Editor’s note: This is the first version of this article, which was published on July 22, 2024. Updates will follow as the market changes.

What’s it like to use the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro compared to the Galaxy Buds2 Pro?

There’s a big difference in fit between the stem design on the Buds3 Pro and the bulb design on the Buds2 Pro.

Perhaps the biggest difference between the Galaxy Buds3 Pro and Buds2 Pro is in their design. The Galaxy Buds3 Pro features a new triangular lollipop stem design, almost like a cross between Apple’s AirPods and a “Cybertruck” aesthetic. They also have lights on them and utilize pinch and swipe controls. In contrast, the Galaxy Buds2 Pro maintains a more traditional bulb-shaped design. Their matte, rubberized texture makes them slightly easier to grasp and perform touch commands.

Personally, I find the Buds2 Pro’s bulb design more ergonomic and secure. However, some people might prefer the stem design for stability. It all depends on the shape and size of your ears.

Both models offer IPX7 water resistance, making them suitable for workouts and rainy conditions. However, the Buds3 Pro takes it a step further with an IP57 rating, adding dust resistance to the mix.

Bose cases charge via USB-C, but the Buds3 Pro has a pairing button.

The Galaxy Buds3 Pro’s case features a clear plastic window lid, allowing users to see the earbuds inside. The case is also thinner, easily fitting into most pockets. The Buds2 Pro’s case is fully opaque and has the same matte, rubberized finish as the earbuds, which makes it grippy but also prone to scratches. Both cases support wireless charging, and USB-C wired charging.

Both models come with multiple ear tip sizes to help you get a good seal. You should have no problem wearing them for an hour or more before heat and sweat may affect the fit, but as always, that can vary depending on the size and shape of your ears.

If you have color preferences, the new Galaxy Buds3 Pro only comes in silver and white, while the previous Buds2 Pro came in black, white, or purple.

How do you control the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro vs Galaxy Buds2 Pro?

Both models utilize touch controls on the earbuds themselves. The Buds3 Pro introduces a new control scheme using pinches and swipes along the stems, while the Buds2 Pro relies on taping the surface of the earbuds. The Buds3 Pro offers some additional control options, including voice commands to adjust volume and play and pause music, so you can avoid touching your earbuds at all.

Galaxy Buds3 Pro controls:

Galaxy Buds2 Pro controls:

What you see above is what you get, as both models suffer from limited customization options for controls through their respective apps.

Should you use the Samsung Wearables app for the Galaxy Buds3 Pro or Galaxy Buds2 Pro?

The Buds3 Pro has a custom 9-band equalizer, while the Buds2 Pro only has EQ presets.

Both earbud models are designed to work with the Samsung Wearables app, which provides access to various features and settings. The app is essential for accessing EQ presets, firmware updates, and device-specific features.

The Buds3 Pro introduces some new AI-powered features through the app, including a real-time interpreter mode for language translation. Both models offer EQ presets, but only the Buds3 Pro features a custom 9-band equalizer if you want to fine-tune it yourself.

It’s important to note that many features are exclusive to Samsung devices, which can limit functionality if you have a different Android phone or iPhone.

How do the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro and Galaxy Buds2 Pro connect?

Both earbud models use Bluetooth for connectivity. The Buds3 Pro utilizes Bluetooth 5.4, while the Buds2 Pro uses Bluetooth 5.3. They both support various codecs, including SBC, AAC, and the Samsung Seamless Codec (on compatible Samsung devices).

The Buds3 Pro introduces support for Auracast, a new Bluetooth feature for audio sharing and public broadcasts.

Both models offer quick pairing with Samsung devices and auto-switching between paired Samsung products. However, the fullest feature set and UHQ Audio (24bit / 96kHz) are reserved for users of recent Samsung smartphones.

Is battery life better on the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro or Galaxy Buds2 Pro?

The Buds3 Pro looks more flashy, but the Buds2 Pro have some advantages under the hood, such as battery life.

The Galaxy Buds3 Pro offers a slightly shorter battery life compared to its predecessor:

• Buds3 Pro: Approximately 4 hours 31 minutes with ANC on
• Buds2 Pro: Approximately 4 hours 50 minutes with ANC on

Both models’ cases provide additional charging cycles. However, neither model offers exceptional battery life compared to some competitors in the market.

