Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro review: is Samsung's future AI or a letdown?

Samsung takes a completely different direction with the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro true wireless earbuds. A completely new fit with stems and a futuristic design. Adaptive ANC, 360 surround sound, plenty of AI and other features. But does the future of the Samsung Buds3 Pro sound like music to your ears? Does all that AI deliver, or disappoint? Find out in this review.

Here's our verdict at a glance on the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro:

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Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro specifications

• Price: approximately €150
• Codec: AAC, SBC, Samsung Seamless Codec
• Bluetooth: 5.4
• Range: 10m
• Case battery: 515 mAh/30 hours (ANC off)
• Earbud battery: 53 mAh/7 hours (ANC off)
• Cable: USB-C
• Waterproof: IP57 (dust-protected and submersible)

Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro sound quality

Samsung makes and sells a lot of earbuds. Their sound is aimed at a broad audience. And most people generally want fuller, heavier sound. You can hear that in the prominent bass, for example.

Whether you listen to '90s alternative rock, deep house or orchestral film scores, the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro bring out the best in the sound.

The sound is clear and well-defined across all frequencies. You can easily pick out individual instruments, beats and vocals.

Sound quality score: 8

Compared with their more affordable sibling, the Samsung Galaxy Buds3, the Pro version sounds fuller, more spacious and clearer.

But compared with competitors like the Sony WF-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Pro 2, there's still room for improvement. Those let you hear every chime, riff, beat or instrument just a little better. They do, however, cost about €50 more on average than the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro.

Want an even more spacious sound? Turn on the 360 audio option in the Samsung Wear app. It makes the sound seem to come from multiple directions. You can also enable 'Head tracking', which adjusts the direction of the sound as you turn your head. Unfortunately, these options are only available with a Samsung device.

When you turn your head relative to the sound source, the direction of the sound changes.

We've already mentioned the Samsung Wear app. What else can you adjust when it comes to sound? It has an equalizer with 7 sound profiles. Six are presets. The seventh, 'Custom', lets you adjust everything to your liking.

All 7 sound profiles at a glance.

The customizable equalizer in the Samsung Wear app is new. We missed this on the predecessors to the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro. So Samsung has made progress here too.

Microphone: Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro call quality

So the sound we hear is good. Check! But what about the sound on calls? Can the other person hear you clearly too?

Judge for yourself. Below is a recording of the sound picked up by the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro microphones. Our verdict: you come through loud and clear at the other end of the line.

The new Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro design helps here. They now have stems, with one of each earbud's three microphones at the tip. Because that microphone sits at the end of the stem and points toward your mouth, it can pick up your voice more clearly.

In the image below, you can also see microphones on top of the earbuds. These pick up ambient noise. The stems put more distance between the microphones, making it easier to distinguish background noise from your voice and filter it out.

Here you can clearly see the tiny microphones at the tips of the stems.

Microphone score: 8.5

One issue I run into when using the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro at work is the lack of true multipoint connectivity. Switching between my laptop and phone isn't automatic. I have to switch manually every time.

Samsung does have its own technology called Auto Switch. So if you use the earbuds with a Samsung phone, tablet or laptop, you can switch between devices seamlessly.

But at the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro's price point, you should be able to expect a multipoint connection. Samsung is trying to bring everyone into its own ecosystem and keep them there. Just like Apple does. And the biggest loser? You.

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If you don't want that, you'll need to make compromises with the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro or look for an alternative with multipoint. Take a look at the OneMelon Sky wireless earbuds, for example, with ANC noise canceling and multipoint connectivity.

🎤 Want to know which earbuds have the best microphone? We've put together a comparison with all the audio clips.

Fit: how do the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro feel?

Samsung is known for its bean-shaped earbuds, which don't fit well and fall out easily. But the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro now have stems. So how does that affect the fit?

The stems help the earbuds stay in place, improve their balance and give you more to grip. Some of the hardware is also housed in the stems, making the part that sits in your ear smaller. All of this helps the earbuds fit better and stay put.

Place the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro in your ears and turn the stems toward your mouth. The ear tips give you a secure fit right away. Much more secure than the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 without ear tips.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro with lights in the stems. Well, they're not making me any better-looking. 🤷🏼♂️

The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro come with three sizes of ear tips: small, medium and large. The silicone ear tips feel comfortable and seal the ear canal well.

Want an even better seal or more comfort? Consider these foam ear tips for the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro. Compress the ear tips before inserting them. The foam then expands in your ear canal for an even more secure fit. They also feel more comfortable.

Fit score: 9

The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro's snug, secure fit is handy if you use them while running, for example.

I tested them on the treadmill at the gym, and they passed with flying colors. In that respect, they're a big step up from the half in-ear Samsung Galaxy Buds3.

On the left, the half in-ear Samsung Galaxy Buds3. On the right, the fully in-ear Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro

Taking a closer look at the fit of the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 and Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro, we can say that the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro give you a better fit. They're the more comfortable of the two and stay in your ears more securely.

Earbud controls

The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro controls have changed now that the earbuds have stems. You're meant to squeeze them. Well, Samsung calls it pinching. You apply light pressure to the stems between your index finger and thumb.

The stems detect that light pressure. The number of pinches, or how long you hold one, determines the action. For example, pinching the left earbud once pauses or resumes your music. Two pinches skip to the next track, and three go back to the previous track.

Controls score: 8

Besides pinching, you can also swipe to raise or lower the volume. You use your index finger and thumb for this too: swipe with your thumb while your index finger provides support.

What if you swipe with just your thumb or index finger instead? There's a good chance you'll swipe the earbud right out of your ear.

