Launched in Malaysia for RM499, the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE is the more budget-friendly version of the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 and Buds3 Pro. I was given the opportunity to use these TWS buds as my daily driver.
Whether it’s through calls or audio playback, I gave these buds ample time to burn in the settings and controls into my brain and see how they’d fare. It is a highly versatile piece of audio equipment, both in its standalone form and with the companion app.
What Am I Looking At?
Right off the bat, you get the Buds3 FE earbuds, spare eartips, and charging case. Noticeably, Samsung did not include any charging cable with the device.
The first thing that jumped out to me, design-wise, was the available colours. Available in black and grey, these buds are opting for a more subtle look compared to the Pro’s colour scheme. Take note that the black colourway, which is what I have, is very hard to spot and can easily disappear in your bag if you’re not careful.
Aside from the colour, another visual change has to be the removal of the LED strips down the buds’ stems. In my opinion, this is a real shame, as that was perhaps the coolest visual feature that isn’t obtrusive.
The case, on the other hand, still retains that transparent cover, which helps differentiate the buds from the competition. However, it loses wireless charging, but that’s to be expected in this price range.
What’s Good About It?
Despite being sold at a significantly lower price point, these buds still deliver one of the best Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) and Ambient/Passthrough modes I’ve ever experienced. Much like its Pro counterpart, it has an almost seamless ANC mode that doesn’t totally deafen or apply too much pressure. On the flipside, the Ambient/Passthrough works exceptionally well to the point that I can hold a proper conversation while still having my music or a podcast playing in my ears.
Perhaps my most favourite feature has to be the haptic and touch control. I swear, there were many instances early in my testing when I thought these buds had a physical button, just because of how intuitive and responsive the controls are. Even though I’m holding on to the stem, it will not pause my music until I consciously pinch, which is nice when you need to adjust the fit. It is also worth mentioning that the touch control will automatically turn off the moment it detects that it’s not in your ear, so bonus points for that.
In terms of battery, the Galaxy Buds3 FE can last an average of six hours of playback with ANC on and up to eight and a half hours with ANC off. Total playtime extends roughly around up to 30 hours when paired with the charging case.
As for performance, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that it has some bass to it, and a good one at that. Tracks like Which Witch by Florence + The Machine, Linkin Park’s Heavy Is the Crown, and YUNGBLUD’s Hello Heaven, Hello still deliver a punch without muddying the vocals.
What’s The Catch?
Unfortunately, the issue with these buds isn’t the bass; it’s the top end. Similar to how my colleague called out the Buds3 Pro for having an artificially enhanced top end, I noticed that these buds not only shared that problem but also amplified it.
There came a point in my testing; the top end was still bothersome at lower volumes and outright ear-piercing at higher volumes — even if I set the equaliser (EQ) to Balance. Unfortunately, the mids and acoustics not only sound flat, but they also sound softer than they should be.
The Galaxy Buds3 FE feels like it’s caught between a rock and a hard place: you either enjoy a middling music experience without the punch at lower volumes or damage your hearing at higher volumes. A good example would be Evan Call’s Evolution of Magic; the string instruments and the flute are an absolute delight when you listen to them with neutral-sounding earphones, but I reflexively wince in discomfort whenever I listen to that song through these buds.
Another example would be Michael Arden’s Heaven’s Light. I could not help but immediately remove the buds out of the ear or at least brace myself when he starts belting out by the end of the song. Listen to that at your own peril. My last example, Sleep Token’s Take Me Back To Eden, encapsulates this problem really well. Vessel hits a high note during the first refrain that is normally quite mesmerising, for lack of a better word, but just doesn’t come through at lower volumes.
Naturally, these can be sorted out by adjusting the EQ or by increasing the volume, but be warned: if you do the latter before the former, your ears are in for a world of pain. The EQ presets all sound relatively the same, save for Clear, as it artificially boosted vocals to breaking and made everything else sound like it was coming from a tin can. You can adjust the settings to your liking; whether or not it still sounds artificial is a matter of personal preference and hearing.
In terms of the microphone, I’ve received mixed results during my testing. Some said I sounded “shot” or “staticky”, while others have commented that I had voice isolation on. Despite my testing, I can’t seem to pin down why this is happening. Eventually, I just accepted the fact that these might be part of the typical shortcomings of Bluetooth earphones.
As for its form factor, the triangular stems posed a little problem for me. I had a hard time holding onto the awkward shape, and it frequently jumped out of my fingers as a result. Putting the buds back into the case was also quite annoying, as I would often place the buds in the wrong position. This gives me the feeling that this is more of an aesthetic choice rather than a practical one.
Should I Buy It?
At RM499, the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE is not bad for its price, but it could have been so much better. I just can’t get behind the fact that these buds can be quite painful to listen to, even at reduced volumes.
Though it may not look like it, I actually like some extra top end with my music. However, like most things, there are limits to a good thing before it starts becoming uncomfortable. This can be resolved by lowering the volume, but I am the type of person who enjoys listening to loud music. The fact that I can’t do that with these headphones without consequences is almost disheartening, to say the least.
Photography by Kiran P. Ganesan
@lowyatnet The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE is packed with amazing AI features, such as the interpreter app and Google Gemini, with just a pinch or a voice command. The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE is available now for RM499. For more information, head on to Lowyat.NET. #SamsungGalaxyBuds3FE #GalaxyAI #GoogleGemini #SamsungMalaysia #TrueWirelessEarbuds
