Earbuds made by phone brands usually get a bad rap. Audiophiles often dismiss earbuds from general tech brands, like Samsung, Google, or Apple, in favor of options from legacy audio brands, such as Sony or Bose. That said, I’ve been impressed by the latest Galaxy Buds, Pixel Buds, and AirPods models. Frankly, the best earbuds for most users are the ones that match their phone brand.
Of the bunch, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro might be the most underrated. In terms of sound quality, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro can hang with the best. They’re comfortable, with solid active noise-canceling and an excellent software suite. Although there are a few places where the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro could be improved, I’m not excited for the upcoming Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro design doesn’t need changing
Samsung seems destined to change the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro design, and in a major way. It’s not hard to figure out why. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro were ridiculed by fans and haters alike for their appearance, which channel the AirPods Pro style in a very similar way. This model added stems for the first time and snap-attaching ear tips for the first time, similar to AirPods.
Samsung executives were reportedly furious that the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro looked like a knockoff of the AirPods Pro. As a result, I’m not surprised at all that the company is set to make sweeping changes with the upcoming Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. I just didn’t expect them to be this radical.
As revealed in a One UI 8.5 animations leak, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are expected to have a revamped design with flatter stems, a different insertion angle, and a new mesh grill on the outside (via Android Authority). The triangular stems and their LED strips seem to be completely gone.
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Looking at the leaked Galaxy Buds 4 Pro renders, I’m prematurely mourning the loss of the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. I would’ve liked Samsung to improve the reliability of swipe gestures and pinch controls, which were too easy to accidentally trigger. I would’ve also welcomed sturdier ear tips and a refined connection system, as the current model’s tips tend to tear when switched out often.
But a complete design overhaul? That feels excessive.
Considering the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro were arguably my favorite earbuds until Bose released the QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 earbuds a few months ago, I’m worried the design changes could be for the worse. When it comes to headphone and earbud design, less is more. If it isn’t broke, don’t try to fix it.
It’s a philosophy I’m all too familiar with, because Apple’s revamped AirPods Pro 3 design left me on the outside looking in. Although I’ve used AirPods Pro and AirPods Pro 2 in the past, I simply don’t find the newer model comfortable. That’s the risk a company takes when it significantly changes the design of an audio product. What’s frightening is that the rumored Galaxy Buds 4 Pro design changes look to be far greater than what Apple did with the AirPods Pro 3.
Samsung might revamp the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro case for the worse
Samsung isn’t stopping with just the earbuds — it’s also rumored to be changing the case design as well. Instead of a tall charging case that the earbuds slide into vertically, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are expected to use a flat, jewelry-style charging case. I’m not a fan of this earbud case style, as they’re typically larger and harder to pocket than the alternative. I feel like the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro replacement could be a step backward.
The great thing I can say about the rumored Galaxy Buds 4 Pro is that they’re still expected to lean into what Samsung’s audio gear does best — software. In addition to classic features like game mode and Samsung Seamless Codec (SSC) support, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are expected to add a “Find Your Phone” button on the charging case.
This button would let you ping your phone via Bluetooth from the earbuds’ case. The reverse could work, too, with a speaker grille on the charging case. This is clearly the bright spot of a rumored charging case design change.
The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are peak Samsung earbuds
It’s far too early to say whether the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro will be a hit. However, the signs point to the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro being significantly different from the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. That’s a risky move, since the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro shined in 2024 and held up nicely in 2025.
Blindly copying Apple is a bad thing, but changing a solid product design to avoid being called a copycat isn’t a winning strategy either. It’s why I think the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro might still be my favorite Samsung earbuds even after the new model comes out.
