I did not just like the design of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Professional however that’s simply my private opinion that did not have an effect on the nice efficiency of the wi-fi earphones. I do not just like the design of the Galaxy Buds 3, both. Nonetheless, this design significantly impacts the person expertise this time round. On this Galaxy Buds 3 overview, I will share my ideas on whether or not this flaw is a cause to show down a purchase order or not.
Good
- IP57 certification
- Environment friendly contact and haptic controls
- Good battery life & wi-fi charging
Dangerous
- Poor match within the ears
- Poor match affected the audio high quality
- Ineffective ANC
- Hello-Res audio reserved for brand new Samsung gadgets
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3: All offers
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 in a nutshell
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 has been accessible since July 24, 2024. Samsung’s wi-fi earbuds are priced at $179.99 a pop. Not like the Galaxy Buds 3 Professional (overview), these are open-ear headphones. They don’t include a silicone tip that sinks into your ear canal. They merely relaxation in your ears.
Design
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 are open-ear wi-fi earbuds. That is their major flaw and occurs to be near a deal-breaker for me. The just about non-existent match supplied by Samsung’s earbuds makes them troublesome to make use of in my eyes (and ears!).
Professionals:
- IP57 certification.
- Compact case.
- Straightforward-to-handle triangular stems.
Cons:
- Nearly non-existent assist as a result of open-ear type issue.
- Coloured stripes on the backside of the stems spoil the design.
The Galaxy Buds 3 can be found in two colours: white and silver. They’re IP57-certified for water and mud resistance. They’re pretty gentle, weighing simply 4.6 g per earbud. These are open-ear earbuds. Like AirPods 4, there are not any tricks to push into the ear canal, in contrast to different in-ear headphones. The earbuds merely relaxation within the ear.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3’s case is pretty compact. Its cowl is made from clear plastic and every earbud has a small coloured strip on the backside of its stem to tell apart the appropriate from the left. The stem is triangular in design with tactile surfaces.
The angular form of the earphone stem makes them straightforward to deal with. I am not a fan of the semi-transparent case, but it surely makes it straightforward to examine whether or not the earbuds are inside or not. The IP57 ranking would not make the earbuds appropriate for sports activities, nevertheless, as they do not have a very good grip in any respect.
It is primarily the open-ear format that gave me issues. The earbuds actually do not match properly in my ears. As quickly as I transfer my head, placed on a hoodie, or chew, the earbuds get dislodged just a little. I used to be consistently afraid of dropping them when strolling down the road or taking public transport.
I feel this design flaw is an actual downside. It impacts every part from audio high quality to Energetic Noise Cancellation. It is a disgrace as a result of the Galaxy Buds 3 has rather a lot going for it on paper. It will have been a good suggestion so as to add detachable retaining wings, or on the very least, a barely grippier coating across the tip of every earbud.
Audio high quality
Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 3 has every part it takes to ship glorious audio high quality. Nonetheless, except you are in a quiet setting and do not transfer round an excessive amount of, you will not get sufficient out of them.
Professionals:
- If the earbuds match properly within the ear, the sound high quality is excellent.
- Balanced audio signature beneath the appropriate circumstances.
Cons:
- If the earbuds do not match correctly, the sound high quality is poor.
- Samsung’s unique SSC-UHQ codec.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 options 11 mm drivers. In contrast with the Professional mannequin, the 6 mm planar driver is misplaced in transition. The wi-fi earbuds assist Bluetooth codecs SBC and AAC, in addition to Samsung’s SSC codec and its SSC-UHQ model. This “Extremely top quality” codec permits listening to 24-bit tracks at 96 kHz. Technically, the Galaxy Buds 3 is Hello-Res licensed.
Nonetheless, this UHQ perform solely works with a reasonably new Samsung smartphone, so its usefulness is comparatively restricted. Samsung would not point out the bitrate both, however I doubt we’re speaking about lossless high quality right here.
Technicalities apart, the audio signature of the Galaxy Buds 3 relies upon largely on how they slot in your ears. Beneath supreme circumstances, with the earbuds firmly in place, you get a reasonably basic W sound. Bass is just a little flattered, with good depth and influence. The midrange is impartial, however voices and devices are clearly distinguishable. The sound is wealthy and detailed. Even with out the UHQ perform, I discovered the definition to be excellent.
Nonetheless, most often, the earbuds did not match correctly in my ears. This meant having the audio high quality take successful. The bass turned far too absent, the midrange took a again seat too, and the treble took up far an excessive amount of area. In consequence, we’ve a whole lot of sibilance issues with “F”, “S” and “Ch” sounds, which had been too strident at instances. The remainder of the musical message sounded hole.
You possibly can definitely increase the bass through Samsung’s glorious equalizer however you possibly can’t work miracles with that. The sound lacks texture, it is dry. I am satisfied that that is as a result of open-ear format, which is ill-suited to my morphology. Technically, the Galaxy Buds 3 can produce excellent sound. That is the largest disgrace.
Energetic Noise Cancellation (ANC)
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 characteristic Energetic Noise Cancellation (ANC). As with audio high quality, ANC high quality is way too depending on protecting the earbuds in your ears.
Professionals:
Cons:
- ANC is ineffective as a result of open-ear format.
- ANC shouldn’t be manually adjustable.
