TWS true wireless earphones - $75 to $100
FIVE STARS - They're comfortable, offer clear calls, and have hassle-free Active Noise Cancelling. Still, these are just bonuses for the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE. These sub-$100 wireless earbuds sound fantastic.
Samsung Galaxy Buds FE specs and features:
Bluetooth 5.2 with AAC codec
IPX4 waterproof (splash proof)
5,5 hours listening on a single charge (ANC on)
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 3 times
Comes with 3 sets of ear tips, USB-C cable, English manual
$80 - Buy on Amazon US, Amazon UK or other Amazon countries
Below this audiophile Samsung Galaxy Buds FE review, you will find comparisons of the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE vs Apple AirPods Pro 2, Samsung Galaxy Buds 2, Edifier TWS1 Pro 2, Soundcore Space A40, Moondrop Space Travel and more.
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Design, comfort and battery life
Those familiar with Samsungs wireless earbuds, will see nothing new in the Buds FE's design. The charging case is the rounded square seen on the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 and the Galaxy Buds Live. It's very pocketable and well-built, even though the plastic can be a little squeeky. A single LED light on the front indicates the remaining case battery life by turning out red or green. The case needs new power via USB-C after three full charges of the earbuds - wireless charging of the case isn't supported.
Inside the case are the most anonymously designed earbuds in quite some time. Especially in dark grey, they look plain and simple. The definitely don't look very expensive - but also not too cheap.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 on the left, the Galaxy Buds FE on the right
The earbuds feel familiar as well. The shape isn't as round as the 'eggs' of the Galaxy Buds 2, and has more in common with the original Samsung Galaxy Buds(+) design. They do feel a bit smaller than those.
In my average-sized ears, I found them to be comfortable for hours. You can feel the inner, round shape in your ears - but not intrusively so. Rubber ear rings on the top ensure a tight and snug fit while you're running or working out, and as the earbuds don't stick too much, you can even sleep on your side with these, without a support hand underneath.
Don't expect to make a full night, however: the earbuds' battery lasts around 5,5 hours on a single charge with the default setting of Active Noise Cancelling on. An average score at this price point. Just like the IPX4 waterproof rating: it survives splashes and a bit of rain; don't use them in the shower.
Controls, connectivity and app
Samsung's newest budget TWS is pretty selective in its features. The biggest letdown is that there's no standard multipoint connection available, meaning you can't connect these earbuds to all kinds of phones and laptops at the same time. Unless you have multiple Samsung devices - in which case you can switch between these devices with your Samsung account.
When you use the Buds FE on an iPhone, you're limited to two control options: play/pause music with a single tap, or switch between ANC and Transparency mode by holding one of the buds.
Tip for iPhone users: ask an Android friend to install the Wear app, so you can setup the extra control options
Unfortunately, you can't have volume and ANC controls on your buds at the same time: both are options under Touch and hold
Android users have more control settings thanks to the free Galaxy Wear app. It gives you the option to skip a track (double-tap on an earbud), return a song (triple-tap), and select which ANC modes you want to switch between. You can also throw the ANC settings overboard to increase or decrease volume instead, or opt for a Spotify-option, that lets you jump to all kinds of random yet personal favourite plays in Spotify. It's not possible to have all volume options and the ANC switch on your buds at the same time, sadly.
Samsung-owners and other Android users get more features out of the Galaxy Buds FE - it's just that simple.
The Galaxy Wear app for Android gives multiple sound equalizers to choose from and lets you rebalance the sound between your left and right ear, which is a splendid setting if one of your ears hears less. The Buds FE can also read your notifications for you, from apps you select.
As you can read from the sound part in this review later on, you may not need the sound equalizers at all - but it's great to know that the Bass boost and Dynamic setting give you a deeper and more immersive bass when needed, while Clear shifts more energy to the treble without feeling too unbalanced. If you think this is a massive plus for Android-users only, there's a catch: the sound has more resolution on the iPhone - evening things out.
