The July 2024-issue Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro offer great-sounding audio quality, really effective ANC and a premium (if all-too familiar), design. There's plenty to like! The key upgrade over their predecessors resolves our main issue with the older set, although the all-new additional features added don’t exactly wow us – especially when they're only accessible to owners of Samsung's most recent Galaxy handsets and tablets. And there's a new issue to consider in today's climate: the price tag.
For
Excellent sound
Thorough ANC
Light design
Against
Relatively expensive
Switching eartips is tough
Key features require a newer Galaxy phone
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro
Battery (buds): 5hrs with ANC (8 without); 18 hours (case) Weight (bud): 5.5g per earbud Noise cancellation: Yes Spatial audio: yes Water resistance: IPX7
Samsung really turned a corner with its August 2022-launch Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, which did away with previous jewel- or bean-shaped buds designs in favor of excellent 24-bit sound, head-tracked spatial audio and a bijou, compact design that actually fits comfortably. Our only real issue? The rather anaemic battery life of just five hours, which is a shame because when the sound, feature set, current pricing and fit is this good, you'll truly want to wear them all day long!
For
Vastly improved sound quality
Solid ANC
Classy, comfortable design
Against
Battery life is only average
After a relatively long hiatus, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro have landed, and these top-tier AirPods Pro 2 rivals offer plenty of premium features that impressed in our recent review, even though production issues caused a delay on the release date.
These new earbuds replace 2022’s Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro and they’re quite the redesign, enough so that you might not realize that the buds are siblings if you’re not an Android (or audio) fan.
And that means that if you’re looking to buy some new noise-cancelling earbuds, you might be wondering whether you should splash out on the new Galaxy Buds 3 Pro or save some money by opting for the older – and very good indeed – Galaxy Buds 2 Pro (yes, they're almost certainly going to be discounted).
To help you figure out which of these Samsung earbuds you should buy, we’ve compared the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and 2 Pro so you can see what the differences are.
The older set have been front-runners in our best noise-cancelling earbuds roundup since their release – but time marches on, so which option is better for you money now ? We've reviewed both of these sets of earbuds following TechRadar's strict review guidelines , so don't worry, we got this.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: Price, release date, availability
On paper, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and Buds 2 Pro cost a similar amount. The new earbuds cost $249 / £219 / AU$399, while the older models launched for $229 / £219 / AU$349.
However it’s worth bearing in mind that the new earbuds were released in mid-July 2024, at which point the older Buds had been on the market for nearly two years.
This advanced age means the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro have seen some discounts – they commonly go for $169 / £159 / AU$235, and sometimes even less during sales periods. So while the Buds 3 Pro are distinctly premium buds, it’s best to consider the Buds 2 Pro as mid-range alternatives.
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: Features
The basic feature set offered by the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro and Buds 3 Pro remains unaltered by the passage of time, so they’re both packing similarly impressive ranges of tools. These include basic earbud perks like wear detection, dual connectivity, find my earbuds, changeable touch controls and more.
That said, some useful extras put both Galaxy Buds above some rivals. One of these is the equalizer, which lets you tweak your sound profile to fit your taste. Quite a few earbuds manufacturers offer this feature but Samsung’s EQ changes the music in a distinct way, and it also offers nuanced presets so technophobes can cater their tunes to the genre of music.
Another cool feature is 360 Sound, toggled in the Samsung Wearable app, which pans music so it sounds like it’s all around you (including high and low, not just left and right). Head tracking even changes the mix depending on the direction you’re looking, which is a cool feature that’s not quite suited to people who move around a lot.
Most of these features are controlled by the same app: it’s called Wearable, which is easy to download on Samsung and non-Sammers phones alike.
(Image credit: Future)
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: Audio performance
Samsung has made some upgrades between its two generations of earbuds, but the song remains the same when it comes to the surrounding features.
