Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro Review: The Android Answer to AirPods Pro, Tested in Cape Town

The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro are premium wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation, designed to work best within Samsung’s Galaxy device family but functional with any Bluetooth device. If you carry a Samsung phone and a Windows or Android laptop, these are the earbuds that give you the closest experience to what Apple users get with AirPods Pro 2 — multipoint connectivity, adaptive ANC, and quick device switching without the Apple tax.

Key Specs

• Type: In-ear, true wireless
• Driver: Dual driver (planar + dynamic), 10.5mm woofer + 6.1mm planar tweeter
• ANC: Adaptive active noise cancellation with Ambient Sound mode
• Battery: 7 hours (ANC on), 30 hours total with case
• Weight: 5.4g per earbud, 46.5g case
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.4, multipoint (2 devices), Samsung Seamless Codec
• Codec support: SBC, AAC, Samsung Seamless Codec (SSC), Samsung 360 Audio
• Microphone: 3 mics per earbud (2 outer + 1 inner)
• Charging: USB-C, Qi wireless
• Water resistance: IP57
• Price (ZAR): R4,999 – R5,499

What We Tested

We used the Buds3 Pro with a Samsung Galaxy S24 and a Windows laptop running Zoom and Google Meet over a week in Cape Town. Test environments included a loud cafe in Bree Street, a coworking space in the CBD, a home office during a windy day with windows open, outdoor walking along the Fan Walk and Sea Point Promenade, and the MyCiTi bus between Civic Centre and Table View.

ANC Performance

Samsung made a significant jump in ANC quality with the Buds3 Pro compared to earlier Galaxy Buds models. The dual-driver setup and improved processing create ANC that is competitive, though not quite at the level of the AirPods Pro 2.

In the Bree Street cafe, the ANC reduced general ambient noise effectively. Conversation faded to a low murmur, and the espresso machine was noticeably quieter. High-frequency sounds — cutlery on plates, sudden laughter — still leaked through, as they do with all in-ear buds. The overall impression was about 85-90% of what the AirPods Pro 2 achieve, which is strong enough for productive focused work.

On the MyCiTi bus, the low-frequency engine noise was handled well. Not as completely as the Bose QC Ultra (which is an over-ear comparison and therefore unfair), but enough to make the commute a productive work window with music or a podcast.

The adaptive ANC adjusts to your environment, though it is less smooth than Apple’s implementation. You occasionally notice the shift between ANC levels as a brief change in pressure or background tone. It is not disruptive, but it is perceptible in a way that the AirPods Pro 2 disguises better.

Call Quality

This is where the Buds3 Pro perform particularly well. The three-microphone array per earbud does an impressive job isolating your voice in noisy environments. During a Zoom call from the Bree Street cafe, colleagues reported that my voice was clear and that background noise was present but not distracting. One colleague said it sounded like I was “in a slightly noisy room” rather than “in a packed cafe,” which is a fair description of the mic’s noise suppression.

Samsung’s AI-powered voice detection does real work here. It adapts in real time to the noise profile around you, and the result is more consistent call quality across different environments than the previous Buds2 Pro delivered.

The call quality is comparable to the AirPods Pro 2 and may be slightly better in certain high-noise situations. This is the Buds3 Pro’s strongest feature for remote workers.

Multipoint Connection

Multipoint works out of the box with two devices, which is essential for the laptop-plus-phone setup most remote workers run. Paired with a Samsung Galaxy phone and a Windows laptop, switching between a phone call and a Zoom meeting was quick — about 2-3 seconds — and reliable roughly 90% of the time.

With non-Samsung devices, multipoint still works but is less polished. Pairing with a MacBook and an Android phone required manual intervention more often than the AirPods Pro 2 require when switching between Apple devices. This is expected — every manufacturer optimises for their own device family.

Samsung Seamless Codec (SSC) provides better audio quality than standard AAC when connected to Samsung devices. With non-Samsung devices, you fall back to AAC or SBC, which is perfectly adequate for calls and work audio but means you are not getting the full audio quality these are capable of.

