In this review we’ll be looking at the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE and will be trying to answer the question: whether are they worth it or no? As a long-time admirer of everything Samsung has ever made audio related, I was very much looking forward to testing the all-new Galaxy Buds FE (Fan Edition) that emerged in early 2025. Claiming to have a flagship awesomeness at few bucks, these the buds are geared towards the economical ones without compromising on the basic features. Therefore, here is a comprehensive review of this product based on a couple of weeks of usage.
Design and Comfort:
As always, the Buds FE also come with the unique minimalistic design that has always characterized Samsung products. It consists of a shiny and elegant soft exterior finish along with a compact narrow charging case that can fit in the pocket. The buds are designed small and light in weight in order to fit the ears perfectly. Samsung provides multiple ear-tip sizes to ensure a snug fit and since I possess medium-sized ears the medium tips did the trick for me. They remain in place even through exercising which was shocking considering how light they are.
One thing however that I must point out is that the shiny covers both of the buds and the case get messed up with fingerprints and smudges. This is not a big deal, but just know that if you are the kind of person who likes their gadgets looking very clean, you may have a problem.
Sound Quality:
The sound was great, especially since the Buds FE are rather inexpensive than any other previous models manufactured by Samsung. The sound is well balanced, containing high clear sounds and deep bass which is not overbearing. They can handle most genres ranging from very bass-rich sounds to more delicate sounding acoustics.
The app by Samsung allows you some control over the equalizer and from all the options I did not have to go past the “Dynamic” setting. There is also “Bass Boost” for the low end lovers, but I did not have to turn it on very often as the regular tuning was already quite impressive.
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC):
For the price range, ANC on the Galaxy Buds FE comes as a surprise. It is not as premium as its higher-end counterparts such as the Galaxy Buds Pro or the AirPods Pro, however it does well enough in everyday environments. During the tests done in a coffee shop and on a bus, the ANC managed to cut out quite a lot of background conversations and other environmental sounds. On the other hand, some noise still got in when it was very crowded outside like on a busy street.
The Ambient Sound Mode is effective for listening to one’s environment in a matter of seconds. It is simple to navigate with the touch controls, but in such cases, it always feels as if the controls are a little too touchy.
Battery Life:
Samsung states that users can enjoy playback of up to 7.5 hours of battery life on a single charge and ANC switched off, and 5 hours with ANC switched on. These times were proven during my testing. Most of the time, I would wear them without ANC, and after almost 7 hours of continuous usage, the device would be ready for charging. With the charging case, expect about 20 hours of total battery life, which is quite good for this range.
The rapid-charge function is another handy addition. There is also the 10-minute charge in the case that provides almost 1 hour worth of listening which has come in handy on hectic days.
Connectivity and Features:
The Galaxy Buds FE are Bluetooth 5.3 enabled, and connectivity was not an issue. I was able to pair the earbuds with my Galaxy phone without any issue, and I was also able to easily switch from phone to tablet and vice versa but it is important to add that they do not allow full multipoint connectivity like other expensive variants.
The touch controls are simple, a single tap, double tap or triple tap ranges from playback functions to answering calls and activating a voice assistant. Neurocontrollers however, can be too sensitive at times and might cause unwarranted interruptions in music playing.
Launch the Galaxy Buds app on the device where you will use the headset first and the app will set up the headset for the device.
Quality of Calls:
Buds FE support only standard call quality that neither impresses more nor disappoints. In quiet surroundings, the calls went through with clarity, and there was no problem with the other person listening to me. However, when the noise levels went up, the mics were rather less effective, and more so the external noise was not cut off as well as I would have wished. For minor calls, it suffices, but for the person who tends to take calls in crowded places regularly, the quality might disappoint.
Price and Value:
The pricing and the value of around $99 is absolutely well priced for the galaxy buds fe for the amount of money they are selling. They also come with very good active noise cancelling, adjustable sound profiles and decent sound, making them a competitive mid-range wireless earbud. Yet, the high-end Samsung devices may not have all the bells and whistles packed. However, the performance per dollar spent is well designed in these.
Final Verdict:
Should one even bother asking, are these Galaxy Buds FE worth it? Yes, without a doubt, more so if you are one in search of durable sound wireless earbuds with appropriate sound and noise cancellation but at affordable prices. Perhaps these aren’t the best choices for an audiophile or someone who needs great ANC, however, for the average listener, these are impressively priced.
If you're an active member of the Samsung galaxy ecosystem or you just want good earbuds at a fair price, definitely think about getting the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE.
Rating: 4.5/5
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