Earbuds · Model guide · Maker specs
Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro
Buy the 2021 Galaxy Buds Pro only at a clear discount: it has IPX7 buds, two-way speakers and a Qi case, but newer Pros have replaced it.
Product images
Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro, from its Amazon listing.
Credit: Amazon.com (Associates Program). Amazon listing
Product image from the Amazon listing.
In short
Buy the 2021 Galaxy Buds Pro only at a clear discount: it has IPX7 buds, two-way speakers and a Qi case, but newer Pros have replaced it. Samsung rates it for 5 hours with noise cancelling on, 8 with it off, and up to 28 with the case. Skip it with an iPhone, or if Galaxy Buds2 Pro costs about the same: it has the same 5-hour noise-cancelling battery and Bluetooth 5.3.
Who it is for
- Galaxy owners who find a pair well below the original $199.99. On a Galaxy phone you still get Auto Switch, SmartThings Find and Samsung's own Scalable codec.
- People who sweat hard or get caught in the rain. The buds are rated IPX7, which Samsung tested as up to 1 meter of fresh water for up to 30 minutes.
- Anyone who chats with buds in. Voice Detect notices when you start talking, drops the music and lets outside sound through.
Who should skip it
- iPhone users. Samsung built the 2021 Buds Pro for Android 7.0 and later, on phones with more than 1.5 GB of RAM.
- Anyone who wants Samsung's newer design and features. Galaxy Buds3 Pro moves to a stem with Blade Lights, Bluetooth 5.4, SSC UHQ audio and an IP57 rating.
What sets it apart
- A 2-way speaker in each bud: an 11 mm woofer paired with a 6.5 mm tweeter.
- Intelligent ANC with two levels, which Samsung says cuts up to 99% of outside noise.
- IPX7 earbuds, rated for up to 1 meter of fresh water for up to 30 minutes.
- Qi wireless charging for the case, and a 5-minute charge gives about an hour of play.
Caveats
- That 99% is Samsung's figure at a single frequency (118.43 Hz), not a measure of everything you hear.
- Only the buds are water-resistant. Samsung advises against beach and pool use, and the case isn't protected.
Key specs
In the same order on every earbuds page, so you can compare pairs.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Sealed in-ear bean, no stem; Samsung UK lists the SM-R190 as true wireless with Intelligent ANC | Samsung US launch announcement; Samsung UK SM-R190 specs |
| Fit and tips | Ear tips in S, M and L (Samsung UK box contents) | Samsung UK SM-R190 specs |
| Drivers | 2-way: 11 mm woofer and 6.5 mm tweeter | Samsung US launch specifications |
| Noise cancelling | Intelligent ANC with 2 levels; Samsung says it cuts outside noise by up to 99%, UL-verified at 118.43 Hz | Samsung US launch specifications, footnote 2A single-frequency figure; Samsung gives no overall decibel rating. |
| Ambient sound | Ambient Sound up to +20 dB in 4 levels; Voice Detect switches to it and lowers your media when you speak | Samsung US launch specifications, footnote 1 |
| Spatial / 360 audio | No 360 Audio in the 2021 US spec table | Samsung US launch specificationsLater Galaxy Wearable and One UI notes mention 360 Audio with some Galaxy phones. |
| Hearing features | None listed (no hearing aid or hearing test) | Samsung US launch specifications |
| Battery, buds | Music: 5 hours with ANC on, 8 with it off. Calls: 4 and 5 hours. 61 mAh typical. A 5-minute charge gives about 1 hour of play (footnote 7) | Samsung US launch specificationsSamsung tested with default settings, with Bixby wake-up and Voice Detect off. |
| Battery, with case | Music: 18 hours with ANC on, 28 with it off. Calls: 14.5 and 17.5 hours. Case 472 mAh typical | Samsung US launch specifications |
| Charging | 5-minute quick charge gives about 1 hour of play when the buds start below 30%; wired charging through the case, with a USB cable in the UK box | Samsung US launch specifications, footnote 7; Samsung UK SM-R190 specs |
| Wireless charging | Qi-certified wireless charging | Samsung US launch specifications |
| Water and dust, buds | IPX7: up to 1 m of fresh water for up to 30 minutes in Samsung's lab test; not advised for beach or pool use; no dust rating | Samsung US launch specifications, footnote 8 |
| Water and dust, case | Not water-resistant (footnote 8) | Samsung US launch specifications |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 | Samsung US launch specifications |
| Codecs | Samsung Scalable, AAC, SBC | Samsung US launch specifications |
| Microphones and calls | 3 mics (2 outer, 1 inner), a voice pickup unit and Wind Shield; Samsung UK lists 6 on some SM-R190 pages | Samsung US launch specifications; Samsung UK SM-R190 specs |
| Controls | Touch controls, remappable in Galaxy Wearable | Samsung US launch specifications |
| Device switching | Auto Switch between Samsung devices on the same Samsung account with One UI 3.1 or later (footnote 4); no general Bluetooth multipoint listed | Samsung US launch announcement |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, Hall, touch, voice pickup unit (VPU) | Samsung US launch specifications |
| Weight, one bud | 6.3 g | Samsung US launch specifications |
| Weight, case | 44.9 g | Samsung US launch specifications |
| Size, one bud | 19.5 × 20.5 × 20.8 mm; Samsung UK gives 20.5 × 19.5 × 20.8 mm as height × width × depth | Samsung US launch specifications; Samsung UK SM-R190 specs |
