Samsung recently unveiled two new Galaxy Buds at its pretty packed Samsung Unpacked event in July. I gave the fancier of the two, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, a solid 4.5 out of 5 after my review. Unfortunately, at just $70 cheaper, the open-ear Galaxy Buds 3 base model is disappointing.
I initially thought the new Galaxy Buds were simply wannabe AirPods, but reviewing the Buds 3 Pro made me realize they’re much more than that. In terms of form and function, I couldn’t help but think how much the $180 Galaxy Buds 3 resembled the standard open-ear AirPods 3rd Gen but with one major difference. The Samsung Buds feature active noise canceling, while the AirPods don’t. For the exact same price, the inclusion of ANC is a big plus, even though it wasn’t as efficient as I’d hoped.
With features that are similar across the board, I don’t see the point of obsessing over whether Samsung ripped off Apple. Visually, they do look quite similar but we can get over that. The more important thing here is that they’re designed for two entirely separate audiences—iOS and Samsung Galaxy users—and consumers can choose one based on their primary device.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3
If the ANC was better, these could have stood a chance.
Pros
- Blade edges make it easier to navigate
- Low-end is surprisingly pretty impressive
- Supports wireless charging
- IP57 water and sweat rated
Cons
- Blade's underside design make the buds difficult to dock
- ANC is not very efficient
- Treble could use some improvement
- Volume controls are not intuitively thought out
Galaxy Buds 3 Design
Galaxy Buds 3 sport the same weird pentagonal-from-the-bottom, triangular-from-the-side shape as Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. As I mentioned in my review of the Pros, the shape is unusual and feels like a design choice that’s intended to just be a little different than the AirPods for the sake of being different. Samsung opted to give the stems sharp cornered edges and decided to call them ‘blades’. It takes time to grow on you.
It also makes it difficult to dock the buds inside the charging case because you have to make sure the shape of the bud matches the socket, which is a pain when you’re fumbling around in a hurry. Fortunately, the undersides of both buds have colored labels that match the colored sockets in the charging case, so you know which bud goes where.
Thankfully, the odd design doesn’t get in the way of navigation. I found it much easier to pinch the blade than the rounded stem on AirPods because my forefinger and thumb, when brought together, made the same triangular shape as the edge of the earbud.
While reviewing, I also dig the edged design because of the sleek look it gives the buds. The buds are sharp and streamlined, which in my (subjective) opinion, looks much better than its clunky bean-shaped predecessors. The subtle black accents on the body help amp up its overall aesthetic.
order Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 at Samsung
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Galaxy Buds 3 review Fit and Navigation
Generally, open-ear buds tend to be less snug than their in-ear counterparts. I did feel that difference switching to the on-ear Galaxy Buds 3 from the in-ear Galaxy Buds 3 Pros. I believe Samsung could have made the difference a bit less glaring. Instead, they gave the Buds 3 Pros an even larger body than the AirPods 3rd Gen; the bulb that rests on your ear is considerably bulkier and clunkier. As a result, these moved around in my ears a lot and plopped out a few times, too.
So, while I was already prepared for a relatively relaxed, casual fit, these crossed that sweet spot. I didn’t mind wearing them for a few trips to FedEx and the Laundromat and the overly loose fit kept ear fatigue away, but I wouldn’t run with these because of the fear of dropping them.
In order to play/pause music or accept/decline calls, you’re required to pinch one of the blades. I strongly dislike touch-capacitive controls on earbuds, since I often run into unintended taps when I’m fixing the bud in my ear. But on these earbuds—which I found myself fixing more than usual—I was especially pleased with the pinch control. It was a relief to not stress about accidentally switching the song or hanging up during a call while trying to adjust the bud’s position.
The pinch gesture was responsive, required an appropriate level of pressure, and responded with a reassuring click. A long pinch cycled between ANC on and off which was as smooth as a regular pinch.
To turn the volume up or down, you’re required to swipe along the blade which could have been more thought out. On a peripheral as dainty as earbuds, swiping is neither easy nor does it come naturally as the most intuitive gesture. While I had the same complaint on the Galaxy Buds 3 Pros, this was a bigger issue on the Galaxy Buds 3 because of their on-ear design. Samsung should have known better than making us swipe up and down on a bud that rests on the outside of the ear.
Galaxy Buds 3 Battery and Water Resistance
Galaxy Buds 3 promise a total of 5 hours of battery life with ANC on and 6 hours with it off. These figures are generally for music playback, and phone calls tend to drain the batteries faster. My usage included a good mix of both, and I could still squeeze out a little more than 5 hours. I cycled between ANC on and off during my testing period.
With the charging case, you get about 24 hours (ANC on) and 30 hours (ANC off) of life. The stats for the Galaxy Buds 3 Pros are 26 hours and 30 hours, respectively, so this is one of those areas where paying an extra $70 doesn’t really matter.
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The Galaxy Buds 3 facilitates wireless charging and so does the $180 AirPods Gen 3. Comparing these to the AirPods, I want to mention that if wireless charging is a feature you don’t care about, you can snag AirPods Gen 3 for $170.
Just like the Pro model, the Galaxy Buds 3 are also rated IP57 for water resistance. I can’t say I’ve fully tested their resistance to sweat and water in just a week, but so far, they’ve been holding up pretty well. I wore them in the kitchen a lot and was constantly adjusting them with wet hands. I haven’t encountered any issues.
Galaxy Buds 3 Sound and ANC
You have to be prepared for a much flatter sound on the Galaxy Buds 3 than the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. You still get balanced mids and some degree of separation among the layers, but not nearly as much space as the Pros provide. The treble is less distinct, but the bass is surprisingly strong. In fact, on Living Life, In The Night by Cheriimoya, which isn’t even what you’d call a bass-heavy song, the low-end stood out extremely well from the rest of the orchestra. I listened to some songs back-to-back on the Galaxy Buds 3 and the Pros and I did feel a considerable upgrade in detail, clarity, and overall richness of the instruments. But anyone looking for an entry-level pair of buds should be more than okay with these.
The inclusion of ANC on these buds is welcome, but it isn’t very good. In my room, it was able to mute my not-particularly loud tower fan, but I was still very bothered by the noise my air purifier was making on Turbo mode. At the office, a co-worker was (very loudly) packing a few cartons right next to me and the buds could not silence the noise. In fact, cycling between the modes, I sometimes couldn’t even tell when ANC was on or off.
I want to say that this is the kind of performance you should expect for $180, but that’d be wrong. Samsung’s Galaxy FE Buds are much better at noise-canceling for just $100.
Galaxy Buds 3 Verdict
For just $70 less, you’re losing a lot of features the Galaxy Buds 3 Pros offer. And it’s not just bells and whistles like a fancier body or blade lights. The downgrade in sound would be pretty noticeable to even non-audiophiles. The two-way speakers with a planar tweeter on the more expensive model produce much better sound quality. Listening to high-pitched songs (Sia is my go-to for testing treble), I was wishing there was a dedicated tweeter on the Galaxy Buds 3. And the ANC is not nearly as efficient as one would hope.
Specs like water resistance and battery life are shared across the series, so that should be okay. The fit is another major difference between the two buds. While I’m normally inclined towards open-ear buds because they prevent fatigue, fit my ears better, and help me stay aware of my surroundings, I preferred the Pros’ fit over the Galaxy Buds 3 review.
I would be the first to suggest you save your dollars and spend smartly. But looking at the leap just a $70 difference is making in terms of value, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pros are the wiser option here.