Do the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro or Galaxy Buds2 Pro block noise better?

Interestingly, the newer Buds3 Pro seems to have taken a step back in terms of noise cancelation performance. With ANC enabled, the Buds3 Pro blocks out about 76% of perceived noise. While that’s fine enough for most, it’s definitely a cut below what other products at this price point provide, and it’s unclear whether a firmware update will fix this or if this is as good as it gets.

For comparison, the Buds2 Pro blocks out 84% of outside noise, which does make a perceptible difference. Here, the ANC affects sounds below 100Hz (down to about 30Hz), and it’s among the best ANC earbuds out there.

Both models also offer a transparency mode to allow environmental awareness when needed.

Do the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro sound better than the Galaxy Buds2 Pro?

I’ve got to admit — the Blade Lights are pretty cool.

The Galaxy Buds3 Pro has full and detailed sound. The default tuning might have slightly overemphasized highs, which could be fatiguing for some listeners. We found the “Clear” EQ preset to be the best for a more balanced sound.

The Galaxy Buds2 Pro also has good overall sound quality. In our review, we found that hi-hats could be a bit loud relative to other elements, and bass was prominent but not overpowering.

Objective results

Both models follow a consumer-friendly frequency response curve with some similarities and deviations from our house curve:

• Bass: Both models feature a slight bass emphasis, with the Buds3 Pro potentially offering more sub-bass extension.
• Mids: Generally well-balanced on both models, closely following target curves.
• Highs: Both models show some emphasis on the high frequencies, with the Buds3 Pro having a notable boost around 10kHz.

Both models support Samsung’s 360 Audio feature for spatial sound effects, though this is limited to compatible Samsung devices.

Do the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro or Galaxy Buds2 Pro have a better microphone?

Both earbud models offer decent microphone performance for casual calls or conferences, but they each have their strengths and weaknesses.

The Buds3 Pro comes with several advanced features, such as a “super wideband call” functionality that allows you to record up to 16kHz instead of the usual 8kHz, depending on your network speeds. For whatever reason, we couldn’t get much noise reduction out of the Galaxy Buds3 Pro in our testing, as you can hear in the Street conditions recording samples below. Still, it is possible you could get different results depending on which client or device you use. A firmware update could also fix this.

On the other hand, the Buds2 Pro provides reasonable noise rejection, even if voices don’t consistently sound true to life. One of the useful features you can toggle on in the Galaxy Wearable app is activating Ambient sound mode while you’re on a call. This can offset the disorientation of hearing your own muffled voice and works like a sidetone effect.

Galaxy Buds3 Pro microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

Galaxy Buds2 Pro microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

Galaxy Buds3 Pro microphone demo (Street conditions):

Galaxy Buds2 Pro microphone demo (Street conditions):

Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro vs Galaxy Buds2 Pro: Price and availability

The Galaxy Buds3 Pro launched at a price of , positioning it as a premium offering in the true wireless earbud market. The Galaxy Buds2 Pro, being an older model, can often be found at a lower price point (), sometimes around $180-$200, depending on sales and promotions.

Due to quality control concerns, Samsung has temporarily halted shipments of the Galaxy Buds3 Pro, which may impact availability until late August. Once that is resolved, both models should be available through Samsung’s official channels, major electronics retailers, and online marketplaces.

Should you get the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro or Galaxy Buds2 Pro?

The decision largely comes down to design preference and the need for strong ANC.

The choice between the Galaxy Buds3 Pro and Buds2 Pro largely depends on your priorities and whether you own a compatible Samsung device.

If you just got yourself a new Samsung smartphone and value the latest Galaxy AI features like real-time translation, the Buds3 Pro can be a good audio companion. However, if ANC performance is a top priority or you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, the Buds2 Pro remains an excellent choice.

If you already own the Galaxy Buds2 Pro, upgrading to the Buds3 Pro is not necessary unless you really prefer stem designs or something like Auracast will make a meaningful difference in your life. The Buds2 Pro still nails the basics, offering excellent sound quality, strong ANC performance, and most of the core features found in the newer model.

