Latest news with #GalaxyBuds
Gizmodo
8 hours ago
- Gizmodo
Samsung's New ‘Fan Edition' Earbuds Beat the Pricier Buds 3 Pro in One Key Way
After some major leaks earlier this month, Samsung's Galaxy Buds 3 FE are finally here, and on paper, they look like a pretty good deal. While the 'FE' moniker, short for Fan Edition, often signifies a lower price point in exchange for some compromises on features, the new Galaxy Buds 3 FE actually beats Samsung's Galaxy Buds 3 Pro in a couple of key areas, and one of those battlegrounds is battery life. According to Samsung, the $150 Buds 3 FE offer 6 hours of battery with active noise cancellation (ANC) activated and 8.5 hours with ANC off. That's compared to the $190 Buds 3 Pro battery life, which clocks in at 6 hours and 7 hours with ANC on and off, respectively. I would have liked to see the ANC battery life get a bump here too, but it's nice to know that if you need to, you can get an extra hour and a half for less money. Those battery life numbers aren't mind-blowing in the general field of wireless earbuds, but they do put the Galaxy Buds 3 FE on par with comparably priced buds from OnePlus. The other category that the Galaxy Buds FE 3 excel in is weight. These wireless earbuds are actually 5 grams lighter than the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, which isn't an enormous difference but is enough to give the FE a slight edge if you're comparing the two against each other. It's also worth noting that Samsung managed to decrease the weight while upgrading the battery life, which is always a feat worth mentioning when it comes to any gadget, earbuds included. The next biggest selling point is the fact that the Galaxy Buds FE 3 match a lot of the Pro features while keeping the starting price lower. The first thing you'll probably notice is that the new Buds FE 3 borrow the same AirPods-like design as the Buds 3 Pro, which is nice if you like Apple's white earbuds but maybe not so nice if you're looking for something different. There is a slight difference here in that the Galaxy Buds FE 3 come with a matte finish as opposed to the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro's glossy one, though, and they don't have any LED lights on the stems—sorry, blades—themselves. On top of a similar design, the Galaxy Buds FE 3 also come equipped with real-time AI translation features (only if you have a Samsung phone) and hands-free Gemini compatibility so you can activate and use your voice assistant without unlocking your phone. AI features probably won't be make-or-break for most people, but it's nice to know that they'll be there if you should need/want them. As is the case with any pair of wireless earbuds, the biggest question will be in the sound. One notable difference between the Buds 3 Pro and Buds 3 FE is that the former has a dual-driver design while the latter has just one driver. It's hard to say what kind of difference that will make without hearing them back-to-back, but I'm guessing the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro will have an edge when it comes to fidelity and dynamic range. Even with that difference, however, the Buds 3 FE feel like a good deal for the price, and if you're looking to save a little bit of money but not make any major compromises, this could be the pair of Samsung wireless earbuds you're looking for.
Engadget
16 hours ago
- Engadget
Samsung brings its AirPods-esque 'blade' design to the Galaxy Buds 3 FE
Last summer, Samsung overhauled its Galaxy Buds line with the Galaxy Buds 3 and 3 Pro. This year, the company is adding a third, more affordable option to its earbuds family with the Galaxy Buds 3 FE ($150). This so-called "fan edition" carries a "blade" design similar to the existing Galaxy Buds 3 duo, but has the ear tip fit akin to the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. Active noise cancellation (ANC) is still in the mix here, even with the lower price, and a solid list of features make these an option to consider for owners of a recent Galaxy phone. The Galaxy Buds 3 FE are the successor to the the Galaxy Buds FE that debuted in 2023. As such, many of the company's comparisons and claims about improvements are pitted against the performance of that model. That previous version came before Samsung swapped over to the AirPods-like stem design, or "blade" as the company describes it, so this new FE edition looks very different from its predecessor. The onboard controls are situated along that stem like the rest of the Galaxy Buds 3 line, including audio playback and volume adjustments. Samsung's Galaxy Buds 3 FE have a similar "blade" design to the existing Galaxy Buds 3 duo (Samsung) To improve call quality on the Galaxy Buds 3 FE, Samsung says it relocated the voice microphones to the stem so they're closer to the user's mouth. The company also explains that it made changes to audio quality thanks to larger speakers than the previous FE version for "powerful sound with deep bass and clear treble." There's also "enhanced" ANC and the aforementioned call upgrades include noise reduction technology that can isolate your voice in less-than-ideal environments. Another slight improvement is in the area of battery life. The Galaxy Buds 3 FE can last up to eight and a half hours with ANC off, or up to 30 hours total when you factor in the charging case. That's 90 minutes longer than the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. With ANC enabled, battery life compared to the current Pro model is unchanged at six hours (24 hours total with the case). Lastly, the ingress protection isn't quite as robust as the Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. Those two sets of earbuds are IP57 rated for dust protection and water immersion. However, the Galaxy Buds 3 FE is IP54 rated, so it's only promised to withstand water splashes. The Galaxy Buds 3 FE will be available on September 4 for $150 in Black and Gray color options.
