Palm is back with a Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 challenger for $129

You can get it for $99 with Palm's pre-order discount, if you don't mind the generic design.

What you need to know

• Palm is shifting its focus to audio with the Palm Buds Pro, featuring active noise cancellation and "studio grade audio".
• The wireless earbuds are designed by the people behind Beats by Dre and Samsung's headphones.
• Palm Buds Pro retails for $129, with shipping scheduled in November.

Since launching the Palm Phone in 2019, the company that makes palm-sized smartphones has remained silent for the better part of the past two years, until today. Palm has made a comeback with a rather new product, the Palm Buds Pro.

Palm claims that the new wireless earbuds are built by the same people behind Beats by Dre and Samsung's headphones, and the resulting product doesn't appear to disappoint, except for its generic design. The Palm Buds Pro's standout features are its active noise cancellation and dynamic 10mm drivers for bass-heavy audio.

However, its battery life may be inferior to that of many of the best wireless earbuds, such as the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2. Palm's offering lasts up to about 4.5 hours on a single charge if ANC is turned on, compared to 7.5 hours on Samsung's bet. Otherwise, the battery can run for up to 5.5 hours. With the charging case, Palm claims the earbuds can stay up for over 24 hours.

Each earbud also has three microphones, allowing the person on the other end of the line to clearly hear you. The earbuds' ambient mode allows you to hear both external sound and your current audio playback. There's also environmental noise cancellation to filter out background noise when you're on the phone.

The earbuds are IPX4-rated for water and sweat resistance, making them ideal for sports enthusiasts. In addition, three sets of interchangeable silicone tips are included with the product. However, if you're looking for a variety of colorways, the earbuds are only available in black, though they can be encased in silicone cases in three different colors: Shadow Black, Rose Pink, and Navy Blue.

Perhaps, the product's main selling factor is its low price tag. Dennis Miloseski, co-founder at Palm, said "pro-level, studio grade wireless earbuds shouldn't break the bank." He added that the company researched what features customers wanted in wireless earbuds and identified bass-heavy studio grade sound, ANC/ENC technology, and a friendly price point with premium specs.

The Palm Buds Pro will retail for $129 when it becomes available to purchase on November 9 in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. That said, if you pre-order today, you can get the pair for $99 and pay an additional $14.99 for the silicon cases ($24.99 after the pre-order period).

Back from the grave

Palm Buds Pro

$129 from Palm

A new challenger

Palm's new wireless earbuds pack some pro-level specs for a low price point, including active noise cancellation, powerful drivers, Siri and Google Assistant support, and over 24 hours of playback time with the charging case.