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Huawei Freebuds Pro
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Model: Huawei Freebuds Pro
Price: MSRP $129.99
Vendor Website: Huawei
Review Reference: RC050
Manufacturer Specification:
1 x Pair Wireless Earbuds
1 x USB Type-C Charge Case
1 x USB Type-C Charge Cable
3 x Pair Silicone Tips
1 x User manual, warranty card, safety guide
Real Life Experience
Welcome to the long-awaited Regancipher review of my first set of Huawei buds, their flagship FreeBuds Pro. The FreeBuds Pro hit the market in China initially in September 2020, and then the world stage a month later. At the time, they boasted a feature-set that still looks impressive even today, and are one of the few TWS that supports, and does so reliably, Multipoint connectivity - allowing you to connect to two devices simultaneously without the need to break connection to your PC or Mac in order to answer a call, for example.
The FreeBuds Pro arrived perhaps at the wrong time for Huawei. Despite looking like a great product on paper, the geopolitical situation muted the fanfare that should have accompanied them. In the US, Washington maintains that Huawei are a threat to national security, and their ownership is still a major bone of contention in global politics, which has unquestionably impacted upon Huawei's business objectives, especially after being added to the NDAA Entity List in 2019. This resulted in company growth slowing from 34% in 2019 to just 3.3% in 2020, and saw them drop out of the top 5 smartphone vendors for the first time in many years. Now this wasn't just down to the the US/China trade war - the smartphone market has become saturated, with Xiaomi and their sub brands, OnePlus, Vivo, Oppo and even Asus taking a chunk of market share from the traditional mainstays, but it definitely didn't help.
Despite this, their flagging smartphone sales were rescued by a growth in other business segments - their wearables in particular saw a huge spike in revenue, and they enjoyed a modest growth in audio products too. Nevertheless, the events of 2020 resulted in the FreeBuds Pro going under the radar a little - a shame given their superb credentials.
Whilst I am a privacy nut myself, I find the argument over technology-based espionage influencing purchasing a difficult one, since you'd be hard pressed to find a brand that couldn't be called into question, moreover depending on which Hemisphere you reside. I've elaborated further on the NDAA scandal at the bottom, if you are interested feel free to check it out, if your sole interest is the tech, ignore it!
One final note is Huawei UK's technical support. It was absolutely outstanding - better than Apple, Samsung, you name it. I had a minor issue which was resolved within 4 days including two days of postage. Bravo!
The Unboxing - 7/10
Huawei products tend to have a very premium feel to them, but the unboxing felt a little disappointing - it's functional, but not something you would give to your partner for their birthday. They are shipped in a very small box - similar sized to the Samsung Galaxy Buds range - and the instructions, whilst in the array of languages you would expect from a large global brand - are monochrome, basic, and perhaps not befitting of the brand or price tag. The front reveals the key features - Dynamic Noise Cancellation and Ambient Mode, perhaps intentionally subtly omitting stuff that a lot of vendors shout about (Bluetooth 5.2, Multipoint, etc.), but they elaborate more on the back.
The eartips are not especially great quality - well, actually they're fine, they just aren't quite right for this shape of earbud, and only 3 pairs are included. Lots of consumers on Reddit have complained about the tips not fitting, and whilst you're going to have a hard time finding replacement tips for these - the driver nozzle is even larger than the FIIL CC Pro - the number of 3rd party tips available is starting to creep up. In the photos, I've used the Feaulle h240 food-grade latex tips specially designed for this model, and they work very well - you lose a little in the noise cancellation department but gain in stability dramatically.
Also enclosed is a reasonably good quality USB-C charge cable, and the buds also arrived with a Type-C to Micro-USB adapter. I don't know whether all FreeBuds Pro are shipped with these, or whether it was just for my benefit, so I won't be testing this until I've swotted up on the Shadowbrokerss arsenal that Snowden revealed way back when, in case it's on their list!
The unboxing is overall basic and functional - nothing like the fanfare of the Edifier NeoBuds Pro, which is an easy 10/10 in comparison, but a fancy box doesn't make a good set of earbuds, as we've seen many times over the years.
The Case - 9/10
The case is like a big black pill, with a nice glossy finish that makes them awfully hard to photograph, but provides an impressive, premium feel. There are no lights on the front which adds a level of minimalism to the look, without losing features - the USB-C socket is on the bottom, so the LED denoting charge status is positioned there.
They've used the oft-favoured red/amber/green scheme, and whilst this makes charging status a little difficult to see whilst you're charging the buds with USB, if you're charging them wirelessly the light is in the perfect place. Bear in mind you lose the super-fast charging function that is provided by USB-C connection, but it's still as fast as most other buds.
The case uses the ST Micro STWLC33 for wireless charging - I've never seen this in earbuds but have seen it used in Smartphones, and likewise Texas Instruments for their charge and power path management - underlining the benefits of a diverse supply chain available to behemoths like Huawei.
