The Samsung Galaxy Buds FE are budget-friendly noise cancelling (ANC) earbuds. They're more affordable than the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 but have fewer features than other models in the lineup, so you won't find head-tracking features or multi-device pairing. Still, you can expect Samsung's hallmarks, like solid noise cancelling, and Samsung-specific features like manufacturer-dependent codec support for streaming higher-quality audio.
Our Verdict
The Samsung Buds FE are very good for sports and fitness. Unlike other buds from Samsung, they have stability fins, which help keep them comfortable and in place during workouts. While they're also well-built, they're only rated IPX2 for resistance against light rain.
- Stable in-ear fit and very comfortable.
- Rated IPX2.
- No volume controls by default.
The Samsung Buds FE are great for commuting and travel. These comfortable buds have noise cancelling and are well-suited for cutting down passenger chatter, the high-pitched hums of fans, and deeper-pitched noises like engines. With their ANC on, they last over six hours continuously, so if you need to top them up, their carrying case holds an extra 2.5 charges. They're also well-built and lightweight, making them easy to take with you on the go.
- Excellent noise isolation performance.
- Good overall microphone performance.
- Stable in-ear fit and very comfortable.
- Rated IPX2.
- No multi-device pairing.
- No volume controls by default.
The Samsung Buds FE are great for office use. They're comfortable, lightweight, and even equipped with excellent ANC, so you can easily block out chatty co-workers. Their over six-hour continuous battery life may not be enough to get you through your day, but their carrying case supplies roughly 2.5 additional charges. Unfortunately, they don't support multi-device pairing, but their microphone system does performs very well.
- Excellent noise isolation performance.
- Good overall microphone performance.
- Stable in-ear fit and very comfortable.
- No multi-device pairing.
- No volume controls by default.
The Samsung Buds FE are Bluetooth-only headphones. They have high latency via SBC, which can cause delays between your audio and visuals. On the upside, if you're a mobile gamer on a Samsung device, you can benefit from their 'Game Mode,' which helps lower latency on these devices. But it won't work on other devices.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds FE are truly wireless earbuds; you can't use them wired.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds FE have decent audio reproduction accuracy. They're mainly let down by a few big peaks and dips in the treble range, which can render sounds like cymbals alternately dull or piercing. Otherwise, their left and right drivers are well-aligned in terms of phase and amplitude, and their great group delay performance ensures tight bass and transparent treble reproduction. These buds do have a warm sound, which many will appreciate, but fans of brighter headphones may wish to look elsewhere.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds FE have amazing noise isolation. They excel at cutting out higher-pitched sounds like workplace HVAC noise but also do an effective job minimizing the low rumbles of bus and train engines. If you're wearing these in an office, the sound of nearby conversations will be greatly reduced.
In our testing, these buds produce good microphone results. While it doesn't capture much treble, meaning your voice lacks sparkle, it does a great job of separating your voice from any surrounding noise, which could be handy if you're taking a call while on a busy street. That said, it's worth noting that we've received several reports from our readers indicating that the mic system doesn't perform well in real-world settings.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds FE are excellent when it comes to frequency response consistency. Once you achieve a solid fit with the right pair of ear tips, you'll experience consistent audio delivery. Our frequency response measurements will be reflective of their actual performance for the vast majority of people.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Dec 15, 2025:
In the Noise Handling section of this review, we noted that some readers have found this mic to function poorly, despite our testing showing good results. We also updated the usages accordingly.
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Updated Sep 15, 2025:
We've updated these headphones' Cumulative Spectral Decay graph, adding an extra 4.45ms of impulse delay to our results to obtain a correct measurement.
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Updated Apr 29, 2025:
We've updated the review to list the correct number of charges supplied by the earbuds' case in the Battery box.
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Updated Apr 25, 2025:
We've updated the Noise Isolation section of the review to reflect user-reported issues with the earbuds' ANC.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Samsung Galaxy Buds FE come in two color variants: 'Graphite' and 'White'. We tested the 'White' model; you can see their label here. If you encounter another variant of these buds, please let us know in the forums below.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Samsung Galaxy Buds FE are budget-friendly buds. They're on the lowest end of Samsung's price scale, and while they don't support features like 360 Audio for a more immersive sound, there are a couple of improvements over other buds in their lineup. They have a more comfortable fit than the Samsung Galaxy Buds2, thanks to their removable stability fins, which are handy if you want to use them at the gym during tough workouts. They also have a longer continuous battery life than other models in this lineup. That said, even though their ANC offers excellent overall performance, the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro still cut out more low rumbles, while the Buds FE block more high-pitched noise.
Samsung's Galaxy series of earbuds tend to pair best with Android phones. If you're an iPhone user, the Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation are a solid alternative, although you do pay a bit more for the privilege of iOS-specific features like personalized volume and automatic ear detection. And if you're looking for a cross-platform alternative, the Nothing Ear (a) are a great pick. They have a balanced sound and support multi-device pairing, but their noise isolation and mic aren't as good as the Samsung's.
Check out our picks for the best wireless earbuds for Android, the best sounding wireless earbuds, and the best noise cancelling earbuds.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds2 have a few additional features compared to the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE. While both buds look somewhat similar, the Buds2 support 360 Audio, a head-tracking feature that can create a more immersive audio experience. Both have effective noise cancelling. However, the FE model are more comfortable thanks to their stability fin design, and have a longer continuous battery life.
The Sony WF-C700N Truly Wireless and Samsung Galaxy Buds FE stand as value-driven options with noise cancelling features. The Sony headphones include a greater IPX4 rating against water, a longer continuous battery life, straightforward controls, and a virtual surround sound feature. They also have multi-pairing for up to two devices. However, their noise cancelling isn't as strong as the Samsung earbuds' ANC. The Samsung headphones also sound good, but with a more rudimentary EQ. They include Samsung's proprietary adaptive codec for use with the brand's phones. Their built-in stability fins are great for ensuring a secure fit for some people's ears, but they aren't enough for everybody. They also have a lower IPX2 rating and shorter battery life per single charge, but store more charges in the case than the Sony model.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro have a few more features than the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE. The Pro model have a higher IP rating for water resistance, comparable noise isolation, and a head-tracking feature, making for a more immersive audio experience. That said, the FE model are more comfortable, thanks to their stability fins, and their battery life is better.
Choosing between the Nothing Ear (a) and the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE depends on how much you like to tweak your audio and which mobile device you own. The Nothing headphones have nearly the same functionality regardless of your OS and a much more nuanced and comprehensive custom EQ. They also let you pair with two devices simultaneously. On the other hand, the Samsung headphones' EQ presets are only accessible through the Android app, and their better quality codecs are exclusive to Samsung devices. That said, their noise isolation and battery life are a bit better than the Nothing headphones', but they can only connect to one device at a time.
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You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
Test Results
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