Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE (SM-R420) / Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus Wireless

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.

Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus Wireless: ACCENTUM Plus Wireless around-ear wireless headphones; black (700176) and white (700177). The cheaper ACCENTUM Wireless and the higher-end MOMENTUM 4 are separate models.

SpecificationSamsung Galaxy Buds3 FE (SM-R420)Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus Wireless
Release year20252024
Design and fitSealed 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 microphones1-way dynamic driver; 3 microphones per earbud Samsung—
Noise controlActive 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		—
Connectivity and codecsBluetooth 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		—
BatteryEarbud 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		800 mAh lithium-ion; up to 50 hours with ANC on; full charge about 3.5 hours; 5 hours from 10 minutes

Sennheiser measured the 50 hours with an iPhone at medium volume; charging is via USB-C at 5 V, up to 700 mA.

Sennheiser
Sensors and controlsProximity, Hall, touch and pressure sensors; pinch/swipe controls on the stem Samsung—
Water resistanceIP54 (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		—
CompatibilityAndroid 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		—
Type—Headband, around-the-ear (circum-aural) wireless headphones; fold flat

Sennheiser promises a light, ergonomic fit with a soft silicone inner headband and cushioned earcups; folded flat it measures about 16.5 × 19.5 × 4.8 cm.

Sennheiser
Driver—37 mm dynamic; 10 Hz–22 kHz; 106 dB SPL; THD below 0.3%

Sennheiser says the driver is mounted at an angle. Impedance is 560 ohms in active mode and 95 ohms in passive (wired, powered off) mode.

Sennheiser
Noise cancelling—Hybrid adaptive ANC; Transparency mode; automatic anti-wind mode

Hybrid ANC measures noise with microphones both outside and inside the earcup; the adaptive version changes the cancellation strength automatically with ambient noise. Transparency mode lets outside sound in with a touch.

Sennheiser
Bluetooth and codecs—Bluetooth 5.2, class 1; SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive; A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP

aptX Adaptive is a Qualcomm codec that adjusts bitrate to link quality on compatible devices.

Sennheiser
Controls and sensors—Touchpad on the right earcup; dedicated pairing button; Smart Pause when removed

Tap plays or pauses, sliding up and down sets volume, and swiping sideways skips tracks or answers calls.

Sennheiser
Microphones—Two MEMS microphones with beamforming for noise reduction; 50 Hz–8 kHz Sennheiser
App—Sennheiser Smart Control (iOS and Android); 5-band equaliser, presets, Sound Personalization

Sound Personalization adjusts the sound to the user with a listening test developed with the Fraunhofer Institute.

Sennheiser
In the box—Headphones, USB-C charging cable, carry case, auxiliary (3.5 mm) audio cable, quick guide Sennheiser
Weight—227 g Sennheiser