The back of the case reveals the Huawei logo subtly screen printed on the hinge. It may be tempting to instinctively place the charge case logo-side down on your QI pad - don't, the charging coil is in the front of the case. It also requires the angle to be just right, so it may require a bit of fiddling around before you see the light come on.
When you open the case, an LED displays in front of the buds. This denotes charge status, but also pairing too. Pairing is initiated by a button you'll be hard pressed to find on the black version - it's on the right hand outer edge - and once you press this the buds will start pairing and a light inside the case will start pulsing in white. Connection is very straightforward - same as any other Bluetooth device.
In order to initiate multipoint for the first time, disconnect from the first device, pair with the new device, then connect to both, making sure that dual connect is enabled in the Huawei Life app. This needs to be downloaded from the Huawei site, not the Google Play store - for obvious reasons. The case also features hall-switch mode - which enables fast pairing, fast connection and pop-up mode on Huawei phones, but it isn't always useful as you can end up pinching the controls when you remove the buds from the case after they've already initiated connection.
There are some similarities between the FreeBuds Pro case and the FIIL CC Pro, which I mentioned in my review of the latter here. The FIIL case suffers with one major problem - it doesn't open enough (approx. 80 degrees) and the buds are too close to the outer edge, making their removal a far from easy process, compounded by the hinge snapping shut if you try to lay it down in front of you.
The FreeBuds Pro case is a similar design, but fortunately much better. The hinge/lid has a friction to it, that enables it to stay open without snapping shut the moment it leaves your hand, and the buds can be removed quite easily by sliding your thumb nail to the bottom of the bulbous edge that faces you, with your forefinger inside the cutouts in the lid.
The bottom cutouts in the cockpit are also not as close to the outer edge as the FIIL, and whilst it is a little counter-intuitive if you're used to the 'laying down' approach of Edifier and OnePlus amongst others, you soon get used to it - so don't dismiss them immediately for this (like I almost did).
This close-up of both cases demonstrates the problem, and you can clearly see where Huawei have improved, or rather FIIL have badly copied, the respective designs.
The case is almost 70g, and measures around 7cm at its widest, just under 5cm high, and just over 2cm depth, and it is this combination that actually makes the case deceptively portable - it spreads the weight throughout, making it protrude less than something like the Edifier NeoBuds Pro or SoundPEATS H1 case, and actually making it useful for trouser pockets, jacket pockets, or handbags. The finish is excellent - no scratches or scuffs in your pocket with your keys.
Whilst it doesn't support quick, or as it's known nowadays, 'warp-charge', 40 minutes for a full charge for the buds is impressive. Overall it's a good case, with extremely high build quality and decent ergonomics once you get used to them.
Ergonomics - 8/10, Build quality - 9/10
The Huawei Freebuds Pro are available in three colours - carbon black, silver frost (like the P40) or ceramic white. Personally, I prefer the silver, but the black are also pretty nice, and their angular edges differentiate them from the majority of buds on the market, which seem hell-bent on looking as much like Airpod Pro's as possible.
The controls I will elaborate on further later, but the outer edge (where Huawei is printed) is NOT where you initiate them. This is again a little counter-intuitive, and takes some getting used to, but does help reduce unwanted touches (apart from when you remove them from the case!). Instead, you pinch the adjoining sides of that face (i.e. the edges that are facing forwards or backwards as you wear them) or slide the side that faces away from you depending on what you're looking to achieve - and just like with the case, when you know, you know! It works really effectively almost all of the time.
The stem is unusually short at 27mm, with the HUAWEI logo printed on the outer edge, and the piano-key style shape is immediately striking - definitely not the typical stem-based in-ear design. The silver alloy bar shaped contacts (visible on the bottom edge, facing up in the picture) are a move away from the usual low-quality nickel alloy that can cause skin irritation - a welcome differentiator.
Aside a short stem, the buds are not light, at 5.87g each, but they don't feel heavy in your ears, although without decent tips giving you some traction, they could fall out - and I've seen many reports on Reddit etc. of users that have complained of this.
It is difficult to show on the black model, but both the front and back sides of the stems, that you pinch to initiate the touch controls, have tiny slits along the edges. These act as anti-wind noise ducts, and the (bottom) holes double up as the pickup gaps for the voice mics, and the top the ambient mics. Wind travels through the mics in such a way that reveals a clever design from Huawei - wind noise isn't the problem it is on many earbuds due to this design concept, based on the Coanda Effect.
Looking at the left side of the picture above, you see what looks like a blemish on the bottom of the bit that sits against your antihelix. This is the infra-red sensor for in-ear detection, which can be toggled in the app, and a dust-proof net within that area obscures the pressure relief hole, adding comfort for prolonged use. On the bottom of that section there is another charging contact, and you can see where this initiates when you look face down at the cockpit of the case - it adds to the charging capability, and reduces it to 40 minutes for full charge of the buds - impressive.
