Budget Samsung earbuds
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE deliver the core Galaxy Buds experience at a cheaper price point. The earbuds ditch unnecessary features like wireless charging and LED strips, retaining important ones like ANC, spatial audio, and stem controls. For those who don't need the best sound quality and every feature, the Buds 3 FE may be a better value.
Pros
- Same general design as Galaxy Buds 3 Pro
- Solid sound quality and ANC
- Reliable swipe controls
- 360 Audio for spatial effects
- Enhanced background noise reduction
Cons
- Lacks wireless charging support
- No head tracking or voice controls
- No multi-device Bluetooth connection
- Single-driver design
Fully featured
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are the best Samsung earbuds yet, complete with a redesign that enhances comfort, microphone quality, and adds LED strips. Compared to the cheaper Galaxy Buds 3 FE, the Pro model sports a dual-driver design, a wireless charging case, and more.
Pros
- Stem design with LED strips and swipe controls
- 360 Audio with head tracking
- ANC and sound quality are excellent thanks to dual-driver design
- Wireless charging case
- SSC codec support for hi-res audio
Cons
- Swiping the controls might adjust the fit of your earbuds, or vice versa
- Hi-res audio only works with Samsung phones
- Updates and features require Samsung Wear app
- $100 more expensive than Galaxy Buds FE at full price
Here's how Samsung's cost-friendly "Fan Edition" earbuds compare to the brand's most premium model.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE vs. Galaxy Buds 3 Pro: Design and fit
The entire Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 series features a new design language that serves as a departure from prior Galaxy Buds models. In fact, the look and feel of both the Galaxy Buds 3 FE and Buds 3 Pro have been criticized for appearing too similar to AirPods Pro. Regardless, the new design, which sports stems that Samsung calls "blades," has a few practical benefits. These blades are used for swipe controls for volume and playback, and put the microphones closer to your mouth for better call quality.
Both pairs of earbuds use silicone ear tips and include multiple sizes for customization. The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro have colored marks on both earbuds that signify which one is the left and right bud, with corresponding indicators on the charging case. Additionally, the more premium model has lights on each "blade" that can pulse with your music.
The Galaxy Buds 3 FE ditch the lighting effects, but for a pair of earbuds, that's a feature omission I bet no one will miss. It's a cool quirk of the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, but is not exactly a selling point.
The charging case for both the Galaxy Buds 3 FE and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro is revamped to accommodate the larger earbuds. Each one has a USB-C port for charging and a clear window on the lid, but only the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro's case supports wireless charging.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE vs. Galaxy Buds 3 Pro: Sound quality and specs
From a sound quality perspective, the Galaxy Buds 3 FE is miles ahead of previous FE earbuds, but lags a bit behind the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. That's because the cheaper variant uses a single-driver design with one 11mm dynamic driver. The older Galaxy Buds FE used a 6.5mm driver in each earbud, so the 11mm dynamic driver in the Galaxy Buds 3 FE is a major upgrade.
The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, in comparison, uses a dual-driver design with a 10.5mm dynamic driver and a 6.1mm planar tweeter. The combination of a dynamic driver and planar tweeter results in better range and overall sound quality. We've rated the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro as some of the best-sounding earbuds on the market, although they can be a bit bass-heavy.
Both the Galaxy Buds 3 FE and the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro have active noise-canceling, ambient sound, and 360 Audio. However, only the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro's spatial audio mode supports head tracking. The premium model also adds Voice Detect and Siren Detect, which lowers the volume of your music and decreases immersion when voices or sirens are heard nearby.
Categories | Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE | Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro |
|---|---|---|
Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.4, Auto Switch | Bluetooth 5.4, Auto Switch |
Speakers | 11mm Dynamic | 10.5mm Dynamic + 6.1mm Planar |
Codec Support | Samsung Seamless Codec (SSC), SSC UHQ (24bit/96kHz), AAC, SBC | Samsung Seamless Codec (SSC), SSC UHQ (24bit/96kHz), AAC, SBC |
Noise control | ANC, Ambient Sound | ANC, Ambient Sound, Voice Detect, Siren Detect |
Battery life | Up to 4 hours (ANC on) / 24 hours with case | Up to 6 hours (ANC on) / 26 hours with case |
Charging | USB-C | USB-C, Wireless Qi |
App support | Samsung Wear (Android Only) | Samsung Wear (Android Only) |
Microphone | 3 mics with Voice Pickup Unit (VPU) | 3 mics with Voice Pickup Unit (VPU) |
Durability | IP54 | IP57 |
Battery life is better on the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, too, as they support six hours of playtime with ANC on for each earbud. The total case battery life is 26 hours. The cheaper Galaxy Buds 3 FE only last 4 hours on a single charge with ANC on, and the case brings the grand total to 24 hours.
It's worth noting that both earbuds support a variety of Bluetooth audio codecs, including Samsung Seamless Codec (SSC), SSC UHQ (24bit/96kHz), AAC, and SBC. However, the only hi-res audio codec supported (SSC) is niche and exclusive to Samsung devices. If you're using another device, your earbuds will be limited to AAC or SBC.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE vs. Galaxy Buds 3 Pro: Software
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro both use Bluetooth 5.4 for wireless connection. However, they work best within the Samsung ecosystem. You'll need an Android device to use the Samsung Wear companion app, and automatic device switching only works with Samsung devices. There's no support for multipoint Bluetooth connection.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro buds have built-in voice controls, which makes it possible to manage playback control and volume without needing a wake word or your smartphone. The cheaper Galaxy Buds 3 FE miss out on this feature. Both the Galaxy Buds 3 FE and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro have support for Gemini and Google Assistant when paired with a supported device.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE vs. Galaxy Buds 3 Pro: Which should you buy?
Samsung did an excellent job cutting the right features from the Galaxy Buds 3 FE to make the price point more manageable. It removed things the average listener can live without, like a wireless charging case and the LED strips. On the flip side, Samsung kept active noise-canceling, adaptive mode, and 360 Audio on the Galaxy Buds 3 FE. While the Galaxy Buds 3 FE have a single-driver design, unlike the dual-driver Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, the driver is much larger than the one within the Galaxy Buds FE they're replacing.
At $150, or as low as $130 with regular discounts, the Galaxy Buds 3 FE are quite an easy sell. Buyers simply have to consider whether paying around $50 more for the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro is the better value. Retailing for $250 but frequently available for $180 or less, Samsung's flagship earbuds have a stellar value proposition of their own. For the extra money, you get a wireless charging case, longer battery life, better sound quality, and head tracking support.
Another factor to keep in mind is that the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are due to be replaced by the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro soon, according to rumors and leaks. However, considering the low price of the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, there might not be a reason to wait.
Generally, if you're on the tightest of budgets or only need the basics, you can't go wrong with the Galaxy Buds 3 FE. For those who want the complete experience, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are also worth paying a bit more to own.
The cheapest option
Samsung's Galaxy Buds 3 FE provide quality sound and ANC support at a sub-$150 price point. This makes them appealing to buyers on a tight budget, but the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro adds valuable features for only a few bucks more with frequent discounts.
The best value
At full price, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro might not do enough to justify the premium over the Buds 3 FE. However, when the earbuds are frequently discounted below $200, they become the clear value winner.
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