I'm a staunch Apple user, but Samsung's Galaxy Buds 3 Pro made me reconsider my loyalty

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The new Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are available for preorder, and units are set to start shipping on August 28.
• Competitive noise-canceling tech, all-day comfort, and an enjoyable sound profile make these earbuds stand out.
• The charging case isn’t IP-rated, so it’s unclear if it has any water resistance.

If you’re like me, earbuds don’t hold an important place in your life, aside from accompanying you on workouts and taking hands-free calls on the go. Outside those use cases, my heart lies with over-ear headphones, and there are some weeks when my earbuds collect dust because I don’t use them as often.

Also: Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds 3 look nearly identical to Apple AirPods – and that’s a good thing

I’ve sworn by my AirPods Pro 2 for years; although I’ve tested plenty of earbuds, I just can’t quit my AirPods. After trying Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, I’m beginning to question my loyalty to Apple. Even if I was willing to change teams, are the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro even a logical purchase for iPhone users? Here’s the answer.

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I’ll start by stating the obvious: Samsung’s latest earbuds have a very familiar design. If you buy these earbuds in white, they’ll be even more familiar. Samsung made waves when announcing the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro because they look exactly like Apple’s AirPods. If I hold them side by side and squint, I can hardly tell the two apart.

Also: Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs. AirPods Pro 2: Which premium earbuds should you buy?

There are some key design differences between Samsung and Apple’s earbuds, though. Apple’s AirPods case sports a more rounded shape, while Samsung’s case is flat on the bottom, with LED strips that pulse whenever the buds are charging or in pairing mode beaming down the earbud stems.

Unlike in previous years, Samsung also opted for a more angular, dynamic bud-and-stem design, with color-coded stripes across the board to help users distinguish between the left and right sides. Together, these design changes give off AirPods vibes but are ultimately beneficial for the user experience.

Case in point: The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro have impressive sound, thanks to the 10.5mm dynamic and 6.1mm planar drivers in each bud. The sound profile is vibrant, full, and exciting. When I queued Gunna’s Bottom, the bass was deep, punchy, and tight, while the rapper’s vocals and instrumentals were clear and smooth. This was all achieved without tweaking any settings and profiles, mind you.

Songs like The 1975’s Girls, with high-pitched guitar riffs, sounded bright but teetered on the line of piercing at loud volumes. Compared to my AirPods, the Galaxy Buds sound slightly smoother, and the lower frequencies have a punchier, fuller presence. For sound performance alone, I’m inclined to pick up the Galaxy Buds over my AirPods.

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Samsung’s earbuds are equipped with the expected ANC and Ambient sound modes. The noise-canceling tech is competitive and offers excellent protection from boisterous environments like grocery stores and gyms, where I tested them the most.

The Ambient sound mode isn’t as impressive as Apple’s Transparency Mode, which is more natural-sounding. Samsung’s version has a noticeable hiss that you can still hear when your music is on low volume. Once you pass the 50% loudness threshold, the hiss goes away.

Also: Why the Galaxy Buds 3 inevitably looked like AirPods, according to Samsung’s design exec

I had no issues wearing the Galaxy Buds all day, and they felt just as comfortable in my ears as my AirPods. On the battery life front, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro boasts a competitive seven-hour longevity, and the charging case offers an additional 23 hours of playtime.

Since I used the Galaxy Buds Pro 3 on my iPhone 14, I missed out on some Samsung-specific software features like device location tracking and 360 Audio, Samsung’s version of spatial audio. There’s also no Galaxy Wearables/Buds-specific companion app in Apple’s App Store, so a lot of this wasn’t surprising to me.

I also missed out on Interpreter Mode, a real-time translation tool embedded in the Galaxy Buds powered by Galaxy AI. If these fancy features aren’t your top priority, however, then who’s to say you can’t use Samsung earbuds with your iPhone?

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The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro have a slight edge over my AirPods when it comes to durability. My AirPods Pro 2 (Lightning) have an IPX4 rating, which means the case can withstand sprinkles of rain, and the earbuds can survive a sweaty workout. If I were to drop them in the pool or toilet and not immediately retrieve them, they might not live on.

The Galaxy Buds have an IP57 rating, meaning the earbuds can endure drops in very shallow water for up to 30 minutes. The case, however, doesn’t have an IP rating, so it is unclear how well it is protected from water.

ZDNET’s buying advice

Overall, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro make a great companion for people who enjoy great-sounding music in a small and portable form factor. People with Samsung Galaxy phones can naturally access all the earbuds’ most remarkable and premium features, but there’s no denying that these earbuds sound phenomenal.

Samsung initially slated the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro for shipment on July 24, but quality control issues regarding faulty earbud tips pushed shipments to August 28. Still, when Samsung meets its new quality standards, they’ll be the best premium earbuds for Samsung Galaxy enthusiasts.

If you want earbuds that offer premium features like spatial audio and in-ear detection and are compatible with all operating systems, consider the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds. If you’re looking for budget earbuds that deliver reliable noise-canceling and great sound, try the JLab JBuds ANC 3.