Samsung has applied an unexpected twist to its eighth generation of folding phones.

Traditionally, the Korean smartphone titan has split its foldable lineup into two subsets: the Flip, which is a throwback to the flip phones of the early 2000s, and the Fold, which is a book-style foldable that goes from traditional smartphone to small tablet form factor in a matter of seconds.

However, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 changes that, as the Fold now comes in two flavours: the Z Fold 8 and the Z Fold 8 Ultra.

If you're still reeling from that revelation, we need to hit you with another shocking announcement: the Z Fold 8 Ultra isn't the surprising new device of the duo. In fact, it's the standard Z Fold 8 that has caught us off guard – in a good way, of course.

We were lucky enough to attend an early hands-on session to check these new bendable smartphones out before their official announcement at Samsung Unpacked, and we've got plenty of early thoughts on this new duo of handsets.

Price

Samsung has shared UK pricing for both models in all storage configurations. Pricing is as follows:

These are premium handsets, and the pricing reflects that. The Z Fold 8 is actually £100 cheaper than the outgoing Galaxy Z Fold 7; however, the Z Fold 8 Ultra is £100 more.

The Z Fold 8 comes in four finishes – Graphite, Cream, Pistachio and Lavender – while the Z Fold 8 Ultra also comes in Graphite and Cream, as well as Violet Shadow and Green Shadow.

Design and build

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is very similar to last year's Galaxy Z Fold 7 in stature. It retains the same 6.5-inch 21:9 outer display and 8-inch interior display, although it's somehow even thinner this year. That's a pretty impressive claim considering that the Z Fold 7 was just a hair thicker than the USB-C charging port when unfolded.

Samsung has also created an easier opening and closing mechanism through the inclusion of magnets, which makes the Z Fold 8 Ultra noticeably easier to unfold into its tablet form.

Both the Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra also come with the brand's new Flex Titanium Technology display architecture. Underneath the flexible AMOLED display now sits a super-thin titanium alloy mesh and a flexible titanium plate, which work together to create a flatter and more uniform display when the phones are unfolded.

The crease in the middle of the phone is, as a result, less prominent, resulting in a more seamless interactive experience on those larger interior displays.

Moving on to the Z Fold 8, this is where things get interesting. It features an entirely new form factor, with a 7.6-inch 4:3 landscape interior display with a 10:16 aspect ratio outer screen. While the Z Fold 8 Ultra is more akin to a chocolate bar when folded, the Z Fold 8 feels more like a passport.

Its shorter and wider stature makes it strangely satisfying to hold, as its size is almost like one of the BlackBerry handsets from around 15 years ago. And in a world of smartphones that are becoming less wieldy, especially for one-handed operation, it's incredibly refreshing to use this outer display, as every edge and corner is within thumb's reach.

Best of all, Samsung has reportedly made this change with content consumption in mind. While the Z Fold 8 Ultra remains a flagship for power users, the standard Z Fold 8 is positioned as a device designed for watching, reading, and scrolling.

Features

Both handsets sport a multitude of features to make them ideal for consuming movies and music. The Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra both feature displays with 3000 nits peak brightness, with HDR10+ support and Samsung's Vision Booster feature on board. This can boost contrast to ensure greater visibility when using the handsets in direct sunlight.

Samsung has also implemented its effective anti reflectivity display coating, which is appreciated considering these phones sport large interior screens that can easily catch the light.

What wasn't disclosed during our early hands-on session is whether these phones support Samsung's excellent ProScaler feature. If this is on board, we presume it will be the improved version found on the five-star Galaxy S26 Ultra.

As for sound, it seems as though Samsung is sticking with Dolby Atmos, which can be accessed via the built-in speakers and either wired or wireless headphones.

Samsung has outfitted both foldables with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor and, depending on your storage configuration, that will be paired with either 12GB or 16GB of RAM. The Galaxy S26 Ultra uses the same processor and RAM combination, and it has no trouble handling the Android operating system with Samsung's One UI system running on top.

This includes Samsung's exhaustive list of Galaxy AI features. We'll spare you the full list, but the usual suite of picture editing, search functions and writing tools are all present.

Samsung's nifty Now Brief feature is also here, which can show you contextual information throughout your day, while Now Nudge will recognise important information on your screen (such as times, dates, and locations) and offer contextual replies based on information from other apps, such as your calendar.

Features-wise, the biggest way in which these phones differ is with their cameras. The Z Fold 8 sports two outer cameras – a 50MP main and a 50MP ultra wide – while the Z Fold 8 Ultra features an upgraded 50MP ultra wide camera (up from 12MP), a 200MP main camera, and 10MP telephoto lens.

There's also a difference in battery capacity. The Z Fold 8 gets a 4800mAh battery rated for up to 26 hours of video playback, whereas the Z Fold 8 Ultra moves up to a 5000mAh cell with an additional hour of video playback. Both support wired fast charging up to 45W.

Picture

Screen size differences aside, both handsets offered a similar picture experience during our brief hands-on testing. As per usual, our testing environment was less than ideal, as we weren't allowed to download or log in to any streaming apps, so we had to rely on movie trailers played on YouTube. Therefore, our early findings here won't be representative of our final review.

We watched the trailers for Dune: Part Three, The Odyssey, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day during the hands-on session; clearly we're huge Zendaya fans.

Both devices presented sharp and crisp images, with punchy and bold colours and fairly smooth-looking motion. The biggest difference between the two, however, was the presence of the letterboxing bars.

As both phones use OLED displays, the bars remained perfectly black and easy to ignore, but the aspect ratio of the standard Z Fold 8 meant that the bars themselves were much smaller and, therefore, less noticeable.

We would have ideally swapped the colours to the natural preset, and also preferably streamed something in HDR10+ to see these phones at their maximum potential, but Samsung made us pinky promise not to swap settings or install any apps.

Sound

We'll keep this brief, we weren't able to do any meaningful sound testing during our hands on time.

We did, however, manage to quickly blast the speakers on the Z Fold 8 Ultra in the busy hands-on area, and found that they cut through the hustle and bustle surprisingly effectively.

We'll need to plug a pair of our reference headphones in to fully assess how these phones handle music, but looking generally at Samsung's portfolio, we know that its handsets tend to fall behind Apple and Sony's best offerings when it comes to music.

That could all change with the Z Fold 8 and 8 Ultra, but only time (and some thorough testing) will tell.

Early verdict

Samsung's surprising duo of new foldables have made a positive first impression. We've been a fan of having a bigger screen to watch movies on that conveniently fits into your pocket for quite a while now, so having an even more compact option that's made with content consumption in mind is music to our ears.

We'll need to test both phones before we apply a full verdict, so stay tuned for our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra reviews coming soon.

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Samsung has unveiled three new foldable phones at its annual Galaxy Unpacked event, two of which are its brightest Galaxy smartphones ever.

The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra is a new addition to the Z Fold family, and is joined by the Z Fold8, both of which have a peak brightness of 3000 nits. That comfortably outdoes the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s 2600 nits.

The Z Fold8 Ultra really follows the Z Fold7, with the same size 8-inch internal screen. The Z Fold8, however, has a smaller 7.6-inch screen, and is shorter and wider when folded. The Z Fold8’s 5.5-inch cover screen has a 10:16 aspect ratio, while the internal screen is the more traditional 4:3.

Samsung says the Z Fold8 Ultra’s internal screen is the equivalent of having two 6.5-inch screens side by side, making it ideal for multitasking.

Both it and the Z Fold8's screens have an anti-reflective coating, making them easier to see in bright sunlight.

The Z Fold8 Ultra measures 4.1mm thick when unfolded, making it the thinnest Galaxy Fold ever. It has a new hinge with new magnets, making it easier to open and more durable over time.

It also has a 200-megapixel main camera, a 50-megapixel ultra wide (up from 12 megapixels on the Fold7) and a 10-megapixel telephoto. Also onboard are the same ProVisual Engine with advanced AP processing for Nightography video as the Galaxy S26, and the same Horizontal Lock features. That keeps your video recording steady even if your hand is anything but. A new mode lets you present your videos in cinematic presets (like romance or thriller) with no editing required.

Both it and the Z Fold8 are powered by the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy as the Galaxy S26. The Ultra has a 5000mAh battery for 27 hours of video playback, and charging up to 67 per cent capacity in 30 minutes, while the Fold8’s 4800mAh unit offers 26 hours of video and juices up to 63 per cent in 30 minutes.

At 201g, the Z Fold8 is the lightest Galaxy Z Fold that Samsung has ever made.

Samsung also announced the Galaxy Z Flip8 clamshell phone, which flips open like the classic Motorola Razr from the early noughties. It follows the four-star Z Flip 7, and is the slimmest and lightest Z Flip phone yet.

All three phones are available to pre-order now, and will ship next month. The Z Flip8 starts at £1100, the Z Fold8 £1699 and the Z Fold8 Ultra £1899 (all 256GB storage). They all come in 512GB variants too, with the two Z Folds also available with 1TB of storage.

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If recent rumours are to be believed, Samsung is about to jump on the clip-on trend with its latest pair of wireless earbuds.

We've not had official confirmation yet, but one rather sharp-eyed Twitter / X user noticed an update to Samsung's Galaxy Wearable app which, among other things, listed the term 'Galaxy Able' in reference to a new pair of earbuds.

This tallies with earlier reports that Samsung is set to debut an entirely new product line – separate from its Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Buds Pro ranges – this year.

According to Forbes via Android Authority, earlier leaks using the moniker "BUDSABLE" and the model number SM-U6000 had confirmed that a new pair of buds could be on the way. Leaked artwork then suggested that a clip-on design could be the direction in which Samsung was headed.

Dedicated Samsung site sammyguru.com, also alleges they might even use bone conduction technology, similar to the tech used in the sport-centric Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 from 2024.

It certainly wouldn't surprise us if Samsung ended up jumping on the ever-growing open and clip-on wireless earbud trend.

Recent clip-on offerings have included the likes of Huawei FreeClip 2 and the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, as well as the open-style Sony LinkBuds Open and the Apple AirPods 4 with ANC, all of which eschew traditional in-ear configurations in pursuit of a more comfortable, out-of-ear design.

Those rivals are all born from big-name brands, so it wouldn't be beyond the realms of possibility if Samsung moved to match its competitors by offering an open alternative to keep its Galaxy-focused fans happy.

Samsung's recent Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are some of the best buds we've yet tested from the Korean giant, so it might be in the perfect position to start rivalling its competitors in this emerging corner of the market.

Samsung has its annual Unpacked event slated for the 22nd of July, so there's a good chance we might get a proper unveiling of the new buds – and its next-gen foldable phones – when we attend in a few weeks time.

Naturally, we'll let you know what we discover.

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Samsung proved it could make an incredibly capable portable AV machine with the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

That handset introduced a truly groundbreaking picture upscaling feature, which directly addressed the shortcomings of streaming video on your smartphone; ultimately earning it a spot on our coveted annual What Hi-Fi? Awards list.

A year on, and Samsung is back with the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which makes a few subtle tweaks to the Award-winning formula. While AI is still very much at the forefront of the S26 Ultra’s appeal in general, Samsung is also promising upgrades that should appease AV enthusiasts such as us.

However, with Apple and Sony nipping at its heels, can Samsung keep up the momentum and deliver another smartphone that you can dependably enjoy movies, TV shows and music on while you’re on the go?

Price

The Galaxy S26 Ultra starts at £1279 / $1300 / AU$1799 for the base 256GB configuration, although Samsung also offers 512GB (£1449 / $1500 / AU$2099) and 1TB (£1699 / $1800 / AU$2549) versions.

The first two options come with 12GB of RAM, whereas the 1TB is outfitted with 16GB.

Compared with the S25 Ultra, the base model is £50 more expensive here in the UK, the 512GB model is £100 more than the S25 Ultra, and the 1TB version is £150 more than last year’s model.

And looking at the wider smartphone market, the S26 Ultra has a few notable competitors. The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max (which we haven’t reviewed yet, but stay tuned) starts at £1199 / $1199 / AU$2149, making it significantly cheaper. We have reviewed the standard iPhone 17 (£799 / $799 / AU$1399), and we thoroughly approve of its AV credentials.

If you don’t want to compare Apples to Androids, then the Sony Xperia 1 VIII (review also coming soon) has just launched at £1399 here in the UK, but it’s not on sale in the States or Australia.

Design

Samsung’s flagship has gone through a gradual transformation over the past few generations. The S23 Ultra featured a curved screen and sharp corners, the S24 Ultra flattened that screen, and the S25 Ultra smoothed out the corners for a nicer feel in the hand.

The S26 Ultra feels like yet another evolution while also retaining the design DNA of its predecessors, except for the aforementioned smoother corners and the slightly awkward smattering of camera lenses on the rear being now mostly housed on a raised “island”.

This looks neater, but it also means that the phone now rocks dramatically if you interact with the display while it’s lying flat on a table.

Another design quirk that’s more of an irk is Samsung’s decision to drop the durable titanium frame of the S25 Ultra and move back to an aluminium shell, which makes it feel slightly less premium than its predecessor.

Apple made the same move for the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, citing improved thermal efficiency as the primary driver behind the change.

Samsung has, at least, ensured that the S26 Ultra is sporting the latest and toughest version of its Armour Aluminium material, which can also be found on the Galaxy Z Fold 7. This is paired with Corning’s Gorilla Armour 2 display coating for better scratch and crack resistance, and Samsung’s excellent anti-reflectivity screen coating.

Samsung has also achieved its “thinnest Galaxy Ultra smartphone yet” with the S26 Ultra, as it has shaved the handset down to just 7.9mm from the S25 Ultra’s 8.3mm thickness.

Despite the thinner build and change in materials, the S26 Ultra is broadly the same weight as its predecessor, at 214g. That’s still pretty impressive for a device with a 6.9-inch display, and it doesn’t feel particularly unwieldy in the hand despite its size. That said, it's still a sizeable smartphone, and it likely won’t suit those with small hands.

Samsung is offering the S26 Ultra in a range of finishes, including Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, Black or White, as well as Silver Shadow and Pink Gold, which are both exclusive to its online store. Our review unit is the Cobalt Violet version, and we think it looks rather smart in this hue, which shifts from purple to a dark blue depending on how the light hits it.

Features

Strap in, this is going to be a long one.

Samsung is once again billing this smartphone as the ultimate feature-packed handset for power users, and that’s evident from the feature set. That being said, not a whole lot has changed since last year.

We’ll start with the glorious 6.9-inch Super AMOLED 2x Display, which is practically identical to that of the S25 Ultra. It features the same 3000 nits peak brightness, 3120 x 1440 resolution, 500ppi pixel density, HDR10+ support and a variable refresh rate of 1Hz-120Hz.

It does come with a few new tricks, including a privacy mode, which can block the display from off-axis viewing. This has been impressively achieved at a pixel level, and can be easily switched on or off for the whole screen, or even certain parts of the display, meaning you can look at sensitive information or input passwords without worrying about prying eyes.

More exciting for us is the upgraded ProScaler feature, which Samsung says uses a new algorithm for even sharper and richer upscaling of lower-resolution content. Once again, Samsung claims that its mobile division has worked closely with its TV arm to achieve this, and the results last year were excellent. Here’s hoping the new version is even better.

Furthermore, Samsung is touting an enhanced mDNIe (mobile Digital Natural Image engine) system with 10-bit data processing for colours. Samsung claims that this will allow for four times the precision and subtlety when it comes to displaying colours. This is music to our ears, as Samsung’s smartphone displays have traditionally leaned towards the more enthusiastic end of the scale when it comes to colour reproduction.

The audio capabilities of the S26 Ultra seem to be mostly identical to those of its predecessor – at least on paper. Unsurprisingly, there is no headphone jack (wired audio peripherals can be connected to the USB-C socket), and Bluetooth audio is supported via the Samsung Seamless Codec (SSC) and LE codec.

Dolby Atmos is once again supported via headphones, and the stereo speaker arrangement consists of the bottom-firing speaker and earpiece speaker.

On to the less AV-crucial features of the S26 Ultra. This handset uses the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite Gen 5 for Samsung processor. The ‘for Samsung’ suffix differentiates this from the standard Snapdragon Elite Gen 5 chipset found on other smartphones, as Samsung has customised it for supposedly improved performance.

As mentioned earlier, this is backed up by either 12GB or 16GB of RAM, depending on the storage configuration you choose; our unit is the base 256GB/12GB configuration.

In practice, the Galaxy S26 Ultra flies through the Android 16 software system, which is running Samsung’s customised One UI 8 skin on top.

Disappointingly, Samsung hasn’t upped the battery capacity of the Ultra, choosing to stick with the 5000mAh cell of the S25 Ultra. It does, however, benefit from some charging upgrades, including faster wired and wireless charging.

Samsung claims that the S26 Ultra can go from zero to 75 per cent in 30 mins via 60W wired charging, whereas wireless charging is now boosted to 25W. You will, of course, need to supply a supported fast charger to access these charging speeds.

While Samsung is selling a range of magnet-equipped accessories, including cases and power banks, oddly, the company has opted not to include the magnet ring in the handset itself for native Qi2 charging support.

Apple’s MagSafe and Google’s Pixel Snap features have been hugely popular for seamless accessory compatibility, so it feels as though Samsung is missing out here.

Samsung is still managing to impress when it comes to the camera specifications. The S26 Ultra features a very similar camera set-up to its predecessor, which is no shame to us.

The S26 Ultra sports four lenses in total. The 200MP main sensor is reportedly 47 per cent brighter for better night photography, while Samsung claims the 50MP telephoto zoom lens features a 37 per cent improvement over last year.

The 10MP 3x optical zoom lens now apparently features less noise and better HDR support, while the 50MP ultra-wide lens (which was updated on last year’s handset) seems to be the same.

Last, but by no means least, is Samsung’s extensive AI feature set. Samsung is billing this phone as “the easiest, effortless AI phone”, so you can bet that artificial intelligence is baked into most of the software.

The usual suite of Galaxy AI features is here, including Circle to Search, writing suggestions, auto-translate, and the Now Brief feature, which provides contextual information such as calendar entries, weather forecasts and news depending on your interests and time of day.

These are being joined by a generative AI photo-assistant tool, which can transform photos into different styles simply by typing in a prompt, and Now Nudge, which will provide intelligent auto replies based on information from other apps (such as your calendar or messages).

Finally, Samsung’s Audio Eraser feature, which is supported for video recording to isolate and remove background noise, is now available on video streaming apps, including Netflix. This essentially works like a dialogue enhancement mode on a TV or soundbar, as users can choose to soften or remove background noises in order to make voices sound clearer and more present.

Picture

Samsung has proven that it can apply its OLED TV expertise to its smartphone displays, as we likened last year’s S25 Ultra to the S95D QD-OLED TV. Having just reviewed the S99H, we can once again see a resemblance between Samsung’s flagship smartphone and TV.

We load Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and HBO Max onto the handset to put its picture performance credentials to the test, and we have the Galaxy S25 Ultra on hand for a head-to-head comparison.

We’ve also made a couple of crucial changes to the picture settings, namely changing the resolution to 3120x1440/QHD+ (from the default 2340x1080/FHD+ resolution) and switching the colours from the vivid preset to natural.

With these settings dialled in, the S26 Ultra delivers a superbly crisp, contrast-rich, and three-dimensional image that isn’t far removed from its predecessor, but some subtle upgrades help make it even more cinematic.

Starting with The Batman on HBO Max, the phone serves up a visual treat during an establishing shot of the grimy Gotham streets. Bright digital signage contrasts wonderfully with the dimly lit city streets, and the tangible sense of depth and solidity to the image really sells the film's gritty, oppressive atmosphere.

The level of detail is also very impressive, most likely thanks to Samsung’s excellent ProScaler upscaling feature. The subsequent shot of an illuminated corner shop looks spectacularly rendered, with a level of sharpness and three-dimensionality that makes the 6.9-inch display feel hugely cinematic.

Moving on to the hectic race sequence from Ready Player One, we find that the motion niggles that caught our eye on the S25 Ultra are no longer noticeable. This frantic sequence is presented with excellent fluidity, and while we could describe it as slightly over-smooth, it doesn’t distract us from the bombastic action on screen.

This sequence also demonstrates how capable this phone is when it comes to handling contrast. The vehicle headlights, the beaming sun, and the floodlights that illuminate the track are shown with intense pockets of dazzling brightness.

Rounding out our testing with Wake Up Dead Man on Netflix, we find that the Samsung can sensibly deliver more natural-looking content, too. Colours here, including skin tones, foliage and clothing, all look well-balanced, and there is a slight increase in warmth and richness to these colours that, for the most part, don’t verge into oversaturation.

This sequence also demonstrates how capable this phone is when it comes to handling contrast. The vehicle headlights, the beaming sun, and the floodlights that illuminate the track are shown with intense pockets of dazzling brightness.

Rounding out our testing with Wake Up Dead Man on Netflix, we find that the Samsung can sensibly deliver more natural-looking content, too. Colours here, including skin tones, foliage and clothing, all look well-balanced, and there is a slight increase in warmth and richness to these colours that, for the most part, don’t verge into oversaturation.

What strikes us most is how a handful of fairly subtle picture upgrades take this smartphone to the next level. The extra degree of sharpness, more adept handling of highlights, improved motion, and superior contrast handling all culminate in a phone that feels like having a pocket-sized OLED TV.

Sound

Samsung smartphones have, in previous years, lagged behind the likes of Apple and Sony when it comes to nailing sound, but the S26 Ultra feels like another step in the right direction for the Korean tech titan.

Plugging in a pair of wired headphones via our trusty USB-C to 3.5mm adapter, we stream a handful of tracks over Apple Music in Lossless quality to assess how the S26 Ultra handles music.

Overall, the new phone sounds slightly crisper, cleaner and more detailed than its predecessor, and Samsung seems to have learned from its competitors in a few key areas.

Voices are, once again, at the forefront of the listening experience, with the Samsung digging up a greater sense of tonality and vocal characteristics compared to its previous flagship handset. The harmonies of Bon Iver’s For Emma sound layered and wonderfully detailed, while there is a greater sense of texture to the guitar strums throughout Mazzy Star’s Fade Into You.

Controversially, we also think that Dolby Atmos is well implemented for music here. The sense of space and openness introduced into Harry Styles’ Carla’s Song is impressive, and we feel as though it ties all of the aspects of the track together nicely. Usually, we’d recommend leaving this off, but Samsung’s implementation is surprisingly effective and doesn’t feel overly processed or vague-sounding.

However, despite a decent helping of audio upgrades, we still prefer Apple’s approach to audio. Plugging the same adapter and headphones into an iPhone 16 Pro reveals a warmer, better-organised sound with even more texture. We also find that the iPhone’s sound feels more full-bodied and better integrated, which highlights Samsung’s occasional tendency to sound a touch too direct and overexcited.

While the Samsung doesn’t get anything outwardly wrong, it needs to nail those final sonic subtleties to match its incredibly talented competitors.

We do approve of the S26 Ultra’s speakers, though.

The physical distance between the downward-firing loudspeaker and the earpiece at the top of the display (which combine to make a stereo speaker arrangement) results in a good sense of stereo separation. With Dolby Atmos switched on, this handset can create an impressively large and spacious cinematic sound, which is well-suited to big blockbuster action sequences, such as the aforementioned Ready Player One race.

Verdict

Samsung’s latest flagship smartphone might not be a game-changing upgrade compared with its Award-winning predecessor, but it's hard to argue that it hasn’t made some meaningful improvements to make it an even better smartphone for portable AV usage.

Contrast, detail levels and motion have all been improved, making this once again feel like a feature-packed, pocket-sized OLED TV. While Samsung could learn a thing or two from its competitors when it comes to musicality, this is another top-notch Android smartphone for those who prefer to watch their films and TV shows on the go.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 4
• Features 5

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It’s great to see progress. Samsung isn’t anywhere near a young brand, and a long way from some plucky underdog trying to swim its way, Dory-like, through a sea of well-fed tech sharks. But in pure performance terms, it hasn't quite cracked the wireless earbuds market like its rivals have.

Samsung was actually pretty quick out of the traps to jump onto the wireless earbud trend, releasing its first-ever wire-free in-ears, the IconX, in 2016, a year before Sony unveiled the WF-1000X and two years before Bose revealed its Bose SoundSport Free.

The Korean tech giant has not, however, put as much emphasis on wireless audio as its competitors. Sony’s range of headphones and earbuds is extensive, as is Bose’s, whereas more dedicated audio brands such as JBL and Sennheiser have tended to pump out their own rivals at far higher rates and with far greater critical acclaim.

That all seems to be changing.

Over the past few years, Samsung’s efforts to make a pair of flagship wireless earbuds to match the likes of Sony, Bose and Apple have gathered serious momentum. The brand’s latest flagship buds – the impressive Galaxy Buds 4 Pro – show the clearest indication yet that this is a company taking audio seriously.

A short history lesson

‘Twas not ever thus. While the likes of Sony tended to take to this particular game like the proverbial mallard to the pond, Samsung’s attempts have tended to be middling at best.

We awarded the first standard Samsung Galaxy Buds a measly two stars when we reviewed them in 2019; and things didn’t exactly improve by leaps and bounds in the coming years. 2021’s flagship Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro? Three stars. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2? How about the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro? More three-star ratings.

Things really shifted, however, in 2023 with the launch of the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. The third-generation flagships were a different proposition to what had come before – they looked different, offered new and different features, and crucially, they sounded different.

For different, of course, read ‘better’ – these four-star wireless earbuds were by far the best we had yet heard from Samsung, with a crisp, clear signature that really shone when using the company’s own 24-bit/96kHz SSC UHQ hi-res Bluetooth codec with a compatible Galaxy smartphone.

Taking sound seriously

Thankfully, Samsung has refused to rest on its laurels. Learning the lessons from the successes and failures of the third-generation Pro buds, it came back even stronger this year with the launch of its best effort yet: the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

What impressed us most about the Buds 4 Pro is how they seemed to take everything we liked about their predecessors and refined them all for a genuine step forward.

This wasn’t a reinvention, but more of a clear and conscious tinkering of something that had worked reasonably well the first time around.

Gone were those rather unnecessary stem ‘blade’ lights and Apple-inspired design, replaced by a more premium metallic housing, a new charging case and, most importantly, the best Samsung sound yet.

As we say in our review: “These might well be the best-sounding buds that Samsung has yet made, and certainly a clear step up in detail and clarity over their third-generation predecessors. The Buds 4 Pros’ outstanding levels of textural insight and clarity make a recording of Mozart’s Rondo Alla Turca sound appropriately regal, before bringing out the lean, retro feeling of Elvis Costello’s Veronica with aplomb.”

Those improvements are no mere coincidence.

According to the engineers at Samsung, the fourth-gen model inherited many of the same design features from the Buds 3 Pro, such as two-way, dual-amp drivers, but with “refined tuning based on an enhanced woofer driver” for a more “rich and clear sound”.

That said, there is a clear openness to experiment to see what works best: "We do not have a specific preference for types or materials. We are continuously considering drivers to maximize various audio performances, including sound quality and noise control."

We’re not quite in five star territory yet – the competition is fierce in this category – but it really does feel as though Samsung is getting closer to that promised land. The class-leading Sony WF-1000XM6 are more musically refined and engaging, while the Apple AirPods Pro 3, while perhaps not quite as clear and crisp, have the edge in terms of dynamics and overall musicality.

Samsung's desire to improve and adapt has worked wonders, however. When you consider that the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro offered “disappointing, unengaging dynamics” and a sound which we described as “lacking subtlety and precision”, the sparky, detail-rich audio of 2026’s flagship earbuds really feels as though it comes as the result of an audio team taking sound seriously.

Finding that fifth star

This all leads to the next logical question: where does Samsung go from here in order to hunt down its class-leading competitors?

According to the company itself: “The market's anticipation for the integration of audio devices with AI is steadily increasing. In this context, we possess the advantageous positions of the Galaxy Eco system and Galaxy AI. Moving forward, we aim to deliver an unparalleled experience through the synergy between Galaxy Buds and Galaxy AI, offering what other companies cannot provide.”

That’s all well and good, but what we urge Samsung to remember is the very reason it has made it to this point in the first place: sound. We have seen major strides from the thin, detail-light disappointment of the company’s early efforts in the current earbuds. While AI integration is all well and good (the Buds 4 Pro have live translation just like AirPods Pro 3, for example), it is those sonic strides that have taken the Galaxy line from rank outsiders to number one contenders.

Just look at Apple. A few years ago, we were awarding each iteration of AirPods a predictably mediocre three (or sometimes four) stars, before Apple upped its audio game with the five-star AirPods Pro 2 in 2023.

Since then, the superb AirPods Pro 3 and appealing AirPods 4 with ANC have taken things to new heights, proving that while fancy features and seamless user-integration are all well and good, sound quality remains king.

Technics also struggled to find that fifth star with its early efforts, but a constant drive to improve its sonic performance culminated in the excellence of the Award-winning EAH-AZ100 last year.

If Samsung can take those lessons and emulate a similar sort of success by focusing on sound first, then it might give Sony, Bose, Apple and co. something to really worry about in the wireless earbuds scene.

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Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro vs Apple AirPods Pro 3: which flagship earbuds are better?

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See our pick of the best wireless earbuds for all budgets

Apple has gone from strength to strength with its wireless earbuds. Its recent flagship, the AirPods Pro 3, takes the performance of the five-star AirPods Pro 2 even further, indicating that the tech giant isn't happy merely selling the most wireless earbuds – it wants to produce the best, too.

