Hello friends, today we are going to review Galaxy Buds 3, the company recently launched two new Galaxy Buds in its busy event. I reviewed the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and rated it 4.5/5. But the $70 cheaper regular Galaxy Buds 3 disappointed.
At first I thought these were just a copy of the AirPods, but a review of the Pro model revealed that they are better than that. The $180 Galaxy Buds 3 have a design similar to the AirPods 3, but they have Active Noise Cancelling (ANC), which the AirPods do not have. This is a big advantage, although the ANC was not as effective as expected.
Despite having similar features, I don’t think Samsung has copied Apple. They look similar, but that can be ignored. Actually, these are made for iOS and Samsung Galaxy users, so people can choose according to their device.
Galaxy Buds 3 Design
The Galaxy Buds 3 have a strange shape similar to the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, which is pentagonal at the bottom and triangular at the sides. It seems to be designed to differentiate it from the AirPods. Samsung has named the sharp-edged stems as ‘blades’, which take some getting used to.
This design makes it difficult to fit the buds into the charging case as the shape of the buds has to be matched with the socket, which can be a hassle if you are in a hurry. Thankfully, there are coloured labels at the bottom of both the buds that match the case colours, so that you can place the buds in the right place.
Thankfully, this strange design is not a hassle to use. I found the “blades” easier to hold than the round stem of the AirPods as my finger and thumb matched the triangular shape of the edge of the buds.
During the review, I also liked this edged design as it gives the buds a stylish look. The buds look sharp and sleek, which I think is much better than their older, chunky and bean-shaped model. The subtle black shades on the body make its look even more appealing.
Galaxy Buds 3 Fit and Navigation
Usually, open-ear buds are less tight than in-ear buds. I felt this difference when I switched from the in-ear Galaxy Buds 3 Pro to the on-ear Galaxy Buds 3. I think Samsung could have made it a little better. The size of the Buds 3 Pro is bigger than the AirPods 3rd Gen, which made them move in my ears and even fell out a few times.
While I expected a comfortable fit, these were a bit too loose. I had no problem wearing these to FedEx and the laundromat, but I wouldn’t want to wear them while running because of the fear of falling out.
To play or pause music, you have to pinch one of the blades. I don’t like touch controls on buds, but the pinch control in these buds felt good. It didn’t make me worry about changing the song or disconnecting a call while adjusting.
To increase or decrease the volume, you have to swipe on the blade, which could have been better. Swiping on such small devices is not easy and doesn’t feel natural. While I had the same problem with the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, it was even more pronounced with the Galaxy Buds 3. Samsung should have known that swiping at the buds outside of the ear isn’t practical.
IP57 Water Resistance
Like the Pro model, the Galaxy Buds 3 also have an IP57 rating for protection against water. I can’t say I’ve fully tested how well they withstand sweat and water in just a week, but so far, they’ve held up pretty well. I wore these a lot in the kitchen and adjusted them frequently with wet hands. I didn’t encounter any problems.
Galaxy Buds 3 Sound Quality and ANC
You should expect a more flat sound from the Galaxy Buds 3 than the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. You get balanced mids and some separation between layers, but not as much space as the Pro. The highs aren’t as clear, but the bass is extremely strong. For example, in the song “Living Life, in the Night,” which isn’t bass-heavy, the lows stood out from the rest of the music very well.
When I listened to several songs consecutively on the Galaxy Buds 3 and Pro, I felt a big improvement in the detail, clarity, and richness of instruments on the Pro. However, those looking for a simple pair of buds should be completely satisfied with these.
These buds feature active noise canceling (ANC), but it doesn’t work very well. In my room, it reduced the sound of my light tower fan, but the loud hum of the air purifier was still audible. At the office, I had a colleague packing boxes loudly, and the Buds didn’t block out that noise. When switching between ANC modes, sometimes I couldn’t tell if it was on or not.
It would be wrong to say that this is an expectation at a price of $180. Samsung’s Galaxy FE Buds are far better at noise cancelling and they cost only $100.
Galaxy Buds 3 Battery Life
The Galaxy Buds 3 have a battery life of 5 hours with active noise cancelling (ANC) and 6 hours without ANC. These figures are mainly for listening to music, and phone calls drain the battery faster. In my usage, which included both music and calls, I got a little over 5 hours. I switched ANC on and off during my testing.
With the charging case, you get about 24 hours of battery life with ANC and 30 hours without ANC. For the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, these figures are 26 hours with ANC and 30 hours without ANC. This means that spending $70 more doesn’t make a significant difference in battery life.
The Galaxy Buds 3 support wireless charging, just like the $180 AirPods Gen 3. When comparing these to the AirPods, I want to point out that if you don’t care about wireless charging, you can buy the AirPods Gen 3 for $170.
Pros & Cons:
Pros:-
- Support Wireless Charging
- IP57 water and sweat rated
- The blade edges help make navigation easier
- The bass is surprisingly impressive
Cons:-
- ANC is not very efficient
- The volume controls are not designed intuitively
Conclusion:
For just $70 less, you miss out on many of the features of the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. It’s not just the better design or the lights; the difference in sound quality is also evident to those who aren’t audiophiles. The more expensive model has two-way speakers with planar tweeters for better sound. The Galaxy Buds 3 lacked tweeters in high-pitched songs. Also, the effectiveness of active noise cancelling (ANC) is low.
Water resistance and battery life are the same across both models. The fit is also a big difference; I usually prefer open-ear buds, but the Pro’s fit felt better than the Galaxy Buds 3.
I normally recommend saving money, but considering the value that’s in the $70 difference, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are the better option.
