Motorola brought two pairs of earbuds to MWC 2026: the Moto Buds 2 for €79 and the Moto Buds 2 Plus for €149, which feature Bose sound. Both succeed last year’s Buds and Buds+. Here are the key changes:
- Buds 2: 10 mm driver → 11 mm + new 6 mm planar magnetic
- Buds 2: Noise cancellation now handles subway and office noise, whereas the previous generation lacked it.
- Buds 2: battery 9/42 h → 11/48 h
- Buds 2 Plus: Bluetooth 5.3 → 6.0
- Buds 2 Plus: ANC 46 → 55 dB
- Both models include LHDC support, six mics with ENC, and dual connection.
Buds 2 is the bigger surprise. At €79, you now get a dual-driver setup featuring an 11 mm dynamic and a 6 mm planar magnetic driver. Noise cancellation is upgraded to handle subway and office noise. Battery life jumps from 9/42 hours to 11/48 hours. A 10-minute charge gets you 3 hours of playback. Bluetooth steps up from 5.3 to 6.0. They come in three colors: Carbon, Violet Ice, and Gray Mist.
Buds 2 Plus — Bose is still here, AI has been added. The Bose tuning remains the same. Bluetooth upgrades from 5.3 to 6.0. Battery life shifts from 9/42 to 9/40 hours. Noise cancellation moves from 46 to 55 dB, though testing will show how much that matters in practice. Dolby Head Tracking is exclusive to the Moto Edge. New additions include CrystalTalk AI for calls, Audio Share to stream to two pairs of earbuds from one phone, and Moto AI for translations and transcription. Gaming mode and wireless charging carry over.
One catch: Fast charging took a step back on the Plus model, dropping from 10 minutes for 3 hours on the 2024 Buds+ to 10 minutes for 2 hours on the Buds 2 Plus. Moto AI features are limited to compatible Motorola phones.
The €79 Moto Buds 2 feel like a true upgrade with their planar driver, stronger noise cancellation, and 10 extra hours of battery life. Meanwhile, the €149 Moto Buds 2 Plus are more of an evolution than a revolution, adding an updated Bluetooth chip and AI tools. Our upcoming sound test will determine if that €70 price gap is justified.
Which of the two models should we test first? Let us know in the comments.
Moto Buds 2 (€79)
- Drivers: 11 mm + 6 mm planar
- ANC: 55 dB
- Battery: 11/48 h
- Fast charge: 10 min = 3 h
- Bluetooth: 6.0
- Codecs: LHDC, AAC
- Microphones: 6 + ENC
Moto Buds 2 Plus (€149)
- Drivers: 11 mm + Knowles BA
- ANC: 55 dB
- Battery: 9/40 h
- Fast charge: 10 min = 2 h
- Bluetooth: 6.0
- Codecs: LHDC, AAC
- Sound by Bose + Dolby Head Tracking
- Moto AI (Motorola smartphones only)
Source: motorolanews.com
