We have reviewed so many wireless earbuds from major tech players since our launch just over six months ago that we could draw up a listicle. We probably will. And when we do, at the top will sit Huawei FreeBuds Pro. Their third attempt this year at perfecting their earbuds form, feel and sound has worked a charm.
The praise heaped upon FreeBuds Pro from all sides is underlined by an extremely attractive price that undercuts their real competition in the Pro bracket and outcompetes their price-mates.
Deformed Ice Hockey Puck – The Third Form
Huawei FreeBuds Pro are completely different in shape from FreeBuds 3 and FreeBuds 3i. Gone are the marvellous mini-Babybel and robot pirate bounty chest respectively, replaced with a deformed ice hockey puck. But not in a bad way.
It’s palm-sized and at around 28mm deep, it’s pocket friendly. The matte aluminium outer feels nice and is easier to grip than the glossy plastics of previous devices. The lid opens with premium-feeling ease and closes with a reassuring snap.
Our review model is Carbon Black. It’s a safe colour scheme that highlights a rectangle of mirrored plastic that houses the hinge and hosts the case’s solitary logo. Huawei FreeBuds Pro is almost demure compared to their previous buds but the design is confident and classy.
How Are Me Buds?
The buds themselves are mostly glossy with a convincing faux-metallic sheen. The charred hue of the case is present in this glossiness so the two elements match nicely. The buds are small with a short and squared stalk on each.
This squared stalk has two benefits over the rounded ones seen on Airpods. Firstly, it’s less easy to accidentally issue commands when you can readily discern which areas are touch sensitive. Those familiar with Samsung Galaxy Buds Live or Samsung Galaxy Buds+ will know the annoyance of adjusting the fit and pausing or skipping track accidentally.
Secondly, there are a large range of touch commands available on the buds. Samsung Galaxy Buds+ and Buds Live only offer limited functionality and users have to choose between certain functions on their buds. Huawei FreeBuds Pro offer volume adjustment, play/pause, track skip/rewind and ANC options in an intuitive set of touch gestures and squeezes.
It must be noted that the buds sit low in the case. This makes it a little more difficult to take the buds from their resting place than some people will like. It’s only a minor complaint and many won’t notice the extra second spent coaxing the set to release their audio treasures.
Smooth and Bright
The audio of Huawei FreeBuds Pro is mostly excellent. Bass has some presence – more than you would expect in a pair of wireless earphones – but isn’t overdriven or aggressive. The low end doesn’t have the punch of Samsung Galaxy Buds+, instead FreeBuds Pro’s bass output is smooth with an almost ambient sound. The mid and upper ranges have good definition and are never swamped by the low end.
The soundstage is small as you would expect from in-ear drivers sealed in as well as they are on FreeBuds Pro. However, the drivers are capable of the detail needed for a little space so it may surprise you.
Innovative but Imperfect Noise Cancellation
This is the third device in the FreeBuds range this year to feature active noise cancellation.
FreeBuds 3 didn’t have the seal to really benefit from the tech. FreeBuds 3i absolutely nailed the seal and that 32db reduction could really be heard (or couldn’t be heard?). Huawei FreeBuds Pro builds upon 3i’s performance, introducing meaningful innovation as well as beating back more of the background din.
The maximum -40db is impressive on its own. We have no way of testing for practical background noise cancellation but it’s certainly a step up from FreeBuds 3i and seems to beat Galaxy Buds Live. Huawei introduce ‘dynamic ANC’ on FreeBuds Pro – a selection of three ANC profiles selected on the fly by AI.
The changeover between different profiles is audible but not annoying. An update may smooth the transitions out a bit. There is also a barely audible ‘breathing’ when ANC is enabled and immersed in certain sounds. It sounds something like a slow flanging effect.
Little Downtime
FreeBuds Pro has a competitive overall runtime with 30 hours claimed by Huawei. The buds themselves will play back for six to seven hours without ANC while the pair will last between four and five with it. The earbuds will charge in the case from zero to full in 40 mins. The case will do the same in one hour while using a wired charger.
Wireless charging is a welcome feature. With reverse wireless charging becoming standard on premium phones, it’s easy to imagine the Qi-enabled charging function being used by a significant percentage of buyers. To charge the case wirelessly from zero to full will take around two hours.
Yet Another Step Forward
We have reviewed quite a few pairs of excellent wireless buds at TechStomper. Each pushing the tech forward and adding features and refinements to entice customers. Huawei FreeBuds Pro are yet another step forward; raising expectations of sound quality, usability and ANC performance in tinier, more portable packages.
Review unit provided by Huawei