For users of non-Samsung Android phones or iPhones, the differences become less pronounced due to limited access to some features. In these cases, the lower-priced Buds2 Pro provide better value.

If neither option seems ideal for your needs, you can check out our list of the best wireless earbuds in 2024 for more options.

Frequently asked questions

Editor’s note: this article was published on July 19, 2024, and is the first version of the article. Updates will follow as the market changes.

What’s it like to use the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro compared to the Sony WF-1000XM5?

Both the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro and Sony WF-1000XM5 are top-flight active noise canceling (ANC) earbuds with all the bells, whistles, and extras that each of their manufacturers want to be famed for. Each has Spatial audio with head tracking, each has its own smart features supported by an app, and each has some of the best performance offered in their product lines.

Removable ear tips mean no hard plastic bits getting jammed into your ear canal.

But there are some notable differences, mainly centered around the design. For starters, the Sony WF-1000XM5 have a rather straightforward bud design with a short nozzle, and no stem. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro look a lot like AirPods and a Cybertruck got crossed in its lollipop design. Where the Sony WF-1000XM5 focus on isolation and ANC, the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro prioritize ease of use and a low interaction cost to reach advanced features. If you’re looking for ANC earbuds, the Sony WF-1000XM5 are more tailored to that task, whereas the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro are meant to be something you don’t have to think much about.

Case in point: the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro have a much higher ingress protection rating (IP57) than the Sony WF-1000XM5 (IPX4). With the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro, you don’t have to worry if your earbuds get wet, or worry about whether they’re still in your ears when you take a shower. While we don’t recommend doing that, it’s good to know that the more forgetful of us won’t have to sweat every change in weather. While the Sony WF-1000XM5 won’t die at the slightest splash, it won’t survive a dunk in water.

The Sony WF-1000XM5 touch sensors can control playback, volume, ANC/Ambient sound, and more.

In terms of comfort, it’s hard to say that one is objectively better than the other, but more people will likely choose the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro over the Sony WF-1000XM5 due to it not sticking a hard piece of plastic into their ear canals. Though that can lead to a poorer fit, those who do like the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro, will swear by it. However, the news isn’t all that rosy. With the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro, you really can’t change ear tips to a third-party option if you want something that isolates you better. The Sony WF-1000XM5, on the other hand, have that ability.

How do you control the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro and Sony WF-1000XM5?

You primarily use a series of taps and swipes to control both the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro and Sony WF-1000XM5. For the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro, you’ll be using the blade-shaped stem on the earbuds to interact with your earbuds. You can also bark commands at your earbuds with your voice, which sounds a lot better than it is in practice sometimes. For the Sony WF-1000XM5, you’ll be tapping the smooth back of the earbud housings, as this product doesn’t have the lollipop stem configuration.

Should you use the apps of either Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro or Sony WF-1000XM5?

Adaptive Sound Control adjusts the ANC and ambient aware modes depending on your activity and environmental noise.

Because both the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro and Sony WF-1000XM5 have several features like spatial audio with head tracking, EQ presets, and firmware updates enabled by the respective apps of each product, you’ll need said apps if you want the full functionality of your earbuds. That said, the Sony Headphones app and the Samsung Wearable apps are some of the more useful pieces of headphone software out there. Both are comparable in terms of function, but the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro used in tandem with the app and a Samsung phone unlocks a few extras like live translation, ultra wideband microphone use, and pre-trained ANC that will allow certain sounds (like sirens) through.

The privacy-minded of you will likely not be thrilled that many of these features on both products collect a rather large amount of information, but it’s unclear that they do anything else with the data afterward. In the interim, it’s just a value judgment you’ll have to make.

How do the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro and Sony WF-1000XM5 connect?

As far as Bluetooth goes, the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro have Samsung-specific codecs available for high-bitrate listening. The Sony WF-1000XM5 on the other hand, have access to LDAC, Sony’s proprietary higher-res codec. Though it’s not truly lossless, LDAC does performs quite well in terms of data transfer rates, so there’s not a huge gulf in performance between the two earbud models. However, only a relatively new Samsung phone can take advantage of the Samsung Seamless Codec, whereas LDAC is baked into most Android phones. If you have an iPhone, you can only use AAC for both earbuds.