No matter if you're an Android or iPhone user: the overall connectivity is flawless. Pairing and connecting is fast and the Bluetooth connection holds strongly north of ten meters away from your device. What's more, is that music automatically pauses when you take two earbuds out (but not one, what a bliss!) and resumes when you put them in again. Marvellous.
iPhone users should distract two points from this score
Phone and video calls
The Galaxy Buds FE is a big improvement for phone and video calls over the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2.
Your voice is clear, quite full and loud enough when you take a call in quiet circumstances. Sudden indoor sounds like keyboard typing, people laughing or a door slam are audible at first - but reduced as soon as the Buds FE gets a grip on it, which is real quick most of the time. Your voice can become a little darker - less clear - when you walk around a bit, but it's still easy to hear what you're saying. In fact, I had no problems interviewing people while being in a busy office environment.
The biggest improvement is outdoors. Whereas your voice would immediately drown on the Buds 2, the Buds FE even manages to pick you up clearly when you're walking against a bit of wind. As outdoor noises too are still reduced as soon as possible, taking a call both indoor and outside is perfectly doable on these.
Lastly, Samsung owners and other Android users can opt to automatically put the earbuds in Transparency mode when you take a call, so you can still hear your surroundings when on the phone. Convenient.
Video and games playback
Watching videos and movies on the Galaxy Buds FE is a breeze, with flawless synchronization between audio and video.
Playing games is a blast as well, without the need to activate a specific low-latency gaming mode. There's still a minor delay in sound effects in a demanding game like Call of Duty mobile, but gunshots and explosions follow the action quick enough to not distract you. Furthermore, there's a good sense of detail as well - making it easier to detect footsteps around you, for instance. Even when you have the voice channel open, there's plenty of detail in both voices and the game.
ANC quality on Samsung Galaxy Buds Fe
The Buds FE's Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) takes away a convincing amount of noise from your surroundings. Darker tones like electronic buzzes or humming disappear, and if there's a radio playing in the background, chances are you won't even hear it anymore. Constant sounds, distant chatter, keyboard clicking, and engine sounds are all heavily softened. This goes for nearly all frequencies, except for two types of sounds: wet tire traffic is audible (which can actually be quite safe), and you will also be able to follow a nearby conversation.
This is the case when you're not playing music - and that's a key factor here.
Play music and the ANC appears to be even more efficient - even on the lowest playback volume. Next to that, the ANC doesn't apply too much pressure on your ears and wind noise is countered extremely well. You can just jump on a bicycle without changing the ANC setting here.
The ANC may not be stronger than the $50 Edifier TWS1 Pro 2 or the $100 Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro, but it's absolutely hassle-free. If you want, you can hold one of the earbuds to switch to the Transparency mode to hear a conversation clearly and naturally, but 99% of the time, you can just leave these in the ANC setting. If you do desire more battery life, the Android-app helps you to turn it off - boosting the battery score to 7,5 hours.
And then there's a super power: the combination of solid ANC and side-sleeping comfort. The Soundcore Space A40 showed it before, and the Galaxy Buds FE shows it again. This combination got me 5,5 hours of sleep in a full Indian night train! Try beating that!
Even though the Galaxy Buds FE doesn't offer the strongest ANC on sub-$100 wireless earbuds, it's one of the most versatile and usable implementations to date.
Also read: The very best sounding earbuds under $150
Sound quality of Samsung Galaxy Buds FE
The Samsung Galaxy Buds FE sounds marvellous. Here's why.
To get a good picture of how characteristic these are, let's first divide the earbuds market under 100 dollars.
Give or take 30% of affordable earbuds has a brighter sound with boosted treble. These are mostly products from QCY, and Chinese phone brands like Oppo, Huawei, and Honor. With this sound character, middle-tones like vocals and instruments like guitars, piano play are often pushed towards the treble. They can be light or thin as a result.
