Galaxy Buds4 vs Buds4 Pro: Key Differences

Start with the fit

The biggest difference is the one you’ll feel before you press play. Samsung describes the Galaxy Buds4 as open-fit and the Buds4 Pro as canal-fit. If you dislike an earbud sitting in your ear canal, the Pro’s longer feature list won’t settle that problem (Samsung’s design description).

Sennheiser ACCENTUM Open is another open stem option if you also need Bluetooth multipoint. It lists SBC and AAC and has no active noise cancellation, so its open fit does not imply the Buds4’s noise-control feature set (Sennheiser’s product page).

Once you’ve chosen the design, the Pro adds a two-way speaker, voice and siren detection, a higher water-resistance rating, and an extra hour of quoted playback per charge. The regular Buds4 are lighter. Neither specification sheet can tell you which shape will be comfortable in your ears.

What the Pro adds

These are Samsung’s published figures. Playback claims come from its internal tests with a Galaxy phone at default settings; volume, settings, and use affect the time you’ll get.

Voice Detect and Siren Detect can raise ambient sound when the Pro detects speech or an alarm, then restore noise cancellation. Think about whether you’d use those automatic switches often enough to pay for them. Both models already offer ANC and ambient sound.

The Pro’s woofer-and-tweeter arrangement is another hardware difference. It doesn’t settle how your music will sound to you, so don’t let the driver count make the whole decision.

Both have plenty in common

Both list Bluetooth 6.1, Auto Switch, Auracast, and the SSC HiFi, SSC UHQ, AAC, SBC, and LC3 codecs. Their cases are the same size: 51 × 51 × 28.3 mm (Samsung specifications).

Samsung lists adaptive ANC and EQ on both, while its announcement footnote reserves the enhanced version discussed in the release for the Pro. The naming isn’t especially clear. Don’t assume that a shared table entry makes every noise-control feature identical.

Check what your phone can use

Some of the headline audio features need a compatible Galaxy device. Samsung’s table lists Android 12 or later with more than 1.5 GB of memory for compatibility, while its Bluetooth footnote says basic audio works regardless of OS. App support and feature support are separate from simply pairing the earbuds (Samsung’s compatibility footnotes).

For 24-bit/96 kHz audio, check Samsung’s named-device list. The Pro’s AI features also require a compatible Galaxy phone. If you use another Android brand, compare the functions you can actually access before paying for Galaxy-specific extras.

For a sealed alternative with documented multipoint and app support on Android and iPhone, consider the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 5. Its aptX Adaptive/Lossless option requires a compatible source; it is a different codec path from Samsung Seamless Codec (Sennheiser specifications).

If fit is the obstacle, the Sennheiser ACCENTUM Clip offers an open clip attachment and two-device multipoint. It has no ANC, so it belongs on the shortlist when leaving your ear canal open matters more than noise cancellation (Clip specifications).

Samsung has also announced the clip-on Galaxy Buds On. Its specification table lists Android 12 compatibility and IP54 earbuds, but does not confirm ANC or general two-device multipoint. Treat it as a different fit option, and check the regional launch information on its device page before planning a purchase (Buds On specifications, Tech Specs tab).

Water resistance has limits on both

IP57 is the Pro’s higher rating, but neither charging case is water resistant. Samsung advises against beach or pool use and says to dry wet earbuds and hands before handling them. Neither rating, on its own, is a guarantee for every workout (Samsung’s care footnote).

The regular Buds4 make sense when you prefer open-fit earbuds and want the shared core features. Consider the Pro when canal-fit suits you and you’ll use its automatic detection, higher rating, or extra quoted hour per charge. Check fit first, phone compatibility second, and the local price difference last.