Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE Review: Awesome Budget-Friendly TWS With ANC Done Right

Samsung’s “Fan Edition” products have always aimed to deliver flagship-level performance at a more attainable price. The Galaxy Buds3 FE, priced at RM499, follows that same philosophy. It’s essentially a pared-down version of the Galaxy Buds3 Pro, promising high-quality sound, strong ANC, and seamless Galaxy integration, just without the premium price tag.

But how much does it really give up in the process? After a few weeks of daily use, here’s how it stacks up based on my own personal experience.

Unboxing and First Impressions

The Galaxy Buds3 FE arrives in a compact, no-frills white box that mirrors Samsung’s current minimalist packaging style. You won’t find any flashy graphics or oversized branding here. Just a simple product image on the lid and the essentials tucked neatly inside. The design choice immediately hints at what the “FE” badge represents: practicality over excess.

Crack open the box and you’re greeted by the familiar small charging case sitting in a molded insert. Beneath that is a short documentation packet with the usual quick start guide and warranty leaflet, along with two extra pairs of silicone ear tips (small and large). The medium-sized tips come preinstalled on the earbuds. That’s your entire bundle. And yes, there’s no USB-C cable included this time around.

What’s nice, however, is that everything inside feels compact and purposeful. The presentation is tidy, the ear tips are stored cleanly in a paper sleeve, and the case itself gives off a reassuringly premium first impression despite the lower price point. You can tell Samsung still put thought into maintaining that “Galaxy feel”, just without the extravagance of higher-end unboxings.

Fit-wise, the inclusion of only three ear tip sizes — small, medium, and large — feels a little limited, especially when some brands now offer four or five sizes or hybrid foam options. Still, for most ears, one of the three should seal comfortably enough. The medium tips fit snugly out of the box and create a decent passive seal before ANC even kicks in.

Overall, the unboxing experience sets clear expectations: you’re getting a product that’s well-built and thoughtfully presented, but trimmed of luxuries that don’t directly affect performance.

Design and Build Quality

Visually, the Galaxy Buds3 FE looks almost identical to its pricier sibling, the Buds3 Pro. The case adopts a “treasure chest” style hinge that is compact, flat, and easy to pocket, while the matte finish gives it a subtle, understated look. It comes in grey or black, both sleek and low-key. Personally, I prefer the matte texture over the Pro’s glossy metallic sheen. It feels less slippery and resists smudges better.

Some of the Pro’s design flair is missing here. The illuminated “Blade” stems are gone, as are the colored accents that marked the left and right earbuds. Instead, you get raised L and R letters, which you can feel easily by touch. Not as fancy, but definitely practical.

The triangular stems are an interesting design choice. They taper toward a rounded housing that sits snugly in the ear, and the shape makes it easier to grip during pinch gestures. Controls are well thought out. Pinch to play/pause, double-pinch to skip forward, triple-pinch to go back, and swipe up or down for volume control. Pinch and hold toggles between noise cancelling and ambient sound. The system feels far more accurate than touch-based controls on older Galaxy Buds or cheaper models.

The Galaxy Buds3 FE feels sturdy, with an IP54 rating for dust and splash resistance. It’s a step below the Buds3 Pro’s IP57, but still good enough for workouts or running in light rain. Comfort is excellent. It’s light, balanced, and pressure-free, though without stabilizer fins, they can shift slightly during intense movement.

Hardware and Features

Under the hood, the Galaxy Buds3 FE strikes a careful balance between performance and practicality. Each earbud houses a 53mAh battery, while the charging case packs a 512mAh cell, offering enough juice for multiple recharges on the go. Those numbers are right in line with what we typically see in this price range, but Samsung’s power optimization, particularly with ANC on, is where it shines.

In terms of audio hardware, Samsung went with a single dynamic driver setup, a notable change from the dual-driver system in the Buds3 Pro. The Pro’s dual setup separates high and low frequencies between two drivers, which allows for more precision and layering. But in practice, the Galaxy Buds3 FE’s single driver still delivers impressive sound. Samsung’s tuning compensates well, producing a warm, balanced output that never feels muddy or hollow. It’s a reminder that tuning can often matter more than hardware complexity, especially at this tier.

Physically, the earbuds weigh a mere 5 grams each, and the case tips the scales at just over 41 grams. That lightness pays off in comfort where you can wear these for hours without any fatigue. The balance of materials feels premium for the price: smooth matte plastic with a sturdy stem construction that doesn’t creak or flex. Samsung clearly didn’t skimp on build quality even while cutting a few premium perks.