Around 30% of the market chooses the opposite approach. These earbuds foremost emphasize the bass and lift the lower frequencies, resulting in a warm and often bassy character. This is the corner where Earfun, SoundPEATS, Sony and Tozo often reside. These earbuds often pull the center mid-tones towards the lower ones, giving vocals and mid-instruments a warm and comforting thickness, but not a very natural sound.
Now, let's say 38% combines these two sound signatures, wherein both the bass and treble are boosted. Especially Soundcore, JBL and Edifier have this sound character a lot. Lifting both the lower and top end often results in an energetic sound - but also one that easily skips the center mid-tones. Therefore, guitars and piano play can be laidback or recessed.
The final 2% of affordable earbuds puts the center mid-tones first. They work the mids so well that it immediately gives them a distinctive character. It's the corner of only the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2, the Google Pixel Buds A and the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+. And now the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE.
And, get this: this is the best execution to date.
The mid-tones here are superb. They have room to shine. In genres like blues and rock, acoustic guitars aren't just natural in tonality, but it's also possible to hear the plucking of strings. In the same way, it's possible to hear the pressing of piano keys in higher quality recordings.
Both female and male vocals are pronounced and natural, without being pushed artificially upfront. Singers strike a perfect balance between the warmth and brightness of the signatures described earlier. You may have to get used to the neutral tonality, but voices are full-bodied and offer nuances I've rarely heard before while reviewing 356 wireless earbuds. In The Thrill Is Gone, you can hear B.B. King dip in one of his first sentences - and almost feel the raw edge to his voice.
See, the FE doesn't push the upper mid-tones and highs explicitly; the sound isn't trebly. Yet, every time when an instrument or singer demands it, the FE offers all the space in the world. Björk's outhauls in It's Oh So Quiet stab, cymbals are textured, and higher electronic tones can really sing. But higher frequencies never feel harsh, never feel thin, too bright, or even peaky in volume. I kept putting the Buds FE louder and louder, just to let myself in with more detail, more immersion.
When I said the FE gives instruments room to shine, I also mean it in a literal sense. The FE has a moderately wide soundstage and in it, there's outstanding left-right separation. Positioning is outstanding too. In Transformation by The Cinematic Orchestra, the first part of the classical composition leans towards the right, until the violins on the left swing in near the end. It's a little strange at first when vocalists in live recordings aren't right in front of you and come more from a side, but you're treated to so much precision it's absolutely worth it - no artificial spatial features required.
The bass then? The mid-bass packs plenty of power, with impactful drums and moderate electronic thumps - yet it doesn't punch you in the face. It could have been tighter - it's perhaps the only flaw in the overall sound - but thanks to the cleanliness around it, the bass still appears detailed and deep. The sub-bass could have been more textured, but the sub dives lovely deep and it's fast-paced too - leaving a rolling, subtle rumble in James Blake's Limit to Your Love.
Even on the highest volumes, all these frequencies fluently coexist. While you may have to adjust to the non-warm and non-bright vocal presentation, the overall performance is brilliant. These are balanced with a capital B.
But you know what the weird thing is? It can actually feel like the Galaxy Buds FE sounds... standard. Because it doesn't overstretch the highs, because it doesn't overpower the mid-bass, because everything is just so well thought-out and balanced, it can sometimes feel like the FE is nothing special. It just works.
Then switch to any other 98% of the other sound characters - and you'll know why the FE is so good.
Samsung Galaxy Buds FE comparisons
Samsung Galaxy Buds FE VS Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 ($120)
The Buds FE differs in small yet important musical aspects from the already brilliant Buds 2. The latter has a little more space in the treble, while the FE offers more left-right separation overall. The Fe controls upper-mids a tad better, and sounds heftier, warmer and more comforting thanks to slightly lifted lower-mids. It can also go louder - next to offering stronger ANC and clearer outside calls.
