Some might be upset that Samsung included stems to the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro which are their premium earbuds, however, this incorporation enhances their fit to more ear shapes while being a fantastic set of earphones with great sound quality and voice-calling functionality.
Editors’ Note: We intended on posting this review at an earlier date but due to some of you knowing, Samsung had problems with the ear tips for the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro that set it back to a late August release. I did not face any problem with the ear tips and neither did a couple of other editors who got early samples of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, so hopefully, it is not a big deal.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are the first to come with stems and some critics were quick to describe them are copycats of the Apple AirPods among many. While it is sort of true, the main focus should be returned to the fit, sound, and performance of these earbuds. As known, they perform well in these aspects, although I have some paltry concerns only.
Both models have a lot in common with each other but there are some differences as well. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 cost $180 and are open buds similar to the AirPod3’s, for those who do not like the feel of tips inserted into their ears. In contrast, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro cost $250 and are also noise-isolating earphones like the AirPods Pro 2.
The two are available in the silver or white variant and with similar prices to the AirPods models to make them a part of the high-end earphones. Their battery ratings are also as close to those of AirPods. The first option, the Galaxy Buds 3, can play for up to 6 hours without this feature turned on and up to 5 hours with it on while the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro can last up to 6 hours without the ANC function and 5 hours with it.
Bluetooth 5 is included with both models. 4 are water- and dust-resistant with an IP57 rating, and adopt LE Audio and the new Auracast function (Samsung’s 360 audio is also present). An IP57 rating is not completely waterproof but the earbuds can cope with constant water immersion.
The design of the new earbuds is the third generation of the Galaxy Buds series from Samsung: Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are semi-open earbuds because they have stems, and all stem earbuds look a bit similar, so they can be criticized for that too for not having that double-take factor. Some have said that they look like a low-end product, as a possibility, but they feel rather well-built, and the buds themselves do not seem to be any inferior to the AirPods.
Samsung tried to differentiate its stems known as the blades from the pods of AirPods in terms of the round pipes; Samsung gives the stems a futuristic look similar to the ‘Cybertruck’, especially in silver color. Since it is not recommended to use a blade with varying thickness at different parts of the head because it would cause irritation, Samsung asserted that its testing determined that the blade design is preferred by most users.
Essential reviewers complained of fit issues with the Galaxy Buds Live and Galaxy Buds Pro 2 (I had to use my own large ear tips with them), and from my personal wear tests of the newly designed earbuds, they fit more people better. I discovered that they were fitting and easy to put on since they had a light feel to them.
It is critical to obtain this position to ensure that the bass and noise cancellation are as good as possible. The Galaxy Wear app checks the seal quality, and I passed it while using the biggest ear tips, though a one-size bigger option would have been helpful, especially because the ear tips for these buds are custom, thus it may be difficult to find compatible ones.
The same can also be said about the AirPods Pro 2. Notably, I was able to fit some third-party foam tips, for the AirPods Pro 2, onto the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro’s posts, but these did not seal properly according to the seal test.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro has lights in their blades part unlike the newly released Galaxy Buds 3. I like them, though it would be great if they would be colored and have a possibility to glow in different colors (at the moment it is only white).
The ANA lights, on the other hand, show when the buds are in pairing mode, and they blink whenever one is using the Find My function; the buds, on the other hand, make a chirping sound, which is helpful when you’re trying to locate them in a dark room. You can also turn the lights on by squeezing and holding each of the buds for fifteen to twenty seconds, and wear the buds with the lights on if one has that preference. They can be completely on or they can dim in and out.
They have pinch controls just like the AirPods and swipe controls for the volume of the earbuds. All you have to do is swipe your finger up the side of either of the buds, this will help adjust the volume up or down. The buds’ pinch and swipe controls can work okay.
Here is a list of Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro features:
Samsung Galaxy Buds3 and Buds3Pro are almost similar to features such as Active Noise Cancellation. They both have the same design with the same case that supports wireless and USB-C charging and a Bluetooth button to help pair with any Bluetooth audio. But to sum it up, Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro offers few more features and has an overall richer feature set.
