Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro vs Galaxy Buds3 FE

Samsung’s 2026 earbud lineup offers buyers a clear fork in the road: spend $249 for the feature-packed Galaxy Buds4 Pro, or save $100 and grab the $149 Galaxy Buds3 FE. After testing both, I find that the choice is not as simple as “Pro is better.” While the Buds4 Pro relies on Samsung’s high-end features, the Buds3 FE focuses on basics like fit, ANC, and balanced tuning. Here is my in-depth review of the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro vs Galaxy Buds3 FE.

Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro features a lollipop stem-and-bud design with silicone ear tips and no stable edge. At 5.1g per earbud, they’re light and comfortable for long listening sessions, but rely entirely on the ear tip seal to stay in place. I find the pinch controls to be difficult to use, especially since the nub indicating the control area is not very easy. However, the small charging case fits easily in a pocket and supports both USB-C and wireless charging. With an IP57 rating, the earbuds are very well protected against dust and moisture.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE also uses a stem design with an enclosed ear tip that feels secure for everyday use. At 5g per earbud, it’s a little lighter, and I find it stays better during workouts thanks to the tight grip on the tragus and antitragus. The matte black finish looks a lot less than the Pro style. However, although the case is the same size, it does not support wireless charging. The IP54 rating is also a step down, but still suitable for gym sessions and rain. Controls are done by standard pinching and swiping, but pinching requires some force. Thankfully, their high fit prevents them from changing like the Buds4 Pro.

If you own the latest Samsung phone, the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro clearly offers high-end features. For example, they include Ultra-wideband voice (16kHz bandwidth) and Ultra High-Quality sound, although this requires a compatible Samsung device (S23 or newer with One UI 6.1.1+). The Buds4 Pro also supports Auracast, allowing you to tune in to shared social broadcasts, something the Buds3 FE don’t have.

However, the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE offers strong app integration with the Galaxy Wearable app. You get six EQ presets and 9-band EQ custom controls, ANC and surround controls, Find My Earbuds, Gemini voice commands, real-time translation, Bixby integration, and Auto Switch within the Samsung ecosystem. As with all Samsung earbuds, iPhone users are missing out on most of these features. Overall, the Buds4 Pro includes age-related improvements and Samsung’s exclusive codec benefits, but the Buds3 FE brings more basic smart features at a lower price.

Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro uses Bluetooth 6.1 with SBC and AAC, and Samsung Seamless Codec (SSC) on compatible Samsung phones. This is perfect for fans of high-quality wireless audio and those looking for the latest communication options. Sadly, the buds don’t support true Multipoint. Instead, they need the Samsung Wear app on each device to change it.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE uses Bluetooth 5.4 with SBC, AAC, and Samsung Seamless Codec. Like the Pro, they don’t have a true Multipoint connection, although Samsung’s Auto Switch helps within the Galaxy ecosystem. In practical use, both work in the same way for Samsung users, but they do not support the connection of two devices at the same time.

Samsung advertises up to 6 hours of playback with ANC with the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro, although we’re still waiting for our final quality test results. Each earbud has a 61mAh battery, while the case houses a 530mAh cell. It also supports USB-C wired and wireless charging.

In our tests, the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE lasted 4 hours and 26 minutes with ANC enabled, and less than 6 hours with ANC off. That’s average performance. The Buds3 FE doesn’t support wireless charging, but a few minutes plugged in should be about an hour of playtime. Until final lab data is in for the Buds4 Pro, Samsung’s ratings suggest similar endurance, though the Pro offers more charging flexibility.

Both earbuds work very well, but the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE is slightly ahead in effective noise cancellation. With ANC enabled, the Buds3 FE reduce about 86% of external noise, and even without ANC, the isolation silences about 66% of ambient noise. I find they handle wind noise well too.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro reduces noise by an average of 84% with ANC power set to high. There is a slightly reduced performance between 500Hz and 1.1kHz, although they still improve on the Buds3 Pro by 5–10dB in that range. The isolation is strong, but the FE technically measures the strong performance of the ANC as a whole.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro has a dark tuning with strong bass and rolloff in the higher octaves. Overall, the bass frequencies are much higher than what we normally look for, and I find that the low end can dominate some mixes. While some quiet or old recordings may benefit from this method, busy tracks can sound muffled due to the perceived lack of treble extension. The EQ adjustment in the Galaxy Wearable app is essential for tightening things up.

Objective Measurements

The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE loosely follows the curve of our house, with about 5dB of bass overemphasis but no pronounced high-frequency spikes. The midrange isn’t very common, and the treble dip around 10kHz can make cymbals and other high-frequency content sound less prominent. However, despite the above measurements, they sound balanced and refined compared to the dark presentation of the Buds4 Pro. For listeners sensitive to excessive bass power, the FE may be a safer bet.

How would most people rate sound from 1 to 5?

Looking at the Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Scores (MDAQS), the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro gets an overall “good” rating of 4.8. Distortion is their weak point, which means that mixes may sound less clear than other earbuds. However, the Buds4 Pro has a very high Timbre score, resulting in a faithful presentation of the entire frequency spectrum.

Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE returns respectable points for Distortion and Immersiveness, just “okay” Timbre in basic tests (without Samsung’s proprietary codec). Both earbuds fall within the “good” range overall.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro uses a combination of microphone and bone pickup to reduce in-call noise. The system works well, as long as the buds are installed correctly. If the seal is not secure enough to trigger bone conduction sensors, outside noise and wind can interfere with calls. Ultra-wideband calling depends on both device and network support.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE shows a noticeable improvement in background noise reduction compared to the previous FE and Buds3 models. In office and street simulations, voices remain clear, although windy areas are still a challenge. Overall, I find the Buds3 FE to be very compatible with calls.

Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro Microphone Demo (Effective Conditions):

Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro vs Galaxy Buds3 FE: Price and Availability

The Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro retails for $249 in Black, White, and Rose Gold. The latter is only available on the Samsung website and Samsung Experience Stores. Their price tag puts them at the top of the true wireless market. Most of their compelling features require the latest Samsung phone.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE costs $149 and is available in Gray and Black colors. They give up wireless charging, Auracast, and IP57 durability, but keep strong ANC, balanced sound, and Samsung ecosystem features at a much lower price.

Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro price history

If you own the latest Samsung phone and want all the high-end features available – including Auracast and ultra-wideband voice – the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro makes sense. They offer strong ANC, useful software features, and extensive durability.

However, for most Samsung users, I find the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE hits the sweet spot. They deliver slightly better ANC performance, balanced tuning that roughly follows our target curve, solid phone quality, and $100 in savings. Unless you need special Pro features, the Buds3 FE is a more reasonable purchase for most people.