There are plenty of tech products out there. Some are great buys offering excellent value, but others aren’t. Most fall somewhere in the middle.
Unless you have the means to buy one of everything, you have to decide if something is the right fit for you. That can be hard; the companies making them will tell you that you need one to make your life complete, people who got a lemon or just didn’t like it will say the product is garbage, and reviewers simply can’t cover everything.
So many tech products! It can help if you take a breath, a step back, and think about what you really need. We’re here to help you do just that!
Often, it’s good to take a step back and see what you’re going to get inside that pretty package. Was it worth what you paid for it? Will you get enough use from it to justify the purchase? Or maybe you should hold off and see what’s coming next.
We can’t make those decisions for you, but we can tell you what we think and maybe where you should start your decision-making process.
Cyber Monday means all sorts of things you want are on sale at really low prices – including the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro for just $150. Should you buy them?
Almost all of us with a smartphone have at least one pair of wireless earbuds. The two just seem to go together, and it’s a great way to listen without disturbing anyone. The thing is, there are so many different pairs of buds out there that it can be sort of overwhelming.
If you decide you want to spend a little more and have features like ANC, built-in AI, or excellent sound, the field narrows. Of course, the weekend of Black Friday through Cyber Monday brings deals on almost all of them.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are one of my personal favorites when it comes to wireless earbuds. Let’s have a look and see if they might turn out to be one of yours, too, while the price is this low.
The Pros
At the core, all wireless earbuds do the same thing: connect to your phone so you can hear what’s going on. Beyond that, you’ll find premium features on the best sets that a cheap pair of $50 earbuds just can’t deliver. Here’s what makes the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro worth buying
The Price. I have to start here, and that’s probably pretty important to you, too. These are normally $250, and today they are marked down to $150. Saving a hundo is sweet.
Packed with features. Samsung has leveraged the tiny computer inside these buds to make them do so much more than just be a speaker. A new audio codec (if you have the right phone), head tracking spatial audio, Galaxy AI, seamless device switching, and more. A lot more.
They fit great for most people. You will see some reviews from folks who can’t seem to keep them inside their ears, but most people love the fit of these. Samsung redesigned that body and angle, and in my experience, it works great.
Excellent ANC. Usually, when you keep adding features, you reach a point where the battery can’t keep up. ANC is very power-hungry and is often the first thing to be scaled back. Not on these; even with everything else going on, the Buds 3 Pro have world-class ANC.
The cons
Nothing is perfect, and there is one big flaw with the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro: they were specifically built with the Galaxy ecosystem in mind.
You might be thinking, “How is that a flaw?” and you’re right. Flaw is a harsh word, but it can be a deal breaker. Unless you have a fairly new Samsung Galaxy phone, you’re going to be missing out a little.
Let me start by saying right up front: if you use an iPhone, don’t buy these. They essentially are just another pair of Bluetooth earbuds, and if you want them to do more, you need to buy earbuds from Apple.
For everyone else, the list of what’s missing without a new Galaxy phone is still mighty long. You won’t get the same spatial audio experience, and there’s no head tracking. Some AI features, notably the real-time Interpreter, only function with a Galaxy phone. If you have something like a Galaxy S24 Ultra (which is how I use them), the quick pairing and seamless switching are awesome. Without a Galaxy phone, it’s mediocre. ANC is still excellent, but it loses some of the adaptive qualities that put it over the top when used without a phone using Galaxy AI. Finally, the SSC (Samsung Seamless Audio) high-res audio support – one of the best Bluetooth audio codecs available – only works when paired to a new Galaxy phone.
These work with any Android phone, and they still sound good and have great ANC, but the best way to use them is with a new phone from Samsung.
My verdict
What phone are you using? If you have something like a Galaxy S25 or Galaxy Z Flip 7, then hell yeah. It’s a yes from me, dawg. If you aren’t, then maybe you might want to check out some others before you plunk that money down.
I will mention that if the Galaxy S24 Ultra were my main phone, I would use these every day simply because they sound almost as good as a very expensive set of wired earbuds. For real. Unfortunately, with my Motorola Razr, they don’t.
If you have an iPhone, spring for a pair of AirPods. If you have a Pixel, the Pixel Buds are calling you. The list goes on, and even companies like OnePlus offer earbuds that are good with all phones, but best when used with the same brand of products. It’s simply how it is.