A look at the Freebuds Pro alongside the CC Pro reveals where FIIL got their inspiration. Like the FIIL, the Freebuds nozzle terminates with a very large oval surround - even bigger than the CC Pro, measuring almost 10mm at its longest and over 8mm at its shortest. This is going to make tip rolling a short lived affair! Eventually I settled on the Feaulle H240, and this has really helped the fit, because otherwise, they will fall out of almost anyone's ears eventually. Since, I've found an even better option - the superb Azla Sednafit Crystal. They're grippier, retain comfort and stability, and they sound better.
The similarities with the CC Pro are again revealed above - like the CC Pro, the oval area houses a feedback mic for noise reduction, but it works far better on the Freebuds Pro.
With a well-fitting tip, the buds can be worn comfortably for long periods without any issues. Without, they can be annoyingly difficult to stay in or downright uncomfortable. This strange design which I've seen popping up repeatedly recently, most likely down to Apple having adopted something similar, is perhaps something earbud manufacturers should look to try to get away from, or at least evolve, as searching around for tips that remediate it is the last thing people really want to have to do, especially with a premium brand.
The lack of documented IPX rating means wearing the FreeBuds Pro outside isn't necessarily recommended, although I have done so without any issues. When I contacted Huawei they let me know that they hadn't officially certified them, but they were the equivalent to IP54 when tested internally.
Audio Quality - 8.5/10 (for the price), 8.5/10 (raw score)
I tested the sound with a number of signature tracks in FLAC using the AAC codec. The sound is probably the least headline feature of the buds, but it isn't bad at all, and certainly better than some reviews I've read suggest.
The first thing to note is that the Freebuds are single driver, 11mm moving iron coil. There's no balanced armature, and also no hi-res codec support. So temper expectations accordingly.
The default sound signature out of the box is warm, with a clean but definitely boosted low end. I found the bass palatable most of the time, but using Wavelet to reduce the subbass a bit, and the lower midbass frequencies a touch unquestionably helps with longer listening sessions.
The treble has been rolled off to give a warmer, more balanced feel, and whilst most of the time this is fine, some will feel the need to lift it a shade to give a bit more punch to the sound. To their credit, they respond very well to EQ. I noticed that sound seems to suffer a little with ANC on, so you may have to compromise one or the other if sound quality is especially important to you.
That the Freebuds are only really exceeded by hybrid driver buds is testament to the tuning and drivers - instrument separation and clarity are very good, and you can create the impression of a wider soundstage by using the latex-based tips.
I actually think the FreeBuds Pro are one of the most underrated buds around for sound quality - large drivers doesn't always equal good sound, but on this occasion more is more!
Call Quality - Indoors - 8.5/10, Outdoors - 8/10
The earbuds feature a 6-mic array with an ambient mic on the top outer edge for environmental noise reduction, a voice mic on the bottom and a feed through mic somewhere on the inside, and the echo chamber design is very effective at conveying your voice clearly and naturally.
On cell calls, your voice sounds present and lively, and this is unquestionably aided by the inclusion of a bone conduction sensor, which, in the same way the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live does, helps to differentiate similar-frequency sounds to your voice from your voice through your jaw movements. Using the same components as Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi and Vivo (the ST MicroElectrics LIS2DW12 accelerometer), this is without doubt very effective, delivering some of the best calls of any buds I've tested, especially outdoors where wind is often a real challenge for TWS. Huawei really nailed it here.
They were one of the star performers in my test of 28 different tws models in a testing outdoor environment:
ANC - 8/10
Had I reviewed them at the time of release, this would have scored much higher. Nowadays, the ANC is without-doubt very good, but a bit behind Edifier's NeoBuds.
The main problem is the tips. The Edifier have typical-sized nozzles, and that allows you to use either their excellent hybrid tips, or your favoured Misodiko, Comply, Spinfit, Spiral Dot or whatever you like. The tips Huawei supply are OK, but nothing special, and with limited sizes offered, it really is quite a challenge to find tips that balance comfort, noise isolation and sound quality...and fit in the case.
Theoretically, if you get the right tips, the ANC is pretty good. With the same tips on the Edifier, Huawei and 1More Comfobuds Pro, the Huawei are still only a bit behind the Edifier.
One feature that I like, but others may find it annoying, is their adaptive noise cancelling. This switches between Cozy (low noise cancellation), General (mostly low frequency cancellation, quite weak) and Ultra (all frequencies nullified to a greater degree).
I periodically test all the ANC earbuds I have together, and like the Tronsmart Apollo Air, 1More Comfobuds, FIIL T1 Pro and SoundPEATS T2, they are fine at taking the edge off low frequencies, but not so good at keyboard taps and nearby chatter.
