Samsung Galaxy Buds FE: problems, parts and running costs

Checked: 2026-10-14

Summary

The Galaxy Buds FE are budget true wireless earbuds with effective noise cancellation and a secure wingtip fit, held back by an IPX2 water rating, no wireless charging and no iPhone app. Running costs are low: no subscription, and a third-party battery swap costs about $14 when the battery wears out after 2-3.5 years. They are a fair buy at $70-80 for Samsung phone owners and hard to justify above $100.

Common problems and fixes

No wireless charging — charging is USB-C only, with no wireless pad support. No fix; budget for a cable. [3][5]
No multipoint Bluetooth — the buds connect to one device at a time. No fix. [3]
No iOS app — iPhone owners are effectively locked out; TechRadar says they are “immediately no good for iPhone owners due to the lack of iOS app”. No fix on iOS. [5]
Call quality complaints — PCMag found the mics clear, while one Reddit owner reports “horrible call quality”; treat calls as voice- and network-dependent. [4][12]
No custom EQ — the Galaxy Wearable app has no customizable equalizer. No fix. [4]
Battery wear over time — BGR reports Galaxy Buds last an average of 2-3.5 years based on owner reports, and Samsung’s warranty does not cover battery replacement. Fix: third-party battery replacement, about $14 for the batteries with an iFixit guide, though Samsung discourages it. [8]

Samsung Care+ extends the warranty to 2 years for $29 extra. [8]

Parts and consumables

Earbud batteries (third-party) — about $14 for the batteries, per BGR in June 2026; an iFixit guide is available. Samsung’s warranty does not cover battery replacement and the manufacturer discourages self-repair. [8]

Yearly running cost

About $4-7 per year if you replace the battery yourself: third-party batteries cost about $14 and BGR puts the average Galaxy Buds lifespan at 2-3.5 years, so $14 spread over 2-3.5 years is roughly $4-7 annually. There is no subscription. Samsung Care+ extends the warranty to 2 years for $29 extra if you skip self-repair. [8]

When it is a good buy

At $70-80 they are a fair buy for a Samsung phone owner who wants ANC on a budget; CNET cited them at $70 in August 2025. [10]
At $99-100 (the October 2023 launch price of $99.99, with PCMag seeing $97-99 at major retailers in November 2023) they are competitive, but the missing wireless charging and weak water rating make rivals easier to justify. [4][9]
Above $100, value diminishes significantly given the feature omissions. [4]
Alternative: the newer Galaxy Buds3 FE (2025) adds a stem design, Bluetooth 5.4 and IP54 — the better choice if water resistance matters. [10][11]