Our Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro review was nothing short of glowing – but as great as they are, those noise-cancelling earbuds made their debut back in August 2022, and we're eager to see what Samsung has been working on as a follow-up. So, what of its third-gen Pro earbuds offering, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro?
Samsung hasn't made anything official yet, but the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro leaks and rumors are slowly piling up, and we've collected them here – as well as putting together some thoughts about what we want to see from the next earbuds.
If you can't hang on for Samsung to get its act together (we all-but know there's an Unpacked event on July 10 – thank you SamMobile), head to our comprehensive guide to the best wireless earbuds to see what catches your eye (or ears). Based on how good the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro were though, it might be worth waiting…
Galaxy Buds 3 Pro: rumored release date
As you've read above, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro broke cover in August 2022 – so we were expecting the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro at the July 2023 Unpacked event. However, for whatever reason, they didn't show up.
Considering that the original Galaxy Buds Pro launched in January 2021, a gap of 18 months between versions was always more realistic. That would put the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro launch date in the middle of 2024 – and on June 11, MySmartPrice spotted both the Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro on the Bureau of Indian Standard certification (BIS), which is as sure a sign as any that a launch event isn't far away.
That's also the way other leaks have been pointing, with one of the more recent 2024 tip-offs suggesting that firmware for both the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and the Galaxy Buds 3 was now being developed. Basically, a launch can't be too far off now, surely.
We're also encouraged by an all-but confirmed Samsung Unpacked event in July 2024 (on July 10, to be precise), to show off a bunch of foldables and wearables. Might we also see the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro at the same event? It seems highly likely…
Galaxy Buds 3 Pro: expected price
So far, we haven't heard anything about the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro's price, but we can look back at the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: at launch, they would have set you back $229 / £219 / AU$349, so that gives you an idea of the price point we're talking about.
Other bits of price data to consider: the more basic Galaxy Buds 2 from 2021 cost $150 / £140 / AU$219, while the Galaxy Buds FE launched in 2023 cost $99 / £99 / AU$199. The Pro buds are clearly the premium ones in terms of price and features.
We wouldn't expect the price of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro to dip below the level set by their predecessors: $229 / £219 / AU$349. Given the inflation we've seen in manufacturing and materials too, the new earbuds might end up costing a bit more.
Galaxy Buds 3 Pro: news and rumors
Since late April 2024, the rumor mill's really kicked into gear for the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro – including a June 9 leaked image showing Galaxy earbuds with stems, making them look very similar to AirPods, plus a big leak on June 6, claiming to reveal sound upgrades, smarter ANC, and 'blade lights', for both the Buds 3 Pro and the Buds 3. Fresh leaks suggest the rumored stems are real – and they'll get 'pinch' functionality, similar to the AirPods 2 Pro and Nothing Ear (a), say.
Before this, on April 25, regulatory filings appeared, suggesting the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro charging case will have a rated capacity of 500mAh (a typical capacity of 515mAh). That's a little disappointing, because it matches the case for the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro – 18 hours of use in total – so it looks as though battery life will be similar (no word yet on the batteries in the individual Galaxy Buds 3 Pro earbuds though).
Of course, none of this is official. What we can tell you is that Samsung launched the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE in October 2023, giving you an affordable option for your wireless earbuds (we're expecting the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro to come with a more expensive price tag attached, mind).
We can also tell you about an upgrade to the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: these earbuds can now handle live translation, courtesy of Galaxy AI and the brand new Galaxy S24, and that's a feature that's almost definitely going to be coming to the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro as well, when they appear.
We've also seen Samsung showing off a Galaxy Buds case with an OLED screen – but apparently this is just an experimental prototype, and not something we're going to be seeing with the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.
Galaxy Buds 3 Pro: what we want to see
It's fair to say that Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro rumors and leaks are gaining momentum ahead of July 10. That goes for the standard Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 too, by the way – those may also put in an appearance, if a June leak is anything to go on.
While we're waiting for more from the rumor mill, we do have a few ideas about how Samsung could improve on the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro wireless earbuds, which, despite the only middling battery life, are very impressive already.
1. More interesting colors
Wireless earbuds are about more than the music these days: they're fashion statements as well. The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro had the vaguely interesting bora purple color alongside the rather standard black and white options, but we think that the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro can do better. Samsung's phones are colorful enough, so why not its wireless earbuds as well?
2. Better battery life
Of course, the perennial request with any new pair of wireless earbuds: better battery life. With active noise cancelling on, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro only manage five hours between charges, which isn't great, although that goes up to 18 hours with the case. Let's hope Samsung can work some technological magic and extend that time further.
3. Improved AI
You can talk to Bixby through the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, but we think Samsung can do better than that, especially in the ChatGPT era.
We've heard rumors that the Samsung Galaxy S24 will be packed with AI features, so we're hoping that spills over to the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro next year – giving you a truly smart and capable AI assistant built right into your earbuds.
4. The same price
We don't mind paying for quality, and we understand that getting the best technology working in such a small space is an expensive matter – but that said, we hope that Samsung manages to keep the price of the Galaxy Buds Pro series around the $229 / £219 / AU$349 mark. For comparison, you'll pay $249 / £249 / AU$399 for the AirPods Pro 2.
5. Customizable noise cancelling
Better audio is always a given when it comes to a wishlist for new wireless earbuds, but we're going to mention it. In particular, we'd like to see a bit more granularity in terms of the active noise cancelling on the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro – perhaps a selection of modes, as is the case with some rivals (see our Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 review for details).