Samsung, it seems, is on a similar trajectory. The brand's wireless earbuds have been steadily improving over the past five or so years, with Samsung looking to position itself as a major player in the audio world as well as that of smartphones, tablets and TVs.

That all makes for a really interesting comparison. What we have here are two pairs of flagship wireless buds – the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro and the Apple AirPods Pro 3 – flying the flag for their respective tech giants. Both are on serious upward trajectories, but which brand has made the greatest strides in performance? Let's find out.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro vs Apple AirPods Pro 3: price

The Apple AirPods Pro 3 launched at £219 / $249 / AU$429, although given that they've been out for a few months, discounts will occasionally chip away at those figures. At the time of writing, for instance, you can find a pair for £204 in the UK at some retailers.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are operating in very similar territory as the AirPods Pro 3. At £219 / $249 / AU$399, we're still at a premium level, but just below the likes of the Sony WF-1000XM6 (£250 / $330 / AU$500) and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) (currently £249 / $299 / AU$450).

Being the newer pair, discounts are less likely for Buds 4 Pro, so for now at least, Apple might be able to shade a victory.

** Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 3 **

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro vs Apple AirPods Pro 3: design and comfort

We might have mentioned that the outgoing Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro looked a little like a pair of Apple imitators when we reviewed them in 2024, but that's not a criticism we could lay at the door of the fourth-gen follow ups.

The new Buds 4 Pro look far more distinctive, and dare we say classy, than their predecessors, sporting a classic stem and bud design with a removable silicone eartip and a sleek metallic stem covering.

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro sports a solid IP57 certification, offering protection against dust ingress and immersion in water up to a metre deep for around 30 minutes, the same rating as you'll find from their Apple rivals.

In terms of fit, we don't find there to be too many issues with the Samsung buds, although there are some caveats.

The removable ear-tips are angled in slightly to allow for a more secure seal, with the stems helping to add a counterweight and keep everything locked into place. While Samsung offers an ear-fit test via the companion Wearable app, we're still left frustrated that only three choices of tips are included in small, medium and large sizes.

We'd also mention that some of our testers struggled to keep the Samsung buds firmly in place during more strenuous activities such as gym workouts or running sessions, so they may be less suited to sports and strenuous workout sessions.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pros' touch controls come via a predominantly pinch-and-hold system, whereby you give the stems a squeeze to control operations such as playing and pausing tracks or switching noise cancelling modes, or else swipe up or down on the exterior of the stem to increase or decrease your music’s volume.

That's essentially the same system as you'll find with the AirPods Pro 3. There's not much to choose between the two pairs, here, with the AirPods’ touch controls on the stems remaining intuitive and responsive for managing tasks such as music playback, changing noise modes and controlling volume.

Away from touch controls, we're rather keen on the AirPods Pro 3's design. Yes, there are always subjective differences from person to person, but during our testing time, we found them to offer a secure fit which locks into position easily. Plus, you get two extra ear-tip options (XXS and XS) for a total of five, easily beating the meagre three offered by Samsung.

The buds are lightweight and easy to wear in daily use, and we feel the redesign actually is a bit more forgiving of the eartips you choose. If you can get the best fit for your ears, the AirPods Pro 3 are light, unobtrusive and easy to get along with in daily use.

It's a reasonably close-run thing, but for their well-honed design and provision of extra eartips, we're giving the win to Apple here.

** Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 3**

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro vs Apple AirPods Pro 3: features

The Apple AirPods Pro 3 and Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are both premium buds (the Pro is the clue there), so in both cases you're furnished with all of the tricks and treats that you'd expect to find from each brand's respective wireless flagbearers.

The Samsung buds certainly aren't light in this regard, housing a healthy array of features to complement their sonic and noise cancelling capabilities.

You'll need Samsung's Wearable app to get the most out of your Samsung buds, although as you'll find with the AirPods when connected to an iPhone, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are integrated within your Samsung device’s native operating system to grant access to many of their features without having to delve into the app at all. As you may have guessed, Apple users get no app support at all for the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

For AirPods users, there's no standalone app for iOS or Android users, as is par for the course, with all settings integrated into your device's iOS operating system menus instead.

Both sets provide support for spatial audio in some form or another. The Samsung's offer '360 spatial audio' with head tracking, both of which require a Samsung device in order to work and can be toggled on or off via the accompanying app.

As we said in our review: "The tech works admirably, and unquestionably provides a more spacious and open experience than when listening in standard mode. Head tracking is also effective, even if it does suffer from the usual gripe of having a very slight delay whenever the sound moves from one earbud to the other."

The AirPods Pro 3 integrate spatial audio with dynamic headtracking with similarly capable results, working slickly and smoothly when paired with an iOS device. You won't be surprised to learn that if you want the best spatial experience, you'll want to have access to Apple Music and its catalogue of spatial audio tracks.

What about battery life? Samsung’s wireless flagbearers provide seven hours of charge time from the buds and a total of 30 with the case when ANC is turned off. Switch noise cancelling on, and those numbers drop to around six hours from the buds and a total of 26 hours with the case.

By comparison, the AirPods Pro 3 will manage eight hours in a single charge from the buds with ANC switched on, stretching to a total of 24 hours of overall battery life with the charging case in play. That's slightly better in-bud battery for the AirPods, but a total of 24 hours does seem a little light in comparison.

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pros' key feature is the use of Samsung’s proprietary SSC UHQ hi-res codec, which grants transmission of up to 24-bit/96kHz file quality via Bluetooth with compatible Samsung Galaxy devices.

Conversely, there's still no higher-quality codec support from the likes of aptX or LDAC for the AirPods Pro 3, so you'll have to settle for the standard AAC and SBC Bluetooth codecs – the general line we tend hear from Apple is that its AirPods simply don't require hi-res codec support to sound their best. No iPhone, iPad or MacBook support any other codecs either, so this is likely of no issue to iOS users.

Apple does have its own tricks up its sleeve, though. The AirPods Pro 3 come fitted with a new heart rate sensor to track health and workout stats, and they have hearing tests and hearing health-related features, too.

Live translation features are available on both models, but note you'll need to be on specific (usually the latest) software and compatible devices to make the feature work.

Strong showings from both sides, then, with Samsung's hi-res codec support countered by Apple's impressive health-based features. Both have features that work solely with its own devices in their own ecosystems. A draw seems like a fair result.

** Winner: Draw **

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro vs Apple AirPods Pro 3: noise cancelling and voice calls

With the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, calls are delivered clearly thanks to the buds' trio of microphones and a voice pick-up unit, while background intrusions are capably softened to stop them from interrupting your conversations.

Noise-cancelling is well implemented on the Samsung buds, capable of subduing busy traffic sounds and the general hubbub of the office so we can concentrate mostly on the music.

Samsung’s Adaptive sound feature, which automatically switches to ambient mode when it detects human speech, works well during testing, too. We're impressed by how effectively the setting clicks into gear whenever we engage in a conversation to test whether our buds are paying attention.

The similar "Conversation Mode" feature on AirPods Pro 3 also intelligently detects when you're speaking, which lowers the volume of the music so you can have a quick conversation.

Samsung's buds won't let you down then, but they're not quite good enough to overcome the best that Apple has to offer. Call quality is clear, detailed and sounds natural on the AirPods Pro 3, with no harshness or any of that over-processed quality to our voices that we often experience with many lesser earbuds.

Where the Apple buds really distinguish themselves is through their excellent ANC. We take our AirPods Pro 3 and Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro to the gym to test their noise cancelling talents, and while the latter take the edge off the various intrusions we experience – background music, general chatter, the whir of an exercise bike – the AirPods Pro 3 simply suppress the general clamour more powerfully and more effectively.

They're also much better at dealing with sharp, loud noises than their Samsung rivals. The clank of weights dropping can threaten to intrude in on your best workout playlist, but with the Pro 3, those spikes of sound are impressively diminished to the point that we barely notice them when they occur.

Apple's noise cancelling capabilities really are mightily impressive, and earn them the win here.

** Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 3**

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro vs Apple AirPods Pro 3: sound quality

We're convinced that the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are the best wireless earbuds Samsung has made. They sound resplendently clear, clean, well-organised and peppy, offering an enthusiastic, precise and lively tone that is rarely a chore to listen to.

That tone feels similar in general flavour to their third-gen predecessors, but this is still a clear sonic step up from that which came before. As we said in our review, the Buds 4 Pros’ "outstanding levels of textural insight and clarity make a recording of Mozart’s Rondo Alla Turca sound appropriately regal, before bringing out the lean, retro feeling of Elvis Costello’s Veronica with aplomb".

Listening to genres and tracks that really play to their strengths, the Samsung buds deliver a lovely balance between analysis and pure fun. We find that rock, hip-hop and dance numbers tend to fare particularly well, as evidenced by a powerful rendition of Slipknot’s pulsating Before I Forget and a sparky reproduction of Justice’s Phantom Pt. II.

If you want to get the best out of your Galaxy buds, it's definitely worth getting hold of an up-to-date Samsung device to take advantage of that fancy hi-res SSC UHQ codec.

We use a Samsung S25 smartphone to test out how the earbuds sound with hi-res SSC UHQ codec, and there's no question that the Buds 4 Pro move to the next level sonically when using this higher-quality codec. They retain their general flavour, but overall clarity and detail levels increase considerably when compared to playing via an iPhone or the standard Bluetooth codec on a Sony Xperia 1 VI smartphone.

How do the AirPods Pro 3 sound by comparison? This isn't the walkover for Apple that some might have been expecting, and if anything, we find that their Samsung rivals arguably offer greater clarity and textural detail than their rivals can muster. That's no mean feat, especially as we described the third-gen AirPods Pro as being clearer and more detailed than their antecedents.

Still, the AirPods are superbly clear, balanced and spacious-sounding, with a keen ear for midrange vocal authenticity. They're immensely easy to get along with, giving music ample room to breathe and allowing musical textures and vocal strands plenty of space to flourish.

Where Apple's flagships really excel, however, is in their superior feeling of musical engagement. As we said in our review: "Dynamically, they do a wonderful job of conveying the ebbs and flow of a track, and are adept at slowing things down where needed, as well as keeping more energetic compositions in check – all without losing any of the verve or emotional intent of a track."

They're also seriously impressive in how they dispatch rhythms, offering a snappy, propulsive sense of timing that keeps our attention from the outset. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro aren't poor in this regard, but they don't quite have that innate rhythmic understanding, especially with more nuanced fare, as their Apple rivals.

This is a close affair, and certainly an impressive effort from Samsung's pristine, detailed flagships. We find that the AirPods Pro 3's more dynamic and rhythmically engaging sound takes the cake here, as it just makes us feel more involved and invested in the music we play.

Samsung is closing the gap, but there's still some daylight between their latest flagships and their Apple rivals.

** Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 3**

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro vs Apple AirPods Pro 3: verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are the best wireless earbuds the company has made thus far. They're packed with features and sound better than their predecessors, demonstrating a clear indication that Samsung has what it takes to close the gap on the market's biggest names.

That said, it isn't quite enough to beat the best that Apple has to offer. The Pro 3 are the finest performing AirPods yet, and while it's a close run thing, their impressive ANC talents and more engaging, dynamic sound quality sees them pip their Samsung rivals to the post.

Each pair is designed for a different audience – AirPods for iOS users, Galaxy buds for Samsung users – but all other things being equal, we'd still take the AirPods Pro 3 over their plucky rivals.

** Overall winner: Apple AirPods Pro 3 **

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Does anyone have what it takes to knock Sony of its proud perch? The Sony WF-1000XM6 are the current cream of the premium wireless earbuds crop, laying down a marker to which all other rivals must now aspire.

They're quite possibly the best wireless earbuds that Sony has ever made, and when you think about some of the delights the Japanese company has produced in the past few years, that's quite the compliment.

Samsung is up for the challenge. The Korean brand showcased a real determination to compete in the premium wireless space with the previous Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, and now hopes to go one further with its fourth-gen follow-up, the just-released Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 4. This is the most almighty of challenges for the flagship buds, but if they can trouble the class leaders, we'll know that Samsung has truly arrived on the premium wireless scene.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro vs WF-1000XM6: price

The Sony WF-1000XM6 cost £250 / $330 / AU$500 at launch, making them a little cheaper for UK buyers compared with the older WF-1000XM5 (£259 at launch) but more expensive if you happen to live in the US ($299) or Australia (AU$419).

They're not, however, cheaper than their Samsung rivals. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are very much a premium pair of earbuds, but their £219 / $249 / AU$399 tag sees them significantly undercut Sony's flagships. The fourth-gen model didn't see a price hike over their third-gen antecedents, either, which is a nice touch from Samsung.

** Winner: Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro **

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro vs WF-1000XM6: design and comfort

Samsung's fourth-gen flagship buds are a little different from those which preceded them.

The classic stem and bud design with a removable silicone ear tip returns, but it’s much harder to accuse the Buds 4 Pro of looking like a pair of Apple rip-offs this time around. The vertically placed ‘Blade Lights’ of the third-gen model have also gone, replaced by a sleek metallic stem covering which just gives the fourth-gen iteration a more premium aesthetic.

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have had their IP rating boosted from IP53 to IP57, granting protection against dust ingress and immersion in water up to a metre deep for around 30 minutes. That's a more robust certification than the Sonys, which can only muster an IPX4 rating for general protection against splashes of water rather than full immersion.

Fit-wise, we generally find the Samsung earbuds comfortable and easy to get along with. The removable eartips are angled in slightly to allow for a more secure seal, with the stems helping to add a counterweight and keep everything locked into place. Samsung offers an ear-fit test via the companion Wearable app, confirming whether you’ve obtained an adequate seal with a quick scan of your ears.

Sadly, we feel let down that you only get three sizes of tip from which to choose, as the provision of small, medium and large options just seems so miserly for a pair of flagship wireless earbuds. We'd also note that some of our wearers struggled to keep the Samsung buds in place during more strenuous activities, so they may be less suited to running or sporting endeavours than more active-focused alternatives.

Touch controls on the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are employed by a predominantly pinch-and-hold system, whereby you give the stems a squeeze to control operations such as playing and pausing tracks or switching noise cancelling modes, or swipe up or down on the exterior of the stem to increase or decrease your music’s volume.

Sony's WF-1000XM6 rivals are a similarly bold departure from what came before, and the design is certainly distinct from the more traditional bud and stem design of the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

Open that rather chunky monolith of a charging case and you'll see that Sony has altered both the look and the feel of the earbuds when compared to the outgoing model, sporting a more rectangular, boxy aesthetic.

Aside from improving noise cancelling and call quality (more on that later), the XM6s' configuration is designed improve in-ear comfort, yet as we found during our testing, that might depend on who is using them.

That firm eartip material has returned for the sixth-gen iteration, and while it will suit some ears just fine, we still have multiple team members who simply cannot get to grips with how Sony's latest buds fit inside their ears.

Sony does offer a handy air pressure fit test in the Sound Connect app, as well as four eartip sizes (extra small, medium and large) over the three offered by Samsung. Still, an extra large option wouldn't have gone amiss for those users with larger ears, especially given how tricky the fit of the premium buds can be for some wearers.

Touch controls are on board for the XM6, and we're pleased to report that we find them responsive and well-integrated during our tests. As is the case with the Buds 4 Pro, you can customise their configuration via their respective companion apps.

Decent, if not perfect, performances on both sides. We imagine that most users will find the Buds 4 Pro to be easier to get along with fit-wise, and they are more robust in terms of their IP rating, but they do lose a point for their meagre array of tip sizes.

** Winner: Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro**

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro vs WF-1000XM6: features

We're in properly premium territory here, with each competing brand going all out on the features front, as befits two pairs of flagship wireless earbuds.

The Samsung Wearable app is the platform you'll need in order to get the most out of your flagship Samsung buds. As you’d find with a pair of AirPods when connected to an iPhone, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are integrated within your Samsung device’s native operating system, so you can access many of their features without having to delve into the app at all. Naturally, you won't be surprised to learn that Apple iOS users get no app support at all.

For Sony users, you'll be operating your WF-1000XM6 via the Sound Connect app (available for both iOS and Android), a platform which plenty of settings when it comes to the number of customisation options and device metrics it provides – including a the handy speak-to-chat mode, which lowers music volume when it recognises you are speaking to someone.

The Samsung buds provide support for the brand's '360 spatial audio' with head tracking, both of which require a Samsung device in order to work and can be toggled on or off via the accompanying app.

The tech works admirably, and unquestionably provides a more spacious and open experience than when listening in standard mode. Head tracking is also effective, even if it does suffer from the usual gripe of having a very slight delay whenever the sound moves from one earbud to the other.

For the XM6, support for Sony's 360 Reality Audio is on the menu, aiming for a similar effect of granting a more immersive, three-dimensional soundfield. You will require a scan of your ears, as well as a compatible streaming service with these tracks (which are different from Dolby Atmos recorded tracks), such as Amazon Music Unlimited, to make use of the tech.

How about battery life? Samsung’s wireless flag-bearers grant seven hours from the buds and a total of 30 with the case when ANC is turned off. Switch noise cancelling on, and those numbers will drop to roughly six hours from the buds and a total of 26 hours with the case. By comparison, battery life for the WF-1000XM6 comes in at eight hours from the buds and a total of 24 hours with the case, with ANC on.

The Galaxy Buds Pro 4s' big trump card comes via their compatibility with Samsung’s exclusive proprietary SSC UHQ hi-res codec, granting transmission of up to 24-bit/96kHz music files over Bluetooth via newer Galaxy devices.

We used a Galaxy S25 smartphone to get the most out of our test buds’ sonic capabilities, though we're assured that the S24 and S23, as well as the newer generations of the Z Flip/Fold phones also offer compatibility with SSC UHQ.

Bluetooth support for the Sony WF-1000XM6 comes courtesy of standard SBC and AAC alongside Sony's own LDAC codec for hi-res transmission up to 32-bit/96kHz, and you'll also need a compatible source device in order to access it. Most Sony Xperia phones, such as the Xperia 1 VI and Xperia 1 VII, do offer LDAC support.

It's a a close run thing on the general features front, with both pairs tending to match each other blow for blow when digging into their admirably large bags of tricks.

** Winner: Draw **

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro vs WF-1000XM6: noise cancelling and voice calls

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are admirable in their handling of both noise cancelling and voice calls.

Speech comes across as clear and reasonably expressive thanks to the buds' trio of microphones and a voice pick-up unit, while background noises are capably softened to lessen their intrusiveness during phone calls.

You get full noise-cancelling, transparent pass through and an Adaptive mode when it comes to the Buds 4 Pro's ANC flavours. Standard full ANC is effective enough, capable of subduing traffic noises and the general hubbub of a busy street when using the buds outdoors.

Samsung’s Adaptive mode monitors your environment and automatically switches to the more transparent ambient mode when it detects sounds such as human speech or the screech of nearby sirens. In our tests, it's impressive how effectively the setting clicks into gear whenever we engage in a conversation to test our buds' reflexes.

A very fine effort on both fronts from Samsung, but it isn't enough to win this particular shootout. We switch over to the slightly costlier Sony WF-1000XM6 when taking a phone call and they set the gold standard for clarity, isolation and the naturalness of vocal reproduction from both callers.

The addition of the new QN3e processor and a quad array of microphones in each earbud works to tremendous effect, isolating you from outside noise while putting speech to the forefront of any conversation. The Sonys also throw their Adaptive NC Optimiser into the mix, which automatically adapts the ANC algorithm to your fit and for the environment you’re listening in.

The resultant noise cancelling performance is exceptional. In full ANC mode, Sonys are superb at how naturally and subtly they isolate us from all kinds of exterior sounds, presenting us with a clean, rumble-free background through which our music can more easily shine when outdoors, on our commute or even on a plane.

Even when you sink to the noisy recesses of London's underground network, the XM6 are able to dim down the low-end and midrange noise so they are much less intrusive.

A good effort from Samsung, but Sony is the clear winner here on both counts.

** Winner: Sony WF-1000XM6 **

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro vs WF-1000XM6: sound quality

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are, to our ears, the best wireless earbuds Samsung has ever made. They're clear, well-organised and snappy performers, with an enthusiasm and sonic precision that we find hard to resist.

They boast a similar flavour to their third-gen predecessors, albeit with greater detail and clarity elevating their performance to new heights. As we said in our review, the Buds 4 Pros’ "outstanding levels of textural insight and clarity make a recording of Mozart’s Rondo Alla Turca sound appropriately regal, before bringing out the lean, retro feeling of Elvis Costello’s Veronica with aplomb".

That crisp, agile approach means the Buds 4 Pro are natural entertainers, and with the right genres, they're capable of putting on a real show. We find that rock, hip-hop and dance numbers tend to fare particularly well, as evidenced by a powerful, crunchy rendition of Slipknot’s headbanging Before I Forget and a sharp, lively reproduction of Justice’s funky Phantom Pt. II.

If you really want to get the best out of the Galaxy buds, it is worth having an up-to-date Samsung Galaxy device in order to take advantage of the brand’s own hi-res SSC UHQ codec.

When paired with the Samsung Galaxy S25 smartphone and with that high quality codec switched on, the Buds 4 Pro take things to the next level, with overall clarity and detail levels increasing considerably when compared to playing via an iPhone or the standard Bluetooth codec on a Sony Xperia 1 VI smartphone.

Good as the Galaxy buds are, the Sony WF-1000XM6 remain the benchmark-setters. Pitched in an even battle, the XM6 are a clear improvement over their rivals, as well as pretty much any other earbuds you'll find at this level.

These are, by our measure, the best Sony buds yet. The WF-1000XM6 are as detailed and insightful as we'd expect, yet they also ooze a natural warmth and rich tonality which gives them immense appeal. If you found their predecessors just a touch analytical or dispassionate, that relative defect has been admirably rectified with the compellingly entertaining XM6.

Perhaps what we admire most about the WF-1000XM6 is their expressiveness and outstanding dynamic handling. The Sonys just sound so natural and believable as they tease out dynamic strands and fluctuations with remarkable insight and agility, giving music a three-dimensional, engrossing appeal that has us entranced no matter the tunes we play.

This is where the XM6 really distance themselves from their Samsung contemporaries, and while the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are admirably spacious and clear, the Sony's hugely expressive, authentic delivery makes them a considerably more involving option. For getting you to feel the heart and soul of your music, it's the Sony buds every time.

The WF-1000XM6 are excellent across the frequency range, too. As we said in our review, they deliver "crisp highs all the way down to tightly controlled and textured lows", and have "a grasp of bass notes and deliver layers of texture which the old model can’t quite replicate. The Sonys exhibit all the bass power and weight you could ask for, but it’s the way the notes are controlled and defined which really sets them apart from their rivals".

Yes, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pros' performance when making use of their specific Samsung SSC UHQ codec does narrow the gap somewhat, but it's not enough to mask their relative limitations when put head-to-head with the best that Sony has to offer.

For sound performance, the WF-1000XM6 are in a class of their own.

** Winner: Sony WF-1000XM6 **

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro vs WF-1000XM6: verdict

Samsung's Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are the best wireless earbuds we've heard from the brand. The fourth-generation in-ears are easily the strongest indication yet that Samsung has what it takes to compete in one of audio's toughest arenas.

Their crisp, precise and detailed sound will make rivals sit up and take notice, although it's worth noting that they sound (and perform) their best when paired with the latest Samsung Galaxy devices and using the proprietary hi-res codec.

Those improvements aren't, however, enough to topple one of the most dominant names in wireless audio. In terms of pure sound quality, Sony continues to lead the pack, with its WF-1000XM6 once again raising the bar so high that it'll take something truly remarkable for anyone to surpass them. And you don't need to have a specific device or codec to hear them at their best, either.

For their outstanding sonic talents, backed by some exceptional all-round credentials, the XM6 remain the buds to beat.

** Overall winner: Sony WF-1000XM6 **

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Samsung has announced its latest trio of Android smartphones, with the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus and S26 Ultra forming the three-strong lineup for 2026.

These high-end handsets will serve as the flagship models, replacing the Award-winning Galaxy S25 Ultra and the four-star Galaxy S25 Plus from last year.

Samsung is touting updated designs, more powerful chipsets, better cameras and, if you can believe it, even more AI smarts than ever before. All of these do, unfortunately, come at a cost, and we mean that in the literal sense.

Samsung's new flagship, the Galaxy S26 Ultra

Starting with the Galaxy S26 Ultra, this flagship handset boasts a 6.9-inch Super AMOLED 2X display with a variable refresh rate of 1Hz-120Hz, and a resolution of 3120x1440.

It sports the superb ProScaler feature of its predecessor, which upscales lower-resolution content to look its best on the high-resolution display, and Samsung claims it has worked with its TV division once again to improve the tech on the new S26 Ultra.

Furthermore, Samsung is touting an improved mDNIe system for more natural and subtle colours, as well as HDR10+ and HDR10 support for compatible streaming apps.

Dolby Atmos audio is also on board, and can be accessed via wireless or wired headphones, as well as the built-in stereo speaker system, which utilises the handset's bottom-firing speaker and earpiece.

Powering this beast of a smartphone is the latest Snapdragon Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset from Qualcomm, and it's backed by 12GB of RAM if you opt for the 256GB or 512GB model, or 16GB of RAM if you choose the spacious 1TB configuration.

This powerful processor enables a wide range of Galaxy AI smarts, including automatic translation, Circle to Search with Google, writing assists, generative photo editing, and the Now Bar system, which can show you relevant news, calendar entries, and weather information at the relevant time.

Now Nudge is another new feature, which uses AI to dig into your apps to search for relevant information to automatically reply to messages or enter details on websites. There's also a generative photo assistant tool which can totally change a photo you've taken into a new style or scenario with a simple text prompt.

Speaking of photos, the S26 Ultra sports a quad rear camera arrangement with a new 200MP main sensor that's reportedly 47 per cent brighter than its predecessor, and a pair of upgraded telephoto sensors that provide better noise reduction and HDR performance.

Samsung is touting higher charging speeds, with wired charging now reaching 60W, and wireless charging topping out at 25W. If you have a compatible 60W wired fast charger, Samsung says that you can expect the Galaxy S26 Ultra to reach 75 per cent in just 30 minutes.

Disappointingly, Samsung hasn't upgraded the battery itself, meaning we have the same 5000mAh cell that's been featured on the last few Galaxy S Ultra iterations.

All of these features come wrapped up in a redesigned chassis with smoother, more rounded corners, and an Aluminium Armour frame (so long titanium) that features enhanced durability to withstand knocks and dings.

This is also the slimmest Ultra smartphone to date, according to Samsung, as it's shaved the S26 Ultra down to just 7.9mm, down from the S25 Ultra's 8.3mm thickness.

Samsung is launching the S26 Ultra in four widely available finishes (Black, White, Cobalt Violet and Sky Blue) and two exclusive (Pink Gold and Shadow Silver) colours for its online store.

As we mentioned earlier, prices have gone up this year, with the S26 Ultra now starting at £1279 for the 256GB model, £1449 for the 512GB version, and a whopping £1699 for the 1TB edition. Those prices are £50, £100 and £150 more than last year's models, respectively, which is a tough pill to swallow.

International pricing is TBA as of now; however, we do know that the S26 Ultra will launch on 11th March 2026, with Samsung offering customers double the storage capacity at no extra cost if they choose to pre-order the handset before then.

Upgraded step down models launching too

Moving down to the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus, these handsets shave off a few features in a bid to keep costs down.

The S26 sports a 6.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a resolution of 2340x1080, a variable 1Hz to 120Hz refresh rate, and HDR10+ and HDR10 support. Unfortunately, it doesn't support ProScaler, though this year's model features a 0.1-inch screen size upgrade compared to last year's model.

The S26 Plus moves up to a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 3120x1440 resolution, support for the same variable refresh rate and HDR formats as the other models, and the ProScaler feature is supported here.

Both handsets utilise Samsung's latest Exynos 2600 chipset in the UK. However, that's switched for the same Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip in North America, China and Japan. That's backed up by 12GB of RAM across the board for both models, and the base storage configuration is now 256GB on the standard S26, with a 512GB version also available for both.

The S26 sports a 4300mAh battery with Samsung's Super Fast Charging and Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 standards supported, which translates to 25W wired charging or 15W wireless charging. The S26 Plus, on the other hand, steps up to Super Fast Charging 2.0 and Super Fast Wireless Charging, allowing for 40W wired or 20W wireless charging.

Both devices feature a triple rear camera setup, with a 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto and a 50MP main sensor. Furthermore, the raft of Galaxy AI features listed on the S26 Ultra are also supported here.

The Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus will launch in the same range of colours as the Ultra – that's Black, White, Cobalt Violet and Sky Blue (widely available), and Pink Gold and Shadow Silver (Samsung exclusives) – on the 11th of March.

Prices have also gone up for the entry-level models, thanks to the removal of the 128GB base storage, meaning the Galaxy S26 now starts at £879 instead of £799 (or £1049 for the 512GB version).

The Galaxy S26 Plus starts at £1099 rather than the £999 starting price of the Galaxy S25 Plus, with the 512GB model costing an Ultra-like £1269. Samsung will also double your storage on S26 and S26 Plus if you choose to pre-order before the official launch date.

MORE:

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review

As well as our Apple iPhone 17 review

And check out our picks for the best smartphones for music and movies

Samsung has announced its new Galaxy Buds 4 range. The Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro offer a revamped metal stem design that's more premium than their plasticky predecessors, upgraded controls, and a speaker driver that's nearly 20 per cent bigger than that on the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.

