Sony WH-1000XM6 / Samsung Galaxy Buds3 (SM-R530)

Sony WH-1000XM6: WH series · Over-ear

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.

SpecificationSony WH-1000XM6Samsung Galaxy Buds3 (SM-R530)
Release year20252024
Driver30 mm Sony—
Bluetooth5.3 Sony—
Bluetooth profilesA2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP; TMAP, GMAP, PBP for LE Audio

About 10 m line-of-sight range; Power Class 1.

Sony		—
CodecSBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 Sony—
Frequency responseWired and on: 4–40,000 Hz; LDAC 96 kHz: 20–40,000 Hz

Over Bluetooth at 44.1 kHz sampling the range is 20–20,000 Hz.

Sony		—
Impedance / sensitivityWired, on: 48 Ω, 103 dB/mW; off: 16 Ω, 102 dB/mW Sony—
Rated battery lifeMusic: up to 30 hours with ANC, 40 hours without ANC Sony—
Rated talk timeUp to 24 hours with ANC, 28 hours without ANC Sony—
ChargingAbout 3.5 hours; 9 V / 2.3 A with a USB Power Delivery adapter

Charge between 5 and 35 °C; use between 0 and 40 °C.

Sony		—
ConnectionsBluetooth; 3.5 mm audio; USB-C charging Sony—
WeightApproximately 254 g Sony—
Gaming audioGMAP support · firmware 3.1.5

Added by the 30 June 2026 update; requires a compatible phone and game.

Sony		—
LE Audio requirementLC3; Low latency mode in Sound Connect

LE Audio is unavailable in the default Prioritize Sound Quality mode.

Sony		—
Water protectionNot waterproof

Not designed for rain or wet use.

Sony		—
Earlier software fix2.1.0: recording/playback in some iPhone apps and missing call audio

21 August 2025 release note; not a fix for every connection issue.

Sony		—
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
Compatibility—Android 10 or later with more than 1.5 GB of memory

Some features are not available on non-Samsung devices.

Samsung
Size and weight—Earbud 18.1 × 20.4 × 31.9 mm, 4.7 g; case 58.9 × 48.7 × 24.4 mm, 46.5 g Samsung