Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE (SM-R420) / Sony ULT WEAR (WH-ULT900N)

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.

Sony ULT WEAR (WH-ULT900N): WH-ULT900N (printed code YY2981) closed over-ear wireless headphones; Black, Off-White, Forest Gray. ULT FIELD speakers and the WH-1000X series are separate products.

SpecificationSamsung Galaxy Buds3 FE (SM-R420)Sony ULT WEAR (WH-ULT900N)
Release year20252024
Design and fitSealed 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 microphones1-way dynamic driver; 3 microphones per earbud Samsung—
Noise controlActive 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		—
Connectivity and codecsBluetooth 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		—
BatteryEarbud 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		Music up to 30 hours ANC on, 50 hours off; calls up to 30 hours ANC on, 40 hours off; about 3.5 hours to charge over USB Sony
Sensors and controlsProximity, Hall, touch and pressure sensors; pinch/swipe controls on the stem Samsung—
Water resistanceIP54 (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		—
CompatibilityAndroid 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		—
Noise cancelling—Digital active noise cancelling with Integrated Processor V1 and Dual Noise Sensor; Ambient Sound mode

Two mics on each cup sample outside noise and the processor generates an inverse signal; Ambient Sound mode lets you hear announcements and speech without removing the headphones.

Sony
Driver and ULT button—40 mm dome-type closed dynamic driver with neodymium magnet; ULT button for bass-heavy sound mode

The ULT button switches to a strong bass setting with one press; the app equaliser can tune the sound further.

Sony
Frequency response—5–20,000 Hz (JEITA, wired); 20–20,000 Hz over Bluetooth (44.1 kHz sampling) Sony
Bluetooth and codecs—Bluetooth 5.2; A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP; SBC, AAC, LDAC; about 10 m range

LDAC carries audio at a higher bitrate from Android devices; iPhones do not support LDAC and use AAC.

Sony
Multipoint and sensor—Two Bluetooth devices at once; wear sensor (pauses music when removed)

You can switch between a phone and a computer without re-pairing.

Sony
Wired use—Detachable single-sided cable of about 1.2 m, gold-plated L-shaped 3.5 mm plug; passive operation supported

When the battery is flat you can keep listening over the cable; audio over USB-C is not listed.

Sony
Microphone and processing—Electret condenser, omnidirectional microphone; DSEE

DSEE tries to restore high frequencies lost in compressed music.

Sony
Impedance and sensitivity—314 Ω on, 32 Ω off (1 kHz); 110 dB/mW on, 100 dB/mW off (wired) Sony
Weight and colours—About 255 g; Black, Off-White, Forest Gray Sony
In the box—Connection cable, USB cable, reference guide, warranty card Sony
Service program—Free repair until 31 January 2027 for cracks in the rotating shaft between headband and housing on specific serial numbers

The serial number is printed inside the left hanger; Sony provides affected ranges and a checker per colour. The crack can cause the housing to detach. Ranges listed in Canada: Black 1000001–1164062, Off-White 2000001–2040144, Forest Gray 3000001–3026514.

Sony