Hello to everyone who's stopped by!
I've been using these amazing earbuds for around six months now, so I'm confident I can share the pros and cons of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro earbuds.
This isn't my first wireless headset from Samsung, so I've got something to compare it to.
The packaging:
The box it came in was small and sleek, straight from the Samsung store. Inside, I found:
A case with the earbuds nestled inside;A cable;Two extra ear tips in S and M sizes;A user manual.
The packaging
The design:
I'm not a huge fan of the gray color, so I wasn't blown away by the looks. I'd have preferred a classic black. But, it seems Samsung only releases the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro in gray and white.
Still, they do look pretty stylish and premium.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro earbuds
I've been wearing them, and they look great in my ears. The narrow strip with a backlight on the earbud stem is a nice touch, and you can even customize the blink pattern to your liking.
These earbuds look like they're made for a kid
I love how each earbud has a colored stripe on the bottom of the stem. It's mirrored inside the case, making it super easy to tell which one goes where. Genius!
Those color stripes
The case itself is also really well-designed, with a transparent lid and a sleek shape that fits perfectly in my hand. It's a great value for money.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro earbuds
On the bottom of the case, you'll find a Type-C port for charging and a pairing button. It's all very straightforward and easy to use.
Type-C port
I ended up buying a silicone case to protect the original one, and it's been a game-changer. It's not perfect, but it does the job and has a few nice features (if you're interested).
Silicone caseThat's all I have to say about it, as it does its job well, but it's not without a few quirks (if you care).
1. Now it's a bit harder to shove the case into a tight pocket;
2. The charging indicator light on the case is barely visible through the silicone;
3. There are always some lint or dust particles clinging to the case, which takes away from its overall look. But overall, it's a good product.
Case
I've got to say, while the case is cute, my previous Samsung Galaxy Buds+ still win me over in terms of compactness and ergonomics. The tiny size of the earbuds themselves and the case makes them super portable – they fit into any pocket or bag, no matter how small.
Comparison with Buds+
Connecting to my phone:
The initial sync went smoothly and quickly – my Samsung S23 picked up the earbuds in no time and connected without any issues.
The software was already installed on my phone and accessible through the Galaxy Wearable section (same place where you can find watch settings for Galaxy Watch). With the latest updates, you can now move the earbuds settings to the main settings menu, which is a nice touch.
Menu Settings Item
Subsequent connections were a breeze, no issues at all!
What I really like is that even if Bluetooth is turned off on my phone, as soon as I open the earbuds' lid, it automatically picks up the signal and prompts me to connect to the earbuds. It's honestly magic!
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro Earbuds
Comfort of Wearing:
I started with the medium-sized ear tips and they fit me perfectly. While I tried out two other sizes, I didn't notice a huge difference. I guess I could've comfortably worn any of them, but I stuck with the middle ground.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro Earbuds
The earbuds fit snugly into my ears and don't fall out, even during intense workouts or when I'm running on the treadmill. I can move my head around freely without any issues.
My only problem is that they sometimes try to fall out when I'm adjusting my long, loose hair and accidentally touch the earbud's stem. So, if you have super long, thick locks like me, be careful!
Be careful with long hair
I've gotta say, the settings menu is pretty cool, especially the Earbud Position Check feature. It's a nice touch that shows whether the earbuds are in the right spot or not. I don't use it too often, but it's come in handy a few times when I thought I had them in correctly, but they weren't.
Checking the earbud position in your ear
Personally, I'm not a huge fan of wearing earbuds all the time. They get in the way of conversations, even when it's quiet, and I'm not a fan of having something foreign in my body. So, I usually wear them for commutes to and from work, or during long conversations when I need my hands free - about 3 hours a day. During that time, I don't feel any discomfort. My previous Buds+ used to press against my ear from the inside, which is probably why I ended up switching to these.
Comparison to Buds+
Ease of use:
I'm giving this a big thumbs up!
Stopping music with a tap on the button at the end of the leg is super convenient! Its placement really hit the spot. No more accidental presses like I used to get with their predecessors. With those, I'd just brush my hair and knock against the sensor on the body, and music would stop. Not here, though - not once! Just tap the button (or pinch, as they call it).
At first, I did have a bit of trouble with this 'pinch' thing, figuring out where exactly to pinch and how to do it. But you get the hang of it pretty quickly, and after a week of using it, I wasn't even thinking about it anymore.
The button is located at the back of the leg, near the bottom:
Where you need to tapTap exactly on this spot.
If you get it right, you'll hear a soft click, and the music will start up again.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro earbudsThey respond well to touch, especially to a single tap, which I use to start or stop the track or answer/hang up calls.
Honestly, I've had some trouble with the double-tap feature - it's just not clicking with me. I find myself struggling to get the next track to play, and it's often a hit-or-miss affair. Sometimes I'm too eager and tap too quickly, other times I'm too slow. Maybe it's just because I don't use this feature often enough.
On the other hand, I've found the volume control to be super easy to use - just swipe up or down on the side of the leg, and it works like a charm. Plus, the unconventional motion means you'll never accidentally change the volume by mistake.
The battery life is also a non-issue for me. I charge the case about once a week, and it takes around 1.5-2 hours to get from zero to full.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro
Now, let's talk about the real star of the show - sound quality:
I have to admit, when I first put them on, I didn't exactly get that 'wow' factor. But after comparing them to my previous earbuds (which, coincidentally, weren't exactly cheap) and tweaking the settings to my liking, I was blown away! The depth of sound and overall quality are incredible! Now I find myself wanting to wear both earbuds, crank up the volume, and immerse myself in the music, catching every detail, every nuance, every subtle tone! It's pure bliss!
Phone calls are fine, actually. I can hear the person on the other end super clearly. The only sour note is that a lot of people complain that I sound muffled when I talk a bit softer than usual. Especially in public transport. I might need to dig deeper into the settings, because I haven't seen this issue mentioned anywhere else, but for me, that's the biggest downside of this headset.
Some other cool features worth mentioning:
1. When I take out one earbud, the music instantly stops. That's super handy when, for example, I run into someone unexpectedly and need to quickly turn off the music to chat.
2. Although the headset has an even cooler feature: it automatically turns down the music when it detects my voice, and turns it back up after we're done talking. It works like a charm.
3. You can control it with either earbud, no need to remember which one has which function.
4. There's a great 'Find my earbuds' feature in the settings. When you click on it, each earbud starts beeping and flashing brighter and brighter!
Find my earbuds
5. There's also voice control. Mine only supports English commands, though.
Voice commands
6. I've found it really handy to add the 'Battery' widget to my home screen so I can keep an eye on how much juice is left in each earbud. You can also expand it for quick access to 'Sound Modes', which lets you switch between adaptive and transparent audio modes in a jiffy.
The widget on my home screen
7. The Adapt Sound feature is a game-changer for me - it adjusts the audio to my personal hearing preferences. I'm really impressed by how well it works.
8. And the pièce de résistance: you can actually hear what's going on in another room through the earbuds! It's a pretty cool feature that's accessible through the 'Special Features' > 'Sound Enhancement' > 'Environmental Sound Boost' settings. Just leave the phone in one room and take the earbuds with you - you'll be able to hear everything the phone's mic picks up. It's wild!
Verdict:
So, what can I say about the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro? Excellent sound quality, ease of use, seamless connection and syncing - no complaints there. They look great, too, and have a ton of interesting features.
My only minor quibbles are that voice control is only in English, and some of my friends have complained about poor sound quality when I turn down the volume.
Other than that, these earbuds are a real winner!
Thanks for sticking with me, and I hope my review was helpful!