Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds 3 look nearly identical to Apple AirPods – and that’s a good thing

This week, throughout Samsung’s annual Unpacked occasion, the corporate introduced the newest technology of its premium flagship earbuds, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Professional. Popping out two years after their predecessors, the Galaxy Buds 3 Professional are full of new AI-powered audio options, some attention-grabbing integrations with Samsung smartphones, and a big redesign.

The third-generation Galaxy Buds’ base and Professional fashions additionally sport a brand new type issue. As an alternative of a rounded design harking back to Sony’s WF-1000X-series earbuds, Samsung’s buds now appear to be — you guessed it — Apple’s AirPods.

The Galaxy Buds 3 have a standard bud-and-stem design, and Samsung applied the earbuds’ contact controls on the stem. Just like the AirPods, the Galaxy Buds 3 have microphone homes on the high of the bud. 

The Buds 3’s earbud stem is a bit longer than the AirPods Professional 2’s, so Samsung’s latest earbuds extra carefully resemble the bottom mannequin AirPods, however with an edgier, extra angular design and LED gentle strips alongside the stem. The bottom mannequin Galaxy Buds 3 omit silicon ear suggestions, just like Apple’s AirPods (third Gen), whereas the Galaxy Buds 3 Professional have silicon suggestions.

For my part, the brand new design is likely one of the Galaxy Buds 3 collection’ greatest options. Here is why.

Extra dependable contact controls

Earbuds with a rounded type issue, just like the earlier technology of Galaxy Buds, depart little floor space for contact controls, that are situated on the outer fringe of the earbud.

When contact controls are positioned there, you must faucet the buds in a fashion that may push them deeper into the ear canal, inflicting discomfort. Moreover, free hairs can simply set off contact controls on the buds’ periphery, resulting in unintentional command completions.

With contact controls housed on the stem, you may simply entry them extra naturally and reliably. The Galaxy Buds 3’s new contact controls, which Samsung calls Blade Lights, are like those discovered on Apple’s AirPods Professional 2, with instructions consisting of pinches or swipes to the bud stem.

Discovering ‘that’ excellent match

For some customers, rounded bud designs are extra snug to put on and may be safer of their ears. In the event you’re like me, nevertheless, the bud-and-stem design is the way in which to go. Though corporations like Samsung and Sony say rounded bud designs are extra “ergonomic,” I discover the bud-and-stem design simpler to regulate in my ear.

Once I examined Sony’s rounded earbuds, I did not have a lot wiggle room to regulate them after they did not match snugly in my ear, and the one possibility I had was to alter the earbuds’ tip sizes. With my AirPods, nevertheless, I can twist the bud stem ahead or backward to seek out the right angle the place the buds match greatest in my ears. I anticipate the identical changes to work once I quickly take a look at the Galaxy Buds 3 Professional.