Samsung has been very busy, revealing a slew of new products as part of its Samsung Unpacked event in July, including its latest answer to the Apple AirPods and Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds.
Alongside two new smartphones – the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 – we've also been treated to an official view of two new pairs of wireless earbuds. Entering the world, fresh-faced and ready to take on the competition, are the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 and the flagship Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. Both are being pitched as AI-boosted earbuds that are here to take the fight to Sony, Bose and, of course, the mighty Apple.
What are the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro?
Rumours about new Galaxy buds have been doing the rounds for a good amount of time, with numerous "tipsters" speculating that the new earbuds would soon arrive either early in 2024 or in the summer as part of Samsung's Unpacked launch event. As it happened, it was the latter of the two was right.
The new models arrive on our shores, with Samsung doing its big reveal alongside two new smartphones, a couple of smartwatches and its fitness-tracking Samsung ring wearable.
The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are the company's new flagship ANC model, ditching the old bean shape of the outgoing Galaxy Buds 2 Pro in favour of a slimmer, AirPods-like stem design. The Galaxy Buds 3 are a little more affordable, and while they share many of the same features and design elements as their more costly cousins, there are some key differences and compromises.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro: price
The previous Galaxy Buds 2 and original Galaxy Buds launched for £139 / $150 / AU$219, and we'd been hopeful that the next generation of standard wireless buds would follow a similar trend and keep prices static. The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, meanwhile, launched at £219 / $229 / AU$349, a significant advance on the more basic model.
As it turns out, there has been a small increase, but only to the more meat-and-potatoes model. The Galaxy Buds 3 will cost you £159 (further prices pending), while the more premium Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are priced at £219, the same UK figure as their outgoing predecessors. For context, a pair of mid-priced Cambridge Melomania M100 will cost you £169 / $219, while more premium flagship models such as the Sony WF-1000XM5 or the Apple AirPods Pro 2 were tested at £259 / $299 / AU$419 and £249 / $249 / AU$399) respectively.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro: design
A contemporary internet leak had suggested that the new wireless buds would continue Samsung's more oval, bean-shaped configuration, but those reports turned out to be erroneous. Both new pairs have gone down a whole new road, with the standard and Pro models now sporting an almost-AirPods-like long stem, albeit one that's a little sharper and more angular to help them stand out from the crowd.
While both pairs are now "stemmed" earbuds, there are some key differences between the two. The standard model sport a more unobtrusive, open design, with a single-unit construction and an earpiece that doesn't burrow too deeply inside the ear canal. The flagship Samsung Buds 3 Pro, however, go for a bud-and-stem configuration, with a choice of swappable eartips akin to the sort you'd find on a pair of Apple AirPods Pro 2 or Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. What the Buds 3 Pro do get is fancy "Blade Lights", essentially on-earbud LEDs which indicate key vitals such as battery life and even flash if you've lost your buds in a dark environment. Funky.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro: features
High-res audio: We hoped for hi-res audio support for Samsung's new earbuds. In this sense, we're not disappointed, although there are some caveats that slightly temper our delight. Both pairs also offer support for hi-res audio streaming over Bluetooth up to 24-bit/96kHz via Samsung's new SSC UHQ codec (a step up from the previous codec that supported up to 24-bit/48kHz), although this is only compatible with specific top-tier Galaxy smartphones and devices such as the new Z Fold 6, Z Flip 6 and S series models such as the Galaxy S24 Ultra. The flagship units should offer the higher levels of sonic performance that we predicted, though, with a two-way driver design that goes beyond the one-way configuration of the standard Buds 3.
Noise cancelling: Both buds will feature ANC, as expected, although deployment and the extent to which that's true will vary slightly. The standard Buds 3 offer Adaptive ANC, whereas the Buds 3 Pro will match that while additionally offering Adaptive Noise Control and an Ambient Sound Mode, two things you don't get with the more basic model.
AI: This is a big one. The Galaxy 3 Pro come equipped with an "Optimised Tone" feature which uses artificial intelligence to monitor how well the earbuds are fitted in your ear and then adjust the tone of the EQ and noise-cancelling to ensure that the sound is always optimised. Intelligent sound for the third-gen Pro model automatically cycles through noise cancelling modes depending on your environment. Additionally, some very fancy interpretation and transcription modes for foreign languages will make you a de facto native speaker in a given language thanks to real-time, AI-assisted translation.
Battery life: The Galaxy Buds 3 offer five hours of playback from the earbuds, while the 3 Pro go one further and grant six hours, figures which are boosted by an additional 22 hours with the charging case. Those figures are with ANC switched on, though, so you'll be able to squeeze out even more life if you're frugal and can bear to turn off noise-cancelling modes.
Classic features: Both sets offer support for 360-degree audio (Samsung's take on immersive/spatial sound), not to mention a solid durability rating of IP57. Each grants support for the industry-leading 5.4 Bluetooth protocol and Auto Switch, an existing Samsung feature which allows you to seamlessly flit from one Galaxy device to another à la Bluetooth Multipoint.
Customisation: What about the hypotheticals that we'd like to see onboarded with these third-generation hopefuls? Greater customisation would be welcome, especially with regard to the buds' overall functionality. We bemoaned the fact that the second-gen Galaxy Buds allowed for presets to be selected but "you cannot create your own with a three-band stage". We'd like more ANC flexibility, something you appear to be getting more of with the Buds 3 Pro.
MORE:
Read our Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro hands-on review
And our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 hands-on review
Check out our Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review
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