True Wireless
Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro
73Great
$250
Full review dataSamsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro vs Sony WF-1000XM6: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the Sony WF-1000XM6 comes out ahead with a HearWiki score of 85. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: Sony WF-1000XM6 - Outstanding overall at around $278.
True Wireless
Sony WF-1000XM6
85Outstanding
$280
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Sony WF-1000XM6 leads on 6 of 7 measures.
- Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro
- Sony WF-1000XM6
HearWiki score
73
85
Sound
8.1
9.3
Noise cancelling
7.6
9.2
Battery
5.7
8.4
Calls
7.4
8.4
Value
4.5
8.1
Price (USD)
$250
$280
Generation & platform
The scores rank quality. This is the other question: is the newer one actually newer technology, or the same platform in a new shell?
Mixed generations
Sony WF-1000XM6 (2026) against Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro (2024). Neither is straightforwardly newer: the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro brings Bluetooth 5.4 against 5.3, while the Sony WF-1000XM6 answers with Top codec LC3 against AAC and LE Audio (LC3). The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro answers on convenience features: it adds Water resistance IP57 against IPX4.
- Galaxy Buds3 Pro2024
- WF-1000XM620262 yr newer
What differsGalaxy Buds3 ProWF-1000XM6
- Bluetooth
- 5.4
- 5.3
- Top codec
- AAC
- LC3
- LE Audio (LC3)
- No
- Yes
- Water resistance
- IP57
- IPX4
Platform
Everyday features
Level on: ANC type, Multipoint pairing, Wireless charging, USB-C, Wear detection, Transparency mode, Custom EQ, Companion app.
Specifications
Galaxy Buds3 ProWF-1000XM6
- Type
- True Wireless
- True Wireless
- Price (USD)
- $250
- $280
- HearWiki score
- 73
- 85
- Released
- 2024
- 2026
- Availability
- Still sold new
- Sold new
- Driver
- 10.5 mm driver
- 8.4 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- -
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 10.5 mm
- 8.4 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 1
- Frequency response
- 20 Hz - 20 kHz
- 20 Hz - 40 kHz
- Impedance
- 32 Ω
- -
- Sensitivity
- 92 dB/mW
- -
- Bluetooth
- 5.4
- 5.3
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC, Samsung Scalable
- SBC, AAC, LC3, LDAC
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- Yes
- Wireless range
- -
- 10 m
- Battery life
- 7 h
- 12 h
- Battery life (ANC on)
- 6 h
- 8 h
- Battery incl. case
- 30 h
- 24 h
- Full charge time
- -
- 90 min
- Quick charge
- 5 min → 1 h
- 3 min → 1 h
- Wireless charging
- Yes
- Yes
- Active noise cancelling
- Yes
- Yes
- ANC type
- adaptive
- adaptive
- Transparency mode
- Yes
- Yes
- Companion app
- Yes
- Yes
- Custom EQ
- Yes
- Yes
- Wear detection
- Yes
- Yes
- Controls
- touch
- touch
- Voice assistant
- Bixby
- Google Assistant
- Weight
- 5.4 g
- 6.5 g
- Case weight
- 46.5 g
- 47.1 g
- Water resistance
- IP57
- IPX4
- USB-C
- Yes
- Yes
- Microphones
- 6
- 8
- Call noise reduction
- Yes
- Yes
What reviewers said
Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro
The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro are premium wireless earbuds with adaptive active noise cancellation, IP57 water resistance, and a comfortable in-ear fit. They feature Bluetooth 5.4 with multipoint support, a 10.5mm driver, and up to 7 hours of playback (6 with ANC) or 30 hours with the charging case. The earbuds also include touch controls, custom EQ, wireless charging, and a six-microphone setup for clear calls.
- Pro:Adaptive ANC with transparency mode
- Pro:IP57 water resistance
- Pro:Multipoint Bluetooth 5.4
- Con:Battery life drops to 6 hours with ANC on
- Con:No aptX or LDAC codec support
- Con:Sensitivity is relatively low at 92 dB/mW
Sony WF-1000XM6
The Sony WF-1000XM6 true wireless earbuds deliver a top-tier audio experience with adaptive noise cancellation and a robust feature set, including LDAC support and multipoint connectivity. They perform exceptionally well for music and calls, though their premium price and case size are minor trade-offs. With strong battery life and IPX4 water resistance, they are a versatile, high-performance choice for most listeners.
- Pro:Excellent adaptive noise cancellation
- Pro:Rich, detailed sound with LDAC support
- Pro:Solid battery life and wireless charging case
- Con:Premium price point
- Con:Included ear tips may not suit all ear shapes
- Con:Charging case is somewhat bulky
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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