TL;DR
Samsung's Galaxy Buds 3 FE aim to bring premium features to a more accessible price point. They boast a surprisingly premium design resistant to fingerprints, a secure and comfortable fit with good passive isolation, and impressive Active Noise Cancellation that punches above its weight, particularly for low-frequency noise. While the default sound is average, the app's EQ transforms it into something genuinely engaging with punchy bass and clear treble. Battery life is solid, and call quality is generally excellent. However, they miss out on true multipoint, high-resolution codecs, wireless charging, and an iOS app. Despite these compromises, they offer a strong package, especially if the price drops. Curious to see if they're the right fit for you? Read the full review!
Samsung’s “Fan Edition,” or FE series, has always been a bit of a mixed bag. The concept is solid: take the best features from the most expensive models and package them at a lower price. Sometimes it has succeeded, other times the compromises have been too great. Now it is the turn of a brand-new pair of earbuds, Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE.
The earbuds have a recommended price of 1,790 SEK, so they are entering the very crowded upper mid-range segment to compete. Has Samsung finally managed to find the perfect balance between price and performance? Let’s find out!
Design and Fit
The first thing that strikes you when unboxing the Buds 3 FE is that they certainly do not feel like a budget alternative. Both the case and the earbuds themselves have a matte finish that feels more premium and refined than the glossy plastic we often see. A major advantage is that the surface is gratefully resistant to fingerprints and scratches, and the earbuds are less slippery to handle.
The design is a traditional in-ear design with replaceable silicone tips. This not only guarantees good passive noise isolation, which is the foundation for effective noise cancellation, but also ensures deep and consistent bass. Unfortunately, Samsung only includes two extra sizes in addition to those already fitted. The new “blade” design, a small angular “stem” that sticks out, not only looks perfectly fine but also acts as an anchor point that ensures the earbuds sit securely and comfortably, even for long periods. They also have an IP54 rating, so you don’t have to worry about using them during a sweaty workout or in light rain.
The controls are the same as those of their more expensive siblings, featuring pinch and swipe gestures on the stem. A pinch pauses the music and a swipe adjusts the volume. It requires a reasonably firm press, which means you rarely activate something by mistake when just adjusting the fit. At the same time, it requires learning exactly how much pressure is needed for an action to register. Once you get used to it and learn how hard to press and where to swipe, it works very well.
Sound Quality and Software
Straight out of the box, the soundstage is quite uninspiring. It’s not bad by any means, but it’s not entirely balanced. Fortunately, there is the Samsung Galaxy Wearable app. By going into the app and switching from the standard mode to “Dynamic” in the equalizer, something happens. The sound opens up and becomes significantly more balanced and engaging.
With that small adjustment, the Buds 3 FE sound really good. The 11 mm driver delivers a powerful and full-bodied sound. The bass is punchy and the treble is clear without becoming sharp or fatiguing to listen to.
For those who want to fine-tune further, there is a 9-band graphic equalizer in the app. The earbuds support SBC and AAC, but if you use a Samsung phone, Samsung’s own Seamless Codec (SSC) is also supported.
The earbuds lack true Bluetooth multipoint, so you cannot be connected to a laptop and a phone simultaneously. There is a solution similar to multipoint, but it only works if you exclusively use Samsung devices. Additionally, there is no app for iOS, which makes the earbuds just a pair of very basic Bluetooth headphones on that platform, without the ability to adjust sound, controls, or ANC.
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Ambient Sound
Here, we at the editorial office were impressed. Thanks to the tight fit from the silicone tips, the active noise cancellation has the perfect conditions to work, and the result is truly great; there is nothing in this price range that performs at this level.
Low-frequency noise from trains, buses, and airplanes almost completely disappears. Furthermore, they handle wind noise in an exemplary manner, something many other earbuds struggle with. There is no adaptive ANC; instead, you have to set the level yourself in the app. We strongly recommend setting it to maximum.
Battery Life & Charging
According to Samsung itself, you should be able to get up to 6 hours of listening with noise cancellation turned on, and 8.5 hours with it turned off. The case then provides approximately three extra full charges, for a total playtime of up to 24 hours with ANC on, or 30 hours without.
This aligns quite well with our tests; we get 5–6 hours with ANC on and 7–8 hours without. Quite acceptable nonetheless.
The case only supports charging via USB-C, so there is no support for wireless charging. Placing the earbuds in the case for five minutes provides about one hour of listening time. Charging the case fully takes about 90 minutes, and charging the earbuds fully in the case takes about 50 minutes.
Call Quality
On paper, it looks promising with three microphones per bud and Samsung’s “Crystal Clear Call” technology, and in our tests, they also perform well. We find that the voice pickup is clear and distinct in most situations.
They handle wind noise better than many competitors, which is a major plus when taking a call on the go. We have had some issues in extremely noisy environments, where the microphones picked up ambient sounds and amplified them rather than filtering them out. However, this was not something we experienced as a consistent problem during our test period. For standard calls, even outdoors, we consider the call quality to be fully satisfactory.
Conclusion
With a recommended price of around 1,790 SEK, Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE are not cheap earbuds, but at the same time, they are a smart and well-balanced product. Instead of being a completely watered-down version of a flagship model, they feel like a product where Samsung has focused on what really counts: a comfortable and secure fit, surprisingly good sound, and active noise cancellation that is top-tier for its price class.
There are, however, some drawbacks that prevent them from receiving a top rating: the lack of high-resolution codecs, wireless charging, multipoint, and an app for iOS. But overall, we are still pleased with Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE. If the price approaches 1,000–1,200 SEK during a sale, they are an obvious purchase.
Samsung sent review units for this test. Senders of material have no editorial influence on our tests; we always write independently with you, the readers and consumers, in focus.