Samsung claims the wider woofer and tweeter in the new generation wireless earbuds will reproduce a more complete range across the frequencies, from high resonances to the low-end notes of a double bass.

• Our Galaxy Buds 4 Pro review is live – check out what we thought of Samsung's flagship buds

The Buds 4 pack an 11mm dynamic driver, and on the Buds 4 Pro this is joined by a 5mm x 4mm tweeter.

The new build might be the most eye-catching element of the design, but the fit for both earbuds has also been overhauled. This is based on millions of data points taking into account all kinds of ear shapes. Samsung claims the new buds are more comfortable and more secure in everyday use.

The control panel on the stems is now engraved to make it easier to discern by touch alone and the case has been slightly redesigned to show off the buds' overhauled design.

The step-up Buds 4 Pro have the same enhanced adaptive ANC and EQ that adjusts the sound depending on your surroundings. You also get the same 16kHz noise reduction during calls.

Users of Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets will get some extra benefits. They won't need to install the designated app, they can just connect the buds straight away (much like iOS users do with the best AirPods). They can optimise the settings through a shortcut menu in the quick panel, wake the buds using their voice for handsfree controls and use head gestures to accept or dismiss incoming calls. There's also an Interpreter mode for real-time translation (yes, just like you get with AirPods Pro 3).

The Buds 4 don't have eartips, whereas the flagship Buds 4 Pro have three sizes of silicon eartips with an eartip test within the app (much like the AirPods Pro 3 and Sony WF-1000XM6).

The Buds 4 Pro are higher specced than the standard model, with a water-resistant and dust-proof rating of IP57, compared to IP54 for the Buds 4. Both have a battery life of six hours from the buds plus another 20 from the case with ANC on.

Like their predecessors, they support Samsung’s hi-res SSC UHQ codec, which allows streams of up to 24-bit/96kHz resolution, and is compatible with more recent Galaxy smartphones. They also have Bluetooth 6.0 onboard.

Both pairs have three mics and a voice pick-up unit to monitor jaw vibrations, and the Pros offer 360 Spatial audio with head tracking.

It's an impressive feature set, but a lot will hinge on the sound quality. Samsung's buds have never scored the full five stars from us (though the Buds 3 Pro notched up four stars in 2023). Can it finally secure that elusive fifth star? Our Galaxy Buds 4 Pro review reveals all.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 cost £159 / $180 / AU$TBC and the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are £219 / $249 / AU$399. Both are available to pre-order now, with shipping starting on 11th March.

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Hands on: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra review

Will the Buds 4 Pro be one of the best AirPods alternatives?

The best wireless earbuds we've tested across all budgets

Samsung has begun teasing the next iteration of its Galaxy smartphone series, which we presume will be called the Galaxy S26. This will follow on from last year's Award-winning Galaxy S25 Ultra, which featured a screen that simply knocked our socks off.

Therefore, expectations are high for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which is expected to launch later this month – though no date for the company's annual Unpacked event has been set quite yet.

Samsung is, however, already touting the upgraded AI abilities of the upcoming series of flagship handsets. While AI doesn't spark much joy for us, there is an interesting new display feature which could hint towards an upgrade coming to that glorious Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen.

Samsung is touting this feature as giving the forthcoming Galaxy S series a “new layer of privacy”, referring to some clever pixel-level technology that will stop snoopers from peeking over your shoulder at your phone screen.

The idea here is to give people peace of mind when they enter passwords or sharing personal details over messages, without worrying. It appears as though this feature will combat off-axis viewing, meaning that the display will be viewable only to the owner of the phone.

Better yet, users can allocate the privacy system to specific parts of the display, meaning passwords and pin codes stay hidden, and even certain apps and notifications can be assigned to this new private-screen mode.

This is a unique feature, and not one that we have seen before on any smartphone. Samsung itself states that it has been working on the feature for more than five years.

The inclusion of this feature could hint towards an overall display upgrade coming to the Galaxy S26 Ultra – cause for excitement indeed.

The excellent OLED display paired with the ProScaler upscaling feature made the Galaxy S25 Ultra one of the best smartphones of 2025, so expectations are high for this mysterious new model.

MORE:

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review

As well as our Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus review

And our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review

We're less than a month away from the Samsung Galaxy S26 and Galaxy Buds 4 launch, if the latest leak is to be believed. And considering it comes from reliable source Evan Blass, we would say it is.

His post shows a promotional image for Galaxy Unpacked, which is Samsung's annual showcase for the next Galaxy S variant. The date given is 25th February – that's three weeks on Wednesday.

Last year's event was held on 22nd January, so this year's would be slightly later than usual.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 will be Samsung's flagship phone for 2026, until its Z Flip and Z Fold foldables launch in the summer, that is. It's expected to have a screen privacy feature that means people around can't see what's on your screen, leaving you free to enter passwords in public without anyone snooping on you.

It's also said to be slimmer than the Galaxy S25, to offer the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor (in certain markets), with a 200MP telephoto sensor rumoured for the S26 Ultra. Price rises have also been rumoured for certain models and capacities, but by no means all.

The Galaxy Buds 4 models, however, are expected to keep the same price as their predecessors. According to Dealabs, the Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro will cost the same €179 and €249 respectively as their predecessors. Those are European prices – in the UK, the Buds 3 launched at £159 and the Buds 3 Pro £219 (though both have come down from these prices since their 2024 launch).

Leaked pictures have shown a flatter, more compact design for both pairs of buds, while the charging case has also been redesigned. The buds are also said to have Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) connectivity, which could bring hi-res audio functionality.

Head gestures à la the AirPods Pro 3 are also on the cards.

Samsung's phones have reviewed well in recent years, but its wireless earbuds less so. Here's hoping the latest models can give the best AirPods a run for their money.

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Check out the best smartphones for music and movies

The best AirPods alternatives you can buy

Read our Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review

Samsung has announced the newest addition to its smartphone range - the Galaxy Z TriFold. You might already have guessed from the name, though, that this is not your ordinary phone.

That’s right, the Galaxy Z is a tri-foldable phone-cum-tablet, which Samsung claims is employing “its most advanced foldable technologies optimised for the unique demands of a multi-folding design.”

This design features a 10-inch screen that folds twice into a pocketable phone measuring 6.5 inches.

It’s made up of three sections held together by two titanium hinges, and is set into a frame made of an Advanced Armor Aluminum alloy. And, while it might seem like a lot of screen to carry around, the use of ceramic-glass and a fibre-reinforced polymer on the back panel of the phone appears to have kept the weight relatively low at 309g.

Samsung says there is an “auto-alarm” to alert the user of incorrect folding “through a series of on-screen alerts and vibrations.”

In its unfolded state, the Z Trifold is super thin, measuring just 3.9mm, making it the slimmest Samsung phone to date.

It boasts a brightness of up to 2600 nits on the cover display and 1600 nits on the main screen. Both of the displays use Samsung’s AMOLED panels, each with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. Samsung claims that this results in "a perfect canvas for high-quality viewing of photo and video content."

On the left side of the phone, there's a tri-camera bump featuring a 200MP wide-angle, 12MP ultra-wide, and a 10MP 3X optical zoom. There's also a 10MP selfie camera on the cover screen and on the 10-inch display.

There's plenty of Galaxy AI smarts built into Samsung's latest release, too. That includes the use of Gemini, Google's AI assistant, so you can get information without switching between apps.

The company is also promising “the biggest battery Samsung has ever had in a foldable phone” at 5,600mAh. That's quite a jump from the Galaxy Z Fold 7's 4,272 mAh and the Galaxy Z Flip 7's 4300 mAh battery capability.

The Galaxy Z TriFold will first be available in Korea on 12 December, with prices starting from 3,594,000 Won (around £1855 / $2450 / AU$3730).

Samsung says it will be available in the US in early 2026, but has not yet announced whether it will be sold in the UK or Australia.

While this is certainly looks like an impressive piece of kit, Samsung is not the first brand to produce a tri-fold model; Huawei took the first plunge with its Mate XT Ultimate.

And, while we have not had the chance to get this model in for testing, we did manage to get up close and personal with the brand's latest foldable phone – the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7.

In our hands-on session, we were impressed by its contrast and detail levels. We noted that it "appears to deliver a crisp, rich image with impressively balanced yet eye-catching colours." That was all from one brief session with the phone; however, we can't give a comprehensive review just yet.

If the Galaxy Z TriFold offers picture quality similar to the Fold 7, then this bodes well for the performance of Samsung's latest offering. And with its nifty foldable design with plenty of AI smarts, this could be one to watch.

We'll be keeping our eyes peeled to see if it will be available to a global audience, so stay tuned.

MORE:

Check out our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review

These are the best smartphones right now

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Google is looking to properly make its mark in the world of wireless earbuds with its latest launch, the Pixel Buds 2a.

Adding to its reasonably modest roster of wireless earbuds, the 2a use the established Pixel Buds 2 as a jumping off point, promising "impressive" sound from their custom 11mm dynamic drivers.

Harnessing Google's Tensor A1 audio processing chip, the new buds promise a significant leap forward in audio performance alongside the brand's first-ever implementation of active noise cancelling for a set of A-series earbuds.

With noise cancelling switched on, the new Pixel buds provide seven hours of listening time on a single charge, rising to a total of 20 hours when the charging case is factored in.

Like the established Pixel Buds Pro 2, the new Pixel Buds 2a harness a twist-to-adjust design, complemented by four ear tip sizes, for a more comfortable and secure fit. They're IP54 rated, too, meaning sweat and dust ingress shouldn't be a problem if you're taking the buds out on your adventures.

As you might expect, the Pixel Buds 2a have been built to work within Google's given ecosystem, offering features such as Fast Pair and seamless switching between Pixel devices for a smoother user experience.

Being a set of Google buds, the tech giant's Gemini AI smart companion comes baked in, meaning you can use the prompt "Hey Google" to summon your personal assistant for a variety of AI-powered tasks.

The Google Pixel Buds 2a are available to pre-order now in Hazel or Iris colourways, priced at $129 / £129. That puts them up against the excellent Sony WF-C710N (£100 / $120) and the Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 (£119 / $219), both of which offer active noise cancelling at this budget-to-mid-price level.

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Welcome to What Hi-Fi?’s inaugural Sustainability Week!

What Sennheiser’s legendary HD650 headphones can teach the hi-fi industry about sustainability

These are the best wireless earbuds you can buy

Samsung has added to its roster of wireless earbuds with the launch of its new Galaxy Buds 3 FE.

Adding to its established Galaxy Buds line-up, the new buds aim to deliver premium features bolstered by "upgraded audio performance" and Samsung's Galaxy AI smarts, all at a price that's more affordable than the Korean giant's more premium buds.

Teasing an enhanced audio experience thanks to their 11mm dynamic drivers, the slender buds promise a "rich, powerful sound" with deep bass and clear treble. Enhanced noise-cancelling capabilities, meanwhile, seek to reduce ambient noise for a more "immersive listening experience".

With ANC switched off, the Galaxy Buds 3 FE grant up to 8.5 hours of playback and around 30 hours of listening with the charging case. If noise cancelling is turned on, those numbers drop to around six hours from the buds and roughly 18 when the case is factored in.

Artificial intelligence is a big deal for Samsung, with Galaxy AI features integrated into the Galaxy Buds 3 FE. Your buds can listen, understand and respond without a screen to a prompt such as "Hey Google", while Galaxy AI Interpreter can be used to translate conversations in real time.

Naturally, the Galaxy Buds 3 FE are designed to work within Samsung's ecosystem, offering features such as Find My Earbuds and fast switching between Galaxy devices for a more frictionless user experience. You'll also get access to 360 Spatial Audio if you have a compatible Samsung Galaxy smartphone or tablet.

The IP54-rated buds mirror the long stem design of the flagship Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, wherein those stems can be used to manage various functions via a series of swipes and pinches.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE will be available from September 4th in black or grey finishes, priced at £129 / $150. That makes them a more affordable alternative to the Buds 3 Pro, which launched last year at £219 / $249 / AU$399.

MORE:

Welcome to What Hi-Fi?’s inaugural Sustainability Week!

What Sennheiser’s legendary HD650 headphones can teach the hi-fi industry about sustainability

These are the best wireless earbuds you can buy

Flip phones are in fashion, the latest Fantastic Four blockbuster is taking the box office by storm, and Oasis are on tour; hard to believe it's somehow 2025 and not the noughties.

Flip phones, however, look quite different nowadays, as evidenced by the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, which we have before us today.

The company’s foldable line has come a long way since its inception with 2019’s Galaxy Z Fold. Six years on from that experimental stage, the Korean tech giant treats these bendy smartphones with the same reverence as its long-running Galaxy S lineup.

It seems to have learned a lot since its first generation, which makes the Z Flip 7 one of its most compelling foldable smartphones to date. That’s good news indeed, considering it’s following two particularly excellent handsets from the brand.

Last year’s Z Fold 6 proved to be one of the biggest surprises of the year, thanks to its impressive display and audio performance, while the video upscaling feature introduced on the Galaxy S25 Ultra ensured a five-star score for that premium handset.

So, can the Z Flip 7 hold a candle to these impressive smartphones when it comes to AV duties?

Price

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 officially starts at £1049 / $1100 / AU$1799 for the 256GB model, though a 512GB model is also available for £1149 / $1220 / AU$1999. Both models feature 12GB of RAM and Samsung’s Exynos 2500 processor.

The Z Flip 7 is priced squarely in the premium sector, then. It’s slightly cheaper than the Galaxy S25 Ultra (£1249 / $1300 / AU$2199), though it's pricier than the Award-winning Apple iPhone 16 Pro (£999 / $999 / AU$1799).

Perhaps the best comparison is with the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which costs from £1199 / $1199 / AU$2149.

Build

If it wasn’t immediately clear, this is a foldable phone, which means that the design itself is a key feature.

This is a clamshell-style flip phone, reminiscent of the flip phones from the early 2000s. That means you can snap the phone shut after a phone call if you’re feeling particularly sassy.

Unlike the flip phones of old, the outer surface of the Z Flip 7 features a 4.1-inch edge-to-edge Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, which can be used to interact with a range of applications or access key information at a glance, such as the weather or calendar entries.

Our favourite use for this display, however, is interacting with the media controls while streaming music. There’s something pleasing about having a palm-sized portable music player, which makes us yearn for the days of iPods.

Unfolding the phone reveals a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, which sports a crucial video-focused feature that we’re thrilled to see – a 21:9 aspect ratio.

That’s the classic ratio for movie content. Sony used to be the champion of this, but it has unceremoniously ditched 21:9 for its recent flagship Xperia devices.

Implementing this into a foldable form factor, as Samsung has done, makes a lot of sense, as the long, slender chassis of previous 21:9 phones made them a bit awkward to carry around.

A compact shell that can be folded in half for enhanced pocketability is a smart move that also satisfies our AV priorities.

This is also a particularly slim phone. It's not quite as slender as the razor-thin Z Fold 7, but at just 13.7mm when folded and 6.5mm unfolded, the Z Flip 7 is an unquestionably slender smartphone.

Despite the slim design, Samsung has made sure to keep its latest smartphone rugged thanks to its Aluminium Armour frame, as well as Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 covering the fragile glass elements to help reduce the likelihood of scratches or cracks.

The hinge has been upgraded, too, with Samsung touting its latest generation Armour FlexHinge as being more durable than ever before. It also provides a tighter seal when the device is closed, as well as a smoother folding action.

On the subject of the folding mechanism, we should also point out that Samsung has taken huge strides in reducing the screen crease, to the extent that it’s barely noticeable to the eye or the touch.

Finally, with four finishes to choose from – Jetblack, Coral Red, Shadow Blue and Mint – it's a stylish phone too. We have the Shadow Blue model, which looks rather smart thanks to the metallic shine that shifts the colour when light hits it.

The one blemish on the design front is that the Z Flip 7 is an absolute fingerprint magnet, with the internal screen picking up smudges with frustrating ease.

Features

Samsung’s smartphones have boasted famously extensive feature sets in recent years. And they have only grown in the last 18 months, thanks to the unwavering onslaught of AI integration.

The Galaxy AI suite is, as expected, featured on the Flip 7, with the likes of Circle to Search with Google, Live Translation, Writing Assist, and a wide range of photo and video editing tools.

The list seems to grow continually, and Samsung has previously updated existing models with new AI features, so in all likelihood the Flip 7 will become even more AI-ified over time.

Samsung has, in fact, promised to deliver seven years of software upgrades to the Flip 7.

While AI tricks are fine and useful, we’re much more interested in AV performance. The main display features a resolution of 2520 x 1080, with a pixel density of 397ppi.

It’s an OLED display, which is ideal for deep, convincing blacks, and while the 1080p resolution may seem off-putting in a world of 1440p devices, we can assure you that the display is plenty sharp enough.

As we’ve already mentioned, the Z Flip 7 features a 21:9 aspect ratio, which is practically perfect for watching a large variety of films, thanks to the fact that the black letterbox bars are totally eliminated. 16:9 content is where things get a bit trickier, however, as sizable black pillar bars are added to the left and right of the image.

Both the internal and external displays feature Samsung’s Dynamic AMOLED 2X technology, so they support variable refresh rates up to 120Hz. This makes gaming and interacting with the UI feel great, and the screen can intelligently drop the frame rate when it comes to static content; for example, if you’re reading a webpage on your phone.

The cover and main displays are both officially rated at 2600 nits peak brightness, though the main screen gets a major AV boost in the form of HDR10+ support. Practically all of the major streaming services now support HDR10+ content in some form or other, including Netflix and Disney+, which both adopted the format recently.

Dolby Atmos audio is also supported via the phone’s stereo speakers (formed of a downward-firing speaker and the earpiece), as well as through wired and wireless headphones.

There is no headphone jack, unsurprisingly, but you can hook wired cans up to the phone via a 3.5mm to USB-C adapter. Wireless audio is also available over Bluetooth 5.4 with the A2DP and LE codecs supported.

As for the remaining features, the Z Flip 7 sports three cameras in total: a 50MP main lens, a 12MP ultrawide lens and a front-facing 10MP camera. The joy of the Flip series is that you can use the main high-quality camera as a selfie shooter thanks to the cover screen, which can be used as a viewfinder.

Camera performance is solid on the Flip 7, with colourful, punchy and crisp images that should suffice for anyone who carefully cultivates their Instagram profile.

Rounding things out with the battery, Samsung has upped the capacity to 4300mAh, which is apparently the biggest battery in a Z Flip device so far. It claims 31 hours of video playback. In real-life terms, we find that it can easily make it through a day with moderate to heavy use, including music and movie streaming.

Picture

We’ve already established that the Z Flip 7’s main display is particularly well-suited to watching movies in terms of specs and dimensions, but how does its picture performance hold up? We stream a range of content from the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ to the device, and find that it's impressive, but not without flaws.

We find the best results when pairing the device with some cinematic content that fills the 21:9 aspect ratio, such as Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning on Netflix. Here we find that the Z Flip 7 produces a crisp and detailed image, with a nice sense of three-dimensional depth.

There is tangible detail to the fabric of the suits worn by the gang of operatives, as well as to skin texture. Skin tones are perhaps a touch on the vivid side, but generally speaking, the display handles colours well, albeit not entirely authentically.

Users can choose between a vivid and natural colour preset – we lean towards the latter for our testing, though we do appreciate the ability to tweak the colour temperature in the default Vivid mode. The Natural preset, however, is the more accurate overall.

On motion, we find that a couple of panning shots in Blade Runner 2049 stutter briefly, but broadly speaking, motion is fine. Moving objects, such as Officer K’s scout drone in the opening sequence of the film, glide with relative smoothness.

One area where the Z Flip disappoints is, strangely, brightness. As we’ve established, the display is rated to a peak brightness of 2600 nits, the same as the Galaxy S25 Ultra. However, placing the two handsets side by side reveals that the S25 Ultra is clearly brighter.

In isolation, it’s still evident that the Z Flip 7’s display is quite dim, even with auto brightness switched off and the extra brightness setting enabled. That dimness robs the picture of some of its impact.

Getting back on track, we’re happy with how the Z Flip handles dark details. Areas of Sapper Morton’s farmhouse in Blade Runner 20249 that are bathed in shadow don’t entirely hide the piano, armchair or sofa, allowing us to dig out a good bit of detail here.

While we generally approve of the Z Flip’s picture performance, it doesn’t quite compare to another five-star handset on the market. The iPhone 16 admittedly doesn’t feature a nifty folding form factor, but it does deliver a richer and more cinematic experience.

We prefer the slightly warmer tone that the iPhone delivers, and contrast is also better on the Apple smartphone. It also happens to cost considerably less. Admittedly, those dedicated to the Google operating system likely won’t give the iPhone a second look, but it's worth considering if you’re open to iOS.

Sound

Samsung’s recent batch of smartphones has sounded good, rather than great, and the Z Flip 7 is no exception. Loading Tidal on the phone and plugging in a pair of wired headphones, we find the Z Flip checks plenty of boxes, but it doesn’t necessarily go above and beyond.

Using a range of test tracks from the likes of Hans Zimmer, Aurora, Kansas, Taylor Swift and Hozier, we find that the Z Flip reliably delivers a crisp and detailed sound, with a solid sense of timing.

Voices sound clean and natural, and there is a decent sense of spatial separation between the voices and individual instruments of the test tracks we opt for. Switching on the Dolby Atmos audio feature heightens (pun intended) this effect, with an even more open feel to the sound, though it does lose a touch of focus in the process.

When it comes to dynamics and subtlety, we actually consider it to be better than the pricier S25 Ultra, which can sound strained at higher volumes and a bit flat when the volume isn’t pumped up.

However, it's the iPhone 16 that once again steals the spotlight, as it offers a richer, more natural, and harmonious sound. Instruments feel more textured, and voices are more detailed with greater importance placed on low-level dynamics, resulting in a more emotive performance.

Verdict

Foldable phones have quickly matured during their relatively short time on the smartphone scene, and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 cements this notion. It’s interesting enough to stir conversation when you whip it out of your pocket, but it’s conventional enough that you don’t have to adjust too greatly if you’re coming from a “normal” phone.

For those looking to make it their new portable movie and music consumption device, we think it’s a solid offering with some thoughtful additions, namely the 21:9 display and the ability to use it as a compact music player when folded.

That being said, the Z Flip 7 just misses the mark on pure picture and sound performance, so stick to the traditional non-flexible smartphones if a five-star AV experience is what you’re after.

SCORES

• Picture 4
• Sound 4
• Features 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Also consider the Apple iPhone 16

Read our Apple iPhone 16 Pro review

Best smartphones: the best phones for music and movies

We've seen a raft of announcements over the last month, ranging from powered stereo speakers, to flagship smartphones and even a new rival in the competitive noise cancelling headphones market. While there were quite a few products to choose from, we've whittled it down to the five we're most looking forward to testing.

So, in our second edition of On the Radar you'll find the latest flagship foldable phone from Samsung, which is slimmer and more powerful than its five-star predecessor, as well as the first-ever over ear headphones from the plucky British tech brand Nothing.

Cambridge Audio also unveiled its latest streaming amplifier, which is a follow up to a five-star amp from 2021 that boasts more power and an upgraded DAC.

Finally, we have two new pairs of powered speakers; one courtesy of Elac which sits at the more affordable side of the market, the other a super-premium pair from Focal and Naim with a price tag that rivals a brand new Mercedes Benz.

Elac Debut ConneX DCB61

Elac has launched a bigger and more powerful successor to one the best pairs of active speakers you can buy right now.

The Debut ConneX DCB61 follow up on the equally catchily named Debut Connex DCB41, this time with dedicated 60W Class D amplifiers in each speaker which power a new 16.5cm polypropylene mid/bass woofer.

Elac claims that this will create "deep, punchy bass", while the 19mm soft-dome tweeter (which is powered by its own 20W amplifier) is set to offer smoother and more accurate high end frequencies.

You’ll find a wide range of connectivity options on these speakers, including USB-B, optical, HDMI eARC, a moving magnet phono stage and Bluetooth.

Read our full Elac Debut ConneX DCB61 story

• Price: £699 / $899 / €799
• Release date: Available now

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

Samsung’s latest foldable flagship smartphone is here, and it could be the portable AV champion that we’ve been waiting for.

With a 21:9 cover display that looks perfect for watching cinematic content, and a huge 8-inch interior screen (both displays are OLED, by the way) the Z Fold 7 has not one, but two displays which are primed for movie watching.

HDR10+ is supported, and so is Samsung’s ProScaler feature, which upscales video content to look sharp and detailed on the Quad HD displays.

These new AV upgrades come in a supremely slender new body which is an astounding 4.2mm when unfolded, and there are plenty of top notch smartphone features including a 200MP main camera and loads of AI-backed software features.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 story

• Price: £1799 / $2000 / AU$2899
• Release date: July 2025

Nothing Headphone (1)

British technology brand Nothing may still be in its infancy, but we can’t dispute its ambition. With countless smartphones and wireless earbuds under its belt, Nothing is expanding into a new product category: wireless over-ear active noise-cancelling headphones.

Nothing has called in a major name in British hi-fi to bring these wireless cans to market, as they’ve been tuned by Kef. Each earcup houses a precision-engineered custom 40mm driver, with polyethene surrounds that aim to deliver minimal distortion and better performance at low frequencies.

Elsewhere, you’ll find Nothing’s signature transparent design as well as a staggering claimed 35 hours of battery life with ANC turned on.

There’s some big competition to contend with from the likes of Sony, Bowers & Wilkins and Bose, so Nothing needs to bring its A-game with these new headphones.

Read our full Nothing Headphone (1) story

• Price: £299 / $299 / €299
• Release date: Available now

Cambridge Audio Evo 150 SE

Cambridge Audio has upgraded one of our favourite streaming amplifiers; naturally we’re intrigued as to what’s new.

At the heart of this upgrade is a new ESS SABRE ES9018k2m DAC, which Cambridge Audio claims will deliver an “emotive sound with exceptional clarity, resolution and musicality”. This is paired with 150W of Class D amplification into 8 ohms via a new Hypex NCOREx module, meaning it should have no trouble powering larger and more demanding speakers.

Streaming is a core component of this amp, so you shouldn’t be surprised to see an extensive list of supported services, including Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect, Amazon Music, Deezer, as well as Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast and aptX HD Bluetooth.

Physical connectivity also looks solid, with RCA line input and balanced XLR inputs for analogue sources, as well as two optical, a coaxial and USB inputs for digital sources. There is also HDMI ARC, a moving magnet phono stage and a subwoofer out connection.

Read our full Cambridge Audio Evo 150 SE story

• Price: £1999 / $3299 / €2399
• Release date: Available now

Focal Diva Mezza

Focal’s Diva Utopia powered speakers proved to be a hit in our hi-fi testing room towards the end of last year, despite the hair-raising price tag of £29,999.

So, what if there were a bigger, more powerful, and more expensive version of these enthusiast speakers? Wonder no longer, as Focal has unveiled the Diva Mezza, complete with a "completely re-engineered" Naim Audio electronics system to power them.

Inside each stylish speaker unit are three Class A/B amplifiers powering the drivers: 90W to Focal's inverted 'M' beryllium tweeter, 130W to the 6.5in (16.5cm) mid drivers, and 280 watts for the 20.5cm W' cone bass drivers.

That adds up to a staggering 500W per speaker, up from the 400W peak offered on the Diva Utopia system.

However, with great power comes a great price increase, and with a price tag of £55,000, only serious audiophiles need apply.

Read our full Focal Diva Mezza story

• Price: £55,000 / $69,000 / €65,000
• Release date: Available now

MORE:

Check out our picks for the best active speakers

Read our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 hands-on review

And our Nothing Headphone (1) hands-on review

Samsung has announced its latest series of foldable smartphones – and there's a lot to cover, so strap in.

The new devices are the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Galaxy Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, the first of which is a successor to a five-star handset from last year.

Both the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 feature the ProScaler upscaling feature that launched on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which Samsung says it created in tandem with its 8K TV division.

We approved of this feature greatly on the Ultra, so are looking forward to seeing how it performs on the new foldable phones.

Pair that with Dolby Atmos support with the speakers and headphones (both over a wired and wireless connection), and the new Samsung Galaxy smartphones could be a pair of AV powerhouses.

The Fold 7 sports a slender new design that is just 4.2mm thick when unfolded, complete with a new Armour Flex hinge and multi-rail structure for a smoother folding action.

Despite its paper-thin frame, it has been outfitted with Samsung's latest Advanced Aluminium Armour casing, as well as Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and Ceramic 2 coatings for enhanced durability.

It also has new displays, with a larger new 8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X Quad HD interior display, which features a dynamic refresh rate up to 120Hz and a claimed peak brightness of 2600 nits.

The cover display is arguably even better for watching movies, as it's a 6.5-inch screen with a 21:9 aspect ratio (and the same specification as the interior display), perfect for cinematic content.

Samsung's new flagship foldable sports the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite for Galaxy processor, and either 12GB of RAM with the 256GB and 512GB models or 16GB of RAM with the 1TB version.

You'll also find an upgraded camera system, with the 200MP main lens from the S25 Ultra making its way to the Z Fold series, backed by a 10MP telephoto and a new 12MP ultra-wide lens with autofocus.

Moving on to the new Galaxy Z Flip 7, this smartphone also sports a new design with an edge-to-edge cover display and a 6.9-inch 21:9 aspect ratio main display.

The main display sounds ideal for consuming movies on the go, with HDR10+ support, a claimed 2600-nits peak brightness, and a dynamic refresh rate of up to 120Hz.

