The Galaxy Buds2 wireless headphones look great and, like any good Samsung product, have been spoiled on the software side. But their sound quality is average and they don't stay in place. Definitely not a crush.

WE love

Nothing could be simpler than connecting the Galaxy Buds2 Bluetooth headphones when you have a Samsung phone: you place them close to the device and a connection message appears. For any other Android phone, you need to download the Galaxy Wearable app and let it detect the headphones. The owner of an iPhone will have to connect them manually by long pressing on the headphones when they are in their case, then pair them in the Bluetooth settings. No iOS app is offered.

So let's start by putting these little egg-shaped headphones in our ears. You can first perform a fit test to make sure you have chosen the right size silicone tips. The Galaxy Buds2 have a shape of buttons that cover the ears and they have a rare function in this intermediate price range: active cancellation of ambient noise.

The function is not as effective as with more high-end headphones, especially not comparable to headphones from Sony or Bose, but it does its job well. In the metro, for example, you can barely hear ambient noise.

The other nice surprise, again considering the price, is that the case accepts magnetic charging, so handy when you don't want to chase after a charging cable.

It is in Galaxy Wearable that you can choose the best settings, deactivate noise cancellation or on the contrary amplify the surrounding sound or choose an equalizer preset. This is also where you choose how to control the headphones. One tap, and the music is paused. Two knocks, and it's the next song or the taking of a phone call. Three knocks, and we go back to the previous piece.

The long press is configurable according to four modes, each earpiece can respond differently. One can choose to switch from noise cancellation to surrounding sound, invoke Samsung's voice assistant, Bixby, lower or raise the volume, or open Spotify.

Battery life, by our rating, is around four hours, with the case giving an additional twenty hours of charge.

All of these features are offered at a relatively reasonable price of $169.99, one of the lowest for major brand earphones.

We love less

The Galaxy Buds2 have a good bass, very present and enveloping, which can be inflated with steroids with the equalizer. But overall, we found the sound to be rather poor and not very immersive, and the music lacked definition, especially in the high frequencies. Nothing catastrophic, these are weaknesses that are often found in mid-range headphones and even those that claim to be better, such as Apple's AirPods.

On first contact, it feels like these headphones fit snugly in the ear and seem stable. But they start coming out as soon as we talk or, worse, when we do physical activity. It happened twice during a jogging session. Our “adjustment test” had however been successfully completed.

The very shape of these headphones is probably to be reviewed. First, by wanting to reinsert them correctly in the ear, we find ourselves constantly activating the pause of the music by mistake. Then, it is not at all obvious to find exactly where to tap or hold for a long time for the controls. Because they're all round, the Galaxy Buds2 don't have an easily identifiable flat surface to lean on.

And forget the Google Assistant, it's not offered. You have to fall back on Bixby, which can respond to many orders, but remains less versatile and advanced.

One buys ?

Let's first settle the case for iPhone owners: these headphones are of little interest to you. Yes, they can be connected, but you won't be able to set them up unless you borrow a friend's Android phone.

We found them not very suitable for physical activity. Unlike the Pixel Buds, for example, they don't stay in place. For sound, moreover, they are comparable to Google headphones. We are talking here about mid-range headphones which are very useful on a daily basis, which have many configuration possibilities with satisfactory autonomy.

In the absence of a crush, they are undoubtedly a good marriage of convenience, considering their price.

Galaxy Buds2

Manufacturer: SamsungPrice: $169.99Rating: 3.5 out of 5