Apple AirPods Pro 3 / Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE (SM-R420)

Apple AirPods Pro 3: MagSafe charging case (USB-C) with speaker

Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE (SM-R420): Galaxy Buds3 FE, SM-R420 (2025); Black and Gray. Sealed in-ear design with silicone tips. The tipless semi-open Galaxy Buds3, the Buds3 Pro and the original 2023 Galaxy Buds FE are separate models.

SpecificationApple AirPods Pro 3Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE (SM-R420)
Release year20252025
Announcement and saleAnnounced 9 September 2025; in stores 19 September 2025 Apple—
ChipsApple H2 in the earbuds; second-generation Ultra Wideband (U2) chip in the charging case Apple—
Audio hardwareCustom high-excursion Apple driver; custom high dynamic range amplifier Apple—
Noise controlActive Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness

Apple says ANC is up to 2x more effective than AirPods Pro 2. Adaptive Audio blends ANC and Transparency to suit the surroundings and needs iOS 18 or later.

Apple		Active noise cancelling (ANC) and ambient sound

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.

Samsung
Spatial audioPersonalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking

Creating a personal profile requires an iPhone with a TrueDepth camera.

Apple		—
Ear tipsFoam-infused silicone tips; five sizes: XXS, XS, S, M, L

XXS is new in this generation.

Apple		—
Heart rate sensingOptical heart rate sensor (PPG) in the earbuds; infrared pulsed 256 times per second

Used during workouts in the Fitness app on iPhone and requires iOS 26. It is not a medical measuring device.

Apple		—
Microphones and sensorsDual beamforming microphones, inward-facing microphone; skin-detect sensor, motion- and speech-detecting accelerometers

The speech-detecting accelerometer senses the wearer talking through bone vibration; Voice Isolation suppresses background noise.

Apple		—
Hearing featuresHearing Test, Hearing Aid, Hearing Protection

The Hearing Aid feature is FDA-authorised for adults 18+ with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss; availability varies by country.

Apple		—
Live TranslationLive Translation (beta) with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone on iOS 26

Apple notes the feature is not available in every region or language.

Apple		—
ControlsStem press and swipe: play/pause, calls, mode switching, volume; “Siri” voice command

Press and hold switches listening modes; swiping up or down changes volume.

Apple		—
Battery (earbuds)Up to 8 hours with ANC at 50% volume; 7.5 hours with Spatial Audio and head tracking; 6.5 hours in workouts with heart rate; 10 hours in Hearing Aid mode

Apple measured these in July–August 2025 with pre-production units and software; results vary with settings and environment.

Apple		—
Battery (with case)Up to 24 hours total with ANC; 5 minutes in the case gives about 1 hour of listening Apple—
Charging caseUSB-C, MagSafe, Apple Watch charger or Qi-certified charger; speaker for Find My; lanyard loop

A USB-C cable is not included in the box.

Apple		—
DurabilityIP57 (IEC 60529); earbuds and charging case

Not for water sports. Resistance may decrease over time; do not charge when wet.

Apple		—
BluetoothBluetooth 5.3

Per SoundGuys testing, codecs are SBC and AAC; there is no lossless wireless streaming.

Apple		—
CompatibilityLatest iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS; basic Bluetooth headphones on other devices

On non-Apple devices adaptive modes, hearing features and firmware updates are unavailable.

Apple		Android 11 or later with more than 1.5 GB of RAM

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.

Samsung
Size and weightEarbud (each) 30.9 × 19.2 × 27.0 mm, 5.55 g; case 47.2 × 62.2 × 21.8 mm, 43.99 g Apple—
Design and fit—Sealed in-ear design, silicone tips (three sizes), stem body; earbud 18.0 × 21.1 × 33.8 mm, 5 g (with M tip); case 58.9 × 48.7 × 24.4 mm, 41.8 g

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.

Samsung
Driver and microphones—1-way dynamic driver; 3 microphones per earbud Samsung
Connectivity and codecs—Bluetooth 5.4, Auto Switch; SSC (Samsung Seamless Codec), AAC, SBC

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
Battery—Earbud 53 mAh, case 515 mAh (typical); music: 6 h / 24 h total with ANC on, 8.5 h / 30 h total with ANC off; talk: 4 h / 18 h total

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.

Samsung
Sensors and controls—Proximity, Hall, touch and pressure sensors; pinch/swipe controls on the stem Samsung
Water resistance—IP54 (earbuds only)

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