Samsung just announced that its Galaxy Buds3 FE are set to launch in the U.S. on Sept. 4, and will be available in black or gray for $149.99. This announcement comes with some pretty high expectations on our end — we were so impressed by the Galaxy Buds FE that we awarded them a 4.4 out of 5 stars. According to Mashable’s RJ Andersen, the Galaxy Buds FE had a sound quality that was “unmatched” for their price point. So, naturally, the question is: will Samsung be able to replicate this success with the Buds3 FE while making upgrades that are worth the increased cost?
The Samsung Galaxy Buds FE wowed me, even as a lifelong Apple user
The official press release says these buds will feature upgraded audio and offer “seamless connection to Galaxy AI,” including hands-free voice commands and real-time translation through the Galaxy AI Interpreter app, but you’ll need to have a Galaxy smartphone to fully leverage the AI capabilities. (The company also noted that these features will be free until the end of 2025 on supported Samsung Galaxy devices, so that’s something to think about.)
The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE are available in black or gray.
Credit: Samsung
The new model also introduces something Samsung is calling an “iconic blade design” with updated pinch and swipe controls for music and volume. The battery life is expected to last up to six hours with ANC on and up to eight-and-a-half hours with it off. Of course, the charging case extends your listening time to 24 and 30 hours, respectively.
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We’ll be paying close attention to the nuanced improvements in active noise cancellation and other features that distinguish the Buds3 FE from its predecessors. In the last generation, we noticed that switching between devices was “annoying” even between Samsung’s own products. The microphone quality was subpar and sounded “a bit fuzzy and far away” during calls. Samsung’s announcement of improved Auto Switch functionality and “Crystal Clear Call technology” suggests that these issues may have been addressed.
If the new Galaxy Buds3 FE can deliver on these promised enhancements, they could eventually be one of our top picks for affordability and quality.