| Size, case | 50 × 50.2 × 27.8 mm; Samsung UK gives 27.8 × 50.0 × 50.2 mm as height × width × depth | Samsung US launch specifications; Samsung UK SM-R190 specs |
| Colors | Phantom Violet, Phantom Black, Phantom Silver (varies by market) | Samsung US launch specifications |
| Phone compatibility | Android 7.0 or later with more than 1.5 GB of RAM; some features unavailable on non-Samsung devices (footnote 12) | Samsung US launch specifications |
| Find and tracking | SmartThings Find, showing an approximate location on a Galaxy phone or tablet with Android 8 or later (footnote 9); no Find My or UWB | Samsung US launch announcement |
| App and updates | Galaxy Wearable, from the Galaxy Store or Google Play; firmware updates through the app | Samsung US launch announcement, footnote 2 |
| US price at launch | $199.99 at Samsung.com from 14 January 2021; other US retailers and carriers from 15 January 2021 | Samsung US launch announcement |
| Price band | Flagship ($100–$200 US at launch) | Based on the $199.99 launch price |
| Announced | 14 January 2021 | Samsung US Newsroom |
| Availability | Previous model, replaced by Galaxy Buds2 Pro and then Buds3 Pro | Samsung Galaxy Buds lineup |
Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro extras
Specs only this model has.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Voice Detect | Switches to Ambient Sound and lowers your media when you speak (footnote 1) | Samsung US launch announcement |
| Voice pickup unit | Listed with the microphones and the sensors | Samsung US launch specifications |
| Model number | SM-R190 | Samsung UK SM-R190 specs; Samsung US launch announcement |
| In the box | Charging case, earbuds, ear tips (S, M, L), Quick Start Guide, USB cable (Samsung UK); may vary by region | Samsung UK SM-R190 specs |
| Battery capacity | 61 mAh per bud and 472 mAh case (typical) | Samsung US launch specifications |
Two drivers and two levels of noise cancelling
Buds Pro was Samsung’s original sealed Pro, a stemless bean that sits in the ear on S, M or L tips. Each bud splits the sound between an 11 mm woofer and a 6.5 mm tweeter.
Intelligent ANC has two adjustable levels. Ambient Sound goes the other way, boosting outside sound by up to 20 dB in four steps.
Battery and charging
| Mode | Buds | With case |
|---|---|---|
| Music, noise cancelling on | 5 hours | 18 hours |
| Music, noise cancelling off | 8 hours | 28 hours |
| Calls, noise cancelling on | 4 hours | 14.5 hours |
| Calls, noise cancelling off | 5 hours | 17.5 hours |
Samsung measured those with default settings and with Bixby wake-up and Voice Detect turned off. Each bud holds 61 mAh and the case 472 mAh. If the buds are below 30%, a 5-minute charge buys about an hour of music. The case charges by cable or on any Qi pad.
With a Galaxy phone, and without one
Auto Switch hands the buds from one Samsung device to another on a single Samsung account, provided each runs One UI 3.1 or later. SmartThings Find shows roughly where you left them, from a Galaxy phone or tablet on Android 8 or later. Galaxy Wearable, from the Galaxy Store or Google Play, remaps the touch controls and installs firmware.
Because the app is on Google Play, other Android phones can run it too, but Samsung notes that not every feature is available on non-Samsung devices.
Calls and connection
For calls there are three mics (two outer, one inner), a voice pickup unit and Samsung’s Wind Shield for wind noise; Samsung UK lists six on some SM-R190 pages. Buds Pro connects over Bluetooth 5.0 with Samsung Scalable, AAC and SBC codecs.
Buds Pro against Samsung’s later Pros
Galaxy Buds2 Pro is the next Pro. It keeps the 5 and 18 hours with noise cancelling on, runs 8 and 29 with it off, stays IPX7 and moves up to Bluetooth 5.3. Galaxy Buds3 Pro goes further and changes the shape to a stem. If either sells for close to what you’d pay for Buds Pro, get the newer pair.
Price
Samsung announced Buds Pro and put it on sale at Samsung.com on 14 January 2021 for $199.99, with other US retailers and carriers following on 15 January. It came in Phantom Violet, Phantom Black and Phantom Silver, depending on the market.
It’s more than five years old now, so check what a new or used pair really costs before you buy.
Sources
- Amazon product listing — accessed 2026-09-20
- Samsung US Newsroom — Galaxy Buds Pro launch (14 January 2021) — accessed 2026-09-19
- Samsung UK — Galaxy Buds Pro SM-R190 specifications — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Galaxy Buds Pro with an iPhone?
Not with Samsung's support: its only listed requirement is Android 7.0 or later on a phone with more than 1.5 GB of RAM.
Can you swim in Galaxy Buds Pro?
No. IPX7 means up to 1 meter of fresh water for up to 30 minutes in Samsung's lab, and Samsung advises against beach and pool use.
Which ear tips come with Galaxy Buds Pro?
S, M and L, according to Samsung UK's box list, along with the charging case, a Quick Start Guide and a USB cable.
Does Galaxy Buds Pro support 360 Audio?
Not at launch. Samsung's 2021 spec table leaves it out, though later Galaxy Wearable and One UI notes mention 360 Audio with some Galaxy phones.
Official product page: Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro. Tech specs: Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro specs.