Samsung Galaxy Buds FE vs Soundcore Liberty 4 NC
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC is Scarbir's top recommendation for ANC earbuds under $100 at the time of writing. It stays ahead of the Samsung in features, with easier multipoint connectivity that also works on non-Samsung devices, more extensive app support, and stronger Noise Cancelling as well. Battery life is better too, although the Buds FE handles phones call better.
In sound, the Galaxy Buds FE is more balanced than the Liberty 4 NC. It's increased midrange emphasis presents more neutral sounding instruments and more natural vocals. It's more detailed in the mids and highs as well. The Soundcore has a more aggressive, punchier and heavier bass. It also throws the treble more open than the Samsung, which can result in a more energetic approach, but also gives a more metallic and tiring sound than the Buds FE.
Samsung Galaxy Buds FE VS Earfun Free Pro 3 ($80)
While tuned by the great Oluv Gadgets, the Earfun Free Pro 3 doesn't beat the Buds FE in the sound department. The Buds FE has better separation, more room for upper-mids, and instruments get a more natural tonality. The Earfun has heavier lower-mids and mid-bass, making the sound thick in a nice way - but you'll lose the great detail level of the Samsung. The Buds FE are more comfortable, too.
Samsung Galaxy Buds FE VS Soundcore Space A40 ($100)
Finally, there's a competitor for the best sleep-proof wireless earbuds under $100. The Soundcore Space A40 has a terrific combination of solid ANC, great comfort, and 8 hours battery life on a single charge - meaning these earbuds can make you sleep better in noisy surroundings. The Samsung is slightly less comfortable and lasts just 5,5 hours, but does give slightly stronger ANC during those hours. Musically, the Samsung is clearer, more textured, and more pronounced than the warmer and mostly comforting Soundcore.
Samsung Galaxy Buds FE VS Edifier TWS1 Pro 2 ($50)
While the $50 Edifier TWS1 Pro 2 has stronger ANC than the Samsung, the Galaxy Buds FE counters wind noise even better. The Samsung lasts 1,5 hours longer on a single charge, and is more comfortable for sleeping. The Edifier has a punchier, but also muddier mid-bass. It lifts treble more actively, but misses the beautiful fluentness and harshness-free experience from the Samsung, which brings out more detail in the center-mids and offers more texture and weight in the lower-mids.
Samsung Galaxy Buds FE VS Moondrop Space Travel ($30)
The brilliant and balanced $30 Moondrop Space Travel has a slightly warmer signature and fatter mid-bass, while the FE's bass is punchier and deeper. The Samsung sounds spacier and has better separation and placement. Plus: it can go louder, beating the Moondrops biggest downside. The Samsungs ANC is stronger, the earbuds are more comfortable, and you get 1,5 hours extra battery life per charge.
Samsung Galaxy Buds FE VS Apple AirPods Pro 2 ($250)
Costing only one third of the AirPods Pro 2's, the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE lacks spatial audio, push notification reading, and volume controls for iPhone users, but wait: the Buds FE is the first TWS under $100 to really compete with the AirPods Pro 2's sound quality. Center mid-tones and higher-pitched vocals are more natural on the Samsung, and Samsungs bass is (surprisingly) punchier and fuller as well. Both earbuds are great in providing detail; the AirPods Pro 2 feels bigger and has more space around the lows; the Samsung because of its more pronounced center-mids and better separation.
No Apple AirPods 2 review: budget exceeds $150
Verdict
They're comfortable, offer clear calls, and have hassle-free Active Noise Cancelling. Still, these are just bonuses for the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE. These sub-$100 wireless earbuds sound fantastic.
Buy Samsung Galaxy Buds FE/ check price:
Buy on Amazon US
Buy on Amazon UK
Buy on other Amazon countries
I bought the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE for myself to test and review. My reviews are 100% independent and non-commercial - read about it here.
Consider buying this earphone? I'd really appreciate it if you use the links in this article. It won't cost you extra, yet it will financially support me a bit in my ongoing quest for great affordable audio. <3
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