Connectivity, Controls and other Interactive Features - 8.5/10
The HiSilicon Kirin A1 chip supports Bluetooth 5.2, uses dual-channel synchronous transmission and results in fast and stable connections, with rarely any glitches or drops. We still aren't quite back to large crowds here in the UK so my tests aren't quite as stringent as they were before COVID, but on public transport I suffered zero drops during the testing period. The chip brought latency down to the same level as aptX.
Aside from the excellent array of features already mentioned: bone conduction to aid calls, wireless charging case, ANC, multipoint - which works flawlessly btw, they also offer users the ability to switch on/off in-ear detection, 'find my buds', tip fit test and a bunch of other little goodies through the AI Life app.
Whilst Huawei would probably prefer you log in, you don't need to - as long as your device is connected, the buds will be discovered, and the first screen you see is telling you the battery of each bud, battery level of the case and the current selected ANC mode. As you can see here, dynamic is selected, but it gives you the option to customise the mode, or from the main screen switch it off or to awareness (ambient) mode.
Other options you see on the front screen are Voice enhancement - which I tried but couldn't really notice the difference (it's meant to enhance voices during calls, media or when the buds are in awareness mode, and you can choose any combination of those three scenarios), Tip fit test (which seems a bit of a con, as any tips will pass if you turn the volume up high enough), smart wear detection (the only option under settings) and in the top right corner, the ability to switch dual connect (multipoint) on or off and remove the device. You can also update the firmware, as I had to when they arrived.
Note I didn't mention gestures. This section is basically telling you how to use the controls. You can customise pinch and hold - but not much - it's either ANC modes (you can disable ANC off and just cycle through ANC and pass through if you like) or Voice Assistant. Swiping the bud controls volume, and whilst it takes some getting used to, it's pretty intuitive once you get the sweet spot.
The app overall lacks a bit of functionality - there's no EQ, customisation is limited, I couldn't find the 'find my buds' feature (ironically - although I think it requires a log in to do so) and whilst it looks good, it doesn't have the depth of the Jabra app, nor the functions of the Soundcore or 1More app (no whale music unfortunately). Still, it does a job - and I always use wavelet to EQ anyway. BTW - point of note, the app is Android only, and must be downloaded via the Huawei app gallery.
There's no hi-res codec support, and although it hints that you get this with a Huawei source running their EMUI11 platform- who knows, I've never owned a Huawei phone, and have no intention of doing so any time soon.
Battery Life - 7/10
With an advertised 3.5 hours of calling, 5 hours of listening with ANC on, they aren't battery monsters. I found with slightly above moderate use connected to a Windows PC and Android phone, the battery drains pretty quickly - it was closer to three, with one bud consistently draining more than the other.
Huawei have remedied this to a degree with fast charging (40 min for the buds, 1 hours wired for the case, 2 hours wireless) but whilst that's fine for most people, all day listening doesn't really work. Like the CC Pro they get rather hot with wireless charging.
Customer Service:
Unfortunately I get a very minor reverberation that sounds like low rumbling tinnitus in the right earbud. I contacted Huawei UK via their service desk and they arranged for a courier to collect having discussed the problem at length. This is outstanding service, and is a far cry from many of the AliExpress sellers, who ask for pointless videos to be recorded which will never reveal the problem anyway. The buds were returned working with an explanation and statement of works within 4 days, including two days postage, collection at their cost. Exceptional.
Final Comments
The FreeBuds Pro are rarely mentioned on head-fi, and don't seem to have received the amount of love they probably warrant. With a nice package of good sound, excellent calls, decent ANC, multipoint and good enough comfort once you find the right tips, the only quibbles are the short battery life, lack of water resistance rating and slightly limited app. Mine can occasionally glitch a little - sometimes one bud drops off, and sometimes the mics cycle on and off for no reason, but generally they are extremely reliable runners that do a sterling job, even with multipoint and ANC on.
At £129.99 on release, I think I'd have baulked, but currently £79.99 on the Huawei store, and £89.99 on Amazon, they're worth it for the solid multipoint connectivity alone. Whilst many buds have caught up in terms of features, the number of buds that truly support multipoint is basically Huawei or Jabra - and whilst the price reduction probably means the new Freebuds Pro are around the corner, £80 is still an excellent price for premium buds that tick almost every box for every scenario. Huawei are also offering £50 cashback through selected vendors, so this model could end up being an absolute steal.
