Samsung Galaxy Buds Core

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Core are true wireless earbuds with ANC that excel at battery life and call quality. Sound quality and comfort are below average, which hurts their overall appeal. At $100, they're a good pick for frequent callers, but music lovers should look at Soundcore or EarFun instead.

Battery life is the headline here. The Galaxy Buds Core land in the 96th percentile for battery, which means they outlast almost everything else in our database. Samsung claims 35 hours total with the case, and that's the kind of number that makes you forget to charge these for a week. For travel and commuting, that's a real advantage. You're not hunting for a USB-C port at the airport.

The mic setup is another bright spot. Three mics per bud with noise cancellation puts call quality in the 87th percentile. That's well above average, and it shows in practice. Background noise gets filtered out pretty aggressively, so your voice comes through clear even on a busy street. If you're on video calls all day, these handle that better than most buds at this price.

ANC performance is solid but not spectacular. The 74th percentile puts it above average, but it's not going to compete with Sony or Bose flagships. It'll knock down airplane hum and office chatter, but don't expect total silence. Sound quality is where things get rough. The 29th percentile is disappointing. The bass is there, but the overall tuning feels muddy and the treble lacks sparkle. For a Samsung product, that's a letdown.

Stacked against the Sony WF-1000XM6, the Galaxy Buds Core get smoked on sound and ANC. Sony's flagship is in a different league, but it also costs way more. The Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation are similarly ahead on audio and comfort, though the Galaxy Buds Core actually beat them on battery life. That's not nothing.

The more interesting comparison is with the Soundcore P31i and EarFun Air Pro 4+. Both of those deliver better sound quality at a similar price point. The EarFun Air Pro 4+ especially gives the Galaxy Buds Core a run for their money on audio. But neither matches the Samsung's mic quality or battery endurance. The Technics EAH-AZ100 is another step up in sound, but again, you're paying for it. For pure call quality per dollar, the Galaxy Buds Core hold their own.

At $100 USD, the Galaxy Buds Core are priced to move. You're getting ANC, great battery life, and solid call quality for less than half what Sony or Apple charge. That's a compelling pitch. But the weak sound quality and comfort issues make this a tougher sell. The Soundcore P31i and EarFun Air Pro 4+ both hover around this price and deliver better audio. If you care about music more than calls, those are better picks. If calls and battery are your thing, the Galaxy Buds Core earn their keep.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Core sit in that crowded true wireless earbud space where everyone's fighting for your pocket. At $100 USD, they're positioned as a budget-friendly option with active noise cancellation, which is already a bit of a flex at this price. Samsung's leaning hard into the Galaxy AI branding here, promising intelligent audio optimization, adaptive noise control, and smart connectivity. But specs on a box don't always tell the whole story, so we dug into our database to see where these actually land.

If you're searching for cheap ANC earbuds that handle calls well, these are worth a look. The mic setup is genuinely strong, and battery life is a standout. But if sound quality or long-term comfort are your top priorities, you'll want to keep reading. The Galaxy Buds Core are a mixed bag, and the numbers back that up.

We tested these against a pile of other true wireless buds, and the results are interesting. Some areas punch way above the $100 price tag, while others feel like Samsung cut corners to hit that number. Let's get into it.

Skip the Galaxy Buds Core if you care about music quality or plan to wear earbuds for long stretches. The sound is muddy and the comfort scores are among the lowest we've seen. Fitness folks should definitely look elsewhere, the 19.7 fitness score is one of the worst in our database. If you want better audio at this price, grab the Soundcore P31i or EarFun Air Pro 4+. If you need top-tier ANC, save up for the Sony WF-1000XM6 or AirPods Pro 3rd Generation.

Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Buds Core? If you're on video calls all day and need earbuds that won't die mid-meeting, yes. The battery life and mic quality are genuinely impressive for $100. The ANC is fine for commuting and travel, and the IPX rating means you won't panic if it drizzles.

But if you're buying earbuds primarily for music, look elsewhere. The sound quality is a real weak spot, and the comfort scores suggest these might not feel great after an hour. Samsung made some smart trade-offs here, but they traded away the thing most people buy earbuds for. For calls and battery, these are a solid buy. For everything else, there are better options at this price.