When Samsung first revealed the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and the Galaxy Buds 3, it was difficult not to immediately compare them to Apple's AirPods. They have an uncanny resemblance, save for a longer and more angular stem, some fancy lights (or 'Blades' as Samsung calls them), and a clear top on the case.
What's perhaps more important, though, is just how different the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are in design compared to their excellent predecessor. But does a facelift, a few extra features, and the introduction of Galaxy AI in Samsung's latest earn them a place as some of the best earbuds in 2024?
I've been strolling around with my Galaxy Z Flip 6 in hand, and the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro lighting up my ears (literally), to find out...
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro: Price & Availability
Samsung announced the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro alongside its latest folding phones and wearables during Galaxy Unpacked in Paris on 10 July. The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro did have a quality control issue shortly after release, delaying their on-sale date after some users reported the eartips tearing when being swapped. I didn’t have that issue with my review unit, though, and the earbuds are now on sale.
They cost £219 in the UK and $249.99 in the USA. They are currently not available in Australia, but they are "coming soon" according to Samsung. They come in White and Silver colour options and you can buy them from Samsung UK and Samsung US, as well as a range of third-party retailers.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review: What’s new?
You only have to take one look at the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and their predecessor, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, to see that there have been some changes. These two pairs of headphones don’t even look like distant relatives, let alone siblings from two years apart.
The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro opt for small bodies with stems – a design Apple's AirPods have normalised over the years – while the older Galaxy Buds 2 Pro have a larger body, but look much less like a small toothbrush head that you attach to your best electric brush.
There's an improvement on the IP-rating with the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro offering IP57 over the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro's IPX7, meaning added dust-resistance, and the new headphones also feature LED light strips on the stems.
There's also a slight change in sound architecture, an improved battery life, better active noise-cancellation (ANC), and that updated case design. The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro add in a couple of extra features too thanks to our new friend that's been doing the rounds this year: Galaxy AI.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review: Design & Comfort
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro usher in a whole new design for the company's in-ear headphones, and it's one that's familiar (and just not to Samsung users). I'm not going to spend this entire review talking about how similar the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are to Apple's AirPods Pro (2nd generation) because that much is abundantly clear when you take one look at them both.
Whether you prefer earbuds that sit within your ears, or what we have here where the stems drop down the side of your ear, will come down to personal preference. I personally sit in the latter camp, as I find earbuds with stems more comfortable. They're lightweight and very comfortable too – and they didn't fall out of my ears once in the two weeks I spent testing them. The colour options could be a bit more exciting, though, given that the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro come in a Lilac colour, but the LED strips or "Blades" at least make for a unique look.
Those Blades only light up white, however, so there's no option to have them display different colours. That feels like a bit of a missed opportunity, especially as you can choose to have the LED strips fully lit all the time if you want, or fade. That's not really my vibe, but I like that the option is there for those who do want an on-ear disco. The Blades don't just look pretty though, they also flash when you use Samsung's Find feature, making it easy to locate the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro in the dark – and that practicality feature gives the feature ample worth.
There are three sizes of eartips included with the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, though I have to say, removing them to swap them over is no easy feat. I didn't rip mine when changing them as I mentioned at the beginning of this review, but I do recommend holding the tip as close to the earphone as you can when pulling to get them off. If you use the Galaxy Wearable app, you can perform a fit test to ensure you have a tight seal for the ANC. If you do – then do yourself a favour and leave them be.
At the bottom of the stems, there are blue and red colour codes to help you figure out which side of the charging case each of the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro slots into. It might seem minor, but it's actually very helpful. If I had a pound for every time I put my AirPods in the wrong side of their case, I would be very rich.
The angular, prism-shaped stems aren't just for aesthetics either, they have controls on them as you might have hoped. You can slide your finger up and down for volume, which is easier than AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) which needs a more precise gesture to adjust the volume. You can also pinch-and-hold to play/pause music, answer/end calls, or open your favourite app. You can also change what the gestures do in the Galaxy Wearable app, so there is some customisation.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review: Features
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are packed with features, though many of the key ones you'd expect already exist on the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. These include wear detection (this isn't on by default so you will need to do it in the Galaxy Wearable app), changeable controls, and Samsung Find should you lose your earbuds.
The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro also have dual connectivity – something the latest Dyson OnTrac on-ear headphones miss off their spec sheet – along with automatic switching between Galaxy devices, which is handy if you have a Galaxy Book 4 Edge or a Galaxy Tab S9 tablet, for example. You'll also find Samsung's 360 Sound and head tracking too.
