Samsung Galaxy Buds3 vs Apple AirPods (3rd generation): Who wins round 3?

We aren’t the first to say it and we won’t be the last – the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 look a lot like the Apple AirPods (3rd generation). Did Samsung really just make an AirPods clone, or does it have some unique tricks up its sleeve? That’s what we set to find out in this Samsung Galaxy Buds3 vs Aple AirPods (3rd generation) comparison.

Editor’s note: this article was published on August 15, 2024, and is the first version of the article. Updates will follow as the market changes.

What’s it like to use the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 compared to the Apple AirPods (3rd generation)?

Unlike their predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2, the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 have an unsealed stem design. This form factor is nearly identical to that of the Apple AirPods (3rd generation), especially in the white color option that we have. Since you don’t get silicon ear tips with this design, you will likely have fit and comfort issues with either the Galaxy Buds or AirPods. In our experience, we found that the Galaxy Buds3 wouldn’t stay in place for more than 20 minutes at a time.

Just like AirPods, the Galaxy Buds3 slot vertically into their plastic charging case. Heck, even the indicator light is in the same spot on the front of the charging case. From a distance, you could easily fool someone into thinking you have AirPods, if that’s your intention.

One advantage the Galaxy Buds3 hold is in durability. Their IP57 dust and water resistance rating is much stronger than the IPX4 water resistance rating of the AirPods (3rd generation). You probably won’t want to use either for working out though due to the lack of a secure fit. That said, if you can get a good fit, runners may appreciate the open ear design to stay aware of their surroundings.

Do the Galaxy Buds3 have more features than the Apple AirPods (3rd generation)?

As expected, the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 work best with Android (more specifically Samsung Galaxy) devices. On the flip side, AirPods work best with iOS devices. There isn’t much sense in trying to use either cross-platform, though each will still have basic playback functions.

You can download the Samsung Galaxy Wearable app on Android devices to access the software features for the Galaxy Buds3. Within the app, you can customize the earbuds and adjust noise canceling and EQ presets. The app is also key to ensure you have the latest firmware updates installed. To utilize AI features like Live Translation, you will need a recent Samsung Galaxy phone.

Apple users can find AirPods features baked into their OS. Within the Settings app, you can customize controls, but you don’t get an equalizer to adjust the sound quality. Within your device Control Center, you’ll find Spatial Audio and head tracking toggles. You can also find lost AirPods within the Find My app.

How do the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 and Apple AirPods (3rd generation) connect?

The Galaxy Buds3 fast pair to Android devices, while the AirPods fast pair to iOS devices. After connecting to one device, the earbuds will instantly pair to all your other devices on the same account. The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 have Bluetooth 5.4 with support for SBC, AAC and Samsung Seamless Codec. On the other hand, the AirPods (3rd generation) have Bluetooth 5.0 with SBC and AAC.

The H1 chip inside the AirPods (3rd generation) does some heavy lifting to ensure you always get a good connection to your Apple devices. It also enables features such as hands-free Siri use and audio sharing with another set of AirPods or Beats.

Is battery life better on the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 or Apple AirPods (3rd generation)?

Battery life is nearly identical. In our battery test, the Apple AirPods (3rd generation) lasted 6 hours and 21 minutes, while the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 lasted 6 hours and 20 minutes on a single charge. Turning on noise canceling does reduce the battery life of the Samsung earbuds though. With ANC on, they only lasted 4 hours and 56 minutes on a single charge.

Placing the earbuds inside the charging case of either gives you a couple of extra charges. You can charge the Galaxy Buds3 via USB-C or wirelessly, whereas you can power up the AirPods (3rd generation) with a lightning cable, wireless charging mat, or MagSage cable.

Do the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 or Apple AirPods (3rd generation) block noise better?

Neither the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 nor Apple AirPods (3rd generation) are good at blocking out noise. If you plan on using your earbuds in a noisy environment such as on a bus, you should look at other options.

The Galaxy Buds3 do have a slight advantage since they have active noise canceling, a feature not found on the standard AirPods. Since the earbuds don’t have a good seal though, the ANC struggles to do much. In short, the Galaxy Buds3 are not nearly as good at blocking out noise as the best noise canceling earbuds.

The AirPods don’t have ANC. In addition to the unsealed design, this means you can always hear everything going on around you, for better or worse.

Do the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 sound better than the Apple AirPods (3rd generation)?

The sound quality of the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 and Apple AirPods (3rd generation) is highly dependent on how well the earbuds fit in your ears. If the earbuds don’t fit well, you won’t get good sound, end of story. On the other hand, with a good fit, both are capable of admirable sound quality.

Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Scores (MDAQS)

The chart below shows how the sound of the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 and Apple AirPods (3rd generation) was assessed by the Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Score (MDAQS) algorithm from HEAD acoustics.

After multiple attempts to attain an ideal fit in our testing head, we got the Galaxy Buds3 scores above. With typical use, we found the earbuds slide out of both our ears and our Bruel & Kjaer 5128 testing heads ears, which significantly impacts the sound quality. An Overall score of 4.5 is very good and is the same score that both the Galaxy Buds3 and AirPods (3rd generation) attained.

Objective Measurements

Above you can see the frequency response of the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 with a typical fit. As you can see, the lack of a seal means the earbuds struggle to reproduce low-frequency bass sounds. With an ideal fit, you can attain a seal that keeps bass in. If the earbuds slide around at all and you don’t have a good seal, you will miss out on pretty much all the bass in your music. You can adjust the frequency response by selecting from EQ presets within the Samsung Wearable app.

The AirPods (3rd generation) experience similar issues with bass, though not as drastic. If you get a good fit, you should hear everything in your music, aside from the lowest sub-bass sounds. Since there’s no native equalizer support, you can’t adjust the frequency response to your liking. That said, the AirPods have Adaptive EQ, which monitors the fit of the earbuds and adjusts the frequency response accordingly.

Do the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 or Apple AirPods (3rd generation) have a better microphone?

The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 and Apple AirPods (3rd generation) are each adequate for taking calls. In our microphone demonstrations, we found both reproduce the voice clearly. We found the AirPods do a better job of blocking out background noise, particularly simulated wind noise. That said, the microphone quality may be dependent on what device you are connected to.

Samsung Galaxy Buds3 microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

Apple AirPods (3rd generation) microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

Samsung Galaxy Buds3 microphone demo (Windy conditions):

Apple AirPods (3rd generation) microphone demo (Windy conditions):

Samsung Galaxy Buds3 vs Apple AirPods (3rd generation): Price and availability

In a final act of imitation, the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 come in at the exact same starting price as the Apple AirPods (3rd generation) of $179. Of course, you can find either available at pretty much any tech retailer.

Should you get the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 or the Apple AirPods (3rd generation)?

First things first, you should only consider the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 if you have an Android phone, and the Apple AirPods (3rd generation) if you have an iPhone. Even then, neither are a great option. Since you can’t adjust the fit with different sizes of ear tips, your experience with either will depend on how well the earbuds fit the shape of your ears. Even if you do get a good fit, you aren’t getting a good seal which means minimal noise isolation.

If you have the budget, it is worth it to consider upgrading to their pro siblings, the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro and Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation). The Pro versions offer silicon ear tips to ensure a good fit and seal.

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