Slide your thumb up or down the stem to adjust the volume.

Every pinch or swipe produces a clicking sound, just like pressing a mechanical button. That makes the controls very satisfying once you get the hang of them.

How do the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro touch controls work?

The table above shows the controls for both earbuds. Unfortunately, you can't change these functions or add others in the app.

The exception is the pinch-and-hold action. In the app, you can set it to switch ANC modes, activate the digital assistant or open Spotify. The digital assistant only works on Samsung devices.

The Galaxy Wear app, also used for Samsung smartwatches and other Wear devices, offers very few features. Using the earbuds with a Samsung device adds a few more.

But overall, that's still very limited compared with the Sony or Jabra app. We'd like to see Samsung offer a separate earbud app with more options.

Battery: how long can you use the earbuds?

The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro earbuds have a 53 mAh battery, and the charging case has a 515 mAh battery. Together, they give you 37 hours of listening. With ANC on, that drops to 32 hours.

The earbuds alone last 7 hours with ANC off and 6 hours with ANC on. So when the earbuds run out, the charging case can recharge them just over four times.

Battery score: 7.5

We don't know how long it takes to charge the earbuds or the case. But you don't want to be left without music. That could cause a panic! 😱

So it's useful to know how much battery your earbuds have left. Check the Samsung Wear app or the Bluetooth settings on your phone or PC. There, now you can breathe easy again and plan when to charge your earbuds.

Battery percentage in the Samsung Wear app on the left, and in your phone's settings on the right.

Overall, we're happy with the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro's battery life. In our view, they last long enough.

That said, the batteries in the earbuds and charging case aren't the largest available. That means shorter battery life, but it also keeps them compact. There's always a trade-off.

The charging case

As mentioned, the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro charging case is compact. That's down to its relatively small 515 mAh battery.

Compared with the Jabra Elite Active 8 charging case and its 750 mAh battery, that's quite a difference. But the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro charging case slips more easily into your pants or jacket pocket.

The 515 mAh charging case alone provides 30 hours of playtime with ANC off and 26 hours with ANC on.

The rectangular case has heavily rounded corners on all sides. The clear lid lets you see the earbuds inside.

The flat bottom makes it easy to stand the case upright. But since the USB port is on the bottom, you'll probably lay it on its back instead.

You can charge the case wirelessly. Just use a charger that meets the Qi standard.

Next to the USB port on the bottom of the charging case is a button that puts the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro into pairing mode. This lets you connect the earbuds to your device over Bluetooth.

An LED on the front of the charging case shows the remaining battery level or other status information:

• Green: more than 60% battery;
• Yellow: between 30% and 60% battery;
• Red: less than 30% battery or charging;
• Flashing red: less than 10% battery;
• Blue: updating firmware;
• Flashing blue: Bluetooth pairing mode.

ANC: how good is the noise canceling?

Of course, the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro have ANC, especially since even the half in-ear Samsung Galaxy Buds3 have it. But there's a significant difference in ANC between the two.

Want to know what noise canceling is? Explore our guide to ANC.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 are half in-ear earbuds, and their ANC is barely noticeable. The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro, on the other hand, already provide a much better seal in your ear canal thanks to their silicone ear tips. And that helps the ANC.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro have 4 modes:

• ANC;
• Ambient sound;
• Adaptive;
• Off.

Off mode saves battery power. The other modes use more power.

Put the earbuds in and turn on ANC, and background noise is greatly reduced. That's because the microphones pick up and neutralize ambient noise.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro are available in silver and white.

But these days, every manufacturer puts "ANC" on the box. How much background noise still reaches your ears varies enormously by model and brand.

Is ANC a top priority for you? Then you may be wondering whether the Samsung Buds3 Pro are the best earbuds for you. One thing is certain: if you're choosing between these 2 Samsung versions, the Buds3 Pro and Buds3, go for the Buds3 Pro 100% if ANC matters a lot to you.

ANC score: 8

Put one earbud in and listen carefully, and you'll hear a faint hiss. Put both in, and it feels like you're in a silent bubble. You can adjust the ANC level yourself.

Do the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro filter out all background noise? No. They reduce a lot of noise, but high-pitched sounds sometimes get through, such as certain voices or squealing brakes.

Want to stay aware of your surroundings? Turn on Ambient sound. The microphones pick up sounds around you and amplify them for you. You can adjust the ambient sound level too.

You can also combine the two modes with Adaptive. This switches from ANC to ambient sound when the microphones detect sirens or voices, or during calls.

You can choose whether voices or sirens should trigger a switch from ANC to ambient sound.

We're happy with the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro's ANC. But it could be better. It filters out background noise well when switched on, though some sounds still get through.

On the other hand, surrounding sounds come through clearly when we select Ambient sound.

The app gives you plenty of ways to adjust the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro to your liking. Here, the Pro version performs far better than the half in-ear Samsung Galaxy Buds3 and is well worth the extra cost in our view.

Verdict: are the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro good?

Looking at the scores above, it's clear we have a winner on our hands with the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro. In our ears, we mean! 😂

That makes them excellent value for money. In our view, the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro can compete with more expensive high-end earbuds such as the Sony WF-1000XM5.

Where do the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro shine? They offer an excellent fit, good sound and decent ANC. The stem controls also work very nicely.

But it's not all good news. There are a few drawbacks, and they're tied to the ecosystem Samsung wants you to embrace. For example, we miss multipoint connectivity on these earbuds. Samsung has its own version, but it only works with other Samsung devices.

Other features, including certain codecs and AI functions, only work on the newest and most expensive Samsung phones and tablets. And we think that's a real shame!

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