Read our full Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review
Along those lines, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are to Galaxy phones what the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are to Pixel phones. Using them with a Samsung handset unlocks a few ecosystem-specific perks, including the hi-res Samsung Seamless codec, a real-time translation tool and a “Game Mode” that reduces latency. That’s on top of features like spatial audio, a graphic EQ, a lost device finder, adaptive ANC, simplified voice commands and automatic switching between Samsung devices.
This kind of walled garden approach is frustrating — remember when you could plug your headphones into any device and it’d work the same way every time? — but, as with the Pixel Buds and AirPods, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are undeniably convenient if you’ve already bought into their chosen platform.
The rest of the package gets more right than wrong, though there are some issues worth calling out. The stem-style design pretty much rips off the AirPods Pro — this is particularly evident with the white finish — but adds weird, unnecessary LED strips down the stems. It’s comfortable, but Samsung isn’t beating the copycat allegations here. The ANC isn’t on par with the Sony XM5s either, and the six-hour battery life is shorter than many other premium pairs. There’s also no hi-res codec support with non-Samsung phones. On the plus side, the ambient sound mode works well. And most importantly, these things sound excellent out of the box, with full, meaty bass complemented by amply detailed highs and upper-mids.
It’s worth noting that Samsung froze shipments of the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro right around launch due to quality control concerns (mainly regarding the stock eartips), but those look to have been resolved, and we haven’t seen anything out of the ordinary with our review unit.
Trending Products
Thermaltake V250 Motherboard Sync ARGB ATX Mid-Tower Chassis with 3 120mm 5V Addressable RGB Fan + 1 Black 120mm Rear Fan Pre-Installed CA-1Q5-00M1WN-00
Sceptre Curved 24-inch Gaming Monitor 1080p R1500 98% sRGB HDMI x2 VGA Build-in Speakers, VESA Wall Mount Machine Black (C248W-1920RN Series)
HP 27h Full HD Monitor – Diagonal – IPS Panel & 75Hz Refresh Rate – Smooth Screen – 3-Sided Micro-Edge Bezel – 100mm Height/Tilt Adjust – Built-in Dual Speakers – for Hybrid Workers,Black
Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo – Full-Sized Ergonomic Keyboard with Wrist Rest, Phone Holder, Sleep Mode, Silent 2.4GHz Cordless Keyboard Mouse Combo for Computer, Laptop, PC, Mac, Windows -Trueque