Wind and Outdoor Use

The in-ear design handles Cape Town wind better than any over-ear headphone. On the Sea Point Promenade with moderate wind (20-25km/h), ANC remained functional and wind buffeting was minimal. In stronger gusts, some rumble crept in but never to the point of being uncomfortable.

For calls outdoors, the microphones handled light wind without issue. Moderate wind introduced some noise that call partners could hear, but conversation remained possible. In strong southeaster conditions (40km/h+), call quality dropped to borderline usable — about the same as the AirPods Pro 2 in equivalent conditions.

The IP57 rating is a genuine advantage in Cape Town. These can handle rain, sweat, and accidental submersion. If you run along the Promenade, cycle to work, or get caught in a Cape Town weather change, the Buds3 Pro will be fine. Neither the Sony XM5 nor the Bose QC Ultra can make that claim.

What’s Good

• Call quality is best-in-class for earbuds. The three-mic array with AI processing delivers consistently clear voice on calls across noisy environments.
• IP57 water and dust resistance. Genuine durability for Cape Town’s weather. You do not need to worry about rain, sweat, or dust.
• Multipoint works reliably with Samsung devices and acceptably with others. Laptop-plus-phone switching is smooth in the Samsung device family.
• 7 hours per charge with ANC is longer than the AirPods Pro 2’s 6 hours. Over a work day, that extra hour matters.
• Dual-driver sound quality is excellent for the price. The planar tweeter adds detail and clarity that single-driver buds lack, particularly noticeable with music.
• Blade design is comfortable. The stem sits against the ear naturally and does not protrude awkwardly. You can wear a hoodie or beanie over them without discomfort.
• Samsung Galaxy AI features (real-time translation, transcript) are useful if you work with multilingual teams or attend meetings in Afrikaans, though translation quality varies.

What’s Not

• ANC is good but not best-in-class. The AirPods Pro 2 have a consistent edge in noise cancellation refinement. If ANC is your top priority and you are in the Apple device family, the AirPods are still the better pick.
• Ambient Sound mode is decent, not great. It works for basic awareness but sounds less natural than Apple’s Adaptive Transparency. Voices have a slightly digital quality.
• Best features require Samsung devices. SSC codec, Samsung Seamless, real-time translation — all Samsung-exclusive. With other devices, you get a competent but less differentiated product.
• The blade/stem design is polarising. Some people think it looks great. Others think it looks like a budget AirPods imitation. This is subjective, but worth considering if aesthetics matter to you.
• Touch controls on the stems are sensitive. Brushing the stem while adjusting fit or pushing hair back will trigger pause/play or volume changes. You can customise the controls in the Galaxy Wearable app, but accidental touches remain an issue.
• No lossless audio support. Despite the dual-driver hardware, there is no lossless codec option. Samsung Seamless Codec is high quality but still lossy.
• Case is a fingerprint magnet. The glossy finish shows every touch. Minor, but annoying.

The Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro are the right earbuds for Android users — specifically Samsung users — who want a premium remote work audio tool in Cape Town. The call quality is their standout feature, beating or matching everything else at this price. The ANC is strong enough for cafe work, the IP57 rating handles Cape Town conditions, and the multipoint connection supports the laptop-plus-phone workflow that remote work demands.

If you are in the Apple device family, the AirPods Pro 2 remain the better choice — the ANC is more refined, the transparency mode is superior, and the device integration is smoother. If you use a Samsung phone with a Windows laptop, the Buds3 Pro are the clear pick. If you use a non-Samsung Android phone, they are still a good option but you lose some of the device-specific benefits that justify the premium.

At R4,999-R5,499, they are priced slightly above the AirPods Pro 2, which is aggressive given that the ANC is not quite as strong. The call quality and IP57 rating help justify the price, but it is worth watching for sales — these regularly drop to R4,299-R4,499 on Takealot during promotions.

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