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Nov 10, 2024

Fifty per cent off: Easily the best TWS for around Rs 5,000 | Technology News - The Indian Express

When Samsung released the Galaxy Buds FE in late 2023 at a price of Rs 9,999, they were seen as excellent value for money for those who wanted a new TWS from Samsung but could not afford the Galaxy

When Samsung released the Galaxy Buds FE in late 2023 at a price of Rs 9,999, they were seen as excellent value for money for those who wanted a new TWS from Samsung but could not afford the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro (review), which were then priced at close to Rs 15,000. A year later, Samsung released the Buds3 and Buds3 Pro, but you know what? If you are on a very tight budget and still want top-of-the-line audio quality and even some AI magic thrown in, the Galaxy Buds FE still make very good sense. What’s more, they are even more affordable and are often available at half of their launch price – when this article was being written, the Galaxy Buds FE were available from some retailers for as low as Rs 4,999. At that price, they are perhaps the best TWS you can get in the vicinity of Rs 5,000. In fact, we would call them very good value for money for even Rs 7,500, as they have grown better with age, courtesy of some serious update magic from Samsung.

In terms of design, the Galaxy Buds FE are dot-like and have no stems. Although they come with tiny detachable fins that keep them firmly in place. Of course, they will fall out from time to time like all TWS, but by and large, they are snug fits in most ears, and Samsung has provided three ear tip and wing options in the box. Each bud is made of plastic and weighs a mere 5.6 grams, so you can walk around without even realising you are wearing them. The buds come in a squarish oval (“squoval” is a word now, we believe) carrying case, which can easily slip into most trouser or jacket pockets, and at about 50 grams (with the buds inside it), is not heavy at all. The Galaxy Buds FE are not designed to grab attention and will not turn heads with their design. You get them in rather plain Graphite and Mystic White, with the case being white in both cases (the inner part of the case and the buds of the Graphite variant are dark). They come with IPX2 water resistance, which means they are OK for gym and running sessions and even the odd stroll in a drizzle, but are not waterproof! The case’s glossy finish might pick up some smudges so we would advise taking due care.

If their appearance is relatively low profile, their performance, even a year after their launch is definitely not. In fact, we think that there are many who might prefer the audio signature of the Galaxy Buds FE as compared to even the Galaxy Buds3, simply because the former has more punchy bass. Unlike its more expensive flagship siblings, the Galaxy Buds FE make no attempt to go for a balanced output and instead, has a very pronounced bass bias. This makes them awesome for listening to mainstream music with lots of beats, playing action games (the latency is impressively low) and watching films. The good part is that the Galaxy Buds FE do not overwhelm other frequencies when they pump up the bass – you are going to get slightly suppressed mids and treble, but the overall clarity of the audio from them remains impressive. They are great for listening to podcasts and audiobooks. In many ways, these are what the OG Galaxy Buds used to be – very good audio with some extra bass thrown in. Of course, you can tweak all this from the companion app, which lets you change emphasis levels and also use preset equalisers and even create your own.

But while their audio quality is very good, what makes the Galaxy Buds FE an absolute no-brainer at their price is the amount of smart functionality packed into them. You get close to flagship-level ANC, allowing you to enjoy a level of peace even in noisy traffic and cafes. The buds also have a very good transparency mode, which comes in handy when one is walking or having a run in the great outdoors or simply wants to keep one’s ears open. Call quality is very good too and alongside the OnePlus Buds 3 Pro in terms of clarity. And then, of course, there are the smart features that Galaxy AI brings to the buds, thanks to a recent update from Samsung. You can summon Gemini from the buds and even translate what you are hearing using the Translate option. Rather oddly, there is no multipoint support so you cannot switch seamless between two connected devices, but we do not consider it to be a dealbreaker considering what is on offer, especially at its reduced price. Incidentally, the Galaxy Buds FE work fine with Android, OIS, Mac and Windows, but are at their best when paired with a Galaxy flagship smartphone.

Using the buds is relatively simple – the top of each bud has a touchpad which responds to touches and presses. It is rather sensitive so the chances of accidental presses are high initially, but things work smoothly once you get accustomed to the interface – and you can always tweak the controls from the app. Battery life is kind of middling with about four and a half to five hours with ANC, with the case adding another 15-16 hours. This is not record-breaking but good enough to see you through a day on a single charge if one is careful. Turn ANC off and you can get another 2-3 hours.

They have good sound, very good ANC, some AI smarts and handle calls very well indeed. And they look smart even a year after their release while costing half as much. We would have liked multipoint connectivity and some might wish for wireless charging and a slightly more snazzy design, but all said and done, we think the Galaxy Buds FE are staggering good value for money right now for anyone seeking close to flagship TWS performance on a budget.

Anish Sarkar, a three-year-old from India, has made history by becoming the youngest chess player in the world to be ranked by the International Chess Federation. To earn this recognition, players must participate in FIDE-rated tournaments organised by national federations.

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