Internally, the Galaxy Buds3 FE includes silicone ear tips that create a tight passive seal, which works hand-in-hand with ANC to block external noise more effectively. The internal microphones handle noise detection and voice pickup duties with surprising accuracy, especially given the absence of extra hardware found in the Pro model.

From a durability standpoint, the IP54 rating covers both dust and splash resistance, not something you should submerge, but definitely safe for sweat and rain. It’s a small downgrade from the Buds3 Pro’s IP57 (which adds limited water immersion), but it’s still solid for active use.

Overall, the hardware setup reflects Samsung’s careful prioritization. You lose a few premium extras, but none of the omissions compromise the essentials: reliable battery life, great comfort, solid build, and consistent performance. The Galaxy Buds3 FE may be the “budget” sibling, but there’s nothing cheap about how it’s put together.

Connectivity and Ecosystem

Pairing is near-instant on Samsung phones. Open the case, and a pop-up appears right away without digging through Bluetooth menus. On other devices, pairing takes a few seconds longer, but it’s still smooth.

The Galaxy Buds3 FE supports Bluetooth 5.4 and works with SBC, AAC, and Samsung’s Seamless Codec (SSC). The SSC codec is the big one, it delivers near-lossless sound quality, but only if you’re using a Samsung device. On non-Samsung phones, you’re limited to AAC or SBC, which sound fine but noticeably flatter.

There’s also no Bluetooth multipoint here, so you can’t connect to multiple devices at once. Samsung’s Auto-Switch tries to bridge that gap, letting you jump between Galaxy devices on the same Samsung account. It works well enough most of the time, but it’s not as flexible as true multipoint.

Samsung users get a few extra toys: Galaxy AI’s live translation feature, Google Gemini voice input, and hands-free Bixby access. Hearing real-time translations through the earbuds feels futuristic, even if it’s a niche feature for now. Non-Samsung users miss out on these extras, but the core Bluetooth performance remains excellent.

Sound Quality

Let’s get this out of the way first. The Galaxy Buds3 FE sound far better than you’d expect from a midrange model. Despite the single-driver setup, the tuning is exceptionally balanced, with an energetic presentation that feels full and detailed without leaning too far into either bass or treble.

Out of the box, the default “Balanced” EQ preset gives a satisfying sense of depth. The bass response is tight and controlled. There’s punch when the track calls for it, but it doesn’t spill into the mids or overwhelm vocals. It’s the kind of low end that feels deliberate rather than excessive. Kick drums hit with precision, and bass guitars carry warmth without boominess.

The midrange performance is equally impressive. Vocals sound natural, not recessed or overly bright, and instruments like guitars and pianos retain their tonal character. There’s a pleasant smoothness here that makes the Galaxy Buds3 FE easy to listen to for hours without fatigue. You can tell Samsung tuned these for broad appeal. No artificial sparkle, no harsh peaks, just clean, well-rounded mids.

Then there are the high frequencies, which manage to stay crisp and airy without becoming sibilant. Cymbals and hi-hats shimmer with enough detail to keep things lively, but they never pierce your ears. It’s a fine balance that many budget earbuds either dull the highs to hide distortion or crank them too hard to sound “detailed.” Samsung found the sweet spot.

In terms of soundstage, the Galaxy Buds3 FE performs surprisingly well for a closed in-ear design. There’s a real sense of width to the mix, especially with live recordings or layered studio tracks. You won’t get the open, three-dimensional feel of over-ear headphones, but for in-ears at this price, the imaging is clean and well-spaced. Instruments sit where they should, and there’s a distinct separation between foreground and background elements.

Now, where the Galaxy Buds3 FE really flexes its muscles is in its Active Noise Cancelling (ANC). It’s not just good “for the price”. It’s legitimately strong, even compared to some models that cost twice as much. Low-frequency noise like engine rumble, fan hums, and air conditioning gets reduced to a faint murmur. The ANC algorithm adapts well to changing environments too, maintaining that calm bubble effect even when moving from indoors to outdoors.

Overall, the Galaxy Buds3 FE’s sound signature is one of confident versatility. It’s balanced enough for podcasts, dynamic enough for rock or hip-hop, and refined enough for classical or acoustic sessions. The sound profile is distinctly Samsung. Warm, smooth, and consumer-friendly, but still detailed enough to satisfy more critical ears.

