Samsung announced two new pairs of earbuds at Unpacked 2024 last week, and each pair has a new and unique design that doesn't look like the previous Galaxy Buds in any capacity.
The new Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro look more like standard wireless earbuds than traditional Buds, mainly because they have a stem that's supposed to point toward the wearer's mouth for better microphone reception.
Design-wise, the main thing that sets the Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro apart is that the Pro earbuds have silicone ear tips, whereas the regular Buds 3 don't. This is one big reason you should consider buying the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro over the regular Buds 3 if you care about sound quality and the music listening experience.
If you don't mind ear tips, go with the Pro for better sound
Earbuds, in general, aren't very powerful, but they can sound very loud and deliver deep bass tones, along with good dynamic range, because they sit close to your ear drum and form a seal inside the ear canal that prevents sound leakage.
You'd be surprised how big of a difference in audio quality and dynamic range you can hear when you fit earbuds correctly versus when you don't. That's where the challenge of designing earbuds without silicone ear tips comes from.
Needless to say, earbuds without silicone tips are more difficult to get them to fit right and sound good. And when you do, even the slightest movement can upset that balance, leading to a tinny sound and loss of bass. Earbuds similar to the Galaxy Buds 3 can't easily create a good seal inside your ear canal, and experiences will vary depending on the shape of your ear. Plus, these tip-less earbuds can come loose from tiny amounts of sweat, which is why they can be annoying to use when exercising or jogging.
More after the video…
On the other hand, some people will feel discomfort when using earbuds with silicone ear tips, and to them, lower audio quality is a worthy trade-off to avoid that discomfort. Fair enough, that's why the Galaxy Buds 3 — and similarly designed earbuds — exist in the first place.
But if you're not bothered by silicone ear tips, and as long as you want the best audio quality from your earbuds, you're much better off buying the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro instead of the regular Buds 3 — especially if you plan on wearing them at the gym or while jogging.
Not only do the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro have better drivers, including a planar driver per bud paired with one dynamic driver, but the ear-tipped design is objectively better at creating a proper seal and preventing sound leakage. So, if you plan on pre-ordering new Buds, choose wisely.
