Samsung's $249.99 Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are a conditional upgrade. The earbuds add dual-amped woofers, a redesigned blade housing, improved call clarity, and better active noise cancellation over the Buds 3 Pro. The gap between generations is not dramatic, but the refinements are real.
The catch is ecosystem lock-in. Full functionality, including hi-res audio, requires a paired Samsung Galaxy device. The parallel to AirPods Pro 3 and Apple hardware is direct and intentional. If you are not in the Galaxy ecosystem, you are not getting what you paid for.
The Verge's full review is worth reading for the granular breakdown of what the new woofer configuration actually does to the sound profile, and whether the noise cancellation closes the gap with Sony and Bose at the same price point. The headline verdict is clear, but the details on cross-platform limitations are the real story.
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