Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE (SM-R420) / Apple AirPods 4 (Active Noise Cancellation)

Silicone tips seal the ear canal, blocking outside sound passively and helping bass sound fuller; if the tip does not seal, noise cancelling and bass both weaken.

ANC uses microphones to detect outside sound and plays inverted sound to reduce steady noise such as engines and hum. Ambient sound lets you hear your surroundings without removing the earbuds. Adaptive ANC that adjusts to the environment is not listed for this model.

Without ear tips the ear canal is not sealed like with silicone-tip earbuds, so ANC mainly reduces low-frequency rumble. Adaptive Audio blends ANC and Transparency based on surrounding sound.

SSC is Samsung’s own codec for higher-quality audio with Galaxy devices; other phones use AAC or SBC. Auto Switch moves the connection automatically between Galaxy devices on the same account.

Samsung’s times come from internal tests with pre-production units and default settings; rated capacity is 50 mAh per earbud and 500 mAh for the case. Real runtime depends on volume, codec and battery age.

IP54 means limited dust protection and resistance to splashing water from any direction; it is not suitable for submersion. The charging case is not protected.

Samsung notes some features may be unavailable on non-Samsung devices. Equaliser, ANC settings and AI features are managed in the Galaxy Wearable app or One UI settings.

The force sensor lets you press the stem to control playback, calls and listening modes.

No USB-C cable is included. The speaker helps locate a lost case by sound.

Not intended for water sports; resistance can decrease over time.

Works as standard Bluetooth earbuds with non-Apple devices; features such as automatic switching, Spatial Audio and Adaptive Audio need current Apple software.