Presentation and unboxing
The Samsung Galaxy Buds have always been the safe choice for Android users: they're well-made, they sound better than most other earbuds, and they're packed with features.
It's safe to say that none of that has changed, even if the earbuds themselves look radically different in their sixth generation. This is the first time Samsung's earbuds have had a stem design, and it's improved them, even if they've lost a lot of character and brought them closer to Apple's AirPods Pro.
The Galaxy Buds3 Pro cost $250 / £220 / €250 and come in silver and white. Inside the box, you'll find a USB-C cable and S, M, and L silicone eartips.
Let’s dive into Samsung’s biggest Galaxy Buds update yet.
Design and features
Casual observers will insist that the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro is a blatant Apple's AirPods Pro 2 are copied from the shape of the earbuds to the shape of the case. We don't necessarily agree with this, the Galaxy Buds have a different shape and a different look, especially if you buy the Silver model.
Aside from the similarities to Apple, the Galaxy Buds3 Pro have a completely different design from its predecessor. The once bulbous, stemless earbuds are now slimmer with long, flat-sided stems.
The case features a clear top and tiny blue or cyan and orange accents to show you where the matching earbud is. The earbuds nestle inside the case opposite the AirPods Pro 2 — facing outward, while the Apple Pro earbuds sit the same way you would wear them in your ears.
The direction you place the earbuds in the case is usually something you get used to after a while, the problem with how the Galaxy Buds3 Pro return to charge is related to the flat-sided stems. You have to align the stem correctly with the angled tunnel of the case and it's an uncomfortable finger gymnastics that doesn't get any better with time. Simply put, these earbuds are a pain to put back in the case every time.
On a positive note, the new angled stems of the Galaxy Buds3 Pro open up a world of control possibilities that didn't exist on previous models in the series.
Similar to how the AirPods Pro and Nothing Ear work, you press the stem to control playback. But here, you can also slide your finger up and down for precise volume control. The flat side of the stem on the Galaxy Buds3 Pro makes this possible in a way that isn't possible on those other earbuds.
A word on the reported quality issues that have forced Samsung to temporarily suspend sales of the Galaxy Buds3 Pro. This is due to the replacement of the eartips, which attach to the earbuds via a plastic holder, which some users have reported breaking on their devices. Our Galaxy Buds3 Pro don't seem to have this issue. We removed the tips several times to make sure, with no issues.
The buds themselves
The Galaxy Buds3 Pro's stems feature a Blade Light that turns on when you put the earbuds back in the case. You can set the lights to be on all the time by long-pressing the stem. It's a different design, but it doesn't add anything to the experience.
The case has a USB-C port and supports wireless charging. A small LED in the center of the case shows you battery and charging status, and a button on the bottom allows pairing.
We find this case design more comfortable to use. The smaller lid is easier to close smoothly than the large flap of the previous Galaxy Buds case.
The headphones themselves are rated IP57 for moderate protection against dust and solid water.
The in-ear feel of the earphones is something strictly individual. This editor found them a bit too loose, regardless of the tips.
They were adequate for most activities, but eating lunch and watching a movie resulted in a few drops. Pushing the earbuds further into the ear helped, although it made the fit slightly less comfortable.
The stem controls are excellent on the Galaxy Buds3 Pro. Tapping on previous models was a fiddly experience. And they constantly thought I was tapping them when I wanted to readjust them.
The latest model's stems make this phenomenon a thing of the past. Pressing once to pause, twice to skip to the next track, and three times to repeat the current track worked without a hitch.
With earbuds like the Nothing Ear and Galaxy Buds3 Pro having excellent controls, it's hard to go back to stemless models.
The stems are also convenient for removing the earbuds or adjusting them inside the ear. Removing the earbuds pauses what you're playing.
Sound quality, active noise cancellation and battery life
Galaxy Buds3 Pro feature Adaptive Noise Control, smarter noise cancellation than before. The earbuds monitor noise to eliminate it, but can detect your voice and will turn off noise cancellation if you enter a conversation. The earbuds will also use AI to detect an alarm or siren and turn off noise cancellation so you can hear the warning.
You can adjust the noise canceling strength in the Galaxy Wear app. At maximum power, the noise canceling is pretty solid. We tested these earbuds in a typical office environment, as well as outdoors and during a three-hour flight.
The Galaxy Buds3 Pro do a great job of eliminating the constant noise of a jet engine, but will naturally struggle with the frequencies of human voices or random noises.
Keeping a tight fit helps the ANC a lot.
Before we talk about sound quality, a word about the underlying technology. The Galaxy Buds3 Pro uses a 2-way speaker with an independent woofer and tweeter in each earbud. On the software side, the Galaxy Buds3 Pro encodes audio at up to 24-bit/96kHz and then decodes the sound at the same quality using what Samsung calls its Seamless Codec.
The Galaxy Buds3 Pro are perhaps the best earbuds for calls. The six microphones provide excellent quality without the “speakerphone” feel you get with most earbuds of this type. Every caller was surprised when we told them we were using earbuds.
If you use these earbuds with a Galaxy phone, you can also take advantage of 360 audio (spatial audio), which simulates a multi-speaker system in a physical room. You can also use the Galaxy Buds3 Pro with Galaxy AI’s Interpreter mode. There’s also a kind of multipoint connection mode, but it only seems to work with other Galaxy devices.
Finally, you can control the earbuds with your voice with commands like Volume Up, Play Music, Previous Song, Answer or Reject Call. But this also only works with Galaxy phones.
The Galaxy Buds3 Pro deliver impressive sound. There’s a noticeable increase in volume and an improvement in the soundstage and overall dynamics compared to the Galaxy Buds2 Pro.
The bass is present in the sub-bass frequencies and increases throughout the range. Set it to the Bass Boost EQ setting and you get a nice rumble throughout the range.
But it’s in the mids where the Galaxy Buds3 Pro shines. Instruments and melody are well defined. Vocals are also natural, and there’s just the right amount of presence and brilliance in the higher frequencies.
One of the issues with the Galaxy Buds3 Pro is the EQ. The custom EQ is quieter than the preset EQs, even if you make them the same. For example, if you duplicate Bass Boost as a custom EQ setting and switch between them, your custom EQ is about 10% quieter.
We believe this is a software issue that will be resolved with an update.
Conclusion
The Galaxy Buds3 Pro are another excellent showing from Samsung and an interesting, if controversial, entry into a solid lineup of earbuds.
Comparisons to the AirPods Pro and the unfortunate quality issues that have already been addressed mean they stumbled from the start, but they remain a solid upgrade over the very good Galaxy Buds2 Pro. The Galaxy Buds3 Pro introduce a radical new design, which adds several levels of functionality and comfort.
Beyond the design changes, the Galaxy Buds3 Pro bring subtle but significant updates to sound quality, resulting in an improved-sounding product. We’d even say that the Galaxy Buds3 Pro sounds better than mainstream rivals like the Apple AirPods 2 Pro and Nothing Ear with stronger bass and a more dynamic soundstage.
The Galaxy Buds3 Pro cost $250 / £220 / €250, which is a little pricey, but it's a bit cheaper than Apple's AirPods Pro 2.
If you own a Galaxy, these are probably the best earbuds you can buy for your phone, with the extra features making them worth it. Other Android users can look elsewhere for a similar sound and feature set for less money – the new, cheaper Nothing Ear is worth a look.