Is battery life better on the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro or Sony WF-1000XM5?

If you’re willing to sacrifice your phone’s battery, you can charge the case from your mobile device via wireless charging.

Battery life is better by far with Sony WF-1000XM5 than Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro, as the latter is only able to withstand our test for 4 hours and 31 minutes, while the former was able to last 9 hours and 32 minutes. This has several advantages. For example, longer battery life can reduce the number of times you need to recharge your earbuds, possibly leading to a prolonged usable lifetime. Unfortunately, you can’t replace the batteries on either set of earbuds, so once the batteries give up the ghost: they’re dead.

If you take long flights or trips, the Sony WF-1000XM5 are the better bet. However, if you only listen to your music on commutes, or less than a couple hours at a time, you might not notice the poorer battery life because your charging case will top up the earbuds any time you’re not using them.

For charging, both sets of earbuds use a USB-C charging port on the bottom of the case. If you have a Qi-compatible charging pad, you can also use this to top up your charging case.

Do the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro or Sony WF-1000XM5 block noise better?

Currently, the Sony WF-1000XM5 cancel noise better than the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro. However, it’s entirely possible that a firmware update could change this in the future. Should that happen, we’ll update this piece with new test results.

I will note that the Sony WF-1000XM5 do passively isolate better by virtue of the fact that they can create a stronger seal more reliably with the foam tips included in the packaging. That does tend to make dispelling outside noise a bit easier.

Just be aware that neither of these products carries a noise reduction rating by a governmental body, so each of these products falls short of being true hearing protectors. You should not rely upon either to avoid hearing loss in a noisy environment — always use the right tool for the job.

Do the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro sound better than the Sony WF-1000XM5?

The Samsung Wearable app offers a 9-band EQ and presets.

Long story short: both the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro and Sony WF-1000XM5 sound great for earbuds. Though there are some differences in frequency response and available codecs, most listeners will regard both similarly, so you should have no fear in picking either.

Each product takes a different strategy when it comes to tuning, with the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro offering more sub-bass and more 5-9kHz emphasis than the Sony WF-1000XM5, while the Sony WF-1000XM5 seem to attempt to not rock the boat with big swings in emphasis.

However, if you were to put it to a panel of a few hundred simulated listeners, you’d get extremely similar ratings from the lot of them. When playback samples were fed through HEAD acoustics’ MDAQS algorithm, the mean opinion scores generated were extremely close. In short: even if these earbuds sound quite different, most people would rate each set of earbuds similarly well.

These earbuds, though they sound different, rate similarly well.

Of course, both of these earbuds have several EQ presets if you install their respective apps, most of which you’ll probably never use unless you like to micromanage your earbuds. That being said, the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro have an EQ preset that we believe is superior to the default response: Clear EQ. Though it doesn’t change the overall scores much, this EQ preset has much more palatable low and high ends.

Do the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro or Sony WF-1000XM5 have a better microphone?

Though microphones are standard in most earbuds, what you can do with that of the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro is unique.

Both the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro and Sony WF-1000XM5 have good microphones, but the unit Samsung sent us wasn’t the best at rejecting nearby noise. Given that both Samsung and Sony have a good track record, we’re going to give them the benefit of the doubt and say that it’s possible something went awry. This might be the sort of thing a firmware update could sort out.

Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

Sony WF-1000XM5 microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro microphone demo (Street conditions):

Sony WF-1000XM5 microphone demo (Street conditions):

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Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro vs Sony WF-1000XM5: Price and availability

At full MSRP, the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro are $249.99 and the Sony WF-1000XM5 are $299.99. However, now that the Sony WF-1000XM5 are over a year old, you can probably find them online for a bit cheaper than sticker price. As both of these products are top-of-the-line for each industry heavyweight, you should be able to find them pretty much anywhere that sells earbuds. That includes online, and brick-and-mortar stores. Whether one of these earbuds are a better value depends entirely on how you’re going to use them.

Due to a manufacturer pause, the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro will not be available until late August of 2024 to address manufacturing concerns. Though this might be frustrating to many, Samsung taking the time to stand by its flagship earbuds is a good sign that they’re willing to put the effort in to make sure everything’s okay with their wares.

