Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 Pro | Sony - LinkBuds Open |
|---|---|---|
| Battery — buds | 6 h | 8 h |
| Battery — with case | 26 h | 22 h |
| Driver size | 10.5 mm | 11 mm |
| Active noise cancellation | true | false |
| Water resistance | IP57 | IPX4 |
| Weight per bud | 5.4 g | 5.1 g |
Between the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and LinkBuds Open, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro comes out ahead in battery — with case / active noise cancellation, while the LinkBuds Open wins on battery — buds / driver size. Overall, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro scores 73.2 and the LinkBuds Open scores 63.6 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 9.6 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro if audio quality and feature breadth (ANC, codecs, multipoint) are the lead criteria for your purchase. The biggest gaps in its favor are battery — with case, active noise cancellation, water resistance. The single most decisive one: Battery — with case — 18.18% more. 26 h vs 22 h.
Pick the LinkBuds Open if your top frustration with your current device is running out of charge before the day ends — endurance is the lead spec here. Its strongest claims are battery — buds, driver size, weight per bud. The single most decisive one: Battery — buds — 33.33% more. 8 h vs 6 h.
Both ship with comparable spatial audio, multipoint, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Which should you buy: Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 Pro or Sony - LinkBuds Open?
Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 Pro leads the current Mars Score by 9.6 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare driver size, battery — buds, weight per bud against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 Pro if…
Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 Pro has the measurable edge on battery life case h, has anc, ip rating.
Choose Sony - LinkBuds Open if…
Sony - LinkBuds Open has the measurable edge on battery life buds h, driver size mm, weight per bud g.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 Pro wins
- ▲Battery — with case — 18.18% more. 26 h vs 22 h.
- ▲Has Active noise cancellation.
- ▲Water resistance: IP57 (vs IPX4).
Why Sony - LinkBuds Open wins
- ▲Battery — buds — 33.33% more. 8 h vs 6 h.
- ▲Driver size — 4.76% more. 11 mm vs 10.5 mm.
- ▲Weight per bud — 0.30 g less. 5.1 vs 5.4.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 Pro | Sony - LinkBuds Open |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | in-ear | openlead |
| Weight per bud | 5.4 g | 5.1 glead |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP57lead | IPX4 |
Audio
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 Pro | Sony - LinkBuds Open |
|---|---|---|
| Driver sizeⓘ | 10.5 mm | 11 mmlead |
| Active noise cancellationⓘ | truelead | false |
| Transparency mode | truelead | false |
| Spatial audioⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 Pro | Sony - LinkBuds Open |
|---|---|---|
| Battery — buds | 6 h | 8 hlead |
| Battery — with case | 26 hlead | 22 h |
| Wireless case chargingⓘ | truelead | false |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 Pro | Sony - LinkBuds Open |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetoothⓘ | 5.4lead | 5.3 |
| Codecsⓘ | SSC,AAC,SBC | AAC,SBC |
| Multipointⓘ | true | true |
| In-ear detection | truelead | false |
Frequently asked
Which has longer battery, Galaxy Buds 3 Pro or LinkBuds Open?+
LinkBuds Open lasts 8h per charge vs 6h.
Do Galaxy Buds 3 Pro or LinkBuds Open support multipoint?+
Both support multipoint pairing.
Which has ANC, Galaxy Buds 3 Pro or LinkBuds Open?+
Galaxy Buds 3 Pro has active noise cancellation; LinkBuds Open does not.