Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro: A top choice for Samsung users
Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro. Picture: Noel Campion.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro have advanced features, sleek design, and high-quality audio. But are they worth the investment, especially if you're not already entrenched in the Samsung ecosystem?
This year’s Buds3 Pro comes in silver and white. I received the silver from Samsung for this review, which has a striking new shiny chrome finish. I love the transparent lid because you can see if the buds are in the case at a glance. It has a dedicated pairing button, a USB charging port, and wireless charging support.
This year's update introduces a stem design with sharp angles that look great and make them easy to hold and use. The buds are compact and light, and the medium ear tips worked great in my ears, offering a secure and comfortable fit. Whether cycling or going out for a walk, I always felt they would stay put.
The Buds3 Pro doesn’t disappoint when it comes to sound. Samsung has equipped these earbuds with a two-way woofer and tweeter setup, featuring a 10.5mm dynamic driver and a 6.1mm planar driver. The result? Surprisingly rich and full sound for such small devices.
The Buds3 Pro also includes SSC UHQ (Samsung Seamless Codec), similar to Sony’s LDAC, which supports ultra-high-quality audio at 24-bit and 96kHz. However, this is only available on more recent Samsung devices with One UI 6.1.1 or later. I used the Flip6 to test this using Apple Music, and the difference is noticeable. The bass is deep, the mids are clear, and the highs are crisp without being overly sharp.
What stands out, though, are the AI features. The buds automatically calibrate sound to suit your environment, which works impressively well. The adaptive Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is particularly good. It adjusts in real-time to block out ambient noise or let in certain sounds when needed. While it’s not quite as effective as over-ear headphones like the Bose QC Ultras, it’s among the best I’ve experienced in earbuds.
The Buds3 Pro is packed with features, many of which are powered by AI. Hands-free voice controls let you manage music, calls, and more with simple voice commands — perfect for when your hands are full. An interpreter mode can also translate spoken language on the fly.
Coming from AirPods Pro, the controls are similar – swipe up and down for volume and squeeze for playback and noise controls.
However, some of these features are exclusive to Samsung devices. Apple has been doing this for years, and it makes a lot of sense to enhance your walled garden to be more attractive and even exclusive for your users. However, similarly, for Android owners using AirPods, while you can pair them to your Apple devices, you won’t be able to use all the features. The Samsung Wearable app, necessary to access most of these features, isn’t available on iOS. Even some Android users will be locked out of the buds' best functions. For example, non-Samsung devices lose out on ultra-high-quality audio, dialogue boost, loudness normalisation, and 360 audio options.
Another drawback is the lack of dual connect, which means you can only connect to one device at a time. Like the AirPods on Apple devices, you can automatically switch between Samsung devices as long as you’re logged into your Samsung account.
The Buds3 Pro offers up to six hours from the buds and 26 hours total with ANC on or seven hours and 30 hours total with ANC off.
One of the Buds3 Pro’s selling points is their IP57 rating, meaning they’re dust-resistant and can withstand water. However, this protection doesn’t extend to the charging case. You’ll need to be extra careful where you place the case, as it won’t survive getting wet.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro offers excellent sound quality, advanced AI features, and robust build quality. It is a great addition if you’re a Samsung user. However, for everyone else, it might be worth exploring other options.
Galaxy Buds3 Pro €259
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