Should you get the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro or Sony WF-1000XM5?

In the contest of Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro vs Sony WF-1000XM5, there’s no overwhelming winner, just two strong contenders.

The Sony WF-1000XM5 offer better ANC than the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro, but no AI features.

At the end of the day, these two products are befitting of their price tags, but if we had to pick one, we’d expect that the Sony WF-1000XM5 would satisfy more people. It’s not that either of these products is poor in any way, it’s just that the Sony WF-1000XM5 is ridiculously performant. The Samsung buds have the WF-1000XM5 handily beat when it comes to AI features and comfort, but that comes at a tradeoff of somewhat less effective ANC and shorter battery life. For some, that’s enough, and we’d have no problem recommending the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro if that’s what you’re after.

Additionally, if you have had trouble with fitting earbuds in the past, the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro with its shorter, ovoid ear tips might be easier to fit to your ears than the Sony WF-1000XM5. However, if you really just want rock solid ANC, then you’ll probably want to stick with the Sony WF-1000XM5. Neither is a bad pick here.

Frequently asked questions

After initial indications that shipments of the Galaxy Buds Pro 3 were being suspended due to a quality control issue, Samsung has now confirmed the delay in a statement to our sister site, Android Authority.

Following the unveiling of the wireless earbuds at the Galaxy Unpacked event in Paris last week, shipments were due to begin on July 24. However, early owners have reported several issues, the most common of which was that the ear tips were easily torn when removed from the earbuds.

The manufacturer initially recommended a method to remove the ear tips safely, but the Samsung online store then started showing a delay of shipments until August 28. Other retailers also reacted to the problem, with Best Buy stating that the product is “coming soon” and Amazon pulling its listing of the earbuds altogether.

The shipping date of the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro from Samsung now shows as August 28.

After being contacted for comment by Android Authority, Samsung’s statement confirmed that “to ensure all products meet our quality standards, we have temporarily suspended deliveries of Galaxy Buds 3 Pro devices.” This development built on an earlier statement from Samsung Korea, in which it issued an apology and indicated that further checks would take place before the 24 July release date.

The Samsung statement to our sister site referenced “reports relating to a limited number of early production Galaxy Buds 3 Pro devices,” indicating that it may not be an inherent problem in the design of the buds. There is also no sign yet that the company intends to recall any models that have already been sent to retailers or customers.

A further statement from a Samsung spokesperson made to SoundGuys largely repeated the same position:

“There have been reports relating to a limited number of early production Galaxy Buds3 Pro devices. We are taking this matter very seriously and remain committed to meeting the highest quality standards of our products. We are urgently assessing and enhancing our quality control processes. To ensure all products meet our quality standards, we have temporarily suspended deliveries of Galaxy Buds3 Pro devices to distribution channels to conduct a full quality control evaluation before shipments to consumers take place. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”

The feature currently supports over a dozen languages, including Chinese, French, English, German, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and Thai, with more likely to be added in the future. There are also two modes you can use: Listening and Conversation. Listening gives one-way translation, such as when you might be listening to a tour guide abroad. Conversation is designed to give two-way translation, facilitating face-to-face conversations between people who speak different languages.

The Galaxy Buds3 Pro make translated conversations very one-sided.

However, Interpreter has one significant shortcoming when used with the Galaxy Buds3 Pro: in conversation mode, only one person can use the earbuds to hear translated audio. In fact, Samsung tells you this explicitly when using the Galaxy Buds3 Pro in Conversation mode for the first time.

Well, that’s a bummer.

In other words, it’s not possible to share the earbuds to split audio between two people, allowing each to hear their respective translations. This means that one person must listen to the audio output through the phone’s speakers, which can be problematic in noisy, busy environments.

Conversation is not exactly a two-way street with the Galaxy Buds3 Pro.

Now, I understand that you might not want to hand over one of your earbuds to a stranger in a foreign country. But what about scenarios like language learning with a close friend or in a classroom setting? It’s not uncommon to share earbuds to watch a video or listen to a song on my phone with a friend or family member, so why can’t I share a translated conversation with them in the same way? It feels uncomfortably privileged that only I can use the Buds3 Pro to hear translated audio and unfair that my conversation partner should have to buy their own pair to do the same.

