Why you should trust this review
I have spent 14 years writing about audio gear, including six at Engadget and four as a contributing editor at What Hi-Fi. We purchased the Galaxy Buds FE in Graphite at full retail in November 2025. Samsung did not provide a review sample, and we have no editorial relationship with Samsung beyond the affiliate links disclosed in the layout above this paragraph.
Across five months of daily use, I logged about 140 hours of listening, half on a Galaxy S25 Ultra and half on a Galaxy Z Fold6. I also tested them on an iPhone 16 Pro for one week to confirm what is lost when you cross platforms. Every comparison in the review is direct, on the same source files, against the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3, the Sony WF-1000XM5, and the Apple AirPods Pro 3.
Every measurement here came from our evaluation setup, not from Samsung’s marketing copy.
How we tested the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE
Our wireless earbud protocol runs a minimum of 30 days. For the FE, the test window covered 150 days, with a hard 140-hour use log. The full method is documented on our methodology page. The short version for earbuds.
- ANC attenuation: Calibrated dB meter at six standardized frequencies (50 Hz, 100 Hz, 500 Hz, 1 kHz, 5 kHz, 10 kHz) on a head and torso simulator.
- Battery life: Pink noise at 50 percent volume, ANC on, AAC codec, played until shutdown. Three runs, averaged. We also logged real-world battery across 5 months.
- Fit and comfort: Head-shake test, jaw-clench test, and a 4-hour wear test for hot-spot tracking.
- Call quality: Outgoing voice recorded in five environments (quiet office, cafe, car interior, windy outdoor, gym treadmill). Graded blind against control.
- Sound quality: Blind A and B against the Buds 3 and the AirPods Pro 3 across 20 reference tracks.
Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE?
Buy them if:
- You own a Galaxy phone and you want the cheapest earbud that still feels like a Samsung product.
- You take calls all day and you want excellent voice transmission for the price.
- You commute on a train, bus, or subway and you want enough ANC to take the edge off.
- You already own a Galaxy Watch and you want the multi-device Auto Switch to just work.
Skip them if:
- You are on iOS. You lose every Samsung-specific feature, and the AirPods Pro 3 are the better choice on Apple devices.
- You want LDAC, AptX Lossless, or Samsung Seamless Hi-Fi. These are AAC and SBC only.
- You run hard or train in heavy rain. The IPX2 rating is splash-only, not workout-grade.
- You have shallow ear canals. The non-removable wing tip works for most ears but not all, and there is no aftermarket fix.
Fit and comfort: pleasant, not invisible
The FE uses a stem-and-tip design with a fixed silicone wing. At 5.6 grams per bud, they are light, but the shallow insertion depth means they sit on the outer ear rather than sealing deep in the canal. For 7 of 10 editors who tried them, the fit was a fast yes. For 3 of 10, no tip in the box created a reliable seal during a head-shake test.
After a 4-hour wear log, only one editor reported a hot spot, which is normal for a budget earbud. The case is a glossy plastic that picks up scratches faster than the Galaxy Buds 3 case, but at 5 months mine is dinged, not damaged.
Sound quality: warm, slightly bass-forward, easy to listen to
Samsung’s tuning here is conservative. Bass is gently lifted, mids are clear without being recessed, and treble is rolled off slightly so sibilance never gets harsh. In our blind A and B against the Galaxy Buds 3, 6 of 10 editors preferred the Buds 3 for vocal clarity, and 4 of 10 said the FE actually sounded fuller on hip-hop and pop.
Against the Sony WF-1000XM5 with LDAC, the FE sounds compressed in the upper register. That is what you give up by losing high-resolution codec support. For most listeners, on most streaming services, in most listening environments, you will not hear it.
Noise cancellation: surprisingly competent
We measured 24 dB of average attenuation across our six test frequencies. That is 3 dB behind the Galaxy Buds 3 (27 dB) and 8 dB behind the Sony WF-1000XM5 (32 dB), but it is well clear of every other sub-$100 earbud we have tested. On a New York subway, the FE reduced the cabin rumble to a level where I could comfortably listen at 50 percent volume on a podcast.
The ambient mode is one of the better implementations in this price bracket. It picks up voices clearly without that hollow, processed sound you get on the cheapest active modes.
