- AI with Gemini including voice activation, plus translation in real time
- The best battery life of any Galaxy Buds
- Buds 3 Pro looks and controls, including pinch and swipe gestures
It's not a leak, it's not a rumor and it's not another mishap: the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE (or Buds3 FE as Samsung likes to style it) are here.
This hasn't been an easy road: the buds were spotted on June 12, leaked on July 22, then actually launched prematurely by Samsung's Panama arm on August 7, but now they're officially officially here, as announced by Samsung.
So what's new? The first thing to note is actually something that's not new, and that's the Buds 3 FE's strong resemblance to the flagship Buds 3 Pro. And it's not just a pretty dress either: you also get the Buds 3 Pro's control functions, including pinch and swipe gestures (yes, you can swipe the blade to adjust volume).
Also, the Buds 3 FE are IP54-rated for dust, sweat and water resistance, which is a high rating for buds, and something I love to see.
Another thing I love to see? The longest quoted battery life of any Galaxy Buds to date, with up to 8.5 hours of uninterrupted listening in the earpieces (or 6 with ANC on), or 30 hours including case recharging (24 hours with ANC on).
On the subject of ANC, Samsung promises enhanced noise cancellation and call quality from the six-mic array, since one mic in each earpiece has been moved into the blade, closer to the mouth for clear voice pickup.
And although the buds still contain a solo dynamic driver under the hood – which also houses a Bluetooth 5.4 chipset with SSC (Samsung Seamless Codec) plus AAC and SBC support – it's a little bigger this time around for more immersive audio.
Big Galaxy x Gemini smarts
But let's get granular: what about AI? Like their Pro siblings, the Galaxy Buds 3 FE feature Google Gemini including voice activation, plus translation piped into the buds in real time via the Samsung Interpreter app – all part of the Galaxy AI suite.
To clarify (in case you're yet to be acquainted with this particular kind of Samsung-meets-Google tech), that means you'll be able to access Google Gemini for conversational AI assistance, but with the Galaxy AI Interpreter app you'll also be able to use Real-Time Interpreter through the buds or Live Translate to translate phone calls while they're happening.
Of course, this is Samsung, so the Buds 3 FE will work seamlessly with your Samsung TV, tablet, PC or phone, with Auto Switch for easy-breezy device switching – and as you'd expect, the Find My earbuds feature is here, so you can get the buds to emit a 'beep' should you misplace one.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE are available in two finishes – black and gray – with a matte dual-tone finish.
We can't vouch for the sound just yet, but if these 'Fan Edition' buds live up to the hype in testing, our best earbuds buying guide may well have a fresh contender… watch this space.
The Galaxy Buds 3 FE will go on sale in the US on September 4 at Samsung.com, as well as selected retailers, priced at $149.99 – that's around £110 or AU$230, although official prices for these regions are yet to be confirmed.
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