Samsung has opted to switch to an Exynos chipset with the Flip instead of a Qualcomm processor, though it still supports the same Android 15 operating system with One UI 8 running over the top, and all of the Galaxy AI features on board.

Finally, the dual-camera system sports a 50MP main and 12MP ultra-wide lens, with enhanced night-photography performance.

Samsung also launched a surprise new foldable in the form of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 FE, which is an affordable entry point into the Galaxy Z series.

It looks to be an updated version of the existing Z Flip 6, with a 6.7-inch AMOLED main display and plenty of Samsung's latest software features, including Galaxy AI and the Now Brief system.

These new flexible phones are set to launch on the 25th of July, and you can find pricing for all new models below:

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, available in Silver Shadow, Blue Shadow, Jetblack and Mint:

• 12GB/256GB: £1799 / $TBC / AU$TBC
• 12GB/512GB: £1899 / $TBC / AU$TBC
• 16GB/1TB: £2149 / $TBC / AU$TBC

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, available in Coral Red, Blue Shadow, Jetblack and Mint:

• 12GB/256GB: £1049 / $TBC / AU$TBC
• 12GB/512GB: £1149 / $TBC / AU$TBC

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 FE, available in Black or White:

• 12GB/128GB: £849 / $TBC / AU$TBC
• 12GB/256GB: £909 / $TBC / AU$TBC

MORE:

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review

As well as our Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review

And check out our picks for the best smartphones

I have spent the past few days testing and reviewing the Samsung HW-Q990F, the latest version of the company's popular Dolby Atmos soundbar system. Spoiler alert if you haven't yet read the full review: it's exceptional, and will certainly join the ranks of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars.

However, there is something peculiar about Samsung's approach to its soundbars that occurred to me during my testing, and it has nothing to do with sound, features or design.

It's about how the South Korean tech giant opts to release a new lineup every year. To my knowledge, it is the only company to do so – even its biggest rival, LG, decided not to launch a successor to the S95TR this year.

Broadly speaking, manufacturers leave gaps of anywhere from three to five years between their respective soundbar releases. Take Sony, for example, which released the Bravia Theatre Bar 9 in 2024, three years after the HT-A7000, which launched in 2021.

Sonos, in turn, left a four-year gap between the Arc and Arc Ultra soundbars. And Sennheiser is yet to launch second-generation models of any of its Ambeo soundbars, with 2019's Ambeo Soundbar Max recently celebrating its sixth birthday.

This got me thinking, "Does Samsung seriously need to launch a new soundbar every year?" It already releases new TVs and Galaxy smartphones annually, but is there enough innovation in the world of soundbars to justify a yearly upgrade?

Thankfully, before I had to get too introspective, the HW-Q990F answered that question for me. In fact, it taught me a valuable lesson: a small change can make a huge difference with products such as these.

While I was excited to see what Samsung had in store after the Q990D's success last year, it was only the subwoofer that seemed to have been altered on paper. The rest of the system looked very similar, both in design and features, but the new 300W subwoofer with dual 8-inch drivers seemed to be the major new addition.

While the subwoofer in the last system was certainly the weakest link – although it wasn't bad – Samsung's new subwoofer actually steals the show in this latest system. It adds a new dimension to the bass, with a more textured and tonally varied approach that uplifts the package as a whole.

Of course, if Samsung had followed the example of its peers, rather than launching this new 2025 model, we could have been waiting years for this upgrade. And that's what made Samsung's strategy click for me. Looking at the past three generations of this product – the HW-Q990C, HW-Q990D and HW-Q990F – we can see a steady performance increase with each generation.

The Q990D took the series from four to five stars thanks to its subtle yet appreciated upgrades. The Q990F, once again, delivers a solid improvement over its predecessor, even if the upgrade might not appear game-changing at first.

So, the two options seem to be this: wait a few years while stockpiling upgrades and deliver a soundbar that is a greater leap over its predecessor, or roll soundbars out annually with moderate upgrades. Ultimately, I don't know anyone who upgrades their soundbar every year, and if you do that, you should probably stop.

Samsung's approach is to target customers who are considering an upgrade over an older model, and who don't want to wait three or more years for the latest model to launch. It makes sense to me, as I couldn't imagine the frustration of finally springing for a Sonos Arc in late 2024, only to be met with the surprise launch of the Arc Ultra immediately afterwards.

And while there is always that fear of buying a product when its bigger and better next-generation version is on the horizon, Samsung's approach is at least fairly consistent. This means you can always bide your time if only the latest and greatest model will do.

MORE:

Read our full Samsung HW-Q990F review

As well as our Samsung HW-Q990D review

And check out our picks for the best Dolby Atmos soundbars

Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 are shaping up to be the company's most refined foldables yet. At least, according to the latest rumours that have surfaced ahead of their July launch event.

According to a report from 9to5Google (citing Chinese source Setsuna Digital), the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will measure just 4.2mm when unfolded and 8.9mm when closed.

That’s down from the current Z Fold 6's 5.1mm and 12mm measurements, respectively. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 will also apparently shed weight, dropping to 215g from 239g.

Both displays on the Fold 7 will also reportedly be larger, with the external screen expanding to 6.5 inches and the internal folding panel growing to 8 inches, compared to the current 6.3-inch and 7.6-inch panels.

This extra screen real estate may make it even more suitable/comfortable for browsing and watching media on the go, though we’ll have to wait for our hands-on/review to confirm any improvements.

Elsewhere, camera specs point to a redesigned front-facing system with a 10MP sensor featuring a 100-degree field of view. The leak suggests that Samsung is moving away from under-display sensor tech, though it doesn't specify whether the 10MP specification applies to the internal or external camera.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7, meanwhile has also allegedly been nipped and tucked, measuring 13.7mm when closed and 6.5mm when unfolded, compared to the current Z Flip 6's 14.9mm closed thickness.

The clamshell device's external display expands to 4.1 inches, while the internal screen grows to 6.9 inches from the current 6.7-inch screen. Both displays are expected to achieve peak brightness levels of 2,600 nits.

Battery capacity receives an upgrade in the Z Flip 7 too, increasing from 4,000mAh to 4,300mAh.

Both devices will be properly revealed on 9th July at Samsung’s launch event, so stay tuned.

MORE:

Read our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review

Best smartphones for music and movies

These are the best Android phones

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are our recommended earbuds for anyone with a Samsung Galaxy phone or tablet. Buying buds that slot into the same ecosystem as your other devices will not only guarantee the best listening experience but also the best overall user experience.

We gave them a solid four out of five stars when we tested them in February, and at that point in time, they were priced at £219. That's why we can't quite believe that you can now pick up these very likeable earbuds at Amazon for a massively reduced £108.

For the money you'll get buds that deliver a lively sound alongside a slew of top-class features, some of which are aimed directly at Galaxy smartphone users. This particular deal is for the white version, although the grey alternative is only £6 more

Best Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro deal

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro boast a range of excellent features, with a notable mention for their customisable noise-cancelling. At this price, you'll be hard-pressed to get better ANC.

Spatial audio support also works well, while battery life clocks in at a solid seven hours per charge. If you're a Samsung Galaxy smartphone user, you can even access the brand's proprietary SSC UHQ hi-res codec, which allows for transmission of up to 24-bit/96kHz music files over Bluetooth. This works with the latest Galaxy devices, such as the five-star Galaxy Z Fold 6.

With hi-res music files, these buds perform at their very best. In our Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 3 review, we noted that "songs are conveyed with attack and energy". Detail levels are impressively strong too, with the buds bringing out the subtleties and nuances of tracks.

Even without an up-to-date Samsung device, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro perform well, rendering songs with a sparky sense of attack and energy.

They're great in the midrange, with plenty of space and detail – we would like a little more solidity and weight in the bass, but it's tough to have a downer on these immensely likeable performers, especially at this knockdown price.

Samsung’s latest buds are easy to get along with, with comfortable, removable ear tips that, when combined with their lightweight stem design, make for a decent fit.

For general users, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro have a lot to recommend them, while for Samsung devotees, they're a truly attractive proposition. Tempted? Check out this stellar Samsung deal at Amazon.

MORE:

Read our Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review

These are the best wireless earbuds you can buy

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Apple AirPods Pro 2: which wireless earbuds are better?

Two new pairs of Samsung Galaxy Buds have leaked – but this leak raises more questions than it answers.

The pairs in question are the Galaxy Buds 3 FE and Galaxy Buds Core. The thing is, Samsung hasn't announced the Galaxy Buds 2 FE, so jumping straight to a third generation while skipping the second seems like an odd move.

Android Authority spotted the names within code for the Samsung Galaxy Buds Controller app.

The original Buds FE launched in 2023, so we're due a sequel. Samsung has been rumoured to be working on a second-gen model – so is this name a mere mistake? Or an idiosyncratic decision by the South Korean company?

Or could the Galaxy Buds Core be a tweaked version of the FE, taking the place of the second-gen model, while the FE 3 launch with a higher price?

A lot remains unknown. The last pair of Galaxy Buds to launch were the Buds 3 Pro (pictured) last summer. The Galaxy Buds FE are a mid-range pair.

Samsung's wireless earbuds have proved disappointing in recent years, with the Galaxy Buds 2 and 2 Pro only earning three stars. But the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro picked up four stars, so hopefully things are improving.

Samsung could unveil these new earbuds at its upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event where the Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 should launch. Galaxy Unpacked is rumoured for next month.

We'll bring you more news as we get it.

MORE:

Also consider Apple AirPods Pro 2

Best in-ear headphones: top earbuds tried and tested

Check out the best AirPods alternatives

Calling all Samsung Galaxy phone and tablet users! If you've been searching for the best wireless earbuds to fit into your ecosystem, then the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro deserve serious consideration. You can now get them for a record-low price of only £127 at Amazon.

The buds deliver a lively sound alongside a slew of top-class features, some of which are aimed directly at Galaxy smartphone users.

This particular deal is for the white version, with the grey alternative only £2 more.

Best Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro deal

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro boast a range of excellent features, with a notable mention for their customisable noise-cancelling. At this price, you'll be hard-pressed to get better ANC.

Spatial audio support also works well, while battery life clocks in at a solid seven hours per charge. If you're a Samsung Galaxy smartphone user, you can even access the brand's proprietary SSC UHQ hi-res codec, which allows for transmission of up to 24-bit/96kHz music files over Bluetooth. This works with the latest Galaxy devices, such as the five-star Galaxy Z Fold 6.

With hi-res music files, these buds perform at their very best. In our Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 3 review, we said: "Songs are conveyed with attack and energy". Detail levels are impressively strong too, with the buds bringing out the subtleties and nuances of tracks.

Even without an up-to-date Samsung device, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro perform well, conveying songs with a sparky sense of attack and energy.

They're great in the midrange, with plenty of space and detail – we would like a little more solidity and weight in the bass, but it's tough to have a downer on these immensely likeable performers, especially at this knockdown price.

Samsung’s latest buds are easy to get along with, with comfortable, removable ear tips that, when combined with their lightweight stem design, make for a decent fit.

For general users, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro have a lot to recommend them, while for Samsung devotees, they're a truly attractive proposition. Tempted? Check out this stellar Samsung deal at Amazon.

MORE:

Read our Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review

These are the best wireless earbuds you can buy

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Apple AirPods Pro 2: which wireless earbuds are better?

Samsung has revealed the latest additions to its Galaxy Tab family of tablets: affordable alternatives to the flagship S10 series. The Galaxy Tab S10 FE and Tab S10 FE+ feature premium designs and plenty of Galaxy AI smarts – although Samsung has dropped a staple feature of its mobile lineup to reach this lower price point.

The Tab S10 FE and S10 FE+ feature 10.9-inch and 13.1-inch displays, respectively; Samsung boasts that this is the largest display on an FE-series Tab yet. They feature trimmed-down bezels surrounding the screen for a sleeker look, and a claimed peak brightness of up to 800 nits.

Furthermore, Samsung has included its Vision Booster feature, which will reportedly deliver optimal viewing regardless of your environment – so an abundance of ambient light shouldn't impact your on-the-go movie watching.

Unfortunately, to meet the cheaper price point (more on that in a moment), Samsung has opted for LCD panels in these tablets instead of its punchy Dynamic AMOLED displays, which have proven to deliver rich colours and deep blacks on its previous tablets and smartphones.

These panels can reach up to 90Hz, which should deliver smoother scrolling and gameplay, but they probably won't be as responsive as the Tab S10+ and Ultra, which both feature 120Hz panels.

There doesn't appear to be any mention of HDR10+ support either, nor a reference to Dolby Atmos support for the dual speaker setup. Both of these features can be found on the more expensive Tab S10+ and Tab S10 Ultra.

Elsewhere, the Tab S10 FE and its plus variant feature the Exynos 1580​ chipset, with either 8GB or 12GB of RAM, depending on whether you opt for the 128GB or 256GB storage option. They both run Android 15 with Samsung's One UI skin. That includes the Galaxy AI feature suite, with Circle to Search with Google and the Gemini assistant supported.

The Tab S10 FE+ also boasts a large 10,090 mAh battery (8000 mAh on the standard version), and both models are available in grey, silver or blue finishes. Both versions include an S-Pen stylus in the box, and a keyboard cover case is available as an optional extra.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE and Galaxy Tab S10 FE plus start at £499 and £649 respectively, notably cheaper than the Tab S10+, which starts at £999. And those prices undercut Apple's iPad Air, which is currently £599 for the 11-inch version, or £799 for the 13-inch model.

Pricing and availability for the US and Australia are yet to be confirmed.

MORE:

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra review

Check out our picks for the best tablets

As well as our iPad Pro 13-inch M4 review

Listen up Samsung Galaxy phone and tab users, because we have a cracking deal for you. For a limited time only you can snag the impressive Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro wireless earbuds for only £140 at Amazon. That's £80 cheaper than their original RRP and £30 less than we've ever seen them before. The deal is for the white versions, with the silver alternative staying at full price.

The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are the best wireless earbuds that Samsung have ever produced. They deliver a lively sound alongside a slew of top-class features. Watch out Apple, Sony, and Bose. The deal isn't exclusive to existing Samsung device owners but you'll certainly get the most out of them if you're already in its ecosystem.

Best Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro deal

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro have been a marked improvement for Samsung, demonstrating that the Korean brand can make a truly enjoyable pair of wireless earbuds. Previous efforts have always been somewhat lacking on the audio side compared with rivals, yet the company's latest pair of flagship buds demonstrate a spark of something special that is very much worth kindling. As we enthused in our review: "Samsung isn’t quite there yet, but this is the closest evidence we’ve seen that it could one day chase down the major players in this space".

Superficially, the still-new buds look strikingly similar to a pair of AirPods Pro 2, especially as they're daubed in an all-white, Apple-esque finish. If you can look past that, Samsung’s latest buds are easy to get along with, with comfortable removable ear tips that, when combined with the units' lightweight stem design, make for a decent fit.

They're certainly not short on features. Customisable noise cancelling is solid, and while the more premium Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds remain the kings of ANC, the performance here is excellent for the price. Spatial audio support works well, while battery life figures clock in at a solid total of around 30 hours. If you're a Samsung Galaxy smartphone user, you can even access the brand's proprietary SSC UHQ hi-res codec which allows for transmission of up to 24-bit/96kHz music files over Bluetooth. This works with the latest Galaxy devices such as the five-star Galaxy Z Fold 6.

With hi-res music files, these buds perform at their very best. Detail levels are impressively strong, bringing out the subtleties and nuances of tracks and delivering clarity, poise and cohesion. Even without an up-to-date Samsung device, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro perform well, conveying songs with a sparky sense of attack and energy. They're great in the midrange, making electric guitars sound scratchy, layered and packed with detail – we would like a little more solidity and weight in the bass, but it's tough to have a downer on these immensely likeable performers, especially at this knockdown price.

For general users, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro have a lot to recommend them, while for Samsung devotees they're a truly attractive proposition. Wherever your loyalties lie, it's worth checking out this stellar Samsung deal at Amazon.

MORE:

Read our Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review

Read our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review

These are the best wireless earbuds you can buy

Samsung’s latest flagship smartphone has an AV ace up its sleeve. That’s right, the Galaxy S25 Ultra might look like an iterative update over its predecessor, but Samsung’s decision to put a spotlight on picture performance means that it immediately resonates with us, especially considering how its competitors have approached AV features in the past year.

Apple’s last batch of iPhones impressed, but picture and sound features were glossed over entirely in favour of AI features, while Sony opted to walk back on its movie-first approach by swapping out the 4K 21:9 display on the Xperia 1 VI for a more conventional screen. Samsung isn’t quite going for the completely dedicated AV angle that we’d like to see, but considering the wider smartphone market, we’ll take what we can get.

Now that we have the S25 Ultra in hand, does it live up to its promises? And more importantly, does it live up to our expectations?

Price

At £1249 / $1300 / AU$2199, there’s no getting away from the fact that the S25 Ultra is a pricey handset. It’s flanked by the iPhone 16 Pro (£1199 / $1199 / AU$2149) and Sony Xperia 1 VI (£1299 / $1700 approx / AU$2500), sitting squarely in the middle of these rivals.

That price will get you the 256GB model; however, there are larger storage options, including 512GB (£1349 / $1420 / AU$2349) and 1TB (£1549 / $1660 / AU$2749) for those who require more space for photos, music and apps.

There are also seven finishes to pick from, all of which look rather dashing and have slightly pretentious names; Titanium Black, Titanium Whitesilver, Titanium Grey and Titanium Silverblue are widely available, whereas Titanium Jadegreen, Titanium Jetblack and Titanium Pinkgold are exclusive to Samsung’s official store.

Build

While the genetic similarities to its predecessor are strong from a distance, the S25 Ultra features a design upgrade that makes it look slightly smarter and fit more comfortably in the hand. The titanium frame sandwiched between two layers of glass returns, though the edges have been rounded out this year, meaning the device doesn’t dig into our hands in the same way the S24 Ultra’s boxy corners did.

Much like the S24 Ultra, the new handset sticks with a flat screen, marking an end to Samsung’s curved displays that melted over the frames of its smartphones of old – well, the mid to late 2010s. Speaking of which, the display on the S25 Ultra has grown by 0.1 inches, leaving us with a 6.9-inch screen – this is due to Samsung shrinking the bezels of this phone by 15 per cent.

On the rear of the handset, you’ll find a smooth, matte glass rear panel; our review unit is the Titanium Silverblue finish, and we think it looks rather suave. The scattered cluster of cameras and sensors also adorn the rear panel, this year with a contrasting ring around each sensor. It’s still not our favourite smartphone design, especially compared to the sleek iPhone 16 Pro, though it's a bit more interesting than the mundane Xperia 1 VI.

Turning to the edges of the phone, you’ll find the left edge unobstructed, while the right-hand side features the power and volume controls. There’s a USB-C charging socket, SIM tray, downward-firing speaker and the S-Pen on the bottom of the phone, which is an identical set-up to the S24 Ultra.

Ultimately, the S25 Ultra certainly looks a lot like its predecessor. However, there is enough here to make it feel like a new generation, unlike the Apple iPhone 16 Pro, which looks practically identical to its previous iteration.

Features

As this is Samsung’s premier handset, there is an expectedly exhaustive list of features, as was the case with the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Inside the phone, you’ll find the Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite for Galaxy processor backed by 12GB of RAM. As expected, this powerful combination ensures the phone is super responsive. That "for Galaxy" suffix hints towards the processor being an exclusive variant made by Qualcomm for Samsung, with a slightly higher clock speed.

The phone flies through the One UI 7 operating system, which runs on top of Android 15. It's worth noting that Samsung is promising seven years of software and security upgrades, so this phone should (theoretically) continue to receive updates through to 2032.

A major part of this device's software is the Galaxy AI system, which encompasses a wide array of AI tools and features. All the favourites from the S24 Ultra return, including the incredibly useful Circle to Search with Google, Generative Edit photo editing suite, Live Translation tools and Chat Assist feature, which can tweak the tone of your messages and emails for different scenarios. Samsung has upgraded this feature, however, by including a new on-device large language model (LLM), which will reportedly make the generative fill tools in the photo editor more reliable and accurate.

As for the AV features, the S25 Ultra sports a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with a variable refresh rate of 1Hz to 120Hz and a Quad HD+ resolution. This expansive and vivid screen is a joy to interact with thanks to the high refresh rate, while the claimed 2600 nits brightness – the same as last year's model – is plenty for indoor and outdoor visibility. Samsung has also included its impressive glare-reducing screen coating on this device, and it is reportedly even more effective than last year's model. In practice, we have no issues viewing the screen in a range of lighting conditions.

The biggest new AV upgrade is Samsung's new ProScaler feature, which is inspired by the company's flagship 4K and 8K TVs. It can reportedly improve image scaling quality by 40 per cent, meaning lower-resolution content streamed from the device will appear sharper and more detailed. In our minds, implementing a system to bring content up to the specification of the screen is a genius move by Samsung, as the mobile versions of our favourite services tend to be capped at 1080p. As we’ll come to find out in the picture section of this review, the ProScaler feature works wonders on a wide variety of streaming services.

As for the other AV features on this device, it supports HDR10 and HDR10+; the latter has had a recent boost as Disney Plus has agreed to support the format on a selection of its content, while the likes of Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and Paramount Plus already support it. Dolby Atmos audio is also on board via the speakers and headphones, though Samsung's new Eclipsa Audio immersive format is, unfortunately, not supported. As expected, there is no headphone jack, so you will need to rely on a USB-C DAC or wireless audio peripherals; the 25 Ultra features Bluetooth 5.3 with the LE and A2DP codecs supported for the latter.

This latest Ultra device carries forth many of the staple features of past Galaxy phones. The S Pen returns for scribbling down notes, and the quadruple-stack camera system is back, too. Unfortunately, the S Pen gets a downgrade this year, as Samsung has stripped it of its Bluetooth capabilities, meaning you can no longer conduct air actions to remotely conduct functions on your device, nor can you use it as a remote camera shutter.

Camera-wise, Samsung has carried three of the lenses over from the S24 Ultra – the 200MP main sensor, 50MP telephoto lens, and 10MP secondary telephoto camera – but has upgraded the ultrawide lens to 50MP from 12MP. In practice, the S25 Ultra produces exceptional pictures, with crisp, vibrant colours, and the range of lens options to capture different scenarios is greatly appreciated.

Finally, the S25 Ultra has the same 5000mAh battery as its predecessor. Much like the S24 Ultra, we’ve struggled to completely drain this handset in a single day, even with heavy usage.

Picture

With a new picture-enhancing feature being a headlining aspect of this smartphone, our expectations regarding how it handles on-the-go movie watching are understandably high. We also need to remember that the last Samsung Galaxy smartphone that we reviewed, the Z Fold 6, delivered a five-star AV experience, so the heat is on for the S25 Ultra.

So, does it deliver the goods in the picture department? Simply put, yes, it does. We have no qualms with stating that this is one of the most impressive smartphone displays we’ve seen in a long while, especially considering how tough the competition has been. This is clearly in part due to the excellent ProScaler feature, which proves that when given the right attention, an AV feature on a phone can truly be the standout aspect.

We watch a range of content, including John Wick: Chapter 4, The Batman, and 1917 on Amazon Prime Video and Netflix, with the Sony Xperia 1 VI on hand as a benchmark device.

The S25 Ultra wastes no time in showing us how capable its display is, with the John Wick scene in which Caine is recruited by the villainous Marquis Vincent Bisset de Gramont having an abundance of sharp details. This sequence takes place in a lavish palace interior, with each intricate fixture, chandelier and intricately etched pillar realised in impressively clear and crisp detail. Close-up shots of the characters reveal plenty of texture to skin and clothing, too.

What’s most striking about this picture is how solid and three-dimensional it appears. Actors in the foreground of the shot are clearly separated from the background, and the sense of space is truly impressive. This is an area where Sony has previously excelled, but we’re inclined to say that Samsung isn’t far behind. Moreover, the picture doesn’t seem overly etched or too bold. A scene taking place on the rooftop of the Osaka hotel looks fantastic, as the cherry blossom tree on the left-hand side of the shot is oozing with detail and three-dimensional depth.

Sticking with John Wick, we approve of how the S25 Ultra handles colours. For reference, we’ve opted for the natural screen mode, which can be found in the display settings, as the vivid mode that’s enabled as standard is a bit too poppy for our liking. Once that adjustment is made, the S25 Ultra delivers rich, bold colours that don’t stray into the realm of over-enthusiastic, and a range of skin tones all look healthy and natural too.

Switching to The Batman, we can study how this handset approaches dark details, as this grimy and murky movie is mostly played out under the cover of night. The consensus is that the S25 Ultra makes a strong effort, with a decent separation between the titular hero’s suit and the pitch black alleyway that he steps out of before dismantling a group of thugs at a train station. Furthermore, the henchmen’s all-black outfits have plenty of tangible detail (for instance, the clear separation between a black jacket over a black shirt).

We switch to Peep Show to see how the S25 Ultra handles older, lower-resolution content, and we’re pleased to say that the handset makes a solid attempt at cleaning up the image, boosting brightness and adding a touch of depth. It’s not perfect as there is still a touch of fuzz around the edges of subjects on screen, but it’s certainly an admirable effort nonetheless.

Rounding things out with 1917, here is where we come across an issue with the display that’s hard to ignore but thankfully doesn’t present itself too often. A panning shot through an outdoor barn structure that tracks an overhead dogfight is presented with a lot more judder than we tend to prefer, to the extent that we even tweak the motion settings to see if the adaptive refresh rate is causing this.

Unfortunately, regardless of whether it's turned on or off, the wooden slats of the barn seem to flicker quite noticeably – we check if this happens on the Xperia 1 VI and iPhone 16 and can confirm it’s also an issue on these devices, though it's more pronounced on the S25 Ultra. Furthermore, while motion itself is mostly well handled, it can look slightly oversmoothed at times.

Motion snags aside, the S25 Ultra’s fantastic detail levels, rich colours, and superb contrast are comparable to the five-star Samsung S95D OLED TV.

Sound

The audio performance of the S25 Ultra might not be quite as impressive as its picture credentials, but we still deem it to be a solid effort from Samsung overall. As we’ve established, the device supports Dolby Atmos via its stereo speakers (comprising the earpiece and downward-firing loudspeaker) and headphones (wired and wireless).

Starting with headphone audio, we plug a pair of wired cans into the device with the help of a USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter, and listen to a range of tracks on Tidal, including Taylor Swift’s The 1, Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s Luther, Charli XCX’s Sympathy Is A Knife and Fleetwood Mac’s Landslide.

There is plenty to praise here; the Samsung delivers a crisp and detailed audio performance with a focus on delivering clear vocals. Larger dynamic shifts, such as the electronic beat drop of Charli XCX and Ariana Grande’s Sympathy Is A Knife, are presented well, with an appreciated punch. The handset also delivers a spacious and open performance, with a clear sense of space established, especially with Dolby Atmos tracks.

However, we are left wanting more by way of low-level dynamics. The S25 Ultra just misses the emotive qualities of The 1 and Landslide, presenting the tracks more matter-of-factly rather than highlighting the subtle aspects, which is something we praised the iPhone 16 Pro for achieving. Furthermore, we’re not convinced that the S25 Ultra nails timing completely, as both the competing Apple and Sony smartphones have stronger and more precise rhythmic drives.

Ultimately, the S25 Ultra is still a good device for streaming music on the go, however, its Apple and Sony competitors are more talented at capturing the subtleties in the tracks we test.

Switching to the loudspeakers, this is where the Samsung hits its sonic stride. We’re certainly not endorsing blasting music directly from your phone’s speakers – Bluetooth speakers were invented for a reason – but they’re ideal for a spot of movie or TV watching.

The sheer size of the device means we get an impressive sense of stereo separation and, while Dolby Atmos understandably isn’t delivered in the same way we see in the world of home cinema, the S25 Ultra tracks the sound of cars rushing past the Batmobile in The Batman’s epic chase sequence to impressive effect by smartphone standards.

Verdict

Samsung’s new flagship handset is simply begging to be taken on a long-haul flight or lengthy train journey. Its big, bold screen, rich colours and crisp details liken it to a pocketable OLED TV, making it a great companion for portable movie watching. And, while we wish its musical performance had a touch more in the way of low-level dynamics, its clear and spacious sound should appease those looking to take their music library on the go.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 4
• Features 5

MORE:

Read our review of the iPhone 16 Pro

Also consider the Sony Xperia 1 VI

Read our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review

The best smartphones for music and movies

If you've been thinking about getting your hands on the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro wireless earbuds, then now is the time to strike. Samsung's flagship buds have dropped from £219 to just £154 at Amazon, a serious saving of £65 and the lowest price we've yet seen for the premium performers.

The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro were Samsung's attempt to properly break into the premium wireless earbuds market, and while they're not flawless, they remain the best indication yet that the Korean brand is capable of facing off against the likes of Sony, Bose, Technics and, of course, Apple.

Best Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro wireless earbuds deal

When we tested the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, we were impressed by their bright, lively sound and strong feature set, especially considering Samsung Galaxy's line of wireless earbuds had somewhat failed to match up against key rivals. If Samsung had always been a step behind, its most recent pair demonstrated that the gap was shrinking, even if it wasn't entirely eliminated.

There's a lot to like about the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. Ignore the fact that they look like a knock-off pair of Apple AirPods and you'll discover a feature-heavy set of buds with a lot to shout about. Decent noise cancelling and an impressive 30-hour battery life are worthy of praise, while Samsung's SSC UHQ hi-res codec allows transmission of up to 24-bit/96kHz music files over Bluetooth from the latest Galaxy devices. If you have a Galaxy S23, S24 or a Z Flip/Fold smartphone, the 3 Pro make for ideal companions.

