Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 & Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review.. are they better than AirPods? 

Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 3 ($180) and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro ($250) clearly take cues from Apple's AirPods and AirPods Pro. The designs are similar, and features like Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive EQ, and Voice Detect mimic Apple’s Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness. As with AirPods and iOS, the top features of the Galaxy Buds are reserved for newer Samsung devices, making them the go-to AirPods alternative for Galaxy phone users.

Galaxy Buds 3

Samsung has created their version of regular AirPods for Galaxy phone users, featuring advanced functionalities and an open-type design.

Galaxy Buds 3 Pro

The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro deliver excellent sound quality and convenient automatic features for daily use, even if they take heavy inspiration from a competitor.

Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro design

Galaxy Buds 3

The Galaxy Buds 3 closely resemble Apple’s third-gen AirPods, with similar shapes and component placements. Samsung’s “blade” stem design offers slight variation and comes in gray for contrast.

Galaxy Buds 3 Pro

The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro also take cues from the AirPods Pro, differing mainly in their angular stem and gray color. Both Buds models have an IP57 rating for sweat resistance, making them suitable for workouts. The Pro version is better for activities due to its secure ear tip fit.

Controls and Design

The “blade” stem on both models allows swipes for volume and pinches for playback and noise control, though pinching can be tricky. The case, shaped like AirPods’, features a clear lid for visibility and a USB-C port and Bluetooth button on the bottom.

Issues and Features

A downside is the need to rotate the earbuds 180 degrees to fit them in the case. The unnecessary Blade Lights are visible only when the Buds are in the case, duplicating existing indicators.

Comfort and Quality

Both models are comfortable for extended wear. However, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro faces quality control issues with fragile ear tips, causing Samsung to pause shipments. This problem doesn’t affect the regular Galaxy Buds 3.

Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro sound quality

Galaxy Buds 3

The Galaxy Buds 3 offer solid audio performance, especially with their pleasant low-end tones. The bass provides a strong backbone, complementing the punchy highs and full mids. However, sound quality can be affected by their positioning in your ears.

Galaxy Buds 3 Pro

For superior sound quality, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are the better choice. With two-way speakers and dual amplifiers, they deliver immersive, detailed audio. Paired with a recent Samsung phone, you can enjoy Ultra High Quality (UHQ) audio and 24-bit HiFi streaming. Both models support 360 Audio, but this mode tends to favor treble and thin out the overall sound quality.

When using the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro with lossless audio, the sound is robust and enveloping, with beefy bass and clear vocals. They rival some of the best earbuds available, although the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 still has an edge in tuning.

Active noise cancellation performance

Galaxy Buds 3

The Galaxy Buds 3 feature ANC despite being open-type earbuds. However, the ANC is more like slight noise reduction and doesn’t significantly block background noise. Samsung might have included this feature to compete with Apple’s rumored ANC AirPods. For effective noise cancellation, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are the better choice.

Galaxy Buds 3 Pro

While not on par with Bose or Sony, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro offer decent noise-canceling for low-to-moderate constant noise but struggle with human voices. Their transparency mode is impressive, providing natural ambient sound, though Apple’s AirPods Pro still have an edge. Samsung’s transparency mode makes calls easier and allows clear environmental sound when needed.

Call quality

The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro's excellent transparency mode makes hands-free calls easy without needing to shout. The open design of the Galaxy Buds 3 also suits voice and video calls well. For the person on the other end, you'll sound slightly better than on speakerphone with both models. The call quality isn’t perfect, but it’s sufficient for most situations.

Battery life

Both the Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro matched Samsung's battery claims in my tests. The Galaxy Buds 3 lasted five hours, while the Pro version lasted six hours, both with ANC on and volume between 50-75%. Each case provides around 20 extra hours of use. Both models support wireless charging, though Samsung hasn’t specified charging times or quick-charge features. I've reached out for more details and will update if available.

Conclusions

When Samsung unveiled two sets of earbuds resembling AirPods, I wasn't expecting much. However, the performance surprised me. Audio quality is great on both Galaxy Buds 3 models, with the Pro version nearing spectacular. While features like Voice Detect need polish, Samsung clearly values giving Galaxy phone users an experience similar to iPhone users with AirPods. Ultimately, Samsung’s previous earbuds were strong on their own merits. The next Galaxy Buds should stand out with unique features rather than mimicking AirPods entirely.