Samsung TL;DR Samsung has announced the Galaxy Buds 3 FE with a design identical to the Buds 3 Pro. Besides the similar design, the Buds 3 FE also get features such as the AI Interpreter mode, Crystal Clear Sound, and 360º spatial audio. The Buds 3 FE are lighter but get a longer battery life than the Buds 3 Pro. Unlike its smartphones, Samsung does not follow a yearly upgrade cycle for its flagship earbuds. The Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro, launched in July 2024, have yet to find a successor. And while these flagship Buds may not be everyone’s first choice because of their price, Samsung is launching the Galaxy Buds 3 FE that offers similar features for a much more accessible price, which succeed the former Buds FE, skipping the second generation altogether. The Galaxy Buds 3 FE earbuds bring a design identical to the Buds 3 Pro’s “blade” shape, which gets its name from the atypically angled stem. It’s not entirely similar because the Buds 3 FE replaces the lights with a simpler black-colored vertical bar. The stem still enables controls for active noise cancelling by pinching and volume controls by swiping up or down. However, while the metallic finish on the Buds 3 Pro lends to the blade’s identity, the FE comes with a matte finish in black and gray color options paired with semi-transparent cases. Looks aside, the Galaxy Buds 3 FE are claimed to offer many of the Pro’s features. For starters, the Buds 3 FE offer hands-free conversations with Gemini, where you can say “Hey Google” and interact with the assistant without unlocking or turning your phone on. Samsung doesn’t comment on the availability of custom commands, as supported on the Buds 3 Pro, but we hope to learn about it soon after launch. Don’t want to miss the best from Android Authority? Set us as a preferred source in Google Search to support us and make sure you never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more. Next, the Buds 3 FE also support Samsung’s AI features, including live translation, where you can use the earbuds for real-time translation. But beware, this feature only works if you have a Samsung phone running the Galaxy AI Interpreter app. Pairing with a Samsung device also allows for more nuanced 24-bit Hi-Fi audio with a 96kHz sample rate, but to enable this feature, you would need to switch to the proprietary Samsung Seamless Code (or SSC). The earbuds also receive support for 360º spatial audio, which the previous FE lacked. Samsung The “Crystal Clear Sound” feature is said to use pre-trained models to smooth out background noise and make your speech easier to understand. Meanwhile, the changes in design over the original Buds FE allow microphones to be placed closer to your mouth, which favors reception. The Galaxy Buds 3 FE are also slightly lighter than the Pro, weighing just 5 grams each, while the charging case weighs about 42g. The earbuds also get an IP54 rating, which ensures better water and dust-resistance than the previous FEs, although it still lags behind the IP57 rating of the Buds 3 Pro. However, in terms of battery, the Buds 3 FE take a lead over the Pro, offering 6.5 hours of playback per earbud with ANC turned on (8.5 hours without ANC) and up to 30 hours of total backup when combined with that of the case. The earbuds run on Bluetooth 5.4, though we don’t have information on Auracast support. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE will be available for $149.99 in the US starting September 4. Samsung also has a trade-in offer for wired and wireless earbuds, where you can get up to $30 based on the model and the condition, which makes the deal even more attractive. Follow