Even with that codec support aside, the Samsung buds can walk the sonic walk. With an engaging, lively and up-tempo temperament, it's very hard to be po-faced about the flagship contenders as you dig into your favourite tunes. They'll be slightly too lean and bright for some, but for anyone seeking a detailed, clear and zippy presentation, you could do a lot worse.

The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are a real step up from Samsung, now at their lowest-ever price. Grab them at Amazon now.

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Read our Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review

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UPDATE 15/10/2024: Samsung has confirmed to us that Tizen itself is not being phased out, as it will continue to power a wide variety of its smart home devices. Upcoming Samsung TVs will continue to use the Tizen operating system, however, One UI will run over the top as a more consistent user interface between TV and mobile.

Furthermore, it appears as though One UI has already begun rolling out to current Samsung TV models. As reported by TechRadar, current models this update includes new For You, Live and App tabs, a Watch Later section and an updated Game Bar. This software upgrade should be available to the latest range of Samsung TVs including the S95D, QN95D and Q900D.

ORIGINAL STORY 11/10/2024: Samsung has announced that a "new" operating system will power its 2025 TVs. If you have a Samsung smartphone or tablet, chances are you will have heard of it before.

One UI, which powers devices such as the Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 6, will replace the current Tizen OS operating system on Samsung TVs next year to unify the manufacturer's mobile, smart home and AV lineups. Samsung has now confirmed that it will not switch to an Android-based platform for its future TVs and that One UI will operate over the existing Linux-based Tizen system.

While we haven't seen the new user interface in action yet, Samsung teased a "brand new UX design" for One UI 7.0 at its yearly developer conference held in the San Jose McEnery Convention Center, California. It also hinted at new AI features (something Samsung has doubled down on with its 2024 TVs) including AI-generated screensaver images, an improved Bixby smart assistant and even the potential to live-transcribe video calls being cast to the TV from a nearby device.

This comes after the brand announced that it will support its current and future TV lineups with seven years of operating system updates, a commitment that it has also made for its smartphones, tablets and smartwatches.

Based on previous generations, we expect to see Samsung's 2025 TVs launch at CES 2025, where we could see the new One UI TV system running on the upcoming models.

MORE:

Read our full Samsung S95D review

And our Samsung QN95D review

Check out our picks for the best TVs

Sony’s smartphones tend to score well on our testing metrics, as they’re practically the only handsets on the market that are designed for content consumption first and foremost. The 21:9 OLED displays, front-firing stereo speakers and old-school headphone jack are features we wish every phone had, but even Sony now appears to be softening in its resolve.

After announcing that the flagship Xperia 1 VI would forgo the cinematic aspect ratio and drop to 1080p, we were immediately sent into a spiral. Thankfully, in the same breath, Sony announced that its entry-level Android smartphone, the Xperia 10 VI, would stick to the established formula, and that’s what we’re here to look at today.

Can Sony hit a hat-trick of affordable five-star handsets? Will this device continue the streak of Award-winning budget brilliance that is the Xperia 10 series?

Price

The Sony Xperia 10 VI retails for £349 on paper, which is already a steal in the realm of smartphones. Better yet, we’re already seeing it available for just £299 at a wide range of retailers, which is a frankly bonkers bargain at a time where thousand-pound handsets are the norm for many. Unfortunately, Sony has once again opted not to launch this device in the US or Australia, where it would hypothetically cost around $465 and AU$670 respectively.

Competition at this price is very slim, aside from perhaps the Nothing Phone (1) (£399 / AU$749) and Google Pixel 7a (which now sells for £349 / $310 / AU$549 after being replaced by the Pixel 8a). Comparing the Xperia 10 VI to the current batch of Apple iPhones and Samsung Galaxy S smartphones is futile, as we’re talking about doubling or tripling the price depending on which model you opt for.

Build

Sony has made strides in the design and build quality of its budget handset this year. The latest Xperia 10 is a step up over last year’s Mark V device, with a more rigid and premium-feeling chassis. It’s still all plastic (aside from the Corning Gorilla Glass Victus display), but this year’s device features a smoother back panel that incorporates the camera lenses more stylishly. It’s also a touch heavier this year, weighing in at 164g compared to 159g for the 10 V. While a heavier handset might sound like a step in the wrong direction, in reality, the new Xperia 10 feels more solid as a result.

While the flagship Xperia 1 VI has lost its taller and thinner aspect ratio, Sony has curiously opted to keep it on the Xperia 10 VI. We’re not complaining, as it is a feature we’ve harped on about in practically all of our previous Xperia phone reviews, but it does seem like an odd choice to split the range in this way. While we appreciate the taller and thinner aspect ratio for watching movies, we have to admit that it comes at the expense of usability at times; for instance, not all apps play nicely with the ratio and people with smaller hands might find reaching the top of the screen tricky when using the device one-handed.

Overall, the Xperia 10 VI looks and feels more premium than its predecessor, and the new trio of available finishes – black, white and blue – all look fairly slick. Our review unit is in the blue hue, and we think the icy pastel finish suits the device perfectly.

That being said, the Xperia 10 VI is plagued with a similar issue to its predecessor. We don’t usually complain about this sort of thing on smartphones, but the haptic feedback on the Xperia 10 VI is so bad that we opt to turn it off in the settings menu. Every tap of the keyboard elicits a vibration that rattles the entire chassis of the device, creating an unpleasant buzzing noise. Cranking up the volume of the built-in speakers also results in a fair bit of chassis vibration, although we feel as though that aspect has been slightly reduced compared to the 10 V.

Features

Compared with the Xperia 1 VI and 5 V, the Xperia 10 (understandably) has a cut-down list of features. However, this entry-level device doesn’t appear too distant from its relatives on paper. It boasts a 6.1-inch OLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2520 and a pixel density of 449ppi, that’s an identical specification to the more expensive Xperia 5. That being said, the Xperia 10’s display is 60Hz instead of 120Hz, and while the device technically supports HDR, it’s not the HDR10 standard as seen on the Xperia 5.

The Xperia 10 VI is a step up over its predecessor where internal components are concerned too. While picture and sound performance on the outgoing Xperia 10 V is excellent, we found day-to-day usability took a hit due to the use of the middling Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chipset, which was also featured on the 2022 model. Sony has implemented a more powerful Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 processor and 8GB of RAM (up from 6GB) this time around, and while it won’t outpace a Galaxy S24 Ultra or iPhone 15 Pro Max, it’s certainly less stuttery than its predecessor. It also features 128GB of internal storage as standard, though there is a slot for a micro SD card on the SIM tray, meaning you can load media onto the device or expand the storage as needed.

We’re also pleased to see that, despite this being an affordable device, it doesn’t sacrifice the latest software features seen on more premium handsets. It’s running Android 14 and will reportedly receive the next three major Android system updates at a minimum – meaning you’re getting a worthwhile, future-proofed investment even though this isn’t a flagship device. As part of Android 14, you get access to Google’s latest AI features, including the Magic Eraser photo editing tool and the Gemini assistant. The latter works flawlessly on this device. For example, we ask it to “suggest some meals to cook this week that take less than 30 minutes to prepare and are high in protein” and Gemini delivers a coherent meal plan complete with instructions.

You may notice that there are two lenses on the rear of the Xperia 10 VI, whereas the previous iteration featured three. Sony has dropped the 8MP telephoto lens from last year’s model while retaining the 48MP main shooter and 8MP ultrawide lens. Honestly, this is no great loss as the entry-level Sony handsets have never really wowed us when it comes to camera performance. The Mark VI is unfortunately no different, as it produces images that are fairly noisy and lack much in the way of detail. It gets the job done for quick snaps here and there, but if you’re serious about smartphone photography, this phone will not satisfy your needs.

Sony is renowned for offering the most extensive smartphone audio features on the market, and it remains one of the few manufacturers to keep the 3.5mm headphone jack. We’re always happy to see the headphone jack, but if you prefer wireless audio you can take advantage of Bluetooth 5.2 in the A2DP, LE, aptX HD and aptX Adaptive codecs. If you’d rather play audio directly from the phone with no cans or buds attached, the front-firing stereo speakers will appeal.

Picture

Sony’s strategy of cutting down on premium build materials and camera performance, while retaining picture quality in order to reach a more affordable price point, has always resonated with us. This is the third generation that we’ve reviewed with this formula, and we’re pleased to report that picture performance is as strong as ever.

We’ve loaded Netflix and Amazon Prime Video onto the phone to watch a range of our reference movies, such as Top Gun: Maverick and Blade Runner: 2049. Put simply, the Xperia exceeds its diminutive price tag when it comes to picture performance, meaning we echo our sentiment from the Xperia 1 V; this is once again the “most cinematic phone we’ve seen for the money”.

The opening sequence of Blade Runner is delivered with well-defined outlines and plenty of detailed texture in clothing, skin and the environment alike. While the display can appear to lean cooler than we prefer, the colours overall remain balanced and well-judged, leading to a pleasingly natural-looking image.

What’s most striking (but perhaps least surprising if you’re familiar with Sony smartphones) is how much three-dimensional depth there is to the image. The dystopian California stretches far into the distance during the opening shots, and Sapper Morton’s gloved hand looks solid and impactful as it arises from a grimy tank holding squirming maggot-like creatures.

As Officer K enters the farmhouse, we find that there is some loss of dark detail in the very blackest part of the image, but the areas bathed in murky white light from the windows have a natural-looking illumination without appearing over-brightened. While the edges of the piano and some detail within the chairs in the scene get lost, it’s forgivable considering the price of this device, and it doesn’t distract too greatly from the overall picture quality.

Switching to Top Gun: Maverick, the sequence introducing the titular character echoes much of what we saw with Blade Runner 2049. There is a great sense of three-dimensionality and edges are well defined. We also get to see motion in action and are pleased to report that there is no observable judder to be seen as Maverick tears down the road on his Kawasaki motorbike. Furthermore, skin tones look accurate, with a solid balance between looking lively without being overtly orange or red.

Sound

The Xperia 10 VI continues the budget series’ trend of formidable audio performance at a reasonable price. We plug a pair of over-ear headphones directly into the 3.5mm headphone jack and load up Tidal to test performance and, in all honesty, it's very reminiscent of its Award-winning predecessor.

Playing DARE by Gorillaz, we’re met with a snappy and rhythmic performance that captures the playful energy of the track. Switching to something a bit more melancholic and slower-paced, Taylor Swift’s The 1 sounds detailed, with the sort of low-level dynamic subtlety required to deliver Swift’s yearning lyrics with the necessary emotive qualities. The sound remains spacious, well organised and dynamic, making it difficult to pick holes in, especially considering the price.

The Xperia 10 VI’s speakers are also more than acceptable, and while they won’t knock your socks off, they’re perfectly usable for watching the occasional TV show without connecting headphones. The front-firing stereo pair returns, with a clear and decent sense of weight (as much as can be expected from an affordable smartphone). We find that they’re not particularly dynamic or full-bodied – and we implore you not to be that person who plays music on your phone’s loudspeaker – but the speakers are overall more than usable. Just be warned of the previously mentioned chassis vibration if you plan on using them at high volumes.

Verdict

Sony’s ability to deliver a phone this talented in the picture and sound department for this price should be studied by other manufacturers. We’ve seen phones that cost double or even triple the price of the Xperia 10 VI unable to deliver a performance like this; thus proving that you don’t need to spend ludicrous amounts of money if you want a handset that doubles as an impressive portable music and movie player.

Review published: October 2024. Review updated: November 2024.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 5
• Features 4

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Read our review of the Google Pixel 7a

Also consider the Nothing Phone (1)

The best smartphones for music and movies

When you think about audio brands, there's a very good chance Apple won't be the first to spring to mind. Tablets, phones and smartwatches, sure – but audio? Several others will likely make your list before Apple does.

Some years ago, Apple may not have been there at all in the traditional sense – it has never made turntables, portable CD or cassette players, and it can't lay claim to having delivered superb stereo speakers either. But it did make the iPod. It was also responsible for the iPhone which subsequently killed the iPod, and it was a key player in the trend towards wireless earbuds thanks to the AirPods.

The first pair of Apple AirPods were introduced in 2016, but there have been several significant markers in their lifetime. In California at the iPhone 16 and AirPods 4 launch event, I spoke to Eric Treski, director of AirPods Product Marketing at Apple, and Kate Bergeron, the company's vice president of Hardware Engineering, about the new AirPods, how Apple managed to implement active noise cancellation into its iconic open-ear design, and the journey it took to get there.

The EarPods to AirPods evolution

When Apple first announced the AirPods, the in-ear headphones were met with mixed reviews. The design was new in the field, and let's face it, they didn't look too dissimilar from miniature toothbrush heads you'd stick on your Oral-B. That design really stuck, though, and has now even been adopted by several other brands, with Samsung recently switching to it with its latest Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, and Nothing also opting for it in its Ear 2. 

So what made Apple go with that divisive design in the first place? In my interview, Bergeron mentioned the "iconic iPod ads with the dancers and everybody with the wires and white earbuds coming down", and how "from that moment in time in 2001 into 2007 with iPhone, we did something very typical for Apple as a whole when we started to lean into a space and say, 'we want to provide the best customer experience that we can'."

She said that Apple started to "learn about physiology and ear geometry and that the second generation of [wired] EarPods – that new shape that arrived with iPhone 1 – was the result of us starting to work with sub-biometric data and figure out what was a great shape for fitting in people's ears."

"Funnily enough, we literally just cut the wire off the bottom," Bergeron said of the original AirPods design and its evolution from the EarPods I still notice in people’s ears on the train, albeit rarely now. "We were able to bring AirPods out to the world with the magic of the shape and a pretty transformational low-power Bluetooth technology with our H1 chip, and get that whole magical experience in the small package that just fits in your pocket," she added. 

"That was the next massive leap, right from iPod to, all of a sudden, 'I can take this set of headphones with me everywhere I go'... being able to charge the battery in your pocket and always having it charged and ready to go."

Things developed further with the first AirPods Pro model, which arrived in 2019. "In order to create ANC [active noise cancellation] that you could put in your pocket, we again had to sit down and say, 'Okay, there are some key acoustic principles here to give us a system where ANC will be great,'" recalls Bergeron. "And so first and foremost for that product was adding the ear tip to it; getting a great fit with the passive isolation of the ear tip fitting into your ear. Then there was also the computing of being able to do those ANC and transparency algorithms." 

For the second-generation AirPods Pro, Apple added an extra set of silicone tips to "broaden the population fit", Bergeron explained, adding that "the addition of those extra small ear tips into AirPods Pro really allowed us to pick up a bunch of folks who we had received feedback from and found that they couldn't fit the product into their ears".

Implementing ANC without eartips

With the latest AirPods 4, Apple made further changes over the previous (2021-released) AirPods 3, using what it learned from previous iterations of AirPods. "We set these goals of great fit and comfort, along with stability, meaning being able to take your product out, whether it's on a run, or doing active things with them and have them stay in your ears," said Bergeron.

She added: "We started to develop some internal tools that allowed us to really ramp up the number of ears that we could scan, building that database up to over 50 million data points and using our tremendous engineering talent to build that into a way that we could start to iterate on the shape and fit in the components. Of course, now we're talking about H2 and its incredible leap in computing, a new acoustic driver, and getting that whole package into something compact enough for us to fit even more people."

Put the AirPods 3 and the AirPods 4 side-by-side and they do look slightly different, but what exactly has changed and why couldn't Apple simply add noise-cancelling capabilities to the AirPods 3 design? Bergeron explained: "The driver positioning is a little different, as well as what we call the reference microphone, which essentially points down your ear canal to hear what you're hearing. With the AirPods 4, we've actually made that even a little bit better than AirPods 3.

"AirPods 4 are a little bit smaller [too], so we've had to work even harder to fit everything in. For a lot of folks with smaller ears, they fit better, which means we get that nice alignment of the front of the AirPod with your ear canal, which ultimately means that the ANC works better because it fits better in your ear."

The case is smaller too, with Bergeron describing it as "one of the cutest Apple products I think we've ever done". Whether or not it is cuter than the iPod shuffle is up for debate, but it certainly is very small, not to mention offers decent battery life for the AirPods 4, and packs a built-in speaker for the handy Find My feature.

Better ANC than the AirPods Pro?

Apple says the AirPods 4's ANC talents don't quite match those of the AirPods Pro 2, which makes sense considering the price differentiator between them, but what can you expect from the ANC in the open-ear design? "We are actually able to achieve nearly the same total attenuation that the AirPods Pro first generation had," Treski told me, before adding: "The AirPods Pro 2 still have two times the active noise cancellation [performance] over the first-generation AirPods Pro and AirPods 4."

"There is obviously a big variability to fit without an ear tip – and that is really important not only for the audio quality but also the active noise cancellation," he added.

"We use our third generation of adaptive EQ, which is that inner microphone that monitors in real-time to ensure that you have the best sound quality and noise cancellation possible," he said. "We know exactly what you're hearing because that mic is actually a reference mic to your ear and what you're hearing, so that is very important to how we can achieve that."

Apple doesn't disclose decibel reduction figures, so it is hard to gauge exactly how comparable the AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro are in terms of how much volume of noise they can block, though Bergeron did explain that the AirPods 4 "have to use more of the H2 compute to do its noise cancellation work than the AirPods Pro, because of the feedback mechanism and that fit that Eric [Treski] was talking about."

"We have more sophisticated algorithms on AirPods 4 because of the open ear," she added.

While a full review is yet to come, initial AirPods 4 hands-on review impressions were indeed positive, and the open-ear noise-cancelling implementation does indeed appear promising.

OK, so perhaps they won't match the AirPods Pro 2 in terms of sound-blocking ability, but having some ANC in an open-ear design could be a great compromise between fit, features and, of course, asking price. Could this make the AirPods 4 the best value pair yet?

MORE:

Read our full Apple AirPods 4 with ANC review

Apple AirPods 4 vs AirPods Pro 2: what are the differences?

3 questions I want answered about the Apple AirPods 4

All the details: AirPods 4 release date, features and price

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Apple AirPods 4 vs AirPods 3: what's new?

Samsung has announced a new addition to the Galaxy S24 series of smartphones as well as an upgraded line of tablets for 2024. The Galaxy S24 FE (which stands for Fan Edition) takes many of the fan-favourite features of the more expensive Galaxy S24, which launched in January of this year and brings them down to a more accessible price point. 

Available in black, white or pastel shades of blue, green and yellow, the S24 FE looks almost identical to the Galaxy S23 FE which launched in October of last year, and very similar to its standard Galaxy S24 counterpart. Inside, it features the Samsung-developed Exynos 2400 series chipset (the same can be found in the regular S24), which plays a key role in powering the Galaxy AI features on this device. 

We first saw Galaxy AI on the S24 Ultra and then once again on the Z Fold 6, however, Samsung is now imbuing one of its more affordable handsets with an impressive catalogue of AI tools, which includes a comprehensive photo editing system, live translation for texts and calls, circle to search with Google, and typing suggestions which can amend the tone or phrasing of texts, emails or notes. 

The S24 FE also features a couple of upgrades over the standard S24 model, including a larger 4700mAh battery (up from 4000mAh), a 6.7-inch dynamic AMOLED display with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz (the S24 has a 6.2-inch screen), and a claimed "1.1 times larger vapour cooling chamber" which should improve thermal efficiency to maintain peak performance over extended periods. 

This cheaper variant of the S24 also supports HDR10+ video for streaming content over supported services (mostly Amazon Prime Video and YouTube, as well as Dolby Atmos audio. Samsung also highlights the Vision Booster feature which can optimise contrast and colours for better outdoor visibility; though we're sure this could also play a key role in the device's overall picture performance. 

The S24 FE will be available to order on the 4th of October in two storage configurations. The 128GB model costs £649 / $649 / AU$1099 and the 256GB retails for £699 / $699 / AU$1199. For reference, the Galaxy S24 launched at £799 / $800 / AU$1349, so that's a welcomed £150 / $150 / AU$250 saving. It's worth mentioning that the S25 series is expected to launch at the beginning of next year, so be mindful that the next series of flagship devices isn't too far away.

Moving on from smartphones and into the realm of tablets, Samsung has also updated its flagship series of tablets. The Tab S10+ and Tab S10 Ultra pick up from where the Tab S9 series left off, with this duo of new tablets joining the Tab S9+ FE which launched last year. Despite these tablets having the "plus" and "ultra" suffixes, there doesn't appear to be a standard Tab S10 model.

Upgrades appear to be predominantly internal, with Samsung claiming that the Tab S10 series features an "18% increase in CPU, 28% increase in GPU, and 14% increase in NPU for the Tab S10 compared to the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra". Both models come with the S Pen stylus, and a host of Galaxy AI features which can also be found on the Galaxy S24 smartphones. 

Both tablets also feature Dynamic AMOLED 2X displays with variable refresh rates up to 120Hz and, based on the previous iteration, we expect them to support HDR10+. The Plus sports a sizeable 12.4-inch screen, while the Ultra goes up to an expansive 14.6-inch display. Samsung has also equipped both models with quad speakers, which we anticipate will support Dolby Atmos. 

The Tab S10 Plus and Tab S10 Ultra come in two finishes – Moonstone Grey and Platinum Silver – and are available in a wide range of configurations. The Tab S10 Plus starts at £999 / $999 / AU$1799 for the 12GB/256GB model with wi-fi, though you can double the storage or add 5G capability if required. The Tab S10 Ultra starts at £1199 / $1199 / $2099 for the 12GB/256GB model with wi-fi, though you can spec it up to 16GB/1TB with 5G for £1699 / $1699 /AU$TBC.

MORE:

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review

As well as our Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra review

Check out our picks for the best Android phones

Calling all Samsung fans! The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro wireless earbuds are enjoying their first major discount, dropping from £219 to just £169 at Amazon and Currys. First-time price drops for given products usually shave off a few pounds or pennies, but Samsung is going big with a deal that lowers the price of its flagship buds by a whopping £50. 

They're not flogging you a pair of pups, either. The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are the best evidence yet that Samsung can compete with rival buds from the Apple, Sony and Bose class-leaders, offering a lively sound alongside a raft of exciting features. For Samsung users who can get the most out of them when paired with a Galaxy device, they make a serious amount of sense.

Best Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro deal

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro have been a marked improvement for Samsung, demonstrating that the Korean brand can make a truly enjoyable pair of wireless earbuds. Previous efforts had always been somewhat lacking on the audio side compared with rivals, yet the company's latest pair of flagship buds demonstrated a spark of something special that was very much worth kindling. As we enthused in our review: "Samsung isn’t quite there yet, but this is the closest evidence we’ve seen that it could one day chase down the major players in this space". 

Superficially, the still-new buds look strikingly similar to a pair of AirPods Pro 2, especially as they're daubed in an all-white, Apple-esque finish. If you can look past that, Samsung’s latest buds are easy to get along with, with comfortable removable ear tips that, when combined with the units' lightweight stem design, make for a decent fit. 

They're certainly not short on features. Customisable noise cancelling is solid, and while the more premium Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds remain the kings of ANC, the performance here is excellent for what is now just a £169 outlay. Spatial audio support works well, whereas battery life figures clock in at a solid total of around 30 hours. If you're a Samsung Galaxy smartphone user, you can even access the brand's proprietary SSC UHQ hi-res codec which allows for transmission of up to 24-bit/96kHz music files over Bluetooth. This works with the latest Galaxy devices such as the five-star Galaxy Z Fold 6.

With hi-res music files, these buds perform at their very best. Detail levels are impressively strong, bringing out the subtleties and nuances of tracks and delivering clarity, poise and cohesion. Even without an up-to-date Samsung device, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro perform well, conveying songs with a sparky sense of attack and energy. They're great in the mid-range, making electric guitars sound scratchy, layered and packed with detail – we would like a little more solidity and weight in the bass, but it's tough to be a downer on these immensely likeable performers, especially at this knockdown price.

For general users, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro have a lot to recommend them, while for Samsung devotees they're a truly attractive proposition. Wherever your loyalties lie, it's worth checking out this stellar Samsung deal at Amazon or Currys while you can – it won't last forever, after all.

MORE:

Read our Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review 

Read our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review

These are the best wireless earbuds you can buy

Samsung has announced that as part of its AI TV initiative, it will begin supporting its latest TVs with up to seven years of software updates. This brings Samsung's TV update strategy in line with its latest AI-powered smartphones, with news that the Galaxy S24 series will also receive seven years of software support. 

The announcement made by the President of Samsung Electronics Visual Display Business Division, Yoon Seok-woo (and brought to our attention by Business Korea), confirms that the current crop of Tizen OS-powered smart TVs in Samsung's roster will be updated in 2031, which is excellent news if you've just splashed out on an S95D, QN95D or Q900D and are planning on making it last. 

It appears that all Samsung TVs released this year will receive the full extent of the software support, while some selected 2023 models will also be graced with an extended life span. Samsung hasn't confirmed which models these are quite yet, but we presume the flagship models, such as the S95C, will take priority. We suspect that it will be seven years from the launch of the TV rather than this announcement date, so the 2023 models will most likely be updated until 2030. 

This move has also been made in hopes of "widening the market share gap with Chinese competitors" according to Business Korea: we presume that quote is in reference to Hisense and TCL. Again according to this source, Samsung has reportedly held firm in the first half of 2024, earning the top spot in the global TV market share with 28.8 per cent. However, TCL and Hisense appear to be fast approaching with a reported combined market share of 22.1 per cent. 

Owners of Samsung TVs from 2022 or earlier may feel slightly dejected with this recent announcement, as they likely won't see the same software support longevity on their models. Samsung hasn't announced how long it plans to support its older TVs either; however, these models lack the latest AI feature sets and are, therefore,  understandably not as easy to upkeep. 

MORE:

Read our full Samsung QN95D review

Check out our picks for the best Samsung TVs

As well as our overall picks for the best TVs

Everyone's got a pair of "Pro" wireless earbuds these days. From the five-star AirPods Pro 2, the recently-reviewed Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and the new Google Pixel Buds Pro 2, these products indicate their respective brand's flagship status with a now-widespread naming convention.

Into this arena of consummate professionals enter the OnePlus Buds Pro 3, a pair of noise-cancelling wireless earbuds that are seeking to take on the established class leaders with what their maker describes as "killer sound quality". Following on from the second-gen model, OnePlus has teamed up with Danish audio specialist Dynaudio in the hopes of producing, with the aid of multiple technical improvements, the brand's "best-ever earbuds".

The new contenders have been designed from start to finish in partnership with the audio engineers at Dynaudio and offer dual drivers with an 11mm woofer and a 6mm tweeter. The woofer sports an additional magnet and a rebuilt diaphragm for improved audio sensitivity and a more sonically accurate performance, whereas the tweeter makes use of an improved voice coil and diaphragm for "sound production exactly as the artist intended".  

Whether or not sound quality turns out to be as good as claimed, the buds' battery life looks like a winner either way. The Buds Pro 3 grant you a massive 43 hours of total listening time from a single charge, while a ten-minute boost will give you over five hours of playtime in a pinch. Those are outstanding numbers when you consider that the Sony WF-1000XM5 only offer 24 hours of total time and the AirPods Pro 2 will give you a maximum of 30 with the case, although they are beaten by the astonishing 52 hours total offered by the Cambridge Audio Melomania M100.

The OnePlus offer standard active noise cancellation (ANC), as well as an "Adaptive Noise Cancellation" mode which adapts on the fly depending on your environment, similar to what we've seen with Apple's Adaptive Audio" and Samsung's parallel "Ambient Sound Mode" technology. 

Many of the expected wireless earbuds features round out the OnePlus' capabilities. Google-compatible spatial audio technology is onboard, while Bluetooth Multipoint lets you connect to two devices simultaneously and switch between them on the fly. The IP55-rated buds offer on-ear touch controls via a squeeze and swipe system for managing functions such as play/pause, answering calls and changing music volume.

The OnePlus Buds Pro 3 are available now in two colours, Midnight Opus (black) and Lunar Radiance (off-white), priced at £199 (approx. $260 / AU$385).

MORE: 

13 of the best classic funk and soul tracks to test your system

These are the best wireless earbuds on the market right now

Our main list of the best headphones – every type tried and tested

Apple's AirPods Pro 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are not only their respective brands' flagship wireless earbuds, they're also the trailblazing flagbearers for the two rival companies. The AirPods Pro 2 pulled the in-ear AirPods line out of mediocrity and into genuine sonic competition with the market's best performers, whereas the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are the closest we've seen to Samsung making a pair of wireless buds that have the sonic capabilities to make the class-leaders sweat. 

Both are strong efforts from their respective creators, even if they're designed for completely different platforms and are intended to be used to their full potential within their own ecosystems: AirPods for Apple/iOS users and Galaxy Buds for Samsung/Android disciples.  

Let's be clear, then, that these are two contenders running in parallel to one another rather than in direct competition. This isn't a case of assessing which set of earbuds is perfect for all users, but rather one of figuring out which pair performs objectively better within its respective ecosystem. 

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Apple AirPods Pro 2: price

Priced at £219 / $249 / AU$399, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are Samsung's most premium wireless earbuds. The AirPods Pro 2 are also the most costly in-ear headphones Apple makes, and while we tested them at £249 / $249 / AU$399, discounts are pulling that figure down to roughly £199 / $190 / AU$330 at the time of writing.

