I’ve been very impressed with Samsung’s third-gen wi-fi earbuds. The Galaxy Buds3 Professional ($190), which had been launched in 2024, had been a strong AirPods Professional competitor for Android homeowners. Now, they’ve been joined by the Galaxy Buds3 FE, a brand new entry-level mannequin that appears almost equivalent to the Buds3 Professional however trades away a whole lot of bells and whistles for a extra accessible worth: $150.
The Professional’s high-tech LED “blade” lights are gone, as is head monitoring, auto-pause, twin drivers, wi-fi charging, and full waterproofing. What issues extra is what Samsung saved: a really snug match, nice sound high quality, and surprisingly good ANC, transparency, and name high quality. Briefly, the Galaxy Buds3 FE get an important stuff proper.
Like all Samsung Galaxy wi-fi earbuds, a few of their extra attention-grabbing options are completely obtainable when utilizing Samsung Galaxy telephones (and don’t even take into consideration shopping for them in case you’re on an iPhone), which narrows their potential market. However in case you’re a true-blue Samsung fan on a funds, the Galaxy Buds3 FE are a terrific set of wi-fi buds.
Midrange Gems
{Photograph}: Simon Cohen
Although Samsung calls them Galaxy Buds3 FE—you’d naturally assume meaning they change 2023’s Galaxy Buds FE ($100)—they’re truly a type of midrange choice. Samsung is preserving the Buds FE round (and sustaining the value), which I believe is a superb thought. The unique Buds FE are nonetheless wonderful, and now you’ve received two completely different match choices: the older, button-style, and the newer AirPods imitation form. As a bonus, in case you go for the Buds3 FE, you get higher water and dirt safety: IP54 versus IPX2.
Between the 2 FE fashions, I’ve received to provide the consolation award to the Buds3 FE. With much less mass in your ear and no silicone stability fin wrapped across the circumference, it’s a delicate, straightforward really feel. In case you’ve ever tried the Galaxy Buds3 Professional, Apple AirPods Professional, or equally formed, stem-based fashions, the Buds3 FE ought to really feel immediately acquainted. Nonetheless, that additionally means they aren’t precisely rock-solid for high-impact actions like working. That is the place the unique Galaxy Buds FE nonetheless have an edge: Twist them into place and it’s unlikely they’ll budge except you need them to.
Put on App by way of Simon Cohen
Samsung isn’t very beneficiant with ear tip sizes. Past the preinstalled medium suggestions, you solely get a small and a big dimension within the field—the brand new AirPods Professional, for instance, offer you 4 pairs. Ensure you use the match check within the Samsung Put on app when you get the earbuds linked. I believed the medium suggestions felt OK, however the check prompted me to strive the big, and it was proper: They gave me a greater match and a tighter seal.
Talking of what’s in (or not in) the field, Samsung, like Apple, now not features a charging cable. You most likely have no less than one USB-C cable already, however in case you don’t, you’ll want one.
Shifting to the stem-based design brings pinch and swipe gestures to the FE household. Samsung borrowed this method from Apple’s AirPods Professional, however the triangular form of the Galaxy Buds’ stems could make these controls a little bit more durable to make use of than Apple’s. You do get used to them, nonetheless, and total, I believe they’re an enchancment on the first-gen Buds FE’s contact controls—particularly utilizing the up/down swipe gesture to regulate quantity.
Samsung’s AirPods
{Photograph}: Simon Cohen
Sound high quality on the Galaxy Buds3 FE is excellent. It not solely compares properly to different earbuds at this worth, it holds as much as many dearer fashions. The sound signature is strong, with wonderful response throughout frequencies. The low finish is resonant but snappy, the mids and highs are clear and detailed, and the soundstage has a lovely quantity of width and depth.
