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Samsung Galaxy Buds 2

By Samsung · Budget Wireless Earbuds · Audio & Electronics · More from Samsung

  • Active Noise Cancellation with 3 levels of ambient sound
  • Up to 5 hours play time with ANC on (20 hours with charging case)
  • Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity
  • 3 microphones per bud with Voice Pickup Unit
  • 360 Audio with Dolby Head Tracking and Dolby Atmos

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Summary

Small, light true-wireless ANC earbuds from 2021, with each bud weighing 5 g and all four colors shipping in a white charging case. Check two things before buying: the model is discontinued in Samsung’s US catalog, and IPX2 means no sweat or rain protection.

Strengths

  • Each bud weighs 5 g and sits flush, so they stay comfortable through long wear.
  • Warm, bass-forward sound with six EQ presets, ranked just below the Galaxy Buds Pro.
  • CNET rated call quality highly after airport testing, with callers hearing little background noise.
  • The compact clamshell case charges over USB-C or Qi, and a 5-minute charge gives an hour of play.
  • Deep app features for the tier, including Find My Earbuds and an Earbud Fit Test.
  • The buds are 15% smaller and 20% lighter than the Galaxy Buds Plus.

Weaknesses

  • Battery is middling at 5 hours with ANC on and 7.5 without, with a 20-hour case.
  • No multipoint Bluetooth and no aptX.
  • No iOS app, so firmware updates need an Android device.
  • Tap input works about 70% of the time and can pause music when you reseat a bud.
  • ANC is competent, not class-leading against Bose and Sony.

Verified specifications

ModelGalaxy Buds 2, SM-R177; US color SKUs include SM-R177NZKAXAR / NZWXAR / NZGXAR / NLVAXAR.
Battery, buds5 hours with ANC on, 7.5 hours with ANC off.
Battery, with case20 hours with ANC on, 29 hours with ANC off.
Fast charge1 hour of play time from a 5-minute charge.
ConnectivityBluetooth 5.2; Samsung Scalable codec and AAC, with no aptX.
Multipointnot supported; auto-switching between Galaxy devices is.
Water resistanceIPX2 on the buds, not splash- or sweat-proof.
Microphonesthree per bud — two outer beam-forming mics, one inner mic — plus a Voice Pickup Unit.
Driverstwo-way (tweeter plus woofer), AKG-tuned.
Sensorsproximity sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope.
ColorsGraphite, White, Olive, Lavender, all with a white charging case.
Charging caseUSB-C and Qi wireless, plus PowerShare reverse charging from a compatible Galaxy phone.
Equalizersix presets — Normal, Bass Boost, Soft, Dynamic, Clear, Treble Boost.
AppGalaxy Wearable on Android only; no iOS app, so iPhone owners cannot update firmware.
Low-latency Gaming ModeSamsung phones only.
Dimensions0.7 × 0.8 × 0.8 in per bud; case 1.9 × 2.0 × 1.1 in.
Weight5 g per bud (0.2 oz).
In the boxcharging case, USB-C cable, three sizes of ear tips.
Full research notes and sources

Sound and noise cancelling

Six presets — Normal, Bass Boost, Soft, Dynamic, Clear and Treble Boost — cover most tastes, and Normal is the sensible all-round setting.

ANC lands in the good-but-not-stellar range. It dulls aircraft cabin noise and droning appliances, but high-frequency sounds, sirens and leaf-blowers still come through, and it is not in the class of the Sony WF-1000XM4 or Bose QuietComfort Earbuds. Samsung claims ANC cuts background noise by up to 98%; Tom’s Guide disputes that figure and estimates closer to 85%, so treat the marketing number with caution. Ambient Sound is usable only at its High setting, ideally with volume held around 30-50%.

Call quality is contested

Call quality is the one point where reviewers split, and buyers should know it. CNET tested calls from a noisy airport and reported that the people on the other end heard very little background noise and a clear voice, and listed call performance as a strength. Tom’s Guide, on the same three-mic hardware, called it a step down from the Galaxy Buds Pro, with wind noise and muffling outdoors and Samsung’s machine-learning filter showing no noticeable effect across four days of calls. Treat call quality as environment-dependent rather than a guaranteed win.

Battery, fit and controls

Battery is the weakest part of the spec sheet: 5 hours with ANC on and 7.5 hours with it off, or 20 and 29 hours with the case, below the 24-hour case average Tom’s Guide cites. A 5-minute charge returns about 1 hour of play. Charging runs over USB-C or a Qi pad, and a compatible Galaxy phone can reverse-charge the case.

The fit is the reason to own them. A 5 g bud barely protrudes, and CNET wore a pair for a four-hour flight without discomfort. Controls are tap and swipe gestures configured in the Galaxy Wearable app; tap input works about 70% of the time, and touch controls can fire when you adjust the bud. Removing only one bud does not auto-pause, there is a 2-second delay, and audio does not resume when you reinsert it. Multi-tap gestures start disabled and must be turned on in the app.

Launched in August 2021 at $149 in the US, with CNET listing $150, £139 and AU$219. Samsung no longer catalogs the Buds 2, so remaining new stock is thin and priced oddly: Tom’s Guide’s price widget showed the SM-R177NLVAXAR variant at $179 on Newegg, above the original MSRP. At or below roughly $80 these are strong value for a Galaxy phone owner; $81–$120 is fair to good; $121–$149 is weak, and the observed $179 loses to newer Samsung models and to a discounted Galaxy Buds Pro. Keep in mind that no instrumented lab test of the exact model exists, so the evidence is reviewer listening, not bench data.

This page covers the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2, model SM-R177, launched on August 27, 2021. Samsung sells it in Graphite, White, Olive and Lavender, with a white case on every color. It is discontinued in Samsung’s US lineup, so listings are remaining stock or renewed units.

The US Amazon listing is ASIN B094242FV1.

Sources

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