For wider context, those numbers place our competitors in the same ballpark as the Award-winning Sony WF-1000XM5 (tested at £259 / $299 / AU$419) and, when discounted, the high-priced Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (tested at £299 / $299 / AU$450) which often falls to £219 / $249 / AU$400.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Apple AirPods Pro 2: design

Here's a surprise: the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and the Apple AirPods Pro 2 look strikingly similar, at least at a glance. Samsung dropped the rounded bean configuration of its outgoing Galaxy Buds 2 Pro buds in favour of a stem and ear tip construction for its third-gen flagship model, leading to a design that, when finished in white, looks unavoidably like something fresh from the Apple production line. 

There are some key differences, of course. Whereas the AirPods Pro 2 offer a shorter, rounded stem, their Galaxy contemporaries opt for a prism-shaped design with more angularity and edge. The Samsung buds also make a big deal of their vertically placed 'Blade Lights' on the spine of each unit which indicate key vitals such as battery life and connectivity status. 

The similarities continue with the charging cases, with both models offering a pebble-like design with a USB-C charging port. The transparent lid of the Samsung is a nice touch to differentiate it from its Apple-made rival, but in truth, we prefer the weight, solidity and general build quality of the AirPods case over the Galaxy one. Samsung's effort isn't bad, it just feels a little cheap in our hands.

Each set of wireless earbuds sports on-ear touch controls customisable via their respective apps. As standard, the AirPods Pro 2 offer a pinch-based system to pause music playback and take calls, while long pressing switches between noise-cancelling modes. The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro employ a similar system, allowing you to perform actions such as summoning your voice assistant, controlling the buds' volume and adjusting playback via a series of squeezes and swipes. They'll take some getting used to, but once you become acquainted with the system it works well enough.

Not much to choose between the two, then, though we did find that the AirPods Pro 2 were a little more adept at providing a good seal and then sitting snugly and comfortably in our ears. The Samsungs do boast a higher IP57 water and dustproof rating over the Pro 2's IPX4 certification, but on balance, it's the AirPods Pro 2 that are the better-designed pair overall.

*Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 2*

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Apple AirPods Pro 2: features

Before we get started, do note that many of the features listed below will only be accessible or customisable using each respective set's proprietary app or platform. The AirPods Pro 2's full set of features are available when connected to iPhones and iPads, naturally, while there's no app support at all for the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro for iOS devices. If you want full use of their features, you'll need the Android Wearables app which, sadly, isn't accessible for iPhone users. 

The thing that really distinguished the Pro 2 model from the 'standard' AirPods, besides greatly improved sound, was active noise cancellation. Thanks to the buds' high-performance H2 chip and optimised placement of acoustic vents and microphones, the noise-cancelling experienced here remains close to class-leading. It's not quite as good as the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Ultra, but better than the solid effort deployed by the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.  

The AirPods Pro 2's noise cancelling is impressive at this level, feeling airy, organically adaptive and effective at blocking out surrounding noise and even damping down harsher edges of sudden noise. The "AI-boosted" effort for the rival Samsung earbuds is solid, damping down the clamour of the outside world effectively but allowing harsher noise occasionally to get through. If you want the legwork taken out of your ANC experience, you can opt to use Samsung’s “Adaptive” sound mode, which monitors the environment and then automatically adjusts the amount of noise-cancelling to employ modes when certain noises are detected – similar to Apple's Adaptive Audio ANC mode.

Battery life for the AirPods Pro 2 is solid, with six hours from the buds and 24 from the case, a total of 30 hours with noise cancelling activated. If you’re running low on juice, quickly pop your pods into the charging case for five minutes and you'll get a whole hour of extra life. Battery life figures for the rival Samsungs are equally strong, clocking in at seven hours from the buds and a total of 30 with the charging case, broadly matching the figures put up by the AirPods Pro 2.

Voice calls are more impressively handled by the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, and if you’re planning on using them for work, an extra 15kHz of bandwidth from the outgoing model plus advanced voice-tracking AI algorithms help you sound solid, clear, natural and robust. It's a similar story with the Pro 2, in fairness, although Apple's effort is perhaps a little thinner and leaner than that offered by Samsung.

Both earbuds sport expected flagship features like wear detection, conversation modes, spatial audio and seamless pairing and switching between devices.

*Winner: Tie*

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Apple AirPods Pro 2: sound 

As we've written many times before, the AirPods Pro 2 were the buds that really cracked the code for Apple. As we wrote in our review at the time: "From the gravelly, soulful tones of Tom Waits to the more languid tone of Wet Leg’s vocals, the AirPods Pro are solid, focused and crystal clear with voices". They're impressively comprehensive, nailing the basics before adding those extra layers and elements that make for an invigorating, five-star experience.

The second-gen AirPods offer the sonic confidence that's always felt lacking in previous iterations, as though they have the guts and drive to mix it with the best. They're plenty of space and airiness to their general presentation, but it's blended with the muscle and assertiveness that your music needs to feel as though it's being driven along with purpose and authority. 

It's worth reiterating that the AirPods Pro 2 offer no support for high-res or higher-quality codecs, something that's always felt at odds with the 24-bit high-res audio tracks available in Apple Music’s extensive collection. These AirPods use the basic AAC Bluetooth codec, and while that's not much to shout about on paper, the bods at Apple don't feel that fancier codecs are needed for producing a better sound. From our experience, they may be right, as the second-gen Pro offer an experience that melds detail and insight with robustness and weight, a combination that leads to a dynamic, ever-engaging delivery. 

How do the Samsung buds compare? All told, the outgoing Galaxy Buds 2 Pro were something of an unengaging, even bland pair of earbuds to listen to. The third-gen follow-up, though, are a different beast, nearly blasting our ears off with their powerful, front-footed character that strains and surges like a tethered dog trying to reach a juicy steak. A little on the lean side, we named "space, speed and spark" as the Buds 3 Pro's strengths, stressing that "songs are conveyed with attack and energy, with fast tunes especially benefitting from the buds’ sparky, relentless temperament". 

There's enough texture and nuance, though, to round out an undeniably engaging character. When paired with the right equipment (such as a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6) and fed a decent 24-bit hi-res file to get their teeth into, the Galaxy can really knock you sideways. Rocky guitar tracks sound layered and loaded with detail as the buds draw out the hues and shades of a piece rather than pumping out an unwieldy block of sound. Yes, we'd like more wallop to go with their skittish energy, something that the AirPods Pro 2 provide, but it's hard to be a stick in the mud when you're listening to earbuds that are so focused on having fun. 

Naturally, they're designed to be paired with the latest Galaxy devices, with Samsung's hi-res SSC UHQ codec for unpacking 24-bit/96kHz hi-res files only usable with the S24 and S23 smartphones, the latest generation of the Z Flip/ Fold lines and the Tab S9 tablet. If you use the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro with an iPhone (as we still consider iPhones to be a better-sounding source), you'll discover that they perform admirably during this rather mismatched union. The iPhone robs some of that space and openness from the Galaxy buds, but you'll find that songs now sound more solid and robust, like a car firming up its suspension when hunkering down for a session on the track. The essential character of the Samsungs remains, albeit with a slightly altered flavour.

However you use them, we're still not quite convinced that Samsung's effort betters that of Apple. The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are perfect for certain genres and have major appeal for lovers of excitement and energy, but Apple's second-gen buds are built to please as many people as possible, covering all of the bases without exposing any glaring weak spots. 

*Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 2*

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Apple AirPods Pro 2: verdict

For Apple users wanting wireless earbuds (as opposed to over-ear headphones), the AirPods Pro 2 would be our firm recommendation. For their five-star sonic delivery and smooth integration within the iOS setup, they're a pair of AirPods that you won't have to feel ashamed to be seen with – the Pro 2 are built for audio lovers as much as for Apple acolytes, meaning iOS users are getting the best of both worlds when they purchase a pair. 

The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are, of course, built for a completely different market and a totally distinct customer. Assessed in parallel, they don't quite beat the AirPods Pro 2 for sonic performance, but these are the best Samsung buds we've heard thus far. For possibly the first time ever, we can say that we wouldn’t dissuade users from grabbing Samsung's Galaxy Buds, and if you can live with their forward, relentless nature, you’ll find them to be a very likeable set of companions. 

MORE:

Read our Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review

And our AirPods Pro 2 review

Need something to pair with the Galaxy buds? Read our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review

The Samsung Galaxy line of wireless earbuds has never exactly blown us away. Even if you’re a dedicated devotee with the latest Samsung phone in your pocket, a Samsung TV in your living room and a spiffy set of Samsung pyjamas to keep you cosy at night, we would usually advise you to steer clear of the South Korean brand’s wireless earbuds and instead snaffle a pair of more competent alternatives from the likes of Bose, Sony or Technics. Sonically, they’ve rarely challenged the best in the business.

Samsung's flagship buds, however, are here to challenge that narrative. Even before you've heard them, it’s clear that the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are different to their predecessors; they look different, they have different features, they probably even smell different to the bean-shaped buds whose place they have confidently taken. If they can also sound different (by which we mean ‘better’) than previous generations, Samsung might have a pair of buds ready to sit at the big boys’ table.

Price

• Launch price undercuts key Sony and Apple rivals
• Large discounts now often drop buds down to £150 / $150.

Officially priced at £219 / $249 / AU$399, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are Samsung’s flagship, and thus most premium, wireless earbuds: that’s just a smidge below the premium territory occupied by the Sony WF-1000XM5 (tested at £259 / $299 / AU$419) and the Apple AirPods Pro 2 (tested at £249 / $249 / AU$399).

That said, those prices have fallen since we first spent time with the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. Major discounts often drop the flagship Samsung in-ears down to around £150 / $200, though it's worth noting that the Sony WF-1000XM5 are also now a good deal lower (£219 / $250 / AU$370) than when they first launched.

Build & Comfort

• Blade lights indicate key vitals such as battery life and connectivity status
• Decent fit but only three ear tip choices
• USB-C charging case feels a little cheap

“Oh, I thought you were wearing AirPods.” That’s a phrase to which you might have to become accustomed if you’re thinking of purchasing a new pair of Samsung’s latest flagbearers – it was certainly uttered within the halls of our offices on more than one occasion.

There really is no getting around it: when sporting an all-white finish, Samsung’s newest buds look like a pair of AirPods. Gone is the round bean shape of their predecessors, replaced by a new configuration which blends a triangular, prism-shaped stem topped with a removable silicone ear tip. The charging case, too, puts us in mind of an Apple-made product, although its transparent lid is a key point of differentiation when placed side-by-side with the all-white, all-opaque pebble case of the AirPods Pro 2.

If you can look past the inevitable Apple comparison, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro aren’t badly made. Admittedly, we're somewhat underwhelmed by how cheap and plasticky the USB-C charging case feels, while the earbuds themselves feel a little insubstantial and that stops them from coming across like a truly premium product. Those vertically placed ”Blade Lights" on each unit's spine are a fun addition, though, indicating key vital signs such as battery life and connectivity status and even flashing on command if you lose your buds in a dark room. Useful for miners and security guards on the night shift, perhaps.

Samsung’s latest are easy to get along with, feeling like an upgrade on their small, bean-shaped predecessors, although personal preference will play a part. The removable eartips are angled in slightly, allowing for a decent seal, while those lightweight stems offer decent ballast and anchorage. If you are struggling to get the security you crave, Samsung does offer an easy-to-navigate fit test via the Wearable app, confirming whether you’ve obtained an adequate seal with a simple scan of your lugs.

Still, a disappointingly small number of ear tip choices (three really isn’t enough at this level, most rivals offer four sizes now) may mean you’re always a little forced to make a compromise in obtaining an acceptable seal rather than a perfect one. We also notice that certain facial movements – in particular smiling and yawning – can cause the buds to come loose, whereas a vigorous session on the gym assault bike saw a single unit come loose as the session got truly intense. They’re not a sport-centric design, we admit, but it’s something to note if you’re planning on using the Buds 3 Pro across the full gamut of potential use cases.

Features

• Designed to work with recent Samsung Galaxy devices
• Flagship features include spatial audio with head tracking
• Solid ANC performance

As hinted above, you’ll need the Samsung Wearable app to gain proper control of your new buds, which is crucially only available on Samsung Galaxy and Android 11 and above smartphone and tablet devices. Apple users, sadly, get no app support at all, with the Buds 3 Pro offering the most rewarding experience when used with a compatible Samsung device.

Noise cancelling is one of the key areas in which Samsung aims to compete with the class leaders. You can go down the more traditional routes of picking either Ambient Sound or active noise cancelling (ANC), or you can opt for Samsung’s “Adaptive” sound mode which constantly monitors the environment and automatically switches to the ambient mode when certain noises are detected. The buds are certainly good at adapting to voices on the fly, flipping immediately to the requisite setting when we engage in an impromptu office conversation, though note that generally tends to be triggered by the user’s voice rather than external speech.

Whichever mode you pick, you’ll receive solid ANC performance. While not quite at the top of the noise cancelling mountain, Samsung’s flagship buds do a fine job of dampening down the general clamour of the world, ably handling the whoosh and rush of nearby traffic while effectively softening the surrounding chatter of a busy office. Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds remain the kings, but as they’re a more expensive proposition (officially priced at £299 / $299 / AU$450), Samsung’s effort remains strong by comparison.

There’s also support for Samsung’s take on spatial audio with head tracking, both of which can be switched on or off via the companion Wearable app and require a Samsung device in order to work. 360 spatial audio works well enough, providing a noticeable difference in giving tracks greater space and openness, if not quite managing to rival the truly exceptional performances offered by the likes of Apple or even the Jabra Elite 10. Head tracking is competent, although when we turn our head sideways there’s sometimes a small but perceptible delay before the position of the music changes accordingly.

Battery life figures are strong, clocking in at seven hours from the buds’ single charge and a total of 30 with the charging case with ANC turned off, with our set only around halfway depleted after more than a week’s worth of testing. With ANC turned on, the battery life is six hours and 26 hours respectively, which is on par with the current competition.

Customisable touch controls work well, too, letting you summon your voice assistant, control the volume and adjust playback via a series of pinches, squeezes and swipes. They take a bit of getting used to, especially with regard to the requisite pinch force required and which area of the bud will be responsive to your swipes and prods, but once you become acquainted with the system, it’s reasonably well-implemented and hassle-free.

If you’re planning on using the Buds 3 Pro for work as well as play, you’ll be pleased to hear that voice calls are handled expertly. Samsung promises 15kHz of bandwidth and yes, advanced voice-tracking AI algorithms, to make you sound your best, and it’s hard to argue with the results – the new buds sound solid, clear, natural and with pleasing levels of vocal depth during a team Zoom meeting.

Another Samsung-only feature is the inclusion of a proprietary SSC UHQ hi-res codec (which is, the Samsung Seamless Codec Ultra High Quality). This allows for transmission of up to 24-bit/96kHz music files over Bluetooth, but you’ll need the latest Galaxy devices (S24 and S23, latest two generations of Z Flip/Fold and the Tab S9) to take advantage of this codec.

Sound

• Spacious, lean and slightly lightweight character
• Lively, engaging sonic personality
• Sound their best when using Samsung’s hi-res SSC UHQ codec

It appears that Samsung has taken our comments about previous wireless earbuds on board. We criticised the company’s previous Galaxy Buds 2 Pro for sounding unengaging, even listless during testing, but that’s hardly a criticism one could level at this powerful, front-footed sequel. Instead of the dual dynamic driver configuration used in the previous generation, this latest version swaps the high-frequency driver for a new planar unit. There are also dual amplifiers to power the drivers, with Samsung promising a more comprehensive, detailed sonic performance as a result.

The improvements are clear from the get-go. A touch on the lean side, it’s space, speed and spark which are clearly strengths of Samsung’s latest, offering a sonic personality that comes across as clean, zippy and entertaining. Songs are conveyed with attack and energy, with fast tunes especially benefitting from the buds’ sparky, relentless temperament.

They’re not just flat-track bullies, either, and when paired with the right equipment and fed a decent file to get their teeth into, the Buds 3 Pro are capable of sounding seriously impressive. A Tidal recording of Soundgarden’s Bleed Together played through the Galaxy Z Flip 6 smartphone feels layered and packed with detail, with the buds doing a sterling job of pulling out varying textural hues and shades rather than simply pounding out a monolithic block of sound. The central guitar is imbued with a meaty crunch beneath screeching high notes, with fast, aggressive drums pounding beneath Chris Cornell’s incomparable wail.

We’re keen to check out just how well the Buds 3 Pro perform when using Samsung’s hi-res SSC UHQ codec through the same Flip 6, picking out a 24-bit/96kHz hi-res file of Muse’s Madness to test their credentials further. The resultant effort is impressive: detail levels remain strong, bringing out Matt Bellamy’s slightly hushed, sibilant vocals while keeping the track’s accompanying synthy throbs from becoming overly blobby or unwieldy. It’s the space and breadth that shines through, revealing the track’s open, pulled-apart nature and giving Bellamy’s vocals room to shine.

A little more solidity wouldn’t go amiss when pulling out tunes that require a bit of wallop, though. Tool’s Forty Six & 2 again showcases those pleasing levels of space and detail, but a comparative listen to the Sony WF-1000XM5 provides us with more of the substance we’re after. If you’re keen to rock out, the Samsung buds are great at latching onto the scratchiness and crunch of an electric guitar – we just wish they’d add a touch more force and heft to proceedings. Pairing them with an iPhone makes the Galaxy buds sound more compact and together, but not enough to change their spacious, lean but slightly lightweight character.

The Sony rivals are more adept rhythmically, too. When using the WF-1000XM5 with Tidal and an iPhone 15, the pulsating drums of Gareth Coker’s adrenaline-fuelled The Road from the Halo: Infinite soundtrack are conveyed with force and power, while the track’s complex string rhythm is nimbly reproduced. The Buds 3 Pro’s rendition is still enjoyable, it’s just that it doesn’t quite keep up with Sony’s effort in conveying those tricky rhythmic patterns with the same insight or authority.

Whatever source we use, we also feel that the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro could be a touch more engaging dynamically. Whether it's the basic bass and snare pattern of Madness or the restless, undulating guitar on Bleed Together, we’d like more differentiation in volume and force to add a greater sense of contrast across each note played. The Samsung buds are fast and immense fun, yet they can occasionally make performances feel just a little one-route.

Still, it’s immensely hard to be po-faced about the Buds 3 Pro. Like a Jack Russell puppy that occasionally soils the carpet and eats your favourite pair of slippers, they could do with a little training and refinement to temper their relentless, energetic temperament. Yet all of that attack and power, not to mention decent levels of detail and breadth, make for an engaging listen that really clicks with the right genres – in short, the new Galaxy buds are good boys rather than candidates for the kennel.

Verdict

For perhaps the first time, we can confidently state that we wouldn’t dissuade you from picking up a pair of Samsung earbuds. Naturally, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are designed for Samsung users, but if you don’t tire of their forward, have-at-it nature, you’ll find them to be an inescapably likeable pair of entertainers. Samsung isn’t quite there yet, but this is the closest evidence we’ve seen that it could one day chase down the major players in this space.

First reviewed: August 2024. Review updated: February 2025.

Tester's Notes

To test and review the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, we evaluated the buds across several key areas of performance, all the while comparing them with the best price rivals at this level. This allows us to build a comprehensive picture of where the wireless earbuds sit in their category and price bracket in relation to class-leading alternatives. Our findings with ratings out of five are listed below.

Also consider

MORE:

Read our review of the Sony WF-1000XM5

Also consider Apple AirPods Pro 2

Best in-ear headphones: top earbuds tried and tested

Samsung has already had its fun with the Galaxy S24 and Z 6 series, and Apple is expected to launch its new phones next month, but August is all about Google. Android fans listen up, as a whole new series of Google smartphones are about to break cover.

Google's annual "Made By Google" event is tonight, and we've been promised the ninth generation of Pixel phones. In true Google fashion, the new Pixel 9 series has leaked extensively and it was even officially revealed weeks ago in a series of flashy introduction videos. There is still plenty to reveal though, with specs and features all still a mystery, 

Furthermore, we hope that Google can whip up a couple of surprises tonight, so we've included a short wishlist of what else we'd like to see, alongside when and where to watch the live-streamed event.

Made by Google 2024: when and where to watch

The Made by Google event will be streamed live on the Made by Google YouTube page, which should come as no surprise as Google owns the video-sharing platform. You can visit the account now to take a sneak peek at two new devices; the Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

To catch the live stream from the very start, you'll need to tune in at 6PM in the UK, 10AM PT/1PM ET if you live in the US, or 3AM if you're watching from Australia. Don't worry if you miss the stream though, as Google will (most likely) upload a recording of the show, and we'll be covering the event right here too. 

Made by Google 2024: what to expect

As we've already established, new Google Pixel phones will be revealed today, and we're expecting a new approach from Google. Previously, the company has employed a two-tiered approach with a standard and premium model, the latter sporting a "Pro" suffix. While we're expecting a Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro duo, Google is also adding a third option to its lineup with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

This isn't Google's first foldable phone, as Google launched the first Pixel Fold back in May of 2023 – separately from the Pixel 8 series. Google is now streamlining its lineup by launching all three devices under the Pixel 9 banner, with the foldable version appearing to be a step-up model from the Pixel 9 Pro. 

While we've seen what the 9 Pro and 9 Pro Fold look like, little is known about the specifications of these devices. We presume Google will debut a new version of its in-house developed Tensor processor with these new phones, and we're also willing to bet that they will have some fairly intense AI integration too. 

If the Google Pixel 8 Pro specs are anything to go off, then we anticipate 12GB of RAM backing up the new processor, and the display could be a very similar Quad HD LTPO 120Hz OLED screen with a variable refresh rate of 1Hz to 120Hz. Google has traditionally equipped its non-Pro variants with 1080p displays, and we don't expect that to change this year.  

Moving away from phones for just a moment, Google also recently announced the Google TV Streamer; a successor to its popular Chromecast series of media streamers. While the device has already been announced with pricing, we'd like to see it get some time in the spotlight during this live event. 

Made by Google: what we'd like to see

Everything we'd discussed thus far has all been officially announced, but now we're treading into uncharted territories of speculation and guesswork. First and foremost, we would like to see Google refresh its Pixel Buds series of wireless earbuds, as it's been over two years since the Buds Pro launched, and three years since the entry-level Buds A became available (not counting new colour releases). 

In a perfect world, we'd like to see Google refresh both pairs of buds, however, the Buds A are the older of the pair, so we think they are most deserving of an upgrade. We are huge fans of the Pixel Buds A, awarding them five stars in our 2021 review; however, we'd appreciate an updated pair with newer features and even better sound.

Google also launched the Pixel Tablet last year, so it's possible we could see a revised second-generation model. We're quite fond of the current model, and even though it didn't score the full five stars, we rather like its included magnetic speaker dock (it makes for a great kitchen companion) and sharp picture. A revised version with better shadow detail, an even punchier and more dynamic speaker dock and better headphone audio would be a treat to see at Made by Google, but we're not willing to bet the house on it making an appearance. 

Finally, it's been a while since we've had any news regarding Project Caviar. This new Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos rival was hinted at nearly two years ago, with the company partnering with Samsung to develop its own HDR and immersive audio formats that would be more open-source than their Dolby alternatives. Little has been said about this proposed picture and sound feature since, but we'd certainly welcome an update this evening. 

MORE:

Read our Google Pixel 8 Pro review

And our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review

Check out our picks for the best smartphones

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series of smartphones has been through several generations now, with early fears of fragile hinges and questions surrounding the longevity of bendable displays slowly fading away. While the form factor hasn’t replaced the conventional smartphone quite yet, we can’t help but crack a smile when we pick one up and unfold it for the first time. Even though they’ve been around for over five years now, that sci-fi feeling is still present, and that’s no different when it comes to Samsung’s latest offering; the Galaxy Z Fold 6.

This bendable smartphone sits alongside the more conventional Galaxy S24 Ultra in Samsung’s range as a premium flagship device, and with five generations before it to perfect the folding formula, it seems like Samsung has found a comfortable place within its lineup for the Z Fold. Those who prefer a more conventional smartphone can opt for the S24 series which launched in January of this year, while those who want a flashy handset that’s capable of productivity tasks and big-screen entertainment will find the Fold more appealing. 

The real question (to us at least) is this: does the Galaxy Z Fold provide a quality portable AV experience? We certainly think so, as the Z Fold 6 might just be our new favourite phone for taking our movies on the go.

Price

A phone this complex and fully featured comes with an understandably high price tag. At £1799 / $1900 / AU$2749, this premium handset is considerably more expensive than the Award-winning iPhone 15 Pro Max (£1199 / $1199 / AU$2199) and its Galaxy S24 Ultra counterpart at £1249 / $1299 / AU$2199. Comparing it to last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 5, that phone launched at £1749 / $1800 / AU$2599, making the new version more expensive in the US and Australia, but the same price here in the UK. 

We haven’t reviewed any other foldable phones on the market as of yet, but we’ll include a few options here for context. The Google Pixel Fold launched at a similar £1749 / $1800 (around AU$3400), while the OnePlus Open undercuts both devices at £1599 / $1699 (around AU$3110).

As standard, the Z Fold 6 comes with 256GB of storage, although that can be upgraded to either 512GB or 1TB should you need more storage space (for an additional price). All three storage configurations come with 12GB of RAM, and there are five colours to choose from including navy, pink, crafted black, crafted white and silver shadow – which is the finish featured on our review sample. The two “crafted” finishes are exclusive to Samsung’s official web store. 

Build

The Z Fold 6 has undergone a design refresh this year, with a more angular aesthetic overall. The rounded corners of the Z Fold 5 have been swapped for sharper, more squared-off edges, the shiny aluminium rails are now matte and the camera module is more pronounced on the rear of the device. Overall, it looks much more like the S24 Ultra than the Fold 5. 

While the newer handset looks sharper, it’s unfortunately sharper in the hand too, making it feel slightly less comfortable than the outgoing Z Fold 5. This new model is also slimmer and lighter than last year. It’s 239g, which is 14g lighter than the Z Fold 5, and it's impressively thin at just 5.1mm when unfolded, or 12mm when folded. 

Thankfully, it does feel premium in the hand, thanks to the metal and matte glass construction; however, considering the price we would expect this to be the case. The hinge and rails are made of Samsung’s Aluminium Armour material that’s meant to be resistant to nicks and dents, while the Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2-coated exterior display and rear panel should be more resistant to scratches and cracks; but we’ll take Samsung’s word for that as we don’t want to damage our review unit.

As this is a foldable phone, you’ll find two displays here; a 6.3-inch exterior cover screen with a thin 22.1:9 aspect ratio to use when the phone is shut, and a 7.6-inch interior display with a squarer 20.9:18 aspect ratio. While these measurements may sound strange – the inner screen is much larger than the cover display after all – it's the diagonal measurement we rely on for screen sizes, so the aspect ratios are a more telling sign of how these screens differ.

The folding aspect of this phone wouldn’t be possible without the dual rail hinge that allows the phone to stay open at any angle you wish. It feels robust and sturdy enough that we aren’t overly concerned with longevity, although if we were to use this phone for a couple of years we may have a different opinion. It’s worth mentioning that this phone isn’t completely flat when unfolded, with a very slight camber towards the central hinge; although we have to say that it’s by no means a deal breaker in our opinion. 

Mirroring the hinge on the open screen is the dreaded crease, an unavoidable facet of foldable phones that no company has perfected quite yet. Let’s not beat around the bush, you will notice the crease – however, it could be worse. While it is very visible if you’re viewing the device off angle and in direct sunlight, we really struggle to see it in a dark room facing the phone head-on. Swiping across it is still ever so slightly unnerving, but in optimal viewing circumstances, we have to say that Samsung has done an admirable job of making the crease fade away. 

What’s most impressive about this handset is the fact that it’s somehow still water-resistant despite being foldable. There are caps that seal the hinge, making this phone IP48 water and dust-resistant; that means you could hypothetically take the Z Fold 6 for a dip in a 1.5-metre pool for up to 30 minutes if you were so inclined. 

Features

As this phone is all about the screens, we’ll start with those. The cover display is a Dynamic AMOLED 2X with a variable refresh rate of 1Hz to 120Hz and a resolution of 968 x 2376. This display is meant to be used more for quick tasks, replying to messages and quick snaps from the rear camera, hence its unusual tall and thin shape that reminds us of a chocolate bar. Moving onto the main display, it’s another Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz and an 1856 x 2160 resolution that’s practically equivalent to Quad HD. This is where you’ll interact with the phone most, as it's the expansive canvas best suited for watching content or completing productivity tasks. Both displays have a claimed peak brightness of 2600 nits and support HDR in Samsung’s usual HDR10+ format.

Swiping through the Android 14 operating system (with Samsung’s One UI 6.1.1 skin on top) is a joy, with the responsive user interface feeling buttery smooth in operation thanks to the 120Hz variable refresh rate. There are a couple of Galaxy Z Fold-specific software features here, such as an ergonomic split keyboard that makes typing easier on the main display and a PC-style taskbar at the bottom of the screen for showing recent and frequently used apps.

That smooth operation is also thanks to the lightning-fast Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor – once again this is a “For Galaxy” variation with a slightly higher clock speed according to Samsung – and 12GB of RAM, which is more than many laptops on the market. It’s powered by a non-removable 4400mAh battery that supports up to 25W wired fast charging (reportedly 50 per cent in 30 minutes with a compatible charger), 15W wireless charging and even 4.5W reverse wireless charging that can be used to top up your earbuds in a pinch or even charge a friend’s phone if you don’t mind sacrificing some of your own battery life.

