Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE Hands-On Review – Surprisingly Strong ANC, Clean Sound, and Performance That Punches Way Above Its Price

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#Samsung #GalaxyBuds3FE #WirelessEarbuds #GadgetReview #AudioGear #PRSample

> Disclosure: This article includes an affiliate link and features a PR loaner unit provided by Samsung’s PR team.
> There was *no* prior content check, and *no* financial incentive.
> I review gadgets for readers—not to flatter manufacturers. So if you’re a hardcore brand loyalist, brace yourself: honesty ahead.

Hi everyone, I’m Show−ya Kisaragi (@showya_kiss).

Put together a quick 1-minute summary vid for you speedrunners. Short on time? Just watch this and you’re good to go.

Samsung sent me four devices at once (yes, four), so I’m reviewing them in sequence.
This one is the third in the mini-series: the Galaxy Buds 3 FE, Samsung’s affordable-yet-surprisingly-capable wireless earbuds.

After this review, I’ll cover the Galaxy WATCH ULTRA, and finally an article comparing the ecosystems of Apple, Google, and Samsung.

• Galaxy Z Flip7
• Galaxy Z Fold7
• Galaxy Buds 3 FE (this article)
• Galaxy WATCH ULTRA (coming soon)
• Ecosystem comparison (not loaned, but planned)

My loan period wasn’t long, so this is likely a single-shot review, with maybe a follow-up after a week of use.

Alright—let’s dive in.

—

TL;DR for Busy Humans

If you’re in a hurry, here’s the quick rundown:
specs, good points, bad points, and who should buy these buds.

Galaxy Buds 3 FE – Quick Specs

• Spatial Audio (360 Audio): Supported
• ANC (Active Noise Canceling): Yes + Ambient mode
• Water/Dust Resistance: IP54
• Call Quality: Triple-mic system
• Bluetooth: 5.4
• Wireless Charging: Not supported
• Battery Life: Earbuds: ~6 hours with ANC & Total (with case): ~24 hours

—

What the Buds 3 FE Do Well

• A surprisingly natural ANC experience

  The ANC is fairly strong, but it’s not the “seal you in a coffin of silence” type.
  What’s wild is that your brain doesn’t register the moment noise disappears.
  You remove the buds and suddenly—*bam*—the world’s sound rushes back.

• Sound quality that overperforms for the price

  No huge colorations, no glaring weaknesses.
  If you use Android, grab PowerAmp and tweak to taste—you’ll get even better results.

• Competitively priced in its performance class

  Based on performance, these could be priced just under ¥30,000.
  Yet at writing time, they were under ¥22,000 on Amazon. (Check for current prices.)

• Tightly integrated with Samsung’s ecosystem

  They pair beautifully with Galaxy phones and watches, respond to “OK Google,”
  and let you avoid whispering commands into your wrist like a 70’s tokusatsu hero
  —unless that’s your thing, which, honestly? Respect.

—

Where the Buds 3 FE Fall Short

• ANC isn’t absolute silence

  If you want a sensory-deprivation chamber, these aren’t it.
  But for listening to music during activities? Nearly all environmental noise disappears.

• Charging contact in the case can be finicky

  Once, the buds didn’t charge properly.
  No debris found, so the contact design may simply be a bit sensitive.

• Sound signature is “honor student,” not “genius”

  It’s clean, well-balanced, and neutral.
  But compared to high-end brands (BOSE, etc.) with bold “house sound,”
  these feel more like extremely well-behaved students.
  Not a flaw—just a personality difference.
  Not everyone needs a prodigy.

—

Who Should Buy the Galaxy Buds 3 FE

• People who want ANC, but still need environmental awareness

  Perfect for walks where being *too* isolated ~might get you run over~ is not ideal.
  (Though blasting music while walking is a risk with any earbuds.)

• Anyone wanting high sound quality at a reasonable price

  Good sound, no Apple tax, no audiophile-price insanity.
  Works with any genre.

• Samsung ecosystem users

  If you own a Galaxy phone or watch, these buds plug right into the whole system.
  And honestly? I think Samsung’s ecosystem beats Google’s in daily usability.

—

If this already tells you everything you need to know, feel free to bounce.
If you plan to buy, using the link below helps support the blog—thank you!

Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE – Official Samsung Japan model

¥21,782

Buy on Amazon

—

Unboxing Time

Specs are cool, but looks matter too.
Let’s open the box and check out the hardware.

Outer Box

Small, clean, stylish.
Affordable doesn’t have to look cheap—and this box proves it.

Opening the Box

The top of the case is translucent, letting you see the buds inside.
Most earbuds hide everything, making you question whether they’re even in there.
This? Instant reassurance.

The Case

The upper half is clear, and—unique among earbuds—the stems point inward, not outward.
If you’ve used other brands, you *will* try to insert them wrong the first few times.

Muscle memory is a tyrant.

The Buds Themselves

Simple, practical, not over-designed.
Any image blur is my photography, not the product—trust me.

Stems are a bit long, but that means more touch control area.

Unboxing ends here. Let’s talk performance.

—

Let’s Talk Experience

Before I get into sound analysis, I must confess something:

I am not an audiophile.
I have what is scientifically known as *clown ears*.
If someone talks to me while music is playing, I cannot hear them.
My brain just refuses.

And if you ask me to listen to five audio devices priced above ¥5,000
and sort them by price based purely on sound…
I *will* fail the test.

But I *can* tell you what sounds pleasant, what doesn’t, and what feels right.

So here we go.

—

The ANC Experience — It’s Weirdly Good

Most ANC earbuds make you instantly think:
“Oh, the world just got muted.”

But with the Buds 3 FE?
You don’t notice the silence happening.

You go on a walk, humming along, thinking about story ideas,
stop the music, remove the earbuds—

And the world’s sound slams back into your ears.

It’s shockingly natural, and honestly, very impressive.

—

Comparing Sound Against the Heavyweights

I directly compared them to:

• BOSE Ultra Quiet Comfort Headphones LE – ~¥50,000
• Apple AirPods 4 (ANC model)
• Sony WH-CH520 – ~¥6,000

My ranking impression:

→ Buds 3 FE > AirPods 4
→ BOSE remains king

But this ranking needs nuance.

AirPods 4 are open-type earbuds—external sound leaks in by design.
Comparing them to sealed in-ear buds isn’t fair.

If you want *Apple’s signature clean sound* + awareness → AirPods.
If you want *immersion* and *blocking out the world* → Buds 3 FE.

—

Touch Controls… well…

I tried to swipe, pinch, and gesture on the stem.

The buds ignored me like a disappointed parent.

Could be my thick fingers.
Could be dry winter skin.
Could be PowerAmp not playing nice.

But controlling music on the Galaxy WATCH ULTRA worked flawlessly.
So the issue? Probably me.

Solution:
Use the Watch. Save your dignity.

—

Final Verdict — These Are Shockingly Good

Strong ANC.
Clean sound.
Great ecosystem integration.
And a price under ¥22,000?

Huge value.

If I had budget left this month, I’d label these “Instant Buy”
—but I used my remaining credit limit on the MX MASTER 4,
leaving me with ¥2,000 of spending power and many regrets.

If *you* can afford them, I absolutely recommend them.

One more link for convenience:

Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE – Official Samsung Japan model

¥21,782

Buy on Amazon

Thanks for reading today’s review.
Comments are always welcome—I reply to every one I catch!

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