Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review: A feature-packed set of earbuds

Samsung's Galaxy Buds family of headphones have offered some distinctive designs. From the Galaxy Buds Live with a bean-like shape to the petite and egg-shaped Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, I've enjoyed the compact nature of Samsung's wireless earbuds through the previous iterations.

With the latest release, there's a shift in design to mimic that of the Apple AirPods Pro. Now with a pronounced stem, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are distinctly different to the buds they replace.

I use in-ear noise-cancelling headphones daily and I've been living with the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro to put them through their paces and to see if this is a change for the better.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro: At a glance

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro

£219 at Samsung

Pros

• Good noise-cancelling performance
• Great sound quality
• Voice controls
• Lots of controls and features

Cons

• The shape of the stem is uncomfortable to pinch
• Price is high
• Siren detection is easily confused
• Some features are limited to Samsung phones

Key specifications

Battery life	26 hours (6 hours on a single charge)
Water resistance rating	IP57
Noise-cancelling	Yes
Colours	White, Silver
Weight	5.4g per earbud (57.3g with the case)

If you've seen any of Samsung's earbuds before, you'll immediately spot that the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro have a different design. I won't beat around the bush, they now look like Apple AirPods Pro, but with an angular stem. That means that they are bulkier than the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro and the case is larger too – and much of this seems to be about aesthetics.

Whether or not you like the design is entirely subjective, but there's one element I'm not sold on. The angular stem feels uncomfortable to pinch compared to AirPods or the Nothing Ear earbuds. It's not a deal breaker, it's just a shame that Samsung didn't evolve the more discreet offering it had previously.

Indeed, the inclusion of LED strips (called “Blade Lights”) on the stems of the Buds 3 Pro seems to be about standing out rather than blending in. These earbuds also have an IP57 rating, meaning they are protected against dust and water.

I tested these headphones in a variety of different situations, including on an international flight and on the London Underground. I also used them when running. With a choice of ear tips, I found it easy to get a nice secure fit. At all times I found them to be comfortable and never felt like they were going to fall out.

Control comes through pinching or swiping the stems. The controls are conventional, allowing single, double and triple pinches, as well as pinch and hold. These can be customised to your preference in the accompanying app, but I found it only took a short time to get used to the default controls, compared to the taps of previous Samsung Galaxy Buds.

The stems also support a swipe to increase or decrease the volume, which I really like, although there are voice controls too. These allow basic commands (for volume adjustment and playing music) and don't require a trigger word – you just say "volume up" and the volume increases. This is a really handy feature.

Samsung has packed the Buds 3 Pro with lots of tech to boost the sound quality and squeeze all the quality out of the music that they can. The results are great. I found that the overall performance was excellent, whether that was listening to podcasts on BBC iPlayer or listening to the latest Fontaines D.C. tracks.

The app allows a range of customisations so you can tune the sound to your preference, but I liked the sound leaning towards the bassy, which was standard. You can also opt to engage 360 Audio (spatial audio) with head tracking, but only when connected to a Samsung phone. If you're using a non-Samsung phone, you don't get this mode for a more immersive experience.

The noise cancelling on the Buds 3 Pro is also very capable, but occasionally I did find it creates a slight pressure imbalance as it reacts to external sound. When testing these headphones flying I found they removed a good deal of background hiss and rumble for a more relaxing flight. On the London Underground, however, they struggled with the high noise levels encountered – that's not uncommon – but it highlights another issue.

Samsung's Buds 3 Pro offer a "siren detect" feature, designed to switch you from noise cancelling to ambient mode so you’re made aware of a potential emergency. I found this was triggered by the squeal of the London Underground, so as the train accelerated out of the station, the headphones flipped to ambient mode and let all the sound in – not great!

The ambient sound settings also offer different levels, meaning you choose how loud external noise is when it's let through. This is a handy customisation option that many earbuds don't offer, but for now, you might want to leave the “siren detect” feature turned off.

The battery life on the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro stands at seven hours of listening, or six hours with noise cancellation. That's boosted to around 30 hours with recharging via the case (or 26 hours when using noise cancelling).

The Buds 3 Pro are easy to fit into the case, which charges via USB-C on the bottom, or via wireless charging.

I don't think this case is quite as nice as the matte option on the previous Samsung earbuds – it's larger and feels a bit cheaper. However, the clear plastic lid means you can see if your earbuds are inside, which is great when you're rushing out the door.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are a capable set of wireless in-ear buds, loaded with features, with Samsung users getting the best experience.

While the change in design makes them a little more like Apple’s AirPods, the performance of these headphones remains strong. They are, however, fairly expensive with rivals out there offering a similar experience for less money. It's worth reading our best wireless earbuds guide before making your decision.

If you like that twist on the stem design and you use a Samsung smartphone, then you'll find that the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are capable headphones, with plenty to offer.

Chris Hall

Chris Hall is a freelance journalist who specialises in consumer technology, pursuing a passion that started over 20 years ago. In 2008 he took on a full-time Reviews Editor position at technology website Pocket-lint.com, before stepping up to Editor-in-Chief in 2012. Chris led coverage over a 15-year tenure, exposing him to every gadget, system and technology you'd ever want to know about.   

Chris left the Editor-in-Chief position at Pocket-lint.com in 2023 having published over 4,000 articles on consumer technology. His experience covers everything from smartphones and headphones to cars and computers. Chris doesn't just test for reviews, he lives with a lot of technology, building a smart home and looking for a simpler solution to a connected home. This is much to his family's irritation, because everything is always changing, especially the remote controls.  

As a freelance writer, Chris has contributed to The Telegraph, T3.com, TechRadar and Autocar -while launching his own technology website The Disconnekt – writing news about the latest technology, guides to help people make the best choices when shopping for technology, as well as reviewing extensively.   

Chris has appeared on BBC News and Sky News, BBC Radio and The Times Radio talking technology, and even once played a part on The Apprentice. Chris has also been an expert judge at the GSMA Global Mobile Awards and the Uswitch Awards.  

When not writing about technology or rearranging the technology in his home, Chris can be found on his bike, trying to get lost in the Surrey hills.