Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro first impressions

Sonically, the two-way driver system uses a planar tweeter along with a dynamic woofer, both powered by their respective amplifiers, ensuring there is enough drive even for more demanding music. It unlocks hi-res audio via the SSC UHQ codec if you use a compatible Samsung phone or Bluetooth 5.4 with other devices. As is expected, using a newer-generation Samsung phone will give you access to the Wear app that controls both the smartwatches and the earbuds, unlocking a wealth of advanced features and settings that allow you to customise the sound via an EQ, take an ear-fit test, voice controls, neck-stretch reminders, software updates and select the AI-based adaptive ANC and also turn on the Hi-Res option.

Galaxy AI has been baked right into the core of all 2024 Samsung products and even the Buds3 Pro get a taste of it via the Interpreter feature that can translate speech in real-time from 13 languages (to start with) piped straight into your ears, in real-time. You could also engage in a 2-way conversation and use the flex mode of the foldable devices such as the Fold6 or Flip 6 to display your speech translated into a choice of language for the other person. It’s a nifty idea but during our test from English to Hindi, we realised that it works best only in a quiet environment without chatter in the background. When it does work though, it is pretty magical and could prove invaluable for students in a lecture or execs in a multilingual boardroom.

Speaking of, the Buds3 Pro supports Auracast, a personal radio broadcast that lets unlimited other devices tap into your stream. Alternatively, you could tap into a public stream that is being Auracasted too. Early days but seems interesting enough to have it on the feature set. Samsung’s version of Spatial Audio, known as 360 Audio does what it sounds like and with Head Tracking functionality, can make watching movies on the go a whole lot more fun than just regular 2D audio.

The Galaxy Buds3 Pro has a very different sound signature compared to the AirPods Pro, which sounds heavier in the bass and more warm in its tonality. The Galaxy Buds Pro on the other hand sounds slightly more open but also has more energy in the upper range, which can be perceived as better resolution. On 24 Hours by Tom Jones, the Buds3 Pro image well and the instruments have a good amount of space between them in the soundstage, never making the music sound congested. We had to play around with the EQ curve, adjusting it to our custom curve to achieve the most balanced sound. By default, it does have an aggressive bottom end and high frequencies that can sizzle your ears with bright recordings.

Tamalla by Vieux Farka Toure & Khruangbin sounded more open and spacious with 360 audio turned on, but not necessarily accurate. Switching it off puts the instruments immediately in focus, improving transients and dynamics. But movies, gaming and Dolby Atmos music on Apple Music certainly benefit from this feature and give the feeling of the sound simply floating in space around your head and not being piped through your ear canals.

Overall, the vocals are a tad more forward sounding and the balance is more in your face rather than the laid-back approach of the Apple AirPods Pro. Much of it will boil down to personal preference and also the device you use. The Galaxy Buds3 Pro sounds better with a Samsung phone and the AirPods Pro with an iPhone. The ANC is solid with adaptive, transparency and full noise cancellation modes available and switching between them via the stalk controls takes a bit of getting used to but works smoothly.

The earphones have a more secure fit than the AirPods Pro for sure and will easily sustain an active lifestyle better than the AirPods. The IP57 rating allows them to be dunked in water too without being discarded after. Two sets of ear tips are included in the box, along with a USB-C charging cable and they are good for at least 5 hours per charge with ANC on and more than 25 hours through the case. The most important factor to determine ultimate sound quality and ensure that you get the best from these is to get the right fit. The app-based ear fit test is a must-do while setting them up for any Galaxy phone owner and Samsung includes two additional sizes of ear tips to find your perfect fit. More would be welcome though.

After a good-fit check from the app, the Galaxy Buds3 Pro are an entertaining pair of TWS earbuds and ranks amongst the best in terms of ANC efficacy. Their LED Blade lights are more gimmick than anything else but they do help you stand out from the sea of plain white earbuds on a flight and can be customised to blink or stay lit up (or off). They do require some fine-tuning to get them to sound their best but the app is more than capable of assisting you with that. Highly recommended for Samsung fanboys.