Apple AirPods 5 (Wireless Charging Case) / Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE (SM-R420)

Apple AirPods 5 (Wireless Charging Case): A3439 / A3440 / A3441; A3529 wireless case; white

Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE (SM-R420): Galaxy Buds3 FE, SM-R420 (2025); Black and Gray. Sealed in-ear design with silicone tips. The tipless semi-open Galaxy Buds3, the Buds3 Pro and the original 2023 Galaxy Buds FE are separate models.

SpecificationApple AirPods 5 (Wireless Charging Case)Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE (SM-R420)
Release year20262025
Announcement / availability9 / 18 September 2026 Apple—
ChipApple H2 Apple—
Noise controlANC, Adaptive Audio, Transparency AppleActive noise cancelling (ANC) and ambient sound

ANC uses microphones to detect outside sound and plays inverted sound to reduce steady noise such as engines and hum. Ambient sound lets you hear your surroundings without removing the earbuds. Adaptive ANC that adjusts to the environment is not listed for this model.

Samsung
AudioCustom dynamic driver; Adaptive EQ Apple—
Spatial audioDynamic head tracking Apple—
SensorsOptical in-ear sensor; motion and speech accelerometers Apple—
MicrophonesDual beamforming and inward-facing microphones Apple—
ControlsPress controls; swipe volume adjustment Apple—
Bluetooth5.3 Apple—
Earbud battery lifeUp to 5 hours ANC on / 7 hours off Apple—
Total with caseUp to 22 hours with ANC on Apple—
Quick charge5 minutes in case: about 1 hour listening Apple—
Charging caseUSB-C; Qi and Apple Watch chargers Apple—
Find MySpeaker in case Apple—
ProtectionIP57 Apple—
Earbud size / weight30.2 × 18.3 × 18.1 mm; 4.3 g each Apple—
Case size / weight46.2 × 50.1 × 21.2 mm; 34.7 g Apple—
Other devicesBluetooth audio; some features require Apple devices Apple—
Case compatibilityA3529 pairs only with wireless-case AirPods 5 earbuds Apple—
Design and fit—Sealed in-ear design, silicone tips (three sizes), stem body; earbud 18.0 × 21.1 × 33.8 mm, 5 g (with M tip); case 58.9 × 48.7 × 24.4 mm, 41.8 g

Silicone tips seal the ear canal, blocking outside sound passively and helping bass sound fuller; if the tip does not seal, noise cancelling and bass both weaken.

Samsung
Driver and microphones—1-way dynamic driver; 3 microphones per earbud Samsung
Connectivity and codecs—Bluetooth 5.4, Auto Switch; SSC (Samsung Seamless Codec), AAC, SBC

SSC is Samsung’s own codec for higher-quality audio with Galaxy devices; other phones use AAC or SBC. Auto Switch moves the connection automatically between Galaxy devices on the same account.

Samsung
Battery—Earbud 53 mAh, case 515 mAh (typical); music: 6 h / 24 h total with ANC on, 8.5 h / 30 h total with ANC off; talk: 4 h / 18 h total

Samsung’s times come from internal tests with pre-production units and default settings; rated capacity is 50 mAh per earbud and 500 mAh for the case. Real runtime depends on volume, codec and battery age.

Samsung
Sensors and controls—Proximity, Hall, touch and pressure sensors; pinch/swipe controls on the stem Samsung
Water resistance—IP54 (earbuds only)

IP54 means limited dust protection and resistance to splashing water from any direction; it is not suitable for submersion. The charging case is not protected.

Samsung
Compatibility—Android 11 or later with more than 1.5 GB of RAM

Samsung notes some features may be unavailable on non-Samsung devices. Equaliser, ANC settings and AI features are managed in the Galaxy Wearable app or One UI settings.

Samsung