App and Software Experience

To get full control, you’ll need the Galaxy Wearable app. Samsung phone users get the best experience, but the app works on most Android devices. Inside, you can adjust ANC strength, EQ settings, ambient levels, and even run a fit test.

The nine-band EQ offers six presets and one custom slot. The standout option, though, is Loudness Normalization — a hidden gem that significantly boosts volume and clarity. It’s turned off by default and only available on Samsung devices, which feels unnecessarily restrictive. Turn it on, and the Galaxy Buds3 FE sound instantly more dynamic.

Galaxy users also get per-app sound settings. You can assign different EQ profiles for Spotify, Netflix, or YouTube directly from the system volume slider. It’s a clever touch that gives you control at a granular level.

Battery Life

Battery performance is right in line with Samsung’s claims. With ANC on, I averaged around 5 hours and 45 minutes of playback, just shy of the official six-hour rating. With ANC off, that stretches to about eight hours. Add the charging case, and you’re looking at 24 hours total with ANC, or 30 hours without.

There’s no wireless charging, but the USB-C port tops them up in about an hour. A quick 10-minute charge nets you roughly an hour of listening. Handy if you’re rushing out the door.

Conclusion

After spending some solid time with the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE, it’s clear these earbuds aren’t just a stripped-down version of the Buds3 Pro. They’re a smartly tuned, highly capable product designed to hit the sweet spot between performance and price. Samsung’s strategy here is simple but effective: deliver premium-level essentials while cutting only the features that most users won’t miss in daily life. And for the most part, it works brilliantly.

For RM499, the Galaxy Buds3 FE punches well above its weight. The sound signature is balanced, dynamic, and genuinely fun to listen to. It’s clean enough for critical listening yet warm enough to flatter any genre. Throw in noise cancellation that actually rivals (and sometimes surpasses) earbuds double the price, and you’ve got an impressive package that feels far more expensive than it is.

The comfort and fit also deserve praise. Samsung has nailed the ergonomics this time. The lighter, stem-based design sits naturally in your ear without creating pressure points, even after hours of wear. Sure, the lack of stabilizing fins means they’re not ideal for sprinting or gym workouts, but for casual listening, commuting, or working at your desk, they’re spot on. Combine that with the IP54 rating, and you’ve got a set that’s built to handle real-world use.

That said, it’s impossible to ignore the ecosystem lock-in that defines much of the Galaxy Buds3 FE’s experience. Many of its best tricks such as the Samsung Seamless Codec, loudness normalization, and Galaxy AI features are only available if you’re using a Samsung phone. Non-Samsung users will still get good performance, but they’re leaving a noticeable chunk of the experience on the table. Without SSC, audio quality defaults to AAC or SBC, and that “spark” in the upper registers fades a bit. It’s not bad by any stretch, but you can tell these buds were optimized for Galaxy devices first, and everything else second.

Battery life lands comfortably in the “good enough” range. Six hours with ANC on (and nearly nine with it off) puts it right in the middle of the pack, and Samsung’s quoted figures are realistic. You won’t need to charge these every day, and even when you do, the fast USB-C charging makes top-ups painless. Would wireless charging have been nice? Of course. But again, at this price, it’s a reasonable omission.

So, who are these earbuds really for? If you already own a Samsung Galaxy phone, the Galaxy Buds3 FE are a no-brainer. You’re getting 90% of the Buds3 Pro experience for about half the price, with all the ecosystem perks intact. They sound excellent, the ANC is genuinely effective, and they fit like a dream. For anyone outside the Galaxy circle, the recommendation is still positive. The Galaxy Buds3 FE remain a fantastic midrange choice, but you won’t get that extra polish Samsung reserves for its own users.

At the end of the day, the Galaxy Buds3 FE hits the sweet spot most people are looking for: great sound, comfort, and smart features at a price that doesn’t sting. They’re not revolutionary, but they don’t need to be. They’re reliable, well-tuned, and practical. The kind of earbuds you can throw in your pocket and use every day without a second thought.

In a world where midrange audio gear keeps getting better, Samsung’s latest FE model stands out for doing the basics exceptionally well. It’s not about flashy gimmicks or unnecessary complexity. It’s about delivering solid performance that just works.

More info: https://www.samsung.com/my/audio-sound/galaxy-buds/galaxy-buds3-fe-gray-sm-r420nzaaxme/

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