The EQ in the Galaxy Wearable app allows you to adjust the sound to your preferences – something you can also do on the older Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, as well as many other earbuds. Samsung does offer something a little different here though in that it changes the music quite significantly and there are presets so you can choose to set the sound profile depending on the genre of music you're listening to.
I mentioned changeable controls on the stems, but the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro also allow you to play music, skip to the next song and change the volume with your voice, without having to use a wake word. It's perfect for when you're walking the dog and holding a coffee – and it turned out to be one of my favourite features of the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.
As you might expect given the rest of the Galaxy devices announced this year, Galaxy AI plays a part in some of the newer features. It's being used for an Adaptive Noise Control mode where the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro will optimise audio between ANC mode and Ambient mode, depending on your surroundings. In this mode, external noise like traffic gets eliminated and there's a Siren Detect mode too for when police cars, ambulances or alarms threaten to interrupt your tunes.
You'll also find Voice Detect, which works in a similar way to Conversation Awareness mode on Apple's second-gen AirPods Pro, where the volume of what you're listening to is reduced when the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro detect you're having a chat with someone. I have the same qualms here as I do with AirPods Pro though, in that when you're listening to audiobooks or podcasts the audio should pause rather than the volume just reduce.
Galaxy AI is also used for Interpreter Mode, allowing you to see the live translation on your connected Samsung phone, whilst hearing the conversation interpreted in real-time through the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. You do need one of the latest Samsung Galaxy phones for this, like the Galaxy Z Fold 6, but you don't necessarily need the buds for it as you could just listen on the phone.
This seems like as good a time as any to point out that the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro work with Samsung phones (as you would expect), as well as other Android phones and iPhone. You get the most amount of features when using a Samsung phone however, as well as when you use the Galaxy Wearable app.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review: Performance
When it comes to performance, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 3 are impressive, especially for calls. Too often than not, earbuds are good for listening to your favourite tunes – but they don't smash it out of the park when it comes to chatting to your mates. There are days when I use earbuds more for calls than I do for music, so I really notice when call quality isn't up to scratch.
The Buds 3 Pro are excellent though, pretty much entirely cancelling out background noise when on calls. I dried my hair with Dyson's Airstrait during one call, and I put the InSinkErator in the kitchen on during another – and on both occasions, the person on the other end said they couldn't hear either disturbance.
For ANC, I thought the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro delivered well on this front too. I didn't manage to get on a plane with these during the review period, which would normally be how I test ANC, but I did replicate an aeroplane's engine with the Sonos Roam 2 speaker very close by and the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro did a great job of blocking out a sufficient amount of hum. Strolling around London was a peaceful experience with ANC on, too, with a lot of the background noise reduced.
When it comes to music, the 10mm driver inside each Galaxy Bud 3 Pro is paired with a planar tweeter, independently controlled for the first time – and the results are very, very good. There's a decent balance across a range of tracks and frequencies, with plenty of openness and good separation. You get a healthy amount of bass too, and clear and detailed treble resulting in a brilliant overall experience.
The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 do offer a slightly wider soundstage in my experience, but I was impressed by the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and their ability to handle pretty much everything I played. If you want a higher-resolution audio experience with richer detail, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro support Samsung's Seamless Codec, capable of 24-bit/96kHz, though the default codec is AAC so you'll need to switch this manually. It's worth mentioning that the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro also feature Auracast broadcast technology, allowing you to tune into public broadcasts, like TVs in airports, which you may find useful the more commonplace it becomes.
When it comes to battery life, Samsung claims up to 6 hours of use for the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro when ANC is turned on, or up to 7 hours when off, which I found to be pretty much on the money. The charging case offers up to 26 hours with ANC on and up to 30 hours with it off, so that should be enough to get you through a long-haul flight. You can charge the case via USB-C or use a wireless charger, and it's easy to pair with a pairing button at the bottom right next to the charging port.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review: Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are an excellent pair of earbuds if you have one of the latest Samsung Galaxy phones. They offer a lightweight and comfortable design, something a little extra with the Blade lights, and superb performance for both calls and listening to your favourite tunes.
There's a healthy feature set, clever uses of AI, and decent active noise-cancellation that make them a great option for Samsung users. Some features are locked into Samsung phones specifically, the eartips aren't the easiest to change, and the design won't be for everyone.
Also consider
If you want to save yourself some cash, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are well worth considering. Some might actually prefer them over the stems of the newer model. You may also want to have a look at the Galaxy Buds 3, which don't have the silicone eartips included but will also cost you less.
If you're happy to spend a little more, though, then the Sony WF-1000XM4 are our pick for the best earbuds overall, offering better sound and better battery life than you'll find elsewhere.