The Z Fold 6 is outfitted with five cameras in total, although at first glance we wouldn’t blame you for thinking that there are only four. The 4MP front-facing camera on the main display is actually hidden behind the display, which gives an uninterrupted seamless look to the screen as long as you don’t look too hard. The downside here is that the camera quality is really quite poor, and very unflattering if you’re hoping to take a selfie with it. Thankfully, the 10MP camera on the cover display is much sharper and cleaner, although using the rear cameras with the cover screen as a viewfinder will be the preferred option for Instagram addicts. 

The trio of rear cameras are practically identical to the Galaxy S24’s arrangement, with a 50MP main shooter backed by 10MP telephoto and 12MP ultrawide cameras. It doesn’t feature the 100x Space Zoom of the S24, but we do get a 30x digital zoom for far-away targets; although we’d like to temper expectations here and say that 30x zoomed shots are not particularly crisp. We found that this camera produced clean and mostly impressive shots that should suffice for most, however low light performance can be hit or miss in situations with difficult lighting. 

Now, this is a 2024 Samsung smartphone, so strap in for some AI features. They’re mostly lifted directly from the Galaxy S24 series, which is good news as most of those AI-driven features were more useful than gimmicky. The best of the bunch is Circle to Search with Google, which allows you to draw a ring around anything on screen to instantly search for it. It’s wonderfully convenient and it even works within the camera app, meaning you can point your phone at anything with the camera open and circle it to search exactly what it is, as well as offering suggestions for online shopping.

Other AI-powered features include real-time translation for text, phone and real-life conversations, automatic formatting for notes and voice recordings, and a plethora of useful photo editing tools – the best being the generative fill option that allows you to remove subjects from a photo and generate a cohesive background to fill their place. These AI features will come down to personal preference; you may find that they become vital everyday tools or you may never touch them.

Picture

With its conventional counterpart, the S24 Ultra, scoring four out of five in the picture department, we’ll lay our cards on the table and admit that we were apprehensive about the Z Fold 6. However, we are very pleased to report that this foldable marvel absolutely delivers on its promise of being a portable big-screen AV companion, as its picture performance is really quite impressive. 

We watch clips from The Batman, Top Gun: Maverick and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story across Prime Video, Netflix and Disney Plus with both the iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Plus as reference devices, and find plenty to like on the Samsung smartphone.

What’s immediately most striking about the Z Fold’s picture is how crisp it is. There is a healthy amount of detail to be found in skin, clothing and environmental textures which all look very well defined on this expansive display. Furthermore, the sharp outlines result in a picture that oozes three-dimensional depth – which comparatively makes the iPhones look somewhat flat at times. The Fold doesn’t look overly etched though; instead, it veers closer to a balanced and natural presentation that we approve of. 

Contrast plays a key role here in creating a three-dimensional effect, and it's a highlight of the Fold’s picture performance. Highlights are bold and bright, while shadows are presented with depth and variation to great effect. In this regard, the Fold highlights that the iPhones could go a little further when it comes to shadow detail, although that’s not to say that the iPhone 15 Plus performs poorly. 

Samsung also seems to have learned a lesson where colours are concerned, as they’re not as overly vibrant as we’re used to seeing on its handsets. While the iPhone ever so slightly edges ahead in this area, we’re seriously impressed as to how well Samsung has reined in its usual over-enthusiastic approach for a more balanced presentation instead. Skin tones could look slightly more natural, but they’re not a million miles off in our opinion.

The Fold 6 really does tick all of the boxes we look for in picture performance on a smartphone; it is sharp, motion is handled well, black levels are excellent and most of all, we’d be more than happy to watch a full feature-length film on this device. 

Sound

Onto the sound performance, and once again we see a decent step up from Samsung here. We listen to a variety of artists on Tidal, including Taylor Swift, James Blake, Tool, Billie Eilish and The Weeknd via a USB-C adapter and wired headphones for our testing process and once again find ourselves impressed with the Samsung’s performance. 

The Fold delivers crisp and detailed audio, with vocal clarity being a standout component. In tracks with a heavy focus on vocals such as James Blake’s Limit To Your Love or Billie Eilish’s What Was I Made For? we find that the clarity and low-level dynamics pair up to capture the intricacies and emotive qualities of the singers’ vocal performances well.

Personally, we prefer the sound performance with Dolby Atmos switched on, as it makes the sound feel more spacious and open, even when we play content on Tidal that’s not marked as being a Dolby Atmos mix. However, those who value accuracy and authenticity will want to leave this setting turned off in order to achieve a more traditional listening experience.

That being said, we find that the iPhone 15 Plus manages to dig out a bit more sonic subtlety compared with the Galaxy Z Fold, and the Apple handset also has a touch more warmth and richness that we prefer overall. However, the Fold 6 is still a major improvement over other recent Samsung smartphones that we’ve tested, thanks to its more engaging characteristics, solid timing and enhanced clarity.

Moving on to the speakers, this device is at an advantage as it is physically larger than most other handsets, which means that there is more space between the stereo speakers. This results in an open and spacious sound that’s fairly clear and more than acceptable for a spot of movie or TV watching. The stereo speakers are also Dolby Atmos certified, and we appreciate that an attempt to recreate the object-tracking immersive sound at such a small scale.

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 can best be described as an OLED TV that will fit into your pocket. Its cinematic picture performance has truly won us over, and we’re convinced that this would be an ideal AV companion for a long-haul flight or road trip. It's pricier than the competition, and it may not be a suitable choice for those who prefer a traditional form factor, but if you’re feeling adventurous then the Z Fold 6 could be a perfect first step into the realm of foldable smartphones.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 5
• Features 5

MORE:

Read our review of the iPhone 15 Plus

Also consider the iPhone 15 Pro Max

Read our Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review

The best smartphones for music and movies

Google's wireless earbuds haven't set the world alight. That's hardly surprising – with its fingers in so many pies, Google has perhaps spread itself a little thin, so improving sound quality in its relatively minor range of wireless earbuds probably isn't top of its agenda. Samsung has the same problem, picking up a string of three-star reviews for the Galaxy Buds line. Yet Apple has managed it, with the five-star AirPods Pro 2.

Google will be hoping its next pair can improve on the three stars meted out to the original Pixel Buds Pro. So far, leaks have hinted as to the buds' design and price, but we'll use our extensive industry knowledge to fill in the gaps.

Google Pixel Buds Pro 2: price leaks

According to one leak, we're looking at a substantial price hike. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 are said to cost £219 / $229 (around AU$430). So says Dealabs (via 9to5Google), which previously leaked the price of the Google Pixel 9 smartphone and Pixel Watch 3.

That's £20 / $30 pricier than the launch price of the Pixel Buds Pro. Though given the originals can now be picked up significantly cheaper (£129 / $129 / AU$299), the sequels will have their work cut out to justify the higher price.

If that launch price is on the money – no pun intended – the Pixel Buds Pro 2 will be cheaper than the Sony WF-1000XM5, which are the best wireless earbuds around. But given that the Sonys have been out a while and are often discounted, they'll likely be around the same price or cheaper than the Pixel Buds Pro 2. The same is true of the Apple AirPods Pro 2. So Google will face some stiff competition in that section of the market.

Google Pixel Buds Pro 2: release date hearsay

One leak states that the French release date will be 22nd August. That's nine days after the Made By Google event, where the earbuds are likely to launch alongside the Pixel 9 and the Android 15 mobile operating system.

Google Pixel Buds Pro 2: design rumours

We also have some leaked photos to go on, although as these aren't officially verified we can't be 100 per cent sure they're genuine. But they certainly look like the real deal.

The leak – courtesy of Android Headlines – shows the Pixel Buds Pro 2 in four colours: grey, pink, black and green. The case looks a bit bulkier than the original, with a cutout that could be either for a lanyard or a speaker for the Find My Device feature. The case is otherwise unchanged, while the buds themselves have some new additions.

Firstly, they have wing tips. While a lot smaller than the Pixel Buds A-Series' wing tips, they are definitely there, and should hopefully help the buds stay in your ears (we noted that the Pixel Buds Pro didn't sit right in any of our reviewers' ears).

Secondly, the grilles are more prominent. These will likely be used for the ANC and transparency modes.

Google Pixel Buds Pro 2: expected features

At present, there's not much to go on regarding possible features for the Pixel Buds Pro 2. But they will undoubtedly build on their predecessor's feature set.

The Pixel Buds Pro are very much Google's take on Apple's AirPods, in that some of their features are exclusive to users of Google's Pixel smartphones. Pixel phone users get spatial audio with head tracking and all controls built into the operating system, whereas those with other-brand Android phones can access most of the same features (bar spatial audio) via an app. No iOS app makes the Pixel Buds Pro a non-starter for iPhone users, as you can't update the firmware or access the settings. Given the fierce competition in the wireless earbuds market, we can't see this changing for the Pixel Buds Pro 2.

The original Pixel Buds Pro have a feature set broadly comparable with the AirPods Pro 2, but it's the efficacy that's lacking. The noise cancellation suffers next to Apple's range-toppers, and the call quality also needs work, particularly in windy conditions. Fingers crossed Google can fix these and give us a few tasty extra features at the same time.

Google Pixel Buds Pro 2: early verdict

Google hasn't scored a five-star pair of earbuds since the Pixel Buds A-Series in 2021. Its buds aren't particularly bad, it's just that the competition is so fierce that it needs to do more to stay competitive. A lot more.

The Pixel Buds Pro 2 look promising, but doubts remain if Google can elevate itself to the level of Apple's earbuds, or remain languishing along with Samsung. We'll update this page as more leaks and rumours emerge.

MORE:

Read our review of the Cambridge Audio Melomania M100

Best wireless earbuds: top pairs tested by our experts

And the best cheap wireless earbuds

Apple is reportedly ready to jump on the folding bandwagon with its first-ever foldable smartphone. According to a report from The Information, Apple's articulated trailblazer, codenamed "V68", is set to arrive in 2026 and will sport a "clamshell" design, doubling over vertically in the same vein as the newly unveiled Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6. 

Details are sketchy at the moment, but The Information claims that Apple is actually in the process of developing the phone now that it's settled on a design, and while rumours have swirled for many years that the Californian company would deviate from its standard iPhone configuration, it appears that it has a concrete plan that has "moved beyond the conceptual stage". 

Apple's big concern has been with eliminating the crease that often results as part of having a folding design, something that Samsung has seemingly done a pretty good job in smoothing over with its latest Z Flip model. According to The Verge, Apple is also working on a foldable iPad, strengthening the idea that it would use similar techniques and technology for a scaled-down mobile version. 

Before we get to anything folding, Apple will almost certainly be releasing its latest iteration of its classic iPhone model – the iPhone 16 – later in the year, with rumours suggesting that we'll see a launch in early September 2024. This week we also heard that Apple TV+ is set to be trimmed back because not enough people are watching. Lots going on for Apple, then.

Will a folding iPhone actually ever arrive? Nothing's confirmed yet, but we'll let you know as soon as we have concrete information either way. 

MORE:

Is this our first look at the iPhone 16 range?

Like a folding phone? Read our hands on: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review

Read our Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review

Samsung is going big on AI. Want proof? The South Korean giant recently announced a host of tantalising new products, including its new Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy Z Fold smartphones, not to mention new smartwatches and its much-awaited fitness tracking Samsung Ring, all of which harness the powers of artificial intelligence to varying degrees. 

The company's new generation of wireless earbuds are no different. Samsung has unveiled two new pairs of noise-cancelling wireless earbuds – the Galaxy Buds 3 and the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, both of which incorporate AI capabilities, brand new designs and some major internal tweaks in the hopes of giving Samsung a chance in this most competitive of spaces.

• Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review

The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are the company's new flagship ANC model, and the first thing you'll notice about them is how little they resemble the outgoing model. Samsung has ditched the circular bean shape of the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro in favour of a slimmer, AirPods-like stem design, with on-unit "Blade Lights" LEDs which indicate key vitals such as battery life and connectivity status, and even flash if you've lost them in a gloomy or low-lit environment. The cheaper Galaxy Buds 3 offer an "open" design, although they're open in the sense that they don't have tips which go that deep into the ear canal rather than being out-of-ear clip models in the same vein as the Huawei FreeClip or the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds. 

The flagship Galaxy 3 Pro feature a two-way driver design, with a single 10.5mm dynamic driver complemented by a 6.1mm planar tweeter (each powered by its own amplifier) for a more balanced, comprehensive sonic performance, whereas the more affordable Buds 3 use a one-way configuration with a single 11mm dynamic driver. Both pairs also offer support for hi-res audio streaming over Bluetooth up to 24-bit/96kHz via Samsung's new SSC UHQ codec (a step up from the previous codec that supported up to 24-bit/48kHz), although this is only compatible with specific top-tier Galaxy smartphones and devices.

As hinted at above, both pairs go big on features, especially the Galaxy 3 Pro. The flagship buds offer intelligent sound optimisation which automatically adjusts noise cancelling levels depending on your environment and your particular needs at the time, while both models offer an impressive-looking interpreter function that uses AI to convert foreign languages in real time. Both offer noise cancelling, but you'll only get access to the Ambient Sound mode with the 3 Pro. 

The Galaxy Buds 3 offer five hours of playback from the earbuds with ANC on, while the 3 Pro go one further and offer six hours, figures which are boosted by an additional 22 hours with the charging case. 

You'll also get 360 Audio immersive listening and Auracast capabilities with both sets of earbuds. Both are equipped with on-ear touch controls and both offer an IP57 rating which offers solid protection against dust and moisture ingress.

If you want to know what we thought of the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro at first glance, our hands-on review will give you the lowdown. Although we didn't get a chance to hear the new contenders for ourselves – that, sadly, will have to wait until the full review. 

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are available now priced at £219, whereas the Galaxy Buds 3 will set you back £159 (further prices pending). Both pairs will come in a choice of either a silver or a white finish.

MORE: 

Read our Samsung Galaxy 3 Pro hands-on review  

And our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 hands-on review 

These are the best wireless earbuds around 

Samsung has launched two new devices in its Galaxy Z series of foldable handsets in the form of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6. These devices continue the established form factors, with updated designs, more powerful internal components and Samsung's Galaxy AI which was a standout feature in its S24 Ultra smartphone earlier this year.

Starting with the Galaxy Z Fold 6, the latest iteration of this phone continues the half-phone, half-tablet concept with a book-style folding functionality. It features two screens in total; a cover screen that functions like a regular handset and a larger interior screen that is indicative of a small tablet. Samsung has actually increased the size of the display of this year's Z Fold while also making the phone more compact, which sounds like an oxymoron, but we can assure you it's not. The screen is actually wider and shorter, with more squared-off bezels around the corner, leading to a sleeker look and more screen real estate.

• Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review

Speaking of the screens, Samsung has outfitted the new Fold with a 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, with a resolution of 2160 x 1856 (an unusual figure given the screen size, but it's practically Quad HD), HDR10+ support, and a 1Hz to 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. The cover display is a lower resolution 6.3-inch HD+ affair, although it's still a Dynamic AMOLED with a 1Hz to 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. It also supports Dolby Atmos audio via headphones and the built-in speaker system.

The Z Fold 6 is also thinner and lighter than last year's model, down to just 5.6mm when unfolded and weighing only 239g (14g later than the Z Fold 5). Samsung claims that this makes the phone more comfortable in the hand and pocket alike. Internally Samsung has bought the Fold up to speed with the Galaxy S24 Ultra, with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy processor (this special Samsung variant apparently has a slightly higher clock speed) and 12GB of RAM. Storage comes in either 256GB, 512GB or 1TB capacities and the battery is rated at 4400mAh – the same as the Fold 5. It's also running Android 14 with Samsung's One UI 6.1.1 skin over the top.

Camera performance is also indicative of last year's model, with a trio of rear shooters. The main lens is a 50MP wide-angle camera, which is backed up with a 12MP ultra-wide and 10MP telephoto lens, as well as a 4MP under-display front-facing camera on the main display, and a 10MP front-facing lens on the cover display.

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 comes in three bold finishes: silver shadow, pink and navy. It starts at £1799 with pre-orders starting today.

Following up with the Galaxy Z Flip 6, as the name suggests this is Samsung's modern take on the flip phone. Samsung gave this phone a fairly hefty update last year, so this appears to be a spec bump above all else. It features the newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, an upgraded 50MP main camera that it shares with the Galaxy S24 Ultra and a 6.7-inch Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 1Hz to 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. It also gets a boost in battery life with a new 4000mAh cell (up from 3700mAh on its predecessor) and either 256GB or 512GB of storage backed by 12GB of RAM.

Available in four finishes – blue, yellow, silver shadow and mint – the Galaxy Z Flip 6 starts at £1049 with pre-orders starting today.

As expected, both devices are deeply integrated with Samsung's new AI features which launched alongside the Galaxy S24 series earlier this year. This includes the rather handy circle to search with Google feature, the AI generative fill photo editing tools, smart suggestions for message responses and live translation for texts and phone calls. Both devices will launch fully on the 24th of July alongside the new Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro and a pair of new Galaxy Watch devices.

MORE:

Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review

Check out our full Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review

And our picks for the best smartphones

Check out our Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro hands-on review

Samsung's AirPods-rivalling wireless earbuds go big on AI – but can they compete sonically?

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 will have a new look, if the latest leaked image is to be believed. The image (below) shows a new stem design, with a more angular finish than the AirPods more curvaceous look.

The image was posted to South Korean retail site Coupang, via SamMobile.

This would be the first time the Galaxy Buds have featured stems. Previous models had a more bulbous, rounded design. While the stems look similar to those featured on the AirPods range, the more angled design sets them apart from Apple's wireless earbuds. They also look metallic, so there should be no mistaking them for the AirPods, which only come in white.

The Galaxy buds 3 are rumoured to have a single driver, ANC and an IP57 rating. Battery life is said to be 24 hours.

We're expecting them to launch at Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event next month.

MORE:

Read our Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 review and Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro review

Here's our expert pick of the best wireless earbuds

And the best AirPods around

Apple has taken the wraps off its forthcoming iOS 18 mobile operating system. Due to launch this autumn, iOS 18 is a dead cert to feature on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, and with artificial intelligence and customisation at its core, it has plenty new to differentiate it from previous versions of iOS.

Apple won't be the first firm to put AI in a smartphone. Samsung introduced some AI elements in its Galaxy S24 earlier this year, while Google has been dabbling in AI with its Pixel phones for years. But because of its scale and influence, Apple's implementation was keenly awaited.

Bear in mind that Apple hasn't announced the iPhone 16 yet. But as sure as night follows day, it should launch this September, running the iOS 18 software Apple detailed last night. Let's see what it'll be capable of.

AI

Apple's AI implementation is called Apple Intelligence, and Apple claims it's "deeply integrated into iOS 18". It will harness ChatGPT's expertise to let you rewrite, proofread, and summarise text across apps, create images, compile memories in the Photos app by typing a description and edit photos. Siri will also take a massive dose of AI, becoming more "natural, contextually relevant and personal".

Apple claims that Apple Intelligence is "built with privacy from the ground up", and that where data is sent to the cloud for processing it will still be secure. But some disagree. Elon Musk says he will ban Apple devices from his companies if OpenAI (who makes ChatGPT) is integrated at the system level due to security fears. "That is an unacceptable security violation," he tweeted. "And visitors will have to check their Apple devices at the door, where they will be stored in a Faraday cage."

Of Apple's handsets, Apple Intelligence has only been announced for the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, not the standard iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Plus. We'll have to wait and see if the non-Pro iPhone 16 models are granted it, or if it remains the preserve of the Pros.

Customisation

iOS 18 will bring new ways to customise your iPhone. You'll be able to arrange apps how you like, including leaving gaps between them and placing them right above the dock. You can make app icons bigger, and tint them to make them look darker. 

Control Centre has been redesigned and is more customisable and flexible, with quick access to much-used features like media playback.

Better messaging

iMessage has been given a rethink too. You'll be able to schedule messages to send later (handy for arranging birthday wishes while you remember), add formatting like bold and italics, and the RCS standard is now supported for larger capacity and better reliability when messaging non-iOS users.

You'll also be able to send messages via satellite, if you don't have mobile reception. SOS satellite features are available on the iPhone 14 and later, so expect satellite messaging to be available on all four models of iPhone 16.

Game Mode

The iPhone 16 will have a Game Mode. The feature launched on Apple's Mac computers last year (those that run on Apple's Silicon chips, anyway), and is coming to iPhone later this year.

Game Mode minimises background activity while maximising frame rates. It will also enable greater responsiveness with AirPods and game controllers, giving you a competitive advantage.

More AirPods features

Thanks to Siri Interactions, you'll be able to nod or shake your head to accept or decline Siri announcements. Incoming call interrupting your workout playlist? Just shake your head to reject it.

Voice Isolation is also coming to AirPods Pro. Using advanced computational audio, it will ensure the caller's voice is still audible in loud or windy environments. Updates also promise to drop AirPods' latency and add Personalised Spatial Audio to make games more immersive.

Apple Music's SharePlay feature is also making it possible for more listeners to share control of what's playing. Sounds great, as long as you agree on what to play...

MORE:

A new AirPlay feature is coming which Apple didn’t mention at WWDC 2024

Check out our Apple TV 4K review

And our Apple HomePod 2 review

Sony has unleashed its latest pair of Xperia smartphones for 2024. It is continuing the Roman numeral naming convention with the Xperia 1 VI and Xperia 10 VI – however, there's a controversial change on one of these devices that is sure to upset movie fans.

Starting with the Xperia 1 VI, this handset is a follow-up to the excellent Xperia 1 V from last year. This is Sony's flagship device in the new Xperia lineup. It has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset inside and 12GB RAM, with either 256GB or 512GB of internal storage. This is the same specification as the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra which was a mighty powerful device crammed full of features; so expectations are high for this new handset. 

The camera has also received an upgrade over last year's model. The Exmoor T module that made its debut on the Xperia 1 V returns, with a new 7.1 times optical zoom lens alongside it, and a new telephoto macro mode for capturing subjects up close. The Pro Camera and Pro Video apps have also been consolidated into a single app, meaning you can access professional shooting modes in one convenient place. 

Sony is also touting the power of its AI integration, with new human pose estimation technology, which will track a subject with points attached to each part of their body and allow for smoother tracked video, as well as more accurate focus. Much like the Galaxy S24 Ultra, the Xperia 1 VI will now apply HDR to your viewfinder within the camera apps, meaning you will be able to preview exactly what your camera will capture. 

It is with the display that things get controversial. As the rumours foreshadowed, two iconic aspects of the Xperia 1 series smartphones have been removed from this generation. First is the 4K resolution, which isn't immediately a problem – very few apps support 4K streaming on mobile. However, Sony has instead opted for a Full HD+ (2220 x 1080) display, which makes this downgrade feel especially jarring; many other handsets use a Quad HD display (2560 x 1440). Sony highlights a few benefits of dropping this display resolution down to 1080p though – namely better battery performance and display brightness. 

Next to go is the 21:9 aspect ratio. Sony is now using a more conventional 19.5:9 display on the 1 VI. The 21:9 display was a unique feature on the Xperia phones which made them ideal for watching movies, as content would fill the screen without any black letterboxing bars. The more commonly used aspect ratio (also used on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, once again) will probably make day-to-day usability better, as the tall and skinny screen wasn't without its flaws.

Thankfully, it's by no means all bad news when it comes to the display. The 6.5-inch screen is a "new and smarter OLED display" according to Sony, and it has Bravia pedigree to back it up. Sony claims that the display on this smartphone is "powered by Bravia", meaning Sony's TV division may well have had a hand in tweaking the performance. Sony claims that the built-in AI remastering feature will improve colour, contrast and clarity on both your own videos and on streaming services. 

It is also 50 per cent brighter than the Xperia 1 V for enhanced outdoor viewing and it has a variable refresh rate from 1Hz to 120Hz; that's quite the step up, so we look forward to seeing how this new model compares with its predecessor. 

Thankfully, there are far fewer compromises where sound features are concerned. The Xperia 1 VI has a new full-stage stereo speaker system, which pairs a symmetrically placed loudspeaker and earpiece for a more balanced performance and less distortion at higher volumes. And we are delighted to see that Sony is keeping the headphone jack alive for yet another year, although Bluetooth audio with LDAC is also supported if you prefer to use wireless headphones. Dolby Atmos is also on board if you want to take advantage of the immersive format for watching movies or streaming music from Tidal, Apple Music or Amazon Music Unlimited. 

Design-wise, Sony is keeping things familiar, as the Xperia 1 VI looks nearly identical to the model it's replacing. Internally it has the same 5000mAh battery which Sony claims will last for two days, and on the outside, the textured back panel and ribbed side rails return which is a plus in our books. It even comes in the same three colours as the Xperia 1 V – Black, Platinum Silver and Khaki. 

The Sony Xperia 1 VI goes on sale in early June, and it will cost around £1299 – which is the same price the Xperia 1 V launched at. As is the case with its predecessor, there are no plans to launch it in Australia or the US.

Moving away from the flagship space and looking at Sony's new budget offering, the Xperia 10 VI has rather large shoes to fill. The last two iterations of this device earned themselves What Hi-Fi? Awards for best smartphone under £500, so all eyes are on the Xperia 10 VI to deliver an equally good, or ideally an even better, AV experience. 

A fair few features are cut back from the Xperia 1 VI, including the metal and glass construction. Instead, the new Xperia 10 features an all-plastic build, with a translucent back panel and smoothed-out camera module. It's also a touch heavier than its predecessor, weighing 164g up from the Xperia 10 V's 159g weight. It will launch in three finishes: Black, White or Blue. 

As expected, camera upgrades are at the forefront of this new model. Sony has included three new focal lengths to the dual camera, meaning one lens has been dropped from last year's model. There are a few new software features to compensate though, including automatic camera modes and colour settings, as well as a clever video editing app that allows you to tweak a video for social media in around a minute – both tools here are powered by Sony AI. 

Sony has opted for a particular strategy for the Xperia 10 VI's display. While the 21:9 has been dropped on the Xperia 1 (arguably the more enthusiast-focused device), the aspect ratio has been retained on the cheaper handset. The Xperia 10 VI has a 21:9 OLED screen, which Sony says is brighter this year, although it's still tipped to be 1080p and 60Hz. It is a Triluminous Display for mobile, which Sony claims will leverage "technology cultivated for Bravia TVs", so picture performance expectations for this budget handset is high. 

The improved stereo speakers from the last model return, although Sony claims they are louder this year. We hope Sony has addressed the issue that means the Xperia 10's frame rattles and vibrates when the speakers are in use, although most people should stick to headphone audio on this device anyway. Once again the headphone jack returns, and wireless audio is supported over Bluetooth with LDAC support.

Internally, the Xperia 10 VI has a few surprises too. Thankfully, Sony has upgraded the processor, using the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chip inside the Xperia 10. This won't be a life-changing update over the Snapdragon 695 5G from the previous two generations, but the underpowered internals of the Xperia 10 V were an issue so we are glad to see it addressed. Sony is once again touting a two-day battery life on this phone much like its more expensive counterpart. 

The Xperia 10 VI launches in mid-June, and it will cost £349 – the same price as its predecessor. Unfortunately, it will not launch in the US or Australia, much like nearly all of the recent Xperia handsets.

MORE:

Read our full Sony Xperia 5 V review

Check out our picks for the best Android phones

And the best smartphones

Sony's Xperia range has included some of the best smartphones for AV fans in the past, offering content consumption features that few alternatives can rival. Unfortunately, according to recent rumours and leaks surrounding the 2024 successor to the Xperia 1 V, it looks like Sony is dialling back the features that make watching movies and TV on its premium smartphone so enjoyable. 

Thanks to a collaboration between OnLeaks and Android Headlines, we can take an early look at the next version of the Xperia 1's design. The upcoming phone seen in these images – presumably the Xperia 1 VI unless Sony decides to shake up its naming convention – sports a broader build and, as a result, a new aspect ratio. In fact, the Xperia 1 VI is expected to be a touch shorter and wider than the 1 V, all while retaining the same 6.5-inch display; the rumoured measurements are 161.9 x 74.5 x 8.4mm (hwd), whereas the 1 V measured 165 x 71 x 8.3mm (hwd). 

This results in the 1 VI supposedly adopting a more conventional 19.5:9 aspect ratio, which is the same as the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Gone is the 21:9 aspect ratio; a feature that we've praised previously for chopping the black letterbox bars off in favour of an 'all-screen' effect when watching supported content. However, this more commonly used aspect ratio might be a good sign for those who weren't fans of the tall and thin display due to the slightly awkward handling and software experience it brings.

That's not the only change that's expected to come to the Xperia 1, as it is also expected to drop the 4K resolution in 2024. Sony has been the only mainstream smartphone manufacturer to feature a 4K display on its smartphone since in 2016 and it has kept that tradition up for the majority of the following eight years. That streak looks to be ending this year, though, as further leaks reported by Fone Arena claim that the Xperia 1 VI could drop down to a more conventional Quad HD+, roughly 3200 x 1440 resolution (otherwise known as 2K+). 

Elsewhere the Xperia 1 V is expected to include a triple camera array with the Exmoor T sensor that featured prominently in last year's model making a return, as well as the dedicated shutter button on the frame of the device. More importantly, the headphone jack remains, which is promising news for those who value high-resolution wired audio (such as ourselves). Design-wise, these early renders appear close to the existing Xperia 1 V, with squared-off corners and flat edges around the device. 

