Apple AirPods Pro 3 / Samsung Galaxy Buds3 (SM-R530)

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

Samsung Galaxy Buds3 (SM-R530): Galaxy Buds3 (SM-R530), silver or white. The tipped Galaxy Buds3 Pro (SM-R630) with light blades and the 2025 Buds3 FE are separate models.

SpecificationApple AirPods Pro 3Samsung Galaxy Buds3 (SM-R530)
Release year20252024
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		—
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 10 or later with more than 1.5 GB of memory

Some features are not available on non-Samsung devices.

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 AppleEarbud 18.1 × 20.4 × 31.9 mm, 4.7 g; case 58.9 × 48.7 × 24.4 mm, 46.5 g Samsung
Design—Open-type stem earbuds without silicone tips; silver and white

The open design does not seal the ear canal, so it avoids a pressure feeling over long use but isolates less than tipped models. Fit varies with ear shape.

Samsung
Driver and microphones—11 mm dynamic driver (one-way); 3 mics + voice pickup unit (VPU) per earbud

The VPU picks up the wearer’s voice through bone vibration to help separate speech in noisy calls.

Samsung
Noise cancelling—Active noise cancelling (ANC) and ambient sound mode

ANC measures outside sound with microphones and produces an opposite wave to reduce steady hum; in an open design the effect is more limited than in sealed earbuds.

Samsung
Sound quality—UHQ 24-bit/96 kHz, 24-bit Hi-Fi, 360 Audio with Direct Multi-Channel

UHQ (24-bit/96 kHz) only works on certain Galaxy phones and tablets with One UI 6.1.1 or later (S24, S23, Z Fold6/Flip6, Z Fold5/Flip5, Tab S9 series); 24-bit Hi-Fi needs One UI 4.0 or later. Other devices use AAC or SBC.

Samsung
Connectivity and codecs—Bluetooth 5.4, Auto Switch; SSC HiFi, SSC UHQ, AAC, SBC

Samsung Seamless Codec (SSC) is Samsung’s own codec for higher-resolution wireless audio with Samsung devices. Auto Switch moves the connection between signed-in Galaxy devices automatically.

Samsung
Controls and sensors—Pinch and swipe (Force & Touch) controls; VPU, SWIR, accelerometer, Hall sensor

The SWIR infrared sensor detects whether an earbud is worn; the Hall sensor detects the case opening and closing.

Samsung
Battery life—Music: 5 hours ANC on (24 total with case), 6 hours ANC off (30 total); talk: 3.5 hours ANC on (18 total), 4 hours off (20 total)

These are Samsung’s internal tests with default settings paired to a Galaxy phone. Capacity is 48 mAh per earbud and 515 mAh in the case (typical).

Samsung
Water resistance—IP57 (earbuds only)

IP57 means dust-protected and resistant to brief immersion; the charging case is not covered.

Samsung