Android Authority
16 hours ago
- Android Authority
New Galaxy Buds 3 FE bring Pro-level features at a much lower price
Samsung TL;DR Samsung has announced the Galaxy Buds 3 FE with a design identical to the Buds 3 Pro. Besides the similar design, the Buds 3 FE also get features such as the AI Interpreter mode, Crystal Clear Sound, and 360° spatial audio. The Buds 3 FE are lighter but get a longer battery life than the Buds 3 Pro. Unlike its smartphones, Samsung does not follow a yearly upgrade cycle for its flagship earbuds. The Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro, launched in July 2024, have yet to find a successor. And while these flagship Buds may not be everyone's first choice because of their price, Samsung is launching the Galaxy Buds 3 FE that offers similar features for a much more accessible price, which succeed the former Buds FE, skipping the second generation altogether. The Galaxy Buds 3 FE earbuds bring a design identical to the Buds 3 Pro's 'blade' shape, which gets its name from the atypically angled stem. It's not entirely similar because the Buds 3 FE replaces the lights with a simpler black-colored vertical bar. The stem still enables controls for active noise cancelling by pinching and volume controls by swiping up or down. However, while the metallic finish on the Buds 3 Pro lends to the blade's identity, the FE comes with a matte finish in black and gray color options paired with semi-transparent cases. Looks aside, the Galaxy Buds 3 FE are claimed to offer many of the Pro's features. For starters, the Buds 3 FE offer hands-free conversations with Gemini, where you can say 'Hey Google' and interact with the assistant without unlocking or turning your phone on. Samsung doesn't comment on the availability of custom commands, as supported on the Buds 3 Pro, but we hope to learn about it soon after launch. Don't want to miss the best from Android Authority? Set us as a preferred source in Google Search to support us and make sure you never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more. Next, the Buds 3 FE also support Samsung's AI features, including live translation, where you can use the earbuds for real-time translation. But beware, this feature only works if you have a Samsung phone running the Galaxy AI Interpreter app. Pairing with a Samsung device also allows for more nuanced 24-bit Hi-Fi audio with a 96kHz sample rate, but to enable this feature, you would need to switch to the proprietary Samsung Seamless Code (or SSC). The earbuds also receive support for 360° spatial audio, which the previous FE lacked. Samsung The 'Crystal Clear Sound' feature is said to use pre-trained models to smooth out background noise and make your speech easier to understand. Meanwhile, the changes in design over the original Buds FE allow microphones to be placed closer to your mouth, which favors reception. The Galaxy Buds 3 FE are also slightly lighter than the Pro, weighing just 5 grams each, while the charging case weighs about 42g. The earbuds also get an IP54 rating, which ensures better water and dust-resistance than the previous FEs, although it still lags behind the IP57 rating of the Buds 3 Pro. However, in terms of battery, the Buds 3 FE take a lead over the Pro, offering 6.5 hours of playback per earbud with ANC turned on (8.5 hours without ANC) and up to 30 hours of total backup when combined with that of the case. The earbuds run on Bluetooth 5.4, though we don't have information on Auracast support. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE will be available for $149.99 in the US starting September 4. Samsung also has a trade-in offer for wired and wireless earbuds, where you can get up to $30 based on the model and the condition, which makes the deal even more attractive. Follow
Phone Arena
16 hours ago
- Business
- Phone Arena
Samsung launches Galaxy Buds 3 FE with a new design and AI smarts
Samsung has officially unveiled the Galaxy Buds 3 FE, the newest entry in its Fan Edition lineup, which aims to balance premium features with an accessible price. The earbuds are set to launch in the U.S. on September 4, 2025, for $149.99 in Black and Gray color options. Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE in Gray and Black. | Images credit — Samsung The most noticeable change is the new "blade" design, which replaces the former wingtip style for a sleeker profile. This new form factor integrates intuitive pinch and swipe controls for media and volume. For audio, the Buds 3 FE house a larger single speaker designed to deliver richer sound with deep bass and clear treble. This is paired with enhanced Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) for a more immersive listening experience. Call quality also sees an upgrade with a three-microphone system and "Crystal Clear Call" technology, which uses machine learning to isolate the user's voice from background noise. The earbuds offer a practical IP54 rating for water and dust resistance, a notable improvement over the previous generation's IPX2 rating. Battery life is rated for up to 6 hours of music playback with ANC on (24 hours total with the case) and up to 8.5 hours with ANC off (30 hours total). For those in the Samsung ecosystem, features like Auto Switch provide seamless connection-hopping between Galaxy devices , while Galaxy AI integration allows for hands-free assistance. Priced at $149.99, the Galaxy Buds 3 FE are positioned to compete with products like Apple's AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation ($179). The most significant advantage for the Buds 3 FE is the inclusion of Active Noise Cancellation, a feature completely absent on the standard AirPods 4 that are priced at a lower $129. While AirPods offer deep integration within the Apple ecosystem, the Buds 3 FE provide a comparable, feature-rich experience for Samsung and other Android users, making a strong case with the inclusion of ANC at a lower price point. The Galaxy Buds 3 FE appear to be a well-calculated product that delivers meaningful upgrades where they count most. By focusing on enhanced ANC, better call quality, and a more durable design, Samsung has addressed key areas of daily use. The decision to include these premium features, especially effective noise cancellation, at a sub-$150 price makes them a highly competitive option. For Android users, and particularly those already using Samsung devices, the Galaxy Buds 3 FE present a compelling package that offers significant value and an attractive alternative to more expensive competitors. Good news everyone! Over the past year we've been working on an exciting passion project of ours and we're thrilled to announce it will be ready to release in just a few short months. "Iconic Phones: Revolution at Your Fingertips" is a must-have coffee table book for every tech-head that will bring you on a journey to relive the greatest technological revolution of the 21st century. For more details, simply follow the link below! LEARN MORE AND SIGN UP FOR EARLY BIRD DISCOUNTS HERE
The Verge
07-08-2025
- The Verge
Samsung's inexpensive Galaxy Buds FE are even more affordable at over 50 percent off
Samsung's latest Unpacked event came and went with no major announcements related to the company's Galaxy Buds lineup. However, if you don't want to wait for what's next, you can currently save on the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE, which are down to $46.99 ($53 off) at Woot. That's their best price yet and a deal that will run until September 2nd or while supplies last. Samsung's Galaxy Buds FE offer very good sound and noise cancellation for the money. They also feature a return of the wing tip design from the older Galaxy Buds Plus — a fit some may prefer. Read our review. Despite being nearly two years old, the Buds FE remain a solid pair of wireless earbuds. They offer good sound and impressive noise cancellation for the price, but it's the fit that really stands out. Unlike the pricier Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro, the Buds FE feature a wing tip design that provides a more comfortable, secure fit. Meanwhile, a flattened touchpad area makes pausing, playing, and skipping tracks more foolproof. The Buds FE miss out on more advanced features, including a conversation mode and proper multipoint Bluetooth support. They also lack wireless charging and carry a meager IPX2 rating for water resistance, which means they could get damaged if dropped into a pool of water. That being said, a transparency mode ensures you stay aware of your surroundings by letting ambient noise in, and battery life is solid enough to last a full day. Sign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we've tested sent to your inbox weekly. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Brandon Russell Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Deals Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Gadgets Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Gaming Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Headphones Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Nintendo Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Samsung Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Tech
