Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 | OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery — with case | 24 h | 43 h |
| Battery — buds | 6 h | 10 h |
| Water resistance | IP57 | IP55 |
| Weight per bud | 4.7 g | 4.8 g |
Between the Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds Pro 3, the Galaxy Buds 3 comes out ahead in water resistance / weight per bud, while the Buds Pro 3 wins on battery — with case / battery — buds. Overall, the Galaxy Buds 3 scores 74.4 and the Buds Pro 3 scores 82.8 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Buds Pro 3 is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 8.4 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 if you care most about water resistance / weight per bud. The biggest gaps in its favor are water resistance, weight per bud. The single most decisive one: Water resistance: IP57 (vs IP55).
Pick the Buds Pro 3 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 — with case, battery — buds. The single most decisive one: Battery — with case — 79.17% more. 43 h vs 24 h.
Both ship with comparable active noise cancellation, driver size, spatial audio, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Buds Pro 3 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 or OnePlus - Buds Pro 3?
OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 leads the current Mars Score by 8.4 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare battery — buds, weight per bud against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 if…
Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 has the measurable edge on ip rating, weight per bud g.
Choose OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 if…
OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 has the measurable edge on battery life case h, battery life buds h.
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 wins
- ▲Water resistance: IP57 (vs IP55).
- ▲Weight per bud — 0.10 g less. 4.7 vs 4.8.
Why OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 wins
- ▲Battery — with case — 79.17% more. 43 h vs 24 h.
- ▲Battery — buds — 66.67% more. 10 h vs 6 h.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 | OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | openlead | in-ear |
| Weight per bud | 4.7 glead | 4.8 g |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP57lead | IP55 |
Audio
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 | OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Driver sizeⓘ | 11 mm | 11 mm |
| Active noise cancellationⓘ | true | true |
| Transparency mode | true | true |
| Spatial audioⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 | OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery — buds | 6 h | 10 hlead |
| Battery — with case | 24 h | 43 hlead |
| Wireless case chargingⓘ | true | true |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy Buds 3 | OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetoothⓘ | 5.4 | 5.4 |
| Codecsⓘ | SSC,AAC,SBC | LHDC,LDAC,AAC,SBC |
| Multipointⓘ | true | true |
| In-ear detection | true | true |
Frequently asked
Which has longer battery, Galaxy Buds 3 or Buds Pro 3?+
Buds Pro 3 lasts 10h per charge vs 6h.
Do Galaxy Buds 3 or Buds Pro 3 support multipoint?+
Both support multipoint pairing.
Which has ANC, Galaxy Buds 3 or Buds Pro 3?+
Both models have active noise cancellation.