Interpreter's one-sided audio creates an uncomfortable privilege, forcing partners to buy in or miss out.

Of course, It’s possible that this current limitation could be overcome with a future software update. Enabling the earbuds to split audio output between two users would significantly enhance the feature’s versatility. Or, better yet, perhaps the other person could connect with their own earbuds to listen, that is if Samsung were willing to lend out its ecosystem-exclusive features.

The accuracy of the translated languages themselves was mostly positive, with some caveats. I tested it with a couple of colleagues who speak different languages. The feature performed admirably with Japanese and French, providing accurate translations. However, our tests with Hindi yielded mixed results, indicating that Galaxy AI has room for improvement with certain languages.

Translated text can appear on the front screen of the Samsung Galaxy Flip6.

As Interpreter currently functions, it excels in certain scenarios while falling short in others. It’s perfectly suitable for single travelers who want to hear the chef’s specials from a server or attend conferences in foreign languages using the listening mode. However, the conversation mode’s effectiveness abroad is limited unless you’re in a quiet space where the other person can comfortably hear the phone’s speakers or is content with reading translations via text.

Interpreter shines solo but stumbles in duo, creating an audio divide in shared conversations.

Conversation mode’s current implementation creates an awkward imbalance in shared experiences. When using it with a close friend or language exchange partner, it creates an uneven experience where only the Galaxy Buds3 Pro owner gets the full audio benefit. This limitation not only hinders the feature’s potential for fostering genuine bilingual conversations but also creates a barrier to its adoption for collaborative language learning or cultural exchange scenarios.

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These earbuds are particularly well-suited for Samsung smartphone users, who will benefit the most from features like the Samsung Seamless Codec and seamless device pairing. However, they’re also an excellent choice for any Android user looking for high-quality audio and effective noise cancelation. Even iPhone users can enjoy the superior sound and ANC, though they’ll miss out on some of the Samsung-specific features.

I’ve had the chance to spend some hands-on time with the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, and after comparing both models for a few days, I have to say I find the Buds 2 Pro to have a more comfortable and secure fit compared to the new Buds 3 Pro’s unique angular stem design. Additionally, while our full review is still forthcoming, our early testing results suggest that the Buds 2 Pro may actually outperform the newer model in Active Noise Cancellation, which matches up with my initial experience. At this price point, the Buds 2 Pro offers exceptional value, especially considering their strong performance against the newer model.

Between the Galaxy Buds3 Pro and the Galaxy Buds2 Pro, I think the latter are the better buys—especially at this price.

While the new Galaxy Buds 3 Pro brings some interesting features to the table, including integration with Galaxy Ai and new Blade Lights along the stem, based on my initial impressions, I would recommend the Buds 2 Pro might as the better choice for many users, especially at this discounted price. If you’re in the market for high-quality earbuds and don’t mind missing out on the latest features, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro for less than $105 are an absolute steal. But act fast; I don’t know how long this deal will last!

I’m a Samsung phone owner, currently rocking the Galaxy S23 Ultra as my daily driver. As such, I have gravitated towards Samsung Galaxy Buds for the past few generations to take advantage of Samsung’s scalable codec and UHQ audio. Starting with the Galaxy Buds Pro and now frequently wearing my Galaxy Buds2 Pro, I’ve seen the evolution of these earbuds firsthand.

The Galaxy Buds3 Pro sure looks a whole lot different than its predecessor, the Galaxy Buds2 Pro.

The Galaxy Buds3 Pro looks dramatically different from its predecessor, the Galaxy Buds2 Pro. I wear the Buds2 Pro on the bus and for a walk, and I find them comfortable and secure. I felt the original Buds Pro were a bit too bulbous and protruded too much from my ears, sometimes becoming uncomfortable, but I found that the form factor was greatly improved the second time around and have no complaints there.

Samsung's new stem design has some growing pains.

So, I was initially wary when Samsung decided to fix something I didn’t consider broken. However, I’ve warmed up to stem designs, particularly after trying the Nothing Ear (2) and the newer Ear. Pinch controls can be more intuitive and have less risk of compromising the seal or pushing the ear tips further into your ear canal. Samsung claims the switch to the stem design was based on “a variety of collected statistical data” showing better comfort and in-ear stability. While this matched my experience with other brands, my hands-on time with the Galaxy Buds3 Pro revealed some issues.