Ideal for:
Raw Score: 90%
Huawei NDAA Issue:
The trade war between the US and China stems from a mistrust over the state ownership of Huawei, ZTE, Bytedance, Hikvision and a number of other technology companies, and their involvement in the data that is derived from these products and how it is used accordingly. Their founder, Ren Zhengfei, was a Deputy Regimental Chief of the Engineer Corps in the People's Libertarian Army (PLA) before founding Huawei in 1987, initially importing network switches before developing their own products around five years later, going from provincial supplier to global player within around ten years. Even this journey was not without controversy, as they were revealed to have allegedly supplied equipment to Saddam Hussein's regime at congress in 2001, violating U.N. sanctions
Their stratospheric growth has since been subject to further intense scrutiny, and major question marks over their corporate structure remain. aside from the Balding and Clarke paper which surmises Huawei are essentially an office of the state, and their involvement in the surveillance and mass detention of Uyghurs in China's Xinjiang re-education camps resulted in sanctions from the US department of state leading to the 2018 and then 2019 NDA, preventing the use of Huawei in Government projects. Whilst this should theoretically not impact on consumer behaviour, it obviously does - Huawei were hit hard, and the ongoing dispute between Trump and Jinping hit fever pitch in 2020, with 600 jobs cut in Santa Clara, threats to move their North American operation to Canada, and potential contracts with the UK Government for their 5g rollout also called into question.
Huawei agreed to sell the Honor brand to Zhixin Technology in late 2020, and after Trump was finally ousted, hired lobbyist Tony Podesta - yep, the guy who was investigated for links to Viktor Yanukovych - to try to smooth out relations with incoming president Biden, but the mistrust remains - further details can be found in the Feb 2021 CRS report here
ig: @regancipher
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Model: Huawei Freebuds Pro
Price: MSRP $129.99
Vendor Website: Huawei
Review Reference: RC050
Manufacturer Specification:
- Brand: Huawei
- Model: FreeBuds Pro
- Driver: 11mm Ultra-Magnetic Dynamic Drivers
- Chipset: Huawei Kirin A1
- Impedence: 32Ω
- Mic: 6, cVc 8.0
- ANC: Yes, up to 40dB
- Volume Control: Yes
- Codecs: AAC, SBC
- Earbud Weight: 5.87g
- Earbud Dimensions: 27mm stem length
- Gross Case & Buds Weight: 69.95g
- Case Dimensions: 69mm (width) x 49mm (height) x 24mm (depth)
- Case Charge Capacity: 580mAh
- Full Charge Time: 1 hour 40 minutes wired, 2 hours 40 minutes wireless
- Quick Charge: No, but 40 minutes for the buds to full charge
- Wireless Charging: Yes
- Single Use Playtime: Up to 7 hours (ANC off), 3.5 to 5 hours (ANC on)
- Playtime with Charge Case: Up to 36 hours (ANC off), 27 hours (ANC on)
- App Support: Yes (Android only)
- Bluetooth Range: 10m advertised
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth® 5.2
- Bluetooth Protocols: BLE/ HSP/ HFP/ A2DP/ AVRCP
- Water Resistance: Not specified - they haven't achieved any official certifications
1 x Pair Wireless Earbuds
1 x USB Type-C Charge Case
1 x USB Type-C Charge Cable
3 x Pair Silicone Tips
1 x User manual, warranty card, safety guide
Real Life Experience
Welcome to the long-awaited Regancipher review of my first set of Huawei buds, their flagship FreeBuds Pro. The FreeBuds Pro hit the market in China initially in September 2020, and then the world stage a month later. At the time, they boasted a feature-set that still looks impressive even today, and are one of the few TWS that supports, and does so reliably, Multipoint connectivity - allowing you to connect to two devices simultaneously without the need to break connection to your PC or Mac in order to answer a call, for example.
The FreeBuds Pro arrived perhaps at the wrong time for Huawei. Despite looking like a great product on paper, the geopolitical situation muted the fanfare that should have accompanied them. In the US, Washington maintains that Huawei are a threat to national security, and their ownership is still a major bone of contention in global politics, which has unquestionably impacted upon Huawei's business objectives, especially after being added to the NDAA Entity List in 2019. This resulted in company growth slowing from 34% in 2019 to just 3.3% in 2020, and saw them drop out of the top 5 smartphone vendors for the first time in many years. Now this wasn't just down to the the US/China trade war - the smartphone market has become saturated, with Xiaomi and their sub brands, OnePlus, Vivo, Oppo and even Asus taking a chunk of market share from the traditional mainstays, but it definitely didn't help.
Despite this, their flagging smartphone sales were rescued by a growth in other business segments - their wearables in particular saw a huge spike in revenue, and they enjoyed a modest growth in audio products too. Nevertheless, the events of 2020 resulted in the FreeBuds Pro going under the radar a little - a shame given their superb credentials.
Whilst I am a privacy nut myself, I find the argument over technology-based espionage influencing purchasing a difficult one, since you'd be hard pressed to find a brand that couldn't be called into question, moreover depending on which Hemisphere you reside. I've elaborated further on the NDAA scandal at the bottom, if you are interested feel free to check it out, if your sole interest is the tech, ignore it!