With open-ear earbuds just like the Galaxy Buds 3, passive noise isolation is nearly non-existent. There’s nothing to hinder your ear canal and stop ambient noise from seeping in. To rub salt into the wound, Samsung’s Energetic Noise Cancellation shouldn’t be manually adjustable. You possibly can flip it on and off, however you possibly can’t improve its depth.
Personally, I did not discover the Galaxy Buds 3’s ANC to be efficient. You possibly can definitely really feel the distinction when ANC is enabled and disabled. Nonetheless, ambient noise shouldn’t be sufficiently attenuated. Even structure-borne noises, which is the best to attenuate, seep by. Airborne noises reminiscent of voices, doorbells, wind, and so forth., go by all too simply.
That is when the earbuds match correctly within the ears. It is because ANC can solely be enabled when the earbuds are detected as worn. Nonetheless, the issue of them getting dislodged all too simply interrupts the ANC.
I sincerely imagine that Samsung may have carried out with out Energetic Noise Cancellation for this mannequin. The Galaxy Buds 3 haven’t got a transparency mode both. For as soon as, this is a bonus made attainable by the extra open format. You do not want it as the earbuds allow you to keep conscious of your sound setting it doesn’t matter what.
Options and functions
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 retain a lot of the performance of the Buds 3 Professional. That is a very good factor. A number of capabilities are unique to the Samsung ecosystem. Apple additionally does the identical with its AirPods, so we will not blame Samsung for following of their stead.
Professionals:
- Exact equalizer.
- Full Android utility.
- Put on detection.
Cons:
- No true multi-touch functionality (works with Samsung gadgets solely).
- Haptic controls aren’t very customizable.
The Galaxy Buds 3 works with the Galaxy Put on utility for Android gadgets solely. You possibly can join them to an iPhone, however you do not have entry to any of the settings. I would not advocate shopping for them in the event you’re utilizing an Apple iPhone. If in case you have a Samsung smartphone, all settings might be carried out through the smartphone settings with out the necessity for an app.
Samsung headphones assist multipoint Bluetooth connectivity, but it surely solely works between two Samsung gadgets. Samsung’s app right here may be very complete throughout the Samsung ecosystem. There’s the Discover My Machine perform and, above all, put on detection.
The Galaxy Buds 3 is provided with contact and haptic controls. Contact controls merely contain sliding your finger alongside the entrance of the earbud’s stem. This raises or lowers the quantity. These controls aren’t customizable however you possibly can change the haptic controls. These contain pinching the earbud stem.
| Left earbud | Proper earbud | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 pinch | ||
| 2 pinches | ||
| 3 pinches | ||
| Lengthy pinch |
|
|
Battery and charging
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 boast a battery lifetime of 6 hours with out ANC and 5 hours with ANC. With the charging field, complete battery life is rated at as much as 30 hours. That is fairly common numbers.
Professionals:
- Good battery life.
- Wi-fi charging is supported
Cons:
Personally, I used the Samsung wi-fi earbuds based on these settings:
- 100% charged.
- Put on detection was disabled.
- No charging in any respect.
- Energetic Noise Cancellation was all the time on.
- 50% listening quantity.
- Paired with an Android smartphone.
- SBC/AAC codec.
I used to be capable of obtain and really barely exceed the 5 hours of battery with ANC as claimed by Samsung. Battery life is respectable, properly throughout the common for this value vary, however not more than that.
I used to be pleasantly stunned Samsung supplied wi-fi recharging for its earbuds’ case. The producer may properly have reserved this perform for the Professional mannequin however nonetheless went the additional mile. The earbuds might be recharged a minimum of 4 instances through its case.
Technical specs
| Technical specs | |
|---|---|
| Machine | Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 |
| Picture |  |
| Design |
|
| Weight |
|
| Dimensions |
|
| IP ranking | |
| Audio |
|
| Frequency response | |
| ANC |
|
| Bluetooth | |
| Codec | |
| Multipoint | |
| Battery life |
|
| Autonomy with case | |
| Wi-fi recharging | ✔️ |
Conclusion
Would I like to recommend you purchase the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 for $179.99? No.
I hesitated rather a lot earlier than ranking these wi-fi earbuds. The open-ear format did not go well with my ears in any respect. The earbud stored on dislodging and this significantly affected the audio high quality in addition to the standard of the Energetic Noise Cancellation.
Nonetheless, I am conscious the open-ear format may be very well-liked. Lots of people hate in-ear earbuds, that are too intrusive and uncomfortable. If you happen to occur to fall into this class of customers, I would advise you to attempt the earbuds out before you purchase them. Ensure they match snugly in your ears.
This design “flaw” is all of the extra unlucky as a result of technically, the Galaxy Buds 3 is an excellent pair of wi-fi earbuds. Personally, I do not use my wi-fi earbuds at house, which is quiet more often than not. I transfer round with them, on my solution to work, on the road. If I’ve to tape them to my ears to take pleasure in all the nice issues it gives, the idea is redundant to me.
What do you consider the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 after this complete overview? Do you assume I have been too harsh on Samsung? I hope to have the ability to overview Apple’s AirPods 4 quickly. They’ve the identical open-ear format. I will let if I undergo from the identical issues and I’m curious to know if any of you share my emotions about open-ear wi-fi earbuds.
