features arrive behind a paywall or require cloud accounts. Setup remains simple—pairing is quick, and the on-device controls are straightforward enough to avoid revoking your weekend for setup tutorials.

In the broader market, the obvious benchmark for ANC remains Apple’s AirPods Pro, but Samsung isn’t pretending to out-Apple Apple here. The Buds 4 offer better sound and a more refined design at a similar price, which makes them a strong pick for Samsung loyalists and Android users who want richer audio without chasing a top-tier ANC crown.

Two practical takeaways for buyers: first, if you value audio quality and a cohesive Samsung ecosystem, the Buds 4 are a compelling upgrade; second, if noise cancellation is your top priority, you might prefer to wait for future generations or explore competitors that push ANC harder. The changes are meaningful, but the ANC question isn’t fully solved.

Bottom line: Buy—solid, refined audio and a cleaner design at a familiar price, especially if you’re already in Samsung’s orbit; if you need the strongest ANC now, you may want to wait or consider rivals.

Sources

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 and 4 Pro review: Impressive audio, imperfect ANC