You can read the jargon in a moment, but before we get into the weeds, it’s worth pointing out that these are both top-tier earbuds and they sound like it. You’re getting detailed audio with a distinct sound stage, palpable energy and immersive music. The bass and treble on both are balanced, giving you a neutral sound that’s roughly V-shaped (so is more prominent for bass and treble than for the mids).
The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro offer a 10mm driver coupled with a planar tweeter – this latter is added to offer detailed and accurate high-frequency sounds that the driver itself might not touch. The Buds 2 Pro also have a 10mm driver and it’s a woofer, paired with a 5.4mm tweeter to tick the high-frequency boxes.
Both have a perk for loyal Samsung fans, by being compatible with a codec called Samsung Seamless Codec – this means that if you have a compatible device (ie a recent Samsung flagship) you can listen to 24-bit/96kHz music.
Noise cancellation is good on the Buds 2 Pro but this has, of course, seen some tweaks and improvements on the Buds 3 Pro. Both cancel a meaty swathe of annoying background noise whether it’s near or far, and the Buds 3 allow you some degree of customization over what noises are allowed into your ears.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: Design & fit
You can probably already tell from the photos that the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro and Buds 3 Pro use very different designs for the earbuds themselves.
The newest earbuds have stems that hang down from your ear, but small bodies; the older pair use a stem-less design that has a larger body. These are the two most common designs of earbuds and the vast majority of options you’ll look to buy have one or the other. Which is ‘best’ just comes down to your personal taste.
The weight difference of the buds is the best part of 0.1g – the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro buds weigh 5.4g each while the Buds 2 Pros tip the scales to the tune of 5.5g, which is basically a negligible difference. A bigger improvement on the newer earbuds is the IP57 protection rating, which shows more protection against dust and fine particles than the IPX7 of the second-gen options.
Both options come with touch controls, though we found them more reliable on the Buds 2 than Buds 3. The latter does have an LED light strip on the stem, though that’s not exactly a huge selling point.
Moving onto the case, this has again seen a makeover in the two years between the buds, though it’s neither an improvement nor a regression.
The case for the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro is a clamshell-style one that you open a large lid to reveal the buds, while for the Buds 3 Pro the case is smaller and you have to extract the buds and stems from their case. Both have LED indicators for charging status and a USB-C port for the charging itself.
While both buds come in white or black, the Buds 2 Pro can be bought in a lilac hue too. This choice is reflected in both the buds and the case.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro look like AirPods… with angular stems (Image credit: Future)
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: Battery life
One of the most important areas when it comes to choosing earbuds is their battery life, and in this department the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro win. It’s not a huge margin, but it’s still something – and it means Samsung's fixed it this time around, because we knocked the Pro 2's disappointing battery life.
In our testing, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro lasted for roughly six hours when ANC was turned on, and seven hours when it was off. When you take into account the extra battery that the case provides, those figures increase to 26 hours and 30 hours respectively.
The Buds 2 Pro won’t last that long. With ANC turned on you’re looking at a lower five hours of playback, though that jumps up to eight if you’re happy to listen to background noises. The case only pulls that up to 18 hours, which isn’t really all that much compared to most of the Samsungs’ competitors. Heading on a long weekend or camping trip? You may need the Buds with a '3' in the moniker.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: Verdict
You can save a fair chunk of cash buying the older (and still very good) Buds 2 Pro – and we think you'll still be very happy with them. They're compact, they fit well, (see our best earbuds for small ears roundup if you struggle there) and the sound and noise nixing still hold their own two years after their release.
Our main issue is the battery life – and Samsung's Galaxy Buds 3 Pro go for a fair bit longer if you include the extra juice in the case. That alone makes them a worthy update, and the audio is every bit as immersive (with 360 Sound) and engaging.
That said, if you do have smaller ears, note that switching the eartips out on the Buds 3 Pro is very tricky indeed – and it's a breeze on the older Buds.
Ultimately, your choice will depend on your ears, your design preferences, whether you're also prepping to upgrade to one of Samsung's newest phones and your budget.
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