One final note is Huawei UK's technical support. It was absolutely outstanding - better than Apple, Samsung, you name it. I had a minor issue which was resolved within 4 days including two days of postage. Bravo!
The Unboxing - 7/10
Huawei products tend to have a very premium feel to them, but the unboxing felt a little disappointing - it's functional, but not something you would give to your partner for their birthday. They are shipped in a very small box - similar sized to the Samsung Galaxy Buds range - and the instructions, whilst in the array of languages you would expect from a large global brand - are monochrome, basic, and perhaps not befitting of the brand or price tag. The front reveals the key features - Dynamic Noise Cancellation and Ambient Mode, perhaps intentionally subtly omitting stuff that a lot of vendors shout about (Bluetooth 5.2, Multipoint, etc.), but they elaborate more on the back.
The eartips are not especially great quality - well, actually they're fine, they just aren't quite right for this shape of earbud, and only 3 pairs are included. Lots of consumers on Reddit have complained about the tips not fitting, and whilst you're going to have a hard time finding replacement tips for these - the driver nozzle is even larger than the FIIL CC Pro - the number of 3rd party tips available is starting to creep up. In the photos, I've used the Feaulle h240 food-grade latex tips specially designed for this model, and they work very well - you lose a little in the noise cancellation department but gain in stability dramatically.
Also enclosed is a reasonably good quality USB-C charge cable, and the buds also arrived with a Type-C to Micro-USB adapter. I don't know whether all FreeBuds Pro are shipped with these, or whether it was just for my benefit, so I won't be testing this until I've swotted up on the Shadowbrokerss arsenal that Snowden revealed way back when, in case it's on their list!
The unboxing is overall basic and functional - nothing like the fanfare of the Edifier NeoBuds Pro, which is an easy 10/10 in comparison, but a fancy box doesn't make a good set of earbuds, as we've seen many times over the years.
The Case - 9/10
The case is like a big black pill, with a nice glossy finish that makes them awfully hard to photograph, but provides an impressive, premium feel. There are no lights on the front which adds a level of minimalism to the look, without losing features - the USB-C socket is on the bottom, so the LED denoting charge status is positioned there.
They've used the oft-favoured red/amber/green scheme, and whilst this makes charging status a little difficult to see whilst you're charging the buds with USB, if you're charging them wirelessly the light is in the perfect place. Bear in mind you lose the super-fast charging function that is provided by USB-C connection, but it's still as fast as most other buds.
The case uses the ST Micro STWLC33 for wireless charging - I've never seen this in earbuds but have seen it used in Smartphones, and likewise Texas Instruments for their charge and power path management - underlining the benefits of a diverse supply chain available to behemoths like Huawei.
The back of the case reveals the Huawei logo subtly screen printed on the hinge. It may be tempting to instinctively place the charge case logo-side down on your QI pad - don't, the charging coil is in the front of the case. It also requires the angle to be just right, so it may require a bit of fiddling around before you see the light come on.
When you open the case, an LED displays in front of the buds. This denotes charge status, but also pairing too. Pairing is initiated by a button you'll be hard pressed to find on the black version - it's on the right hand outer edge - and once you press this the buds will start pairing and a light inside the case will start pulsing in white. Connection is very straightforward - same as any other Bluetooth device.
In order to initiate multipoint for the first time, disconnect from the first device, pair with the new device, then connect to both, making sure that dual connect is enabled in the Huawei Life app. This needs to be downloaded from the Huawei site, not the Google Play store - for obvious reasons. The case also features hall-switch mode - which enables fast pairing, fast connection and pop-up mode on Huawei phones, but it isn't always useful as you can end up pinching the controls when you remove the buds from the case after they've already initiated connection.
There are some similarities between the FreeBuds Pro case and the FIIL CC Pro, which I mentioned in my review of the latter here. The FIIL case suffers with one major problem - it doesn't open enough (approx. 80 degrees) and the buds are too close to the outer edge, making their removal a far from easy process, compounded by the hinge snapping shut if you try to lay it down in front of you.
The FreeBuds Pro case is a similar design, but fortunately much better. The hinge/lid has a friction to it, that enables it to stay open without snapping shut the moment it leaves your hand, and the buds can be removed quite easily by sliding your thumb nail to the bottom of the bulbous edge that faces you, with your forefinger inside the cutouts in the lid.
The bottom cutouts in the cockpit are also not as close to the outer edge as the FIIL, and whilst it is a little counter-intuitive if you're used to the 'laying down' approach of Edifier and OnePlus amongst others, you soon get used to it - so don't dismiss them immediately for this (like I almost did).
This close-up of both cases demonstrates the problem, and you can clearly see where Huawei have improved, or rather FIIL have badly copied, the respective designs.