Battery life: honest, not headline
Samsung rates the FE at 6 hours with ANC on. We measured 5 hours and 42 minutes in our standard test, about 5 percent below claim. With ANC off, the rating is 8.5 hours and we measured 8:14. Both are honest by industry standards. Real-world daily use, where I rarely drained them past 60 percent before dropping them in the case, gave me a comfortable working week of commute and call use without a top-up charge.
Call quality: the surprise of this review
This is where the FE meaningfully outperforms its price. The three-mic array combined with the in-ear voice pickup unit (a small accelerometer that detects your jaw vibration as you speak) gave us the cleanest budget call quality on file. In our cafe and gym test scenarios, our remote graders rated the FE second only to the AirPods Pro 3 across the entire current sub-$300 field.
If you take a lot of calls and you do not want to spend $250 on AirPods Pro 3, this is the earbud to consider first.
Samsung Galaxy Buds FE vs. the competition
| Product | Our rating | ANC | Battery | Codecs | Price | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy Buds FE | ★★★★☆ 4.3 | 24 dB | 5:42 | AAC, SBC | $69 | Best Budget |
| Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 | ★★★★★ 4.5 | 27 dB | 5:54 | AAC, SBC, Seamless Hi-Fi | $149 | Top Pick (Galaxy) |
| Sony WF-1000XM5 | ★★★★★ 4.7 | 32 dB | 7:48 | LDAC, AAC, SBC | $249 | Editor's Choice |
| Apple AirPods Pro 3 | ★★★★★ 4.7 | 30 dB | 6:18 | AAC | $249 | Top Pick (iOS) |
Full specifications
| Driver | Single 12mm dynamic |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 with Samsung Auto Switch |
| Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| ANC | Active, with two-level ambient sound |
| Microphones | 3 per bud, plus voice pickup unit |
| Battery (bud) | 6 hours rated, ANC on |
| Battery (case) | 30 hours rated, ANC on |
| Quick charge | 3 min = 1 hour playback |
| Water resistance | IPX2 (splash only, not for workouts in heavy rain) |
| Weight (per bud) | 5.6 grams |
Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE?
The Galaxy Buds FE are the rare budget earbud that does not feel budget. After 5 months we measured 24 dB of ANC attenuation, 5:42 of single-charge battery, and call quality that beats every sub-$100 competitor we have on file. The fit is fussier than a Galaxy Buds 3 and codec support is limited to AAC and SBC, but at $69 these are the easy recommendation for anyone with a Galaxy phone.
Frequently asked questions
Are the Galaxy Buds FE worth $69 in 2026?+
Yes, this is one of the easiest recommendations in the budget category. We measured 24 dB ANC attenuation and 5:42 of single-charge battery, both within striking distance of the $149 Galaxy Buds 3. If you own a Samsung phone and want the cheapest earbud that doesn't feel cheap, buy these.
Galaxy Buds FE vs Galaxy Buds 3, which should I buy?+
Buy the FE if you do not need premium codecs, the higher-end Crystal Display case, or the slightly more aggressive ANC. The Buds 3 are better, but they are also more than twice the price. After 5 months with both, the FE is the better value for almost everyone.
How is the call quality on the Galaxy Buds FE?+
Genuinely excellent for the price. We tested in five environments and they beat every other sub-$100 earbud on file in our gym and busy cafe scenarios. The three-mic array plus the dedicated voice pickup unit (basically a small accelerometer that detects your jaw vibration) keeps your voice intelligible even when ambient noise is rough.
Do the Galaxy Buds FE work with iPhone?+
They will pair and play audio, but you lose almost everything that makes them interesting, no Auto Switch, no Galaxy Wearable app, no firmware updates. On iPhone, the AirPods Pro 3 are a better buy. On Galaxy, the FE is the better value.
Are the Galaxy Buds FE good for running?+
Acceptable, not great. The IPX2 rating only covers splashes, not heavy sweat or rain. The wing tip helps stability for steady jogging but the shallow fit comes loose during full-speed sprints. For dedicated running buds, look at the Beats Fit Pro or the Sony LinkBuds S.
📅 Update log
- May 9, 2026Five-month long-term update with new ANC measurements and call quality refinements after firmware R400XXU0AYC4.
- Feb 10, 2026Updated battery measurement after a One UI 6.1 connection optimization.
- Dec 4, 2025Initial review published.
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