We must remember that these are merely rumours for now, with no release date or even announcement date for this upcoming Android smartphone. Only time will tell if Sony opts for these AV downgrades with its latest smartphones, but we'll tell all in our review when the product does launch. Considering the Xperia 5 and Xperia 10 also sport the ultrawide aspect ratio, we might be in for a major shift with Sony's 2024 smartphone slate.

MORE:

Read our full Sony Xperia 1 V review

And check out our picks for the best Android phones

Samsung has announced that it will implement support for 3D Audio over headphones in a selection of its 2024 TVs. Samsung says that it will provide a "theatre-like experience at home", which is a bold claim indeed. 

While not all models will include this feature, there is a decent selection here. Its QLED, 4K Neo QLED, 8K Neo QLED and OLED models (including the S95D) all feature in the compatibility list. The full list of supported models is as follows:

• Samsung Neo QLED 8K: QN900D, QN800D
• Neo QLED 4K: QN95D, QN90D, QN87D, QN85D
• OLED: S95D, S90D, S85D
• QLED: Q80D, Q70D

This audio feature boils down to being virtualised surround sound audio emulated through headphones; in a way, it reminds us of Apple's Spatial Audio feature on AirPods. The TV transmits a 5.1 surround sound signal, which is then turned into a 360-degree audio experience via processing. Samsung has also confirmed that it will include head-tracking functionality to "create a truly immersive soundscape".  

360 Audio features on other Samsung gadgets such as its Galaxy phones, tablets and laptops, but this will be the first time it comes to the brand's TVs. This, however, brings us to our first catch. This feature will only work with Samsung's own Galaxy Buds 2 and Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, with a firmware update to unlock this feature expected to launch later this week. Samsung says it will "continue evolving the Galaxy Buds series to deliver intelligent, best-in-class and seamlessly connected sound", meaning we could see a new model support this feature soon, but as for now pickings are slim.

Samsung is also omitting a key player in the 360 audio game with this new feature. It's confirmed that Dolby Atmos will not be supported, and while we know Samsung doesn't take kindly to Dolby Vision, it's disappointing to see it exclude Atmos in this instance. The thinking here is that Samsung might instead use this feature to trial its Immersive Audio Model and Formats (IAMF), as pointed out by Tom's Guide. 

There are still a few mysteries surrounding this new feature, such as which streaming services will support it, and if any more headphones will support the tech. The biggest question we have is will it be any good? We'll have to try it out for ourselves when we receive review units of the new 2024 Samsung TV models.

MORE:

Read our Samsung QN900D hands on review

As well as our Samsung S95D hands on review

Check out our picks for the best TVs

Apple and Samsung are two of the biggest names in the smartphone world, so it’s not much of a surprise that the rivals like to keep a keen eye on what the other is doing. As do those who own them…

If you’re in the market for a new smartphone and wondering whether to stick with what you know or jump ship, then we’re putting the standard models of each brand’s newest smartphone up against each other to see how they compare.

Remember, Samsung just launched its three-strong Galaxy S24 family in January 2024, while the iPhone 15 range launched in September 2023. How do they hold up against one another on paper? Keep reading to find out.

Samsung Galaxy S24 vs iPhone 15: price

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and the iPhone 15 are both premium priced phones, though they are the most affordable in their respective ranges. You can find the pricing for the different storage options below.

The two phones track each other pretty closely for price in the lower storage options, though there are some regional variances in the availability of the Samsung Galaxy S24. 

For example, there is no 128GB version of the S24 in Australia, but it has a 512GB option instead – something that isn't available in the UK or US.

That means if you rely on a lot of on-phone storage and live in the UK or US, you're going to need to opt for the iPhone 15, or consider the Samsung Galaxy S24+ or the S24 Ultra.

The iPhone 15 is available in all storage options in all regions. It comes up just slightly more expensive than the Galaxy S24 in the 256GB variant but has a pretty big price premium when it comes to the 512GB option in Australia.

Samsung Galaxy S24 vs iPhone 15: design

At first glance, these rival phones look very similar indeed.

They both go for flat sides, rounded edges and curved corners, and are built into compact frames that are ultimately determined by the size of their screens. The S24 pips the iPhone on that, with a 6.2-inch display, compared with the 6.1-inch display on the iPhone 15.

Despite that, the iPhone is ever so slightly taller and wider than the S24, but that’s only clear if you look at the specs. In the hand, you can barely tell – and that goes for weight too, with the iPhone 15’s 171g to the Galaxy S24’s 167g.

Both have aluminium edges, colour-matched to their back panels. For the S24, there’s a broad choice of Marble Grey, Onyx Black, Cobalt Violet, Amber Yellow, Sapphire Blue, Jade Green and Sandstone Orange.

In the iPhone 15, the names aren’t as fancy, but you can choose from a choice of pastel tones, including blue, green, yellow and pink, plus there’s your standard black as well.

Both back panels are coated in glass, but they have a more matte finish than you might think, so not as slippy in the hand. In the Galaxy S24, Samsung uses Gorilla Glass Victus 2, while Apple doesn’t name the glass used in the iPhone 15, apart from saying it is “colour infused” and “durable” thanks to a custom dual ion-exchange process. Got it? It will also be cheaper to replace than previous iterations, which is a bonus.

Perhaps the biggest design difference, though, is how the cameras look. Whereas the Galaxy S24 stacks its three main cameras on top of one another directly onto the phone’s back panel, the iPhone’s two cameras sit diagonally and are raised up on a square platform.

The front-facing cameras also look a little different. Samsung’s S24 goes for a pinhole camera design, cut into the screen, while the selfie cam on the iPhone 15 is hidden within Apple’s Dynamic Island.

Finally, both phones now charge via a USB-C port along the rear edge, following Apple’s departure from its proprietary Lightning charging port. 

The big difference here, though, is transfer speeds. The iPhone 15 only supports the USB 2 standard for data transfer, limiting it to 480Mbps, whereas the Galaxy S24 features USB 3.2 Gen 2, with transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbps.

Samsung Galaxy S24 vs iPhone 15: features

As you’d imagine with premium phones at this level, both phones are stacked with features, but one of the biggest differences between these two devices is their software.

The iPhone 15 features Apple’s latest iOS 17, while Samsung is built on Android 14 with Samsung’s One UI 6.1.

This year, Apple’s software comes with several improvements, including better personalisation, new messaging features, more interactive widgets and Apple’s new Standby mode, plus the arrival of Dynamic Island on this level of iPhone for the first time (previously, it was limited to the Pro models only).

While Apple does lean into AI with its features, Samsung goes all in. Features like Live Translate, which offers real-time, two-way translation, Circle to Search, which offers gesture-based search from pictures and Note Assist for generating automatic summaries are a few of the tricks up its sleeve.

That joins photo-based features like Generative Edit, which allows you to move subjects around, change the size of them and generate background for any gaps.

Speaking of photos, the camera setup between the two phones throws up some clear differences, but in practice, there may not be a huge difference.

The S24 has three lenses and sticks with the same camera setup as the S23 – a 50MP (f/1.8) main camera, a 12MP (f/2.2) ultrawide and a 10MP 3x zoom (f/2.4), plus a 12MP selfie cam. The iPhone 15 instead has two lenses, boosting the main camera to 48MP (f/1.6), supported by a 12MP (f/2.4) ultrawide and a 12MP front-facing camera.

While the iPhone looks to lose out on a zoom lens, the main camera actually incorporates a 2x optical zoom, made possible by cropping into the centre 12 megapixels of the 48MP sensor. It’s not exactly the same, but the two lenses are not as much of a loss as it might seem initially. 

There are the usual differences in how Samsung and Apple choose to present their images – Samsung leans into the vibrant and impressive, while Apple goes a touch more natural, but you aren’t going to be disappointed with either camera.

Other notable features are mapped closely between the two rivals, including IP68 waterproofing, Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E for faster wi-fi speeds and lower latency.

Battery life is also pretty similar, though Samsung may just have the edge – though it all depends on how you use your phone. The S24 packs a 4,000mAh battery and “all-day” battery life promises, while the iPhone 15 has a reported (though not confirmed by Apple) 3349mAh battery with 20 hours of video playback. 

When it comes to charging them back up again, the S24 supports 25W wired charging and 15W wireless, while the iPhone 15 offers 20W wired, 15W via MagSafe and a slower 7.5W if using a Qi wireless charger.

Running all of this are two pretty powerful processors. That said, Apple, for the first time, has kept an older processor here – using the Apple A16 Bionic introduced in the iPhone 14 family and only moving the 15 Pro models up to the new A17 Bionic.

The A16 isn’t exactly lacking in power though, with a 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, a 16-core Neural engine, and 6GB of RAM supporting too.

The S24’s processor depends on where in the world you are, with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 powering the phone in America but with Samsung’s own Exynos 2400 stepping in for Europe – but both with 8GB RAM. 

You are unlikely to find yourself wanting for power in either, but benchmark tests largely come up in the S24’s favour.

Samsung Galaxy S24 vs iPhone 15: picture

We've already established that the Galaxy S24 has a slightly larger screen than the iPhone 15, at 6.2 inches and 6.1 inches respectively. However, Samsung's handset also holds the ace when it comes to its variable refresh rate, offering 1-120Hz depending on what is on the screen, helping to keep things smooth and snappy while also lowering battery consumption.

The iPhone 15, by comparison, has a static 60Hz refresh rate, which still runs perfectly smoothly for the majority of tasks. However, it means the most demanding games might not run quite as well as they do on the S24.

The iPhone 15 is also pipped when it comes to brightness, with a 2,000 nit peak compared with the S24's 2,600 nits. As we know from the best 4K TVs, though, these peaks don't come into effect much in use, and you're unlikely to see much difference in day-to-day use.

Unlike the higher resolution of the S24 Ultra, the S24 sticks with full HD for its display, offering 2340 x 1080 pixels and a 416ppi pixel density. The OLED display of the iPhone 15 just pips it on paper, with 2556 x 1179 pixels and a 460ppi pixel density, but once again, you're unlikely to find yourself wanting with either display. They're crisp, clear and great for watching movies when you're on the go.

We haven't tested both together, but going on our experience of the S24 Ultra, colours could be ever so slightly more vibrant on the Samsung. If you prefer a more natural colour balance, then the iPhone 15 could be the better choice.

Samsung Galaxy S24 vs iPhone 15: sound

The audio on the Galaxy S24 looks to be pretty much identical to the S24 Ultra, offering stereo sound through a bottom-firing speaker plus the earpiece. There’s no 3.5mm jack, of course, so you’ll need a USB-C-to-3.5mm adapter, a pair of USB-C headphones or opt to go wireless.

If you choose the latter, there’s the aforementioned Bluetooth 5.3 support with Bluetooth Low Energy (LE), and there’s also support for Dolby Atmos audio baked in.

If our experience with the S24 Ultra is anything to go on, we’d expect an energetic sound but one that might lack a little subtlety.

Samsung has improved the mids in the S24 family, but that comes at a cost of some of the richness in the low end. Still, we found the soundstage to be decently spacious with plenty of clarity that should work just fine for casual listening on the go – and it’ll go decently loud without headphones too.

The iPhone 15 offers a similar setup, with stereo sound from a bottom-firing speaker and earpiece, plus the same support for Bluetooth 5.3 and Dolby Atmos.

We’ve long admired the way Apple handles sound on its phones and if our experience on the 15 Pro Max is anything to go by, we’d expect to be similarly impressed here. We liked the full-bodied, energetic sound, alongside a cleaner, smoother treble, and decent speakers with impressive dynamic range.

We’ll update this with model-specific experience once our full reviews are published.

Samsung Galaxy S24 vs iPhone 15: early verdict

While we are yet to publish our full reviews on these two smartphones, our experience with their more expensive siblings, plus proper analysis of their specs and early hands-on experience gives us a good idea of how they will compare. And it comes very close indeed.

With similar prices and specs that leave very little in it, it is going to come down to the user experience that sways you either way. Firstly, whether you prefer iOS or Android is undoubtedly going to be a biggie. Whether you're impressed by an impressive range of AI smarts may well be another.

But while the on-paper specs may tip towards Samsung's offering too, our experience elsewhere in the range suggests the iPhone 15 may just have the edge from a sound and picture perspective.

We'll have to confirm that once our full testing has been completed.

MORE:

Samsung Galaxy S24 vs S24 Ultra: what are the differences?

Head over to our iPhone 15 Pro Max review

Leaning towards the competition? Check out our Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review

The list of products Apple has been rumoured to be working on over the years includes everything from televisions to cars, but the latest one feels much more plausible: a folding iPhone.

According to The Information, the R&D lab at Apple HQ in Cupertino has been working hard on two folding iPhone prototypes with horizontal hinges across the middle, similar to Samsung’s clamshell Galaxy Z Fold 5 or the Motorola RAZR 40 Ultra. The report claims that "a person with direct knowledge of the situation" says the phones are in the very early stages of development, with neither expected to be available any time soon. 

It’s not unusual for R&D projects and patents to never see the light of day at all, but Apple has a history of letting other manufacturers prepare the ground when it comes to launching new product types, and then swooping in with something more polished. The iPhone was not the first smartphone, the iPad was not the first tablet, and the Apple Watch was not the first smartwatch, but all three have gone on to become leaders in their respective fields. 

Folding smartphones have enjoyed limited success so far. Early models were too bulky and breakable, and while more recent devices have certainly slimmed down – the Honor Magic V2 is barely thicker than a standard smartphone when folded up – their price tags remain prohibitively high for many. 

According to data and analytics company Kantar, foldable phones account for just 1% of total smartphones owned across the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the US, and Australia in 2023. Apple would back itself to change that, and International Data Corporation forecasts significant growth by 2027, by which time Tim Cook and co might have joined the party. 

This is not the first time Apple has been rumoured to be working on a foldable iPhone either. The idea has been around since 2016 and refuses to go away, with analysts suggesting that a folding iPad is more likely to see the light of day first, which would be a boon for those who like to watch movies on the move. 

These latest rumours suggest a different kind of device though; something that’s designed to become more pocketable rather than unfolding book-style to reveal a larger screen inside.

Those who pay attention to Apple’s inventory may have noticed that there hasn’t been a new iPad Mini since 2021. Could some sort of folding device be its successor? Could we see a foldable iPhone 16 later in the year? It's probably unlikely, but we'll bring you more information if it becomes available.

MORE:

What to expect from Apple in 2024 – iPhone 16, AirPods 4, new iPads and more

Forget the iPhone 15, next year's iPhone 16 could feature a major OLED upgrade

And find the best iPhone deals

The Samsung Galaxy S24 brings the fight to the iPhone 15, boasting a big, bright screen, AI skills galore and a new processor to keep things running as responsively as users demand in this day and age. Three models are available: the S24, S24 Plus (simply a larger version) and the flagship S24 Ultra.

So if you're wondering which model to buy and what you'll be sacrificing or gaining by choosing one over the other, you've come to the right place. Below we compare the prices, design, features and audio and video specs of the Galaxy S24 and S24 Ultra, the latter of which our expert reviews team has gone 12 rounds with, resulting in a four-star S24 Ultra review.

(Contemplating the S24 Plus? Just note the S24's specs but remember it's a physically bigger handset.)

• iPhone 16: all the rumours about what to expect from the 2024 iPhone
• Samsung Galaxy S24 vs iPhone 15: the big iOS-Android battle

Samsung Galaxy S24 vs S24 Ultra: price

You can see the prices of all models and configurations of Galaxy S24 and S24 Ultra below.

The only crossover storage capacity between the two phones is 256GB, where the S24 Ultra is almost £400 / $400 / AU$800 more expensive. In Australia, the S24 also comes with a 512GB capacity, where it's AU$800 cheaper than the S24 Ultra).

So what do you get for your money?

Samsung Galaxy S24 vs S24 Ultra: design

What's immediately obvious when you put the two handsets next to one another is how different they look, which isn't all that common for phones in the same range.

In line with previous iterations of the Galaxy phone, the S24 Ultra has squared corners whereas the S24's are rounded. But this year, the Ultra's 6.8-inch screen is flat rather than curved, meaning less screen glare, less distortion towards the 'gutters' at the edges of the screen, and fewer accidental taps.

This is the first Ultra model to be built with titanium (much like the iPhone 15 Pro models). And Samsung wants you to know about it – the phone comes in seven colours called Titanium Black, Titanium Grey, Titanium Violet, Titanium Yellow, Titanium Blue, Titanium Green and Titanium Orange (the last three of which are Samsung.com exclusives). Why titanium? It's said to increase grip to prevent drops, and increase durability so that if you do drop it it's less likely to break. 

In place of titanium, the 'standard' S24 uses an Aluminium Armour frame and One Mass design, with a smooth gapless design between the frame and glass panels. It too has seven colour options: Onyx Black, Marble Grey, Amber Yellow, Cobalt Violet, Sapphire Blue, Jade Green and Sandstone Orange (the last three of which are only sold by Samsung).

Gone is the glossy frame of the S23, in favour of a more understated matte finish with a satin rear panel.

Samsung Galaxy S24 vs S24 Ultra: features

Samsung's Galaxy S range is its flagship family of smartphones, so it's not short of features. This year's headline feature is AI, which enables some neat skills like 'Circle to Search with Google' (Google something just by drawing a ring around it) and AI photo editing, which auto-fills in missing background once you edit out an element. There are more AI tools to play with, even if many of them are a bit gimmicky. Still, these two very useful AI features work very well indeed and will undoubtedly be part of your everyday phone use.

They're available on both the Galaxy S24 and S24 Ultra and will come to other Samsung phones as well, including the S23 Ultra and Z Fold 5.

The S24 Ultra has a special 'For Galaxy' version of Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, while the standard S24 makes do with Samsung's own Exynos processor. 

In terms of their displays, both phones have the same dynamic refresh rate (1Hz to 120Hz) which allows them to react on the fly depending on what's happening on-screen – if the action gets frantic, they can scale up the refresh rate to minimise blur; if it's static, it can drop right down to preserve battery life. Both have Dynamic AMOLED displays, though the S24's is only Full HD whereas the Ultra's is Quad HD. Brightness for both is 2600 nits, making for clear viewing in bright sunlight.

Unsurprisingly, the S24 Ultra has more storage options and power too – up to 1TB of storage compared to the S24's maximum of 256GB, and 12GB of RAM instead of the S24's 8GB. Its 5000mAh battery dwarfs the S24's 4000mAh, promising up to 30 hours of video playback (versus 29 hours for the S24) and up to 95 hours of audio playback (versus 78 hours for the S24). Both have wireless charging.

Another major point of difference is the S Pen stylus, which comes with the S24 Ultra but isn't compatible with the standard S24. The stylus lets you write and draw on the screen and tucks into the frame of the phone with a satisfying click.

Samsung's cameras are some of the best found on any phone. The Ultra has an extra telephoto camera over the S24's arrangement, and it packs an impressive 50 megapixels. Its other telephoto matches the S24's single 10-megapixel one. Both phones have the same 12-megapixel front camera, while the Ultra's wide-angle has 200 megapixels compared to the S24's 50 megapixels. They both have the same ultra-wide camera for group shots or landscapes.

Samsung Galaxy S24 vs S24 Ultra: picture

In testing, we found the S24 Ultra's screen performs much like those on Samsung's recent TVs. In one respect, that's very good, as it goes extremely bright, produces a sharp picture and has plenty of pop. But in another respect, it's not so good, as Samsung doesn't lead the field when it comes to subtlety.

Generally, there's plenty to like. The S24 Ultra picture feels textured and cinematic, especially on the large 6.8-inch screen. There's plenty of dark detail and the edges are well defined, adding depth. But it's outdone by rivals in terms of three-dimensionality, and motion due to the occasional glitch during panning shots. Skin tones can also feel a little overcooked.

We haven't gone 12 rounds with the standard S24 so can't as confidently comment on its picture quality. The smaller screen (6.2 inches) and lower resolution (Full HD) will obviously be felt, and make the picture less cinematic and engaging. But we applaud the fact it has the same dynamic refresh rate and peak brightness, which should make it a lot more impressive visually than plenty of similarly sized handsets.

Samsung Galaxy S24 vs S24 Ultra: sound

The S24 and S24 Ultra's audio setup are nigh-on identical. You get stereo sound courtesy of the earpiece and bottom-firing speaker. If you want to use headphones, there's no 3.5mm jack so you'll need either a USB-C-to-3.5mm adapter or a pair of USB-C-ended headphones, or go wireless. If you do go wireless, you get Bluetooth 5.3 support with Bluetooth Low Energy (LE). The phones also support Dolby Atmos audio.

In our testing, we found the S24 Ultra has an energetic sound, but much like its picture performance it does lacks a little subtlety. There's warmth albeit not enough texture for our liking, and an overall lack of richness costs it. But it's a spacious soundstage with decent clarity that will serve most people just fine.

The S24 Ultra's speakers are surprisingly effective. There's a decent sense of separation – helped by the large size of the phone – which is aided by the addition of Dolby Atmos. Though we wouldn't recommend listening to music for long through a phone's speakers, if you have to, you won't be too badly served by the S24 Ultra.

We haven't tested the standard S24, but we would imagine its speaker performance would be slightly less sonically impactful given its smaller size.

Samsung Galaxy S24 vs S24 Ultra: early verdict

We don't do favouritism here at What Hi-Fi?; the S24 Ultra had to earn its four stars like any other device we review. It did so thanks to its compelling combination of great build quality, genuinely useful AI features and a compelling screen. So why didn't it score five stars? Because Sony's high-end smartphones (especially the Xperia 1 V) are better for movies and music on the move, offering greater subtlety.

Again, we haven't tested the standard S24, but it offers a lot of what makes the Ultra so good in a smaller size and at a significantly lower price, especially in terms of software and AI features. True, it misses out on the super-speedy processor, higher-res QHD screen and extra photographic abilities, but to many those compromises will be worth the saving.

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Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: which old flagship is for you?

Samsung Galaxy S24 vs iPhone 16: which 2024 smartphone might be better?

Also consider the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max and Sony Xperia 1 V

Apple and Samsung have had a fierce rivalry since the 2010s when they were engaged in a seemingly endless game of sue or be sued. Around the same time, Samsung also aired adverts accusing Apple fans of being sheep, among other things. Thankfully all that is now over, but the rivalry goes on, with Apple recently deposing Samsung as the world's biggest smartphone seller. So it's still very much claws out time.

Samsung's latest is the Galaxy S24. It's a typically big and bold effort that puts AI at its heart with some genuinely useful features powered by machine learning (as we found in our Galaxy S24 Ultra review). It has a bright and punchy picture that makes it a very good portable cinema too.

But Apple's iPhone 16 is shaping up to be quite formidable. Rumours say it could have a slightly larger screen than previous models – these screens could also feature Micro Lens Array (MLA) tech as seen in high-end OLED TVs, making for a brighter picture.

So how could it compare with Samsung's Galaxy S24? Should you buy the S24 now or wait until September for the iPhone 16 launch? Let's see...

• Samsung Galaxy S24 vs iPhone 15: what are the differences?
• iPhone 15 vs iPhone 15 Pro: what are the differences?

Samsung Galaxy S24 vs iPhone 16: price predictions

The S24 is available now, but the iPhone 16 won't be announced until September. So while we know the price of all S24 iterations and capacities, we can only predict those of the iPhone 16.

Here are the S24 prices.

Obviously we can't compare these with the iPhone 16 prices, as they haven't been announced yet. But we can see what the iPhone 15 models cost.

• iPhone 15: £799 / $799 / AU$1499 (128GB); £899 / $899 / AU$1699 (256GB); £1099 / $1099 / AU$2049 (512GB)
• iPhone 15 Plus: £899 / $899 / AU$1649 (128GB); £999 / $999 / AU$1849 (256GB); £1199 / $1199 / AU$2199 (512GB)
• iPhone 15 Pro: £999 / $999 / AU$1849 (128GB); £1099 / $1099 / AU$2049 (256GB); £1299 / $1299 / AU$2399 (512GB); £1499 / $1499 / AU$2749 (1TB)
• iPhone 15 Pro Max: £1199 / $1199 / AU$2199 (256GB); £1399 / $1399 / AU$2549 (512GB); £1599 / $1599 / AU$2899 (1TB)

The Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus are actually slightly cheaper than their S23 equivalents, while the S24 Ultra stays the same price. The iPhone 15 is also cheaper than was rumoured, what with the price of everything rising at the moment.

But if, as is rumoured, the iPhone 16 does have a larger screen, that could put the price up. Even a fraction of an inch will add to Apple's costs. We would imagine the iPhone 16 will stay largely in line with the current model though, so expect this round to be a close one.

Samsung Galaxy S24 vs iPhone 16: design rumours

The Samsung Galaxy S24 looks very similar to the S23, but there are some changes. The firm has done away with curved screens after almost a decade, while new materials make some variants slimmer and lighter. 

The S24 Ultra has a titanium frame, while the the standard and Plus use aluminium. There's no gloss here – the shine has been taken off in favour of a matt finish. The S24 Ultra comes in four colours (Titanium Black, Titanium Grey, Titanium Yellow or Titanium Violet), plus another three exclusive to Samsung's online store (Titanium Blue, Titanium Green and Titanium Orange). It really likes titanium.

Not much is known about the iPhone 16 design at this stage, but if the screen does get bigger, as is rumoured, that could affect how the handset looks. Will we see the iPhone get bigger? Or will Apple manage to shrink the bezel even further to keep the phone more or less the same size? Watch this space...

The biggest change for the iPhone 15 Pro models was also the introduction of titanium. This makes them stronger, but also lighter – the lightest Pro iPhones ever, in fact.

Expect plenty more colour options for the iPhone 16, similar to the iPhone 15's. The iPhone 15 Pros come in four colours – white, black, blue or natural – and the non-Pros in pink, yellow, green, blue, and black.

Samsung Galaxy S24 vs iPhone 16: features leaks

As expected, the S24 is stacked with features. Its main talking point is AI, which enables neat features such as “Circle to Search with Google” (which lets you draw a ring around anything on screen to perform a web search about it) and the ability to fill in photo backgrounds once you have edited out people or objects from them. Very clever. But seeing as Samsung will bring some of these features to older handsets, on their own they are not really a reason to buy the S24.

Thankfully, the S24 has plenty else going for it, including some very solid specifications. The S24 Ultra boasts a special Galaxy version of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, alongside 12GB of RAM. The 5000mAh battery (4000mAh on the S24, 4900mAh on the S24+) lasts all day even with heavy use, and can wirelessly charge a friend's phone or pair of Bluetooth earbuds. 

The camera is typically impressive. The S24 Ultra has the same 200MP main sensor, 12MP ultra-wide lens and 10MP telephoto as its predecessor, but the second telephoto has a 50MP, 5x zoom lens, which is an increase in resolution but a halving of the optical zoom length. In practice, it improves the quality of photographs taken between the 5x and 10x zoom lengths, which is much more practical.

Bluetooth 5.3 brings support for A2DP and Bluetooth LE, while the S24 also plays nice with Dolby Atmos for a more spatial soundscape. 

Rumours say that all four models of iPhone 16 could feature the new A18 processor, though the Pro variants would sport a Bionic Pro version with more power. They also say that Apple will follow Samsung in going big on AI, with iOS 18 using the tech to improve "how both Siri and the Messages app can field questions and auto-complete sentences." The customisable Action button is said to come to all four models of iPhone 16 (not just the Pros as at present), and a new kind of flash memory is also mooted either to allow greater capacities or bring down the cost of the current ones.

We're expecting similar camera tech to the iPhone 15 – Apple introduced the 48-megapixel sensors only last year, so is unlikely to change them so soon. And we believe the Dynamic Island will remain on all four iPhone 16 variants (originally, it was only on the iPhone 14 Pro models, but that changed with the iPhone 15 range).

Samsung Galaxy S24 vs iPhone 16: screen hearsay

The S24 has a typically beautiful screen, but in a change of tack it is flat, whereas Samsung has been extolling the virtues of curved screens for nigh-on a decade. The S24 Ultra's is an expansive 6.8-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 1440 x 3120 and a variable refresh rate of 1Hz to 120Hz. Peak brightness is an impressive 2600 nits. There's no Dolby Vision, but it does play nicely with HDR10+ for compatible content on Amazon Prime Video and YouTube (but Netflix and Disney+ favour Dolby Vision).

Impressive, certainly. But in the iPhone 16, it might meet its match. 

Apple's next handset is rumoured to have a larger screen than the current crop of iPhones. The Pro is expected to grow to 6.3 inches (up from 6.1) and the Pro Max to 6.9 inches (from 6.7). This would be the first change in size for the Pros since 2020's iPhone 12 range. 

The non-Pro iPhone 16 models are expected to remain at their current sizes (6.1 inches for the standard model, 6.7 inches for the Plus). 

To minimise battery drain, Apple is thought to be using more power-efficient displays using tech from Samsung Display called M14. By replacing the current blue fluorescent technology with blue phosphorescence, M14 should make the screen more power efficient than the current iPhone Pro models' LTPO displays.

These screens could get brighter too, with the addition of Micro Lens Array (MLA), technology previously seen in high-end OLED TVs. This boosts brightness with the use of tiny internal lenses that redirect reflections. These can either up the on-screen brightness, or maintain it at the current level by using less power, hence extending battery life.

Samsung Galaxy S24 vs iPhone 16: early thoughts

It's early days yet, with the iPhone 16 still seven months away. These predictions aren't set in stone, but when it comes to iPhones, the internet rumour mill has been remarkably accurate in recent years.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 is a very good phone, though the Ultra variant only scored four out of five in our review. With a string of recent five-star reviews under its belt, the iPhone is still the phone to beat. Here's hoping the next instalment lives up to expectations.

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