Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro hands-on video leak confirms major features

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Samsung Galaxy Buds are fully revealed after a YouTuber got a pre-release pair

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro video leak
(Image credit: Digital Slang)

Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Pro have leaked numerous times over the past weeks, but none have have been so revealing as a new hands-on video by YouTuber Digital Slang. Thanks to that Galaxy Buds Pro video, a number of rumored specs and features about the wireless earbuds are shown off for real.

Digital Slang, who seemingly purchased the true wireless earbuds from a seller on Facebook well ahead of their expected January 14 reveal, filmed himself handling the Galaxy Buds Pro and running through the accompanying Samsung Wareable app. In the process he confirmed various rumored features, such as active noise cancellation, transparency mode, Voice Detect and IPX7 waterproofing.

While all of these features (and more) have leaked previously, this is the first and only video so far showing the Galaxy Buds Pro in action. We get to see how both ANC and transparency mode can switch between varying levels of effectiveness, and Voice Detect does exactly what's been rumored — speaking when Voice Detect is enabled will automatically enable transparency mode, for easier conversations.

We can also see limited control customization with the Galaxy Buds Pro. You can change what pressing and holding the touch control sensors do, whether it's raising and lowering volume, opening Spotify or summoning the Bixby voice assistant. IPX7 waterproofing, a first for Samsung’s earbuds, is also confirmed for the Galaxy Buds Pro.

Digital Slang also shows how both the charging case and the Galaxy Buds Pro themselves are noticeably more compact than the Galaxy Buds Plus. He goes on to explain how the Galaxy Buds Pro sound great, and that the transparency mode works particularly well, though that he’s “not that impressed” with how the ANC compares to that of the AirPods Pro.

Curiously, there’s no mention of Spatial Audio, another rumored feature that would copy an AirPods Pro capability by creating a digital surround sound effect that tracks head movements. Still, as Digital Slang notes in another video comparing the Galaxy Buds Pro with the Galaxy Buds Plus, he’s not using the firmware that will be available for retail models at launch, so Spatial Audio could be available for the full release.

Not that there’s much left to reveal, but Samsung should officially announce the Galaxy Buds Pro on January 14, alongside the Samsung Galaxy S21, at the newly scheduled Galaxy Unpacked event. If audio quality and the array of features holds up as well as these videos suggest, we could well have a new addition to the best wireless earbuds list on our hands.

James Archer
James Archer

James is currently Hardware Editor at Rock Paper Shotgun, but before that was Audio Editor at Tom’s Guide, where he covered headphones, speakers, soundbars and anything else that intentionally makes noise. A PC enthusiast, he also wrote computing and gaming news for TG, usually relating to how hard it is to find graphics card stock.