The features they own comprise ear-detection sensors (pausing of playing music as soon as you pull out a bud) and support LE audio with the new Auracast feature, which offers a way of hearing Bluetooth broadcasts in public places like gyms. Its 360 audio with head tracking is also here, like the AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro 2 spatial audio feature.
These Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro earbuds were paired with an iPhone 14 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy Flip 5 smartphone. The audio did not switch between my iPhone and Flip 5 on its own but Samsung users get a feature of dual audio where the two Galaxy devices communicate with one another; be it a laptop. I managed to connect buds to my Galaxy Tab 8 Plus and Flip 5, and the sound was switched between them.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro has the capability to let sounds into the buds with its ambient mode which I found to be very efficient. Depending on your choice, you can adjust the levels, but for me, the middle-level fit in the natural voice with no hissing sound.
Also, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro has features ala the Adaptive Audio features of the AirPods Pro 2. Samsung says that the buds ‘continuously process the presence of surrounding sound and then adjust the desirable amount of noise along with sound, without any prior need for changing the set amount through ANC, Siren Detect, and Voice Detect.
Similar to Apple’s Conversation Awareness mode, the Buds 3 Pro’s Voice Detect feature, which is switchable in the Galaxy Wear app, lowers the music or audio volume and turns on the buds’ ambient mode when you begin to speak. Instead of turning it off for a while, it reduces the volume of the music to a very low level, which makes this particularity rather practical.
Samsung emphasizes the fact that the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro supports the Galaxy Exclusive – Interpreter, which is a part of the Galaxy AI. However, this feature should ideally work with any buds. For instance, if you are attending a class in another language entirely, you can flip on the Interpreter in Listening mode on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 or Flip 6 with the Buds 3 series safely inserted into your ears. This lets you listen to the lecture in your Buds translated to the language you selected during the setup.
The Effects of Active Noise-Cancelling on the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro
The ANC in the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro is average to good, on par with the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro improving twice and potentially even slightly more than that. Still, I sense that it is a little lagging behind the ANC of the AirPods Pro 2, Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, and Sony WF-1000XM5 buds.
Apart from trying them on the New York City subway, I also tried using the noise-canceling against an HVAC in my residence. Other models proved to be capable of reducing slightly more noise from the unit. Yes, depending on the ear tips you are going to use, a good seal is very important for maximum noise cancellation hence use the right tips that give a good seal.
Well, for those wondering about how good the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 active noise canceling is to the Buds 3 Pro, there honestly isn’t much of a competition. Like its earlier Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, or The Beans, the Galaxy Buds 3 does offer a little bit of active noise cancellation, but it is weak because ANC often does not play well with open earbuds. When I turned the ANC on with the Buds 3, I could not see a massive difference in what I was hearing, although the sound did alter. Although, for ambient sound filtration there might be, if you are looking for actual noise cancellation, then go for the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.
Read my review on the sound quality of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro headset.
Samsung acquired Harman and JBL belongs to them and also AKG which is now under Samsung. Nevertheless, there are no longer “Sound by AKG” labels on these Galaxy Buds’ cases, which indicates that Samsung has severed the connection.
While the headphones of the regular Buds 3 models have a single 11mm driver, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are equipped with two drivers: a 10 mm dynamic driver and a Planar tweeter to offer better highs. Samsung also supposes that the Buds 3 Pro has dual amps; this contributes to noiseless wireless jitters.
The new wireless Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro sounds better than the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. While I enjoyed the sound the Buds 2 Pro offered, the treble clarity and the bass definition available in the buds of Buds 3 Pro are superior, thus rendering better sound quality with more clarity in every note channeled by the buds.
Interestingly, I felt that the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro sounded even better than the AirPods Pro 2. They are slightly higher in output and sound faster and with more brightness in the upper registers. When set to their defaults they are pretty decent giving good stereo separation though the openness is quite decent as well. Android option to modify the soundtrack can be accomplished through the Galaxy Wear app’s equalizer, but iPhone user is locked out. I would not advise iPhone owners to buy these buds in case they do not have an Android device for pairing, as all settings and updates can be controlled only through the Galaxy Wear app.