Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE (SM-R420) / Sony WH-1000XM5

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.

Sony WH-1000XM5: WH-1000XM5; colours vary by region: black, silver, midnight blue, pink and platinum. The later WH-1000XM6 is a separate product.

SpecificationSamsung Galaxy Buds3 FE (SM-R420)Sony WH-1000XM5
Release year20252022
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		30 hours of music with noise cancelling on, 40 hours off; 24/32 hours of calls

Times are measured under Sony’s test conditions; volume and codec change real-world runtime.

Sony
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		—
Driver—30 mm dynamic driver, closed back, neodymium magnet Sony
Frequency response—Bluetooth: 20 Hz–20 kHz (44.1 kHz), 20 Hz–40 kHz with LDAC (96 kHz/990 kbps); wired: 4 Hz–40 kHz

The wider frequency range applies only with LDAC and high-resolution sources; over AAC and SBC the upper limit is 20 kHz.

Sony
Bluetooth and codecs—Bluetooth 5.2; SBC, AAC, LDAC; A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP; multipoint (two devices)

Multipoint keeps the headphones connected to two devices at once. Google Fast Pair and Windows Swift Pair offer quick pairing. Range is 10 m.

Sony
Noise cancelling—Active noise cancelling; Integrated Processor V1 and HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1; 8 microphones in total (4 noise-sensing per earcup)

Auto NC Optimizer adjusts noise cancelling to fit and atmospheric pressure; Adaptive Sound Control switches modes based on the environment. Ambient Sound mode and Quick Attention let outside sound in.

Sony
Call microphones—4 beamforming microphones; AI-based noise reduction, wind noise reduction Sony
Charging—Full charge in about 3.5 hours via USB; about 3 hours of playback from 3 minutes with a USB-PD adapter

Quick charging requires a separately sold USB Power Delivery-compatible adapter.

Sony
Controls and sensors—Touch panel on the right earcup; NC/Ambient button on the left; wear sensor; Speak-to-Chat

The wear sensor pauses music when the headphones are removed and resumes when they are put back on. Speak-to-Chat pauses music and turns on ambient sound when the user starts talking.

Sony
Spatial audio—DSEE Extreme upscaling; 360 Reality Audio support

DSEE Extreme aims to restore high-frequency detail lost in compressed music files by estimating it.

Sony
Impedance and sensitivity—48 Ω when on, 16 Ω when off; 102/100 dB/mW

The headphones can be used passively with a cable while switched off; noise cancelling does not work then.

Sony
Weight and in the box—About 250 g; soft collapsible carrying case, 1.2 m L-shaped cable (3.5 mm), USB charging cable Sony
App—Sony Sound Connect: equaliser, shortcut settings, listening history, Safe Listening

Safe Listening tracks sound exposure against World Health Organization guidelines.

Sony