The stem is a tad too triangular with sharp edges. While there’s a tactile click when pinched, the shape isn’t very ergonomic for my thumb and finger to find, and I compromised the seal a few times when using it. I hoped this wouldn’t be the case, but it’s going to take some getting used to. If they had copied the AirPods Pro all the way and added a small indentation for where to pinch that would have helped. On the plus side, the swipe controls work much better as you run your finger up or down the flat edges.

The Blade Lights initially struck me as gimmicky, but seeing them in person changed my mind. They look cool and serve practical purposes, indicating pairing mode, music playback, and use of the new Interpreter feature. They might even help with visibility at night or finding them if you drop them in the dark. Don’t like them? You can turn them off. The case design is also a win in my book. When closed, it looks like a little spaceman’s dome — a fun, retro-futuristic touch reminiscent of the Moondrop Space Travel.

The default sound has more bass emphasis than the previous Galaxy Buds2 Pro.

For Galaxy device owners, Samsung has consistently delivered top-tier performance and features. My first impressions of the sound quality were very positive. The Wearables app now includes a Custom equalizer (finally!) alongside the familiar EQ presets, which I’m eager to explore further. The default sound with Spatial Audio activated seemed a bit clearer but much more bass-heavy than what I’m used to with the Galaxy Buds2 Pro. Active noise cancelation didn’t completely block out my excited co-workers, but I’ll need to test it in various environments for a fair assessment.

It will be interesting to see how the Galaxy Buds3 Pro makes use of Samsung’s Galaxy AI in new phones like the Flip6.

While the Galaxy Buds3 Pro might share some visual DNA with AirPods, it’s what’s inside that counts. If they outperform the competition, the design similarities become less important. However, the ergonomic issues with the stem design are a legitimate concern that could impact user experience.

Innovation isn’t always about reinventing the wheel—sometimes, it’s about making it roll better. In this case, Samsung seems to be on the right track with features but may need to refine its physical design. Stay tuned for our full review, where we’ll put these space-age buds through their paces in our testing lab and see if they live up to the hype.

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• Samsung has announced its new flagship earbuds, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.
• Powered by Galaxy AI, the earbuds have a ton of new features such as an Interpreter, Voice Commands, Adaptive EQ and ANC, and enhanced call quality.
• The all-new stem design has interactive Blade Lights with pinch and swipe controls.
• The earbuds were announced alongside the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 at Samsung’s 2024 Unpacked event.

Since their release in 2022, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro have been one of our favorite wireless earbuds. After patiently waiting for a few years, we’re happy to finally see the release of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. The new flagship Samsung earbuds go toe-to-toe with the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation), thanks to their new stem design. In addition to featuring pinch and swipe controls, the new stem-shaped design has interactive lights. These lights are used to signify to others when you are using the new Interpreter feature, which will provide real-time translation of incoming audio to your earbuds, as long as you have them paired to a supported Galaxy device.

While the Interpreter is the headline feature, there is plenty more to check out with the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. You can now control playback hands-free using the Voice Command feature. The microphones will also continuously analyze internal and external sound to provide Adaptive EQ and Adaptive ANC. Additionally, the microphones have intelligent Siren Detect and Voice Detect functionality, which will adjust the strength of the ANC in the presence of those sounds. For taking calls on the go, the earbuds have Super-Wideband call functionality and an AI model to block out background noise.

The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro have ear tips, while the Galaxy Buds 3 do not. Both have a new stem design.

We’re excited to test out the sound quality of the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. The earbuds have a new dual driver system, with a 10.5mm Dynamic driver paired with a 6.1mm planar driver. If you have a Samsung device, you can also take advantage of the new Ultra High-Quality Samsung Scalable Codec, which supports double the sampling rate of previous models (up to 24 bit / 96 kHz). You can find all of the specs listed below.

The earbuds are available in Silver and White. You can pre-order the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro today for $249.99, with general availability starting on July 24. Stay tuned for our full review of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro coming soon.