Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro
Quick take: The Apple AirPods Pro 3 costs $29 less; the Apple AirPods Pro 3 lasts longer per charge (8 hrs).
Which one to buy
Your phone picks for you here more firmly than in almost any other earbud matchup. Both are $190-$219 flagships with adaptive ANC, IP57, wireless charging and stems, and both are built to punish you for leaving their ecosystem. The AirPods Pro 3 on Android lose ANC controls, spatial audio and the EQ presets; the Buds3 Pro on an iPhone have no app at all, and on a Pixel they drop to AAC and lose 360 Audio and the SSC UHQ codec. So for most shoppers this comparison only matters if you're about to switch phones, or you own a non-Samsung Android and are weighing which walled garden hurts less (owners of both say neither; buy something else).
If you're shopping on spec merit alone, they split cleanly. Apple has the ANC owners describe as a 'wall of silence', the better per-charge battery (8 hours vs 6) and the best transparency and calls in the class, plus heart-rate sensing and a hearing-aid mode. Samsung has the more interesting hardware for music: a 10.5mm woofer paired with a 6.1mm planar tweeter, a 24-bit codec on Galaxy phones, a real app EQ, and pinch controls on the blade stems that owners find less error-prone. Samsung's case holds a little more (26 hours total vs 24).
Neither has a clean owner record. Pro 3 owners report static or crackling with ANC on and nothing playing, which two firmware updates didn't fully fix, and some ears ache from the deeper fit. Buds3 Pro owners deal with a shallow fit that weakens the seal, plus scattered reports of one bud not charging in the case or overnight drain. The early ear-tip tearing is fixed in current stock. Neither offers true multipoint, only auto-switching inside its own brand, which is a real cost if your work laptop runs Windows.
Apple AirPods Pro 3
If you use an iPhone, and especially if quiet on flights and commutes, call quality, or a watch-free heart-rate reading for workouts matter to you.
Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro
For anyone carrying a Galaxy phone who cares most about music: the planar tweeter, the 24-bit codec and an adjustable EQ are things the AirPods can't match, and Galaxy owners usually pay well under the $250 list.
| Spec | Apple AirPods Pro 3 | Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$190 | ~$219 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Wireless Earbuds | Wireless Earbuds |
| Noise Cancelling | Adaptive ANC | Adaptive ANC |
| Battery (single charge) | 8 hrs | 6 hrs |
| Battery (with case) | 24 hrs | 26 hrs |
| Quick Charge | 5 min = 1 hr | 5 min = 1 hr |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC, SSC UHQ |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.4 |
| Multipoint | No | No |
| Driver Size | — | 10.5 mm |
| Weight | 5.55 g | 5.4 g |
| Water Resistance | IP57 | IP57 |
| Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes |
| Transparency Mode | Yes | Yes |
| Spatial Audio | Yes | Yes |
| App EQ | No | Yes |
Pros & cons
Apple AirPods Pro 3
- ✓ANC roughly doubled over Pro 2 — trades blows with Bose
- ✓8-hour ANC battery, up two hours over Pro 2
- ✓Foam-infused tips finally seal without third-party swaps
- ✓IP57 survives sweaty workouts and rain
- ✓Best-in-class transparency and call quality
- ✓Heart-rate sensing plus a genuinely useful hearing-aid mode
- ✗AAC only — Android loses hi-res and most features
- ✗No real EQ beyond Apple's presets
- ✗Slimmer case dropped total battery to 24 hours
- ✗Multipoint limited to Apple device auto-switching
- ✗Battery isn't user-replaceable — degradation gripes persist
Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro
- ✓Dual 10.5mm woofer plus planar tweeter architecture
- ✓24-bit SSC UHQ hi-res on Samsung phones
- ✓Rugged IP57 tops most flagship rivals
- ✓Blade pinch controls beat finicky touch surfaces
- ✓26-hour total battery with wireless charging
- ✓Street prices run well under the $250 list
- ✗Best features locked inside the Galaxy ecosystem
- ✗Plain AAC on a Pixel, no iPhone app at all
- ✗No true multipoint, only Samsung auto-switching
- ✗Middling 6-hour ANC battery
- ✗AirPods-style stem redesign annoyed returning owners
Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro: common questions
I have a Pixel. Are either of these a sensible buy?▾
Not really. The Buds3 Pro drop to AAC on a Pixel and lose 360 Audio, the UHQ codec and the adaptive ANC tuning, while the AirPods Pro 3 lose ANC controls, spatial audio and heart-rate access entirely. Owners of both say a Pixel user should look at earbuds that don't depend on a particular phone brand.
Do the AirPods Pro 3 cancel more noise than the Buds3 Pro?▾
Owners give it to the AirPods Pro 3, comparing it to Bose on planes and subways. The Buds3 Pro's ANC is rated solidly competitive on a Samsung phone, just behind Sony, and its shallow fit can weaken the seal for some ears. If the AirPods' deeper fit makes your ears sore, though, that advantage is wasted.
Do the AirPods Pro 3 last longer per charge than the Buds3 Pro?▾
The AirPods: 8 hours with ANC against 6 on the Galaxy buds. The cases nearly cancel that out, with the Samsung case holding 26 hours total and Apple's slimmer one 24. Both get an hour of playback from 5 minutes in the case.