The case is almost 70g, and measures around 7cm at its widest, just under 5cm high, and just over 2cm depth, and it is this combination that actually makes the case deceptively portable - it spreads the weight throughout, making it protrude less than something like the Edifier NeoBuds Pro or SoundPEATS H1 case, and actually making it useful for trouser pockets, jacket pockets, or handbags. The finish is excellent - no scratches or scuffs in your pocket with your keys.
Whilst it doesn't support quick, or as it's known nowadays, 'warp-charge', 40 minutes for a full charge for the buds is impressive. Overall it's a good case, with extremely high build quality and decent ergonomics once you get used to them.
Ergonomics - 8/10, Build quality - 9/10
The Huawei Freebuds Pro are available in three colours - carbon black, silver frost (like the P40) or ceramic white. Personally, I prefer the silver, but the black are also pretty nice, and their angular edges differentiate them from the majority of buds on the market, which seem hell-bent on looking as much like Airpod Pro's as possible.
The controls I will elaborate on further later, but the outer edge (where Huawei is printed) is NOT where you initiate them. This is again a little counter-intuitive, and takes some getting used to, but does help reduce unwanted touches (apart from when you remove them from the case!). Instead, you pinch the adjoining sides of that face (i.e. the edges that are facing forwards or backwards as you wear them) or slide the side that faces away from you depending on what you're looking to achieve - and just like with the case, when you know, you know! It works really effectively almost all of the time.
The stem is unusually short at 27mm, with the HUAWEI logo printed on the outer edge, and the piano-key style shape is immediately striking - definitely not the typical stem-based in-ear design. The silver alloy bar shaped contacts (visible on the bottom edge, facing up in the picture) are a move away from the usual low-quality nickel alloy that can cause skin irritation - a welcome differentiator.
Aside a short stem, the buds are not light, at 5.87g each, but they don't feel heavy in your ears, although without decent tips giving you some traction, they could fall out - and I've seen many reports on Reddit etc. of users that have complained of this.
It is difficult to show on the black model, but both the front and back sides of the stems, that you pinch to initiate the touch controls, have tiny slits along the edges. These act as anti-wind noise ducts, and the (bottom) holes double up as the pickup gaps for the voice mics, and the top the ambient mics. Wind travels through the mics in such a way that reveals a clever design from Huawei - wind noise isn't the problem it is on many earbuds due to this design concept, based on the Coanda Effect.
Looking at the left side of the picture above, you see what looks like a blemish on the bottom of the bit that sits against your antihelix. This is the infra-red sensor for in-ear detection, which can be toggled in the app, and a dust-proof net within that area obscures the pressure relief hole, adding comfort for prolonged use. On the bottom of that section there is another charging contact, and you can see where this initiates when you look face down at the cockpit of the case - it adds to the charging capability, and reduces it to 40 minutes for full charge of the buds - impressive.
A look at the Freebuds Pro alongside the CC Pro reveals where FIIL got their inspiration. Like the FIIL, the Freebuds nozzle terminates with a very large oval surround - even bigger than the CC Pro, measuring almost 10mm at its longest and over 8mm at its shortest. This is going to make tip rolling a short lived affair! Eventually I settled on the Feaulle H240, and this has really helped the fit, because otherwise, they will fall out of almost anyone's ears eventually. Since, I've found an even better option - the superb Azla Sednafit Crystal. They're grippier, retain comfort and stability, and they sound better.
The similarities with the CC Pro are again revealed above - like the CC Pro, the oval area houses a feedback mic for noise reduction, but it works far better on the Freebuds Pro.
With a well-fitting tip, the buds can be worn comfortably for long periods without any issues. Without, they can be annoyingly difficult to stay in or downright uncomfortable. This strange design which I've seen popping up repeatedly recently, most likely down to Apple having adopted something similar, is perhaps something earbud manufacturers should look to try to get away from, or at least evolve, as searching around for tips that remediate it is the last thing people really want to have to do, especially with a premium brand.
The lack of documented IPX rating means wearing the FreeBuds Pro outside isn't necessarily recommended, although I have done so without any issues. When I contacted Huawei they let me know that they hadn't officially certified them, but they were the equivalent to IP54 when tested internally.
Audio Quality - 8.5/10 (for the price), 8.5/10 (raw score)
I tested the sound with a number of signature tracks in FLAC using the AAC codec. The sound is probably the least headline feature of the buds, but it isn't bad at all, and certainly better than some reviews I've read suggest.
The first thing to note is that the Freebuds are single driver, 11mm moving iron coil. There's no balanced armature, and also no hi-res codec support. So temper expectations accordingly.
The default sound signature out of the box is warm, with a clean but definitely boosted low end. I found the bass palatable most of the time, but using Wavelet to reduce the subbass a bit, and the lower midbass frequencies a touch unquestionably helps with longer listening sessions.
