Samsung just released the Galaxy Buds3 FE, a $150 mid-range option that mirrors Apple's AirPods Pro design while targeting Android users. According to WIRED's review, these earbuds strip away premium features like LED lights and wireless charging but keep the essentials: comfortable fit, strong sound quality, and effective noise cancellation. For Samsung phone owners on a budget, they might be the sweet spot between affordability and performance.
Samsung is betting that Android users want their own version of AirPods, and the new Galaxy Buds3 FE might just deliver on that promise. The $150 earbuds hit stores as a middle-ground option between Samsung's budget and premium offerings, targeting users who want the AirPods-inspired design without paying flagship prices.
The timing makes sense. WIRED's Simon Cohen calls them "as close to AirPods as it gets for Samsung phone owners," highlighting how Samsung has successfully adopted Apple's winning formula while maintaining its own identity. The review reveals that Samsung kept the most important features while cutting costs strategically.
What Samsung removed tells the story of smart product positioning. Gone are the LED "blade" lights, head tracking, dual drivers, wireless charging, and full waterproofing that made the $190 Buds3 Pro premium. What stayed? The comfortable stem design, robust sound quality, and surprisingly effective active noise cancellation that users actually care about daily.
"The Galaxy Buds3 FE get the most important stuff right," Cohen writes in his review, emphasizing how Samsung focused on core functionality over flashy extras. The earbuds maintain IP54 water and dust protection - better than the original Buds FE's IPX2 rating - making them more versatile for everyday use.
The design shift to stem-based earbuds brings Apple's pinch and swipe gesture controls to Samsung's more affordable lineup. Cohen notes that while the triangular stem shape makes controls slightly trickier than Apple's implementation, users adapt quickly. The volume control via up/down swipes particularly impressed him as an improvement over the original Buds FE's touch system.
Sound quality emerges as the Buds3 FE's strongest selling point. Cohen describes the audio as "outstanding" with "excellent response across frequencies," noting that they compete well against more expensive models. The soundstage offers pleasing width and depth, while bass remains "resonant yet snappy" - technical language that translates to enjoying your music.
But there's a catch that narrows the market significantly. Like all Samsung Galaxy earbuds, the most interesting features only work with Samsung Galaxy phones. Cohen bluntly advises iPhone users to "don't even think about buying them," highlighting the ecosystem lock-in that limits their appeal despite strong hardware.
