About a year ago, we reviewed what we believed then to be the best Android earbuds in the market. A year removed and we still stand by it as proven by our recent trip to China. China Eastern Airlines are not the best when it comes to in-flight entertainment so the Z Fold 5,  Buds Pro 2 and pre-loaded shows on Netflix did come to the rescue.

The Buds 2 Pro has become our essential companion when travelling or even setting up a remote work office. Need to hop on to a video call? Pop out the buds and we are ready to go. Lately, Samsung has been actively releasing its 2023 FE lineup and in that mix is the Buds FE. Some may call “FE” as “Fan Edition” but after testing the Buds FE for over a week now, we can safely call it the Frugal Edition and is worth your attention. A gateway to the same experience at a fraction of the Buds Pro 2’s retail price. Here’s why.

For starters, one should not put the Buds FE toe-to-toe with the Buds 2 Pro. You do not compare a high-end performance vehicle with a daily driver. It is unfair and unrealistic. Where the Buds 2 Pro excelled in delivering the best for its most demanding consumers, the Buds FE caters to the opposite end of the spectrum. The pragmatic and sensical sort.

Like Samsung earbuds that came before it, the Buds FE connects wirelessly via Bluetooth. It can be controlled either via the app it is paired with (Spotify, YouTube), the Samsung device it is connected to or through a set of taps and gestures as programmed by the user. Launching the Galaxy Wearable app allows a host of customization including toggling the Active Noise Canceling or turning On Ambient Sound just with the tap of the finger.

The ability to switch between ANC to Ambient Sound is a godsend especially when you have limited space to access your device. While being in a flight for example as shown in the screencap below.

Sound-wise, the Buds FE delivers respectable sound regardless of type of media one is consuming. When listening to music, the bass is punchy although nowhere near what you’d get from a set of closed-ear headsets. We realized that rock and hip hop sound best due to the bass although pop songs turn out decent too. Expectations, see. For dialogue-heavy shows, we are happy to report that since we can understand what Gillian Anderson’s character was mumbling about in Sex Education, you won’t have any problems making out what 99.9% of everyone else is saying. Since the Buds FE is IP7-rated, it also serves well as your workout earpiece.

When used for gaming, the sound effects are crisp and clear. Gunfire and explosions pop as expected but do not expect to achieve directional audio like the one you’d get from a typical gaming headset. As for call quality and sound, nothing negative to complain about for standard conversations although we did suffer a drop in clarity when taking calls from a separate room. It is worth mentioning that we had two concrete walls between us. However, this wasn’t the case when using the Buds2 Pro. Our advice? Keep the source of the Bluetooth signal close with nothing in between and you should be fine.

With over 30 hour of standby time in the case and about 8 hours of playback on a single charge without ANC, the Buds FE with ANC turned on should last you through back-to-back sittings of Avengers: Infinity Wars. Or just about 5 hours in total.

For the sake of nitpicking, we will point out that the wingtip construction on the Buds FE might not be for everyone, especially with smaller ears. When mushed especially from taking naps in long flights, for example, the protruding ends which were meant to provide sealing and fit may dig into the skin. And personally, we prefer the typically understated designs of Samsung earbuds rather than the relatively flashy Buds FE. To charge Buds FE, you will require a USB-C connector as the device does not come with wireless charging capability.

However, fit differs from one person to another, and not everyone is crazy about wireless charging capabilities. Hence, we recommend trying and testing them out for yourself at any Samsung outlets near you for a better feel of the fit.

Ticking all the right boxes in the long list of what one would want in a capable, portable set of Bluetooth earpiece, the Buds FE delivers where it matters most for a fraction of the cost. Of course, the build isn’t as premium as seen on the Buds 2 Pro but sound-wise, all but the most discerning audiophiles could tell these models apart. Unlike the posh and soft matte finish on the case, the Buds FE sports a generic-looking glossy clamshell. This makes the Buds FE quite hard to tell apart from the classic Buds2 devices. Realizing this, Samsung is tossing in a free Minion-inspired protective case should you decide to get one for yourself. Sweet.

Available in two colors – white and graphite – the Buds FE which sells for RM399 is a definite steal. Its shortcomings are understandable considering its pricepoint and target market but do not let that dissuade you. This is a capable set of earbuds at its price and regardless of using it your first/ main or spare/ emergency backup pair, the Buds FE hardly missteps.

Final Score: 80/100

A review unit of the Samsung Buds FE was sent to us by Samsung Malaysia. Working samples are now available at Samsung stores near you, or you can immediately purchase one for yourself from the Samsung website.