The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 are the third generation of Samsung's Galaxy series of earbuds, following the Samsung Galaxy Buds2. Unlike their predecessors, which had an in-ear design, these have an open, stemmed earbud design. And if you have a compatible Galaxy device, you also gain access to AI-assisted translation, adaptive EQ, and adaptive noise cancelling.
Our Verdict
The Samsung Buds3 are good for sports and fitness. They're portable, stable, and have decent controls. On the other hand, they don't have any stability fins, and they do a poor job blocking out noise, so you'll hear what's going on around you at the gym. Still, they're certified IP57 for dust and water resistance, so they'll survive a drop in the pool as long as you fish them out before they sink more than a meter down.
- Good stability.
- Certified IP57 for dust and water resistance.
- Decently comfortable.
- Poor noise isolation.
Poor microphone noise handling.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 are acceptable for commuting and traveling. They're decently comfortable and exceptionally portable, so they'll fit into your pocket or a small bag easily. Unfortunately, they do a poor job of blocking out external noise, especially loud sounds like a train engine. They only have an okay battery life, too. They'll get you through a short-haul flight, but you might have to charge them if you have any long layovers. If you like to listen loud, people around you will hear your audio. All told, they wouldn't be the best choice for long trips via bus, train, or plane.
- Certified IP57 for dust and water resistance.
- Decently comfortable.
- Poor noise isolation.
Poor microphone noise handling.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 are passable for office use. They're decently comfortable and don't leak too much audio, especially if you're listening at reasonable levels, but they do a bad job blocking out office sounds. On the plus side, their microphone has decent recording quality so if you're working from a private office, you'll be able to make calls on them. But if you make calls in a busy area, the person you're speaking to might have trouble understanding you.
- Good microphone recording quality.
- Decently comfortable.
- Poor noise isolation.
Poor microphone noise handling.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 aren't suitable for wireless gaming. You can use them with PCs via their Bluetooth connection, but their latency is too high to be suitable for gaming.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 are truly wireless headphones; you can't use them wired.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 have decent audio reproduction accuracy. In general, they don't deviate much from their warm sound profile, although a big peak and dip in the treble region can mean sounds like sibilants are rendered dull or piercing depending on their pitch. On the plus side, the left and right drivers are well-matched in both amplitude and phase, so objects are correctly placed in the stereo field. There are also no audible colorations caused by harmonic distortion. If you like a warm, smooth sound, these buds are a satisfactory choice.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 have poor noise isolation. By design, they don't form a seal with your inner ear, so you'll hear everything from the low rumble of a passing bus to coworkers chatting nearby. For the same reason, they leak a lot of audio. If you listen at moderately high levels, people nearby will be able to hear a thin version of your audio.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 have a passable microphone. On the plus side, the mic captures your voice fairly accurately, so you sound clear, if a little thin. But the mic's noise handling is poor. Loud sounds like train engines overwhelm the system, making you impossible to understand. When making calls with these earbuds, it's best to do so in quiet areas.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 have impressive frequency response consistency. Once you achieve a good fit, you can expect to hear consistent sound across wears.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Mar 26, 2026:
This review has been updated to Test Bench 2.1, which removes the Group Delay test and rebalances scoring for the Harmonic Distortion test and Audio Reproduction Accuracy performance usage. For more details, consult our full changelog.
- Updated Mar 24, 2026: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.1, which features minor updates to our sound tests.
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Updated Jan 09, 2026:
This review has been updated to Test Bench 2.0, which adds the following tests: Stereo Mismatch, Group Delay, Cumulative Spectral Decay, PRTF, Harmonic Distortion, and Electrical Aspects. We've added new performance usages and updated the text throughout the Sound tests and side-by-sides.
- Updated Dec 15, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.0, which updates our sound tests and performance usages. You can read more about this in our changelog.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Truly Wireless come in two colors: 'Silver' and 'White.' You can see our model's label. If you come across another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update the review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 are the third generation of Samsung's Galaxy series of earbuds. Unlike their silicone-tipped in-ear predecessors, the Samsung Galaxy Buds2, the Samsung Galaxy Buds+, and Samsung Galaxy Buds, the Samsung Buds 3 have an earbud-style design that sits outside the ear canal. Some people may find this more comfortable, as there's none of the plunger-like feeling that in-ears with silicone tips can produce. The downside is that getting the same fit and sound between wears is harder to achieve, and since the buds don't form a seal with your ears, the Buds3 aren't as good as the Buds2 at blocking out noise.
If ANC is important to you, the Sony WF-1000XM5 Truly Wireless are far better at blocking out noise than the Buds3. On the other hand, if you're interested in earbuds but are invested in the Apple ecosystem, consider the Apple AirPods 4 or the Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. The Apple buds don't have dedicated volume controls, but they do have a better build quality.
Check out our recommendations for the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds, the best Samsung earbuds, and the best wireless earbuds for Android.
The Apple AirPods (3rd generation) and the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 target users of different ecosystems. The Samsung come with additional features for users of Samsung Galaxy devices, while the Apple are best for anyone invested in Apple's ecosystem. That aside, the Samsung are more versatile buds as they have a better-performing microphone and are a bit more stable in the ear.
Unlike the in-ear Samsung Galaxy Buds2, the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 have an earbud-style design. Some people may find this makes the Buds3 more comfortable as they don't produce a suction feeling. On the other hand, it means the Buds3 offer poor noise isolation. Still, the Buds2 will be better for most people as they have b etter ANC and a better microphone.
The Nothing Ear are better, more versatile earbuds than the Samsung Galaxy Buds3. The Nothing have a microphone that does a better job separating your voice from noise around you, along with superior ANC. They also feel better built. That said, if you have a compatible Samsung Galaxy device, the Buds3 might be more useful to you, as you'll be able to use some AI-enhanced features like live voice translation.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 are more conventional earbuds than the Anker Soundcore C30i with a lot more bass on tap and a greater IP57 rating. On the other hand, if you prize situational awareness, despite their unsealed fit, they still block out some of your environment, and their battery life is worse. The Anker are more niche and trade off sound quality for a totally open fit. They're more stable than the Samsung, too, with OS-agnostic app support. However, the Anker lack the AI tools and any noise cancelling included with the Samsung buds.
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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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