The treble has been rolled off to give a warmer, more balanced feel, and whilst most of the time this is fine, some will feel the need to lift it a shade to give a bit more punch to the sound. To their credit, they respond very well to EQ. I noticed that sound seems to suffer a little with ANC on, so you may have to compromise one or the other if sound quality is especially important to you.
That the Freebuds are only really exceeded by hybrid driver buds is testament to the tuning and drivers - instrument separation and clarity are very good, and you can create the impression of a wider soundstage by using the latex-based tips.
I actually think the FreeBuds Pro are one of the most underrated buds around for sound quality - large drivers doesn't always equal good sound, but on this occasion more is more!
Call Quality - Indoors - 8.5/10, Outdoors - 8/10
The earbuds feature a 6-mic array with an ambient mic on the top outer edge for environmental noise reduction, a voice mic on the bottom and a feed through mic somewhere on the inside, and the echo chamber design is very effective at conveying your voice clearly and naturally.
On cell calls, your voice sounds present and lively, and this is unquestionably aided by the inclusion of a bone conduction sensor, which, in the same way the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live does, helps to differentiate similar-frequency sounds to your voice from your voice through your jaw movements. Using the same components as Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi and Vivo (the ST MicroElectrics LIS2DW12 accelerometer), this is without doubt very effective, delivering some of the best calls of any buds I've tested, especially outdoors where wind is often a real challenge for TWS. Huawei really nailed it here.
They were one of the star performers in my test of 28 different tws models in a testing outdoor environment:
ANC - 8/10
Had I reviewed them at the time of release, this would have scored much higher. Nowadays, the ANC is without-doubt very good, but a bit behind Edifier's NeoBuds.
The main problem is the tips. The Edifier have typical-sized nozzles, and that allows you to use either their excellent hybrid tips, or your favoured Misodiko, Comply, Spinfit, Spiral Dot or whatever you like. The tips Huawei supply are OK, but nothing special, and with limited sizes offered, it really is quite a challenge to find tips that balance comfort, noise isolation and sound quality...and fit in the case.
Theoretically, if you get the right tips, the ANC is pretty good. With the same tips on the Edifier, Huawei and 1More Comfobuds Pro, the Huawei are still only a bit behind the Edifier.
One feature that I like, but others may find it annoying, is their adaptive noise cancelling. This switches between Cozy (low noise cancellation), General (mostly low frequency cancellation, quite weak) and Ultra (all frequencies nullified to a greater degree).
I periodically test all the ANC earbuds I have together, and like the Tronsmart Apollo Air, 1More Comfobuds, FIIL T1 Pro and SoundPEATS T2, they are fine at taking the edge off low frequencies, but not so good at keyboard taps and nearby chatter.
Connectivity, Controls and other Interactive Features - 8.5/10
The HiSilicon Kirin A1 chip supports Bluetooth 5.2, uses dual-channel synchronous transmission and results in fast and stable connections, with rarely any glitches or drops. We still aren't quite back to large crowds here in the UK so my tests aren't quite as stringent as they were before COVID, but on public transport I suffered zero drops during the testing period. The chip brought latency down to the same level as aptX.
Aside from the excellent array of features already mentioned: bone conduction to aid calls, wireless charging case, ANC, multipoint - which works flawlessly btw, they also offer users the ability to switch on/off in-ear detection, 'find my buds', tip fit test and a bunch of other little goodies through the AI Life app.
Whilst Huawei would probably prefer you log in, you don't need to - as long as your device is connected, the buds will be discovered, and the first screen you see is telling you the battery of each bud, battery level of the case and the current selected ANC mode. As you can see here, dynamic is selected, but it gives you the option to customise the mode, or from the main screen switch it off or to awareness (ambient) mode.
Other options you see on the front screen are Voice enhancement - which I tried but couldn't really notice the difference (it's meant to enhance voices during calls, media or when the buds are in awareness mode, and you can choose any combination of those three scenarios), Tip fit test (which seems a bit of a con, as any tips will pass if you turn the volume up high enough), smart wear detection (the only option under settings) and in the top right corner, the ability to switch dual connect (multipoint) on or off and remove the device. You can also update the firmware, as I had to when they arrived.
Note I didn't mention gestures. This section is basically telling you how to use the controls. You can customise pinch and hold - but not much - it's either ANC modes (you can disable ANC off and just cycle through ANC and pass through if you like) or Voice Assistant. Swiping the bud controls volume, and whilst it takes some getting used to, it's pretty intuitive once you get the sweet spot.
The app overall lacks a bit of functionality - there's no EQ, customisation is limited, I couldn't find the 'find my buds' feature (ironically - although I think it requires a log in to do so) and whilst it looks good, it doesn't have the depth of the Jabra app, nor the functions of the Soundcore or 1More app (no whale music unfortunately). Still, it does a job - and I always use wavelet to EQ anyway. BTW - point of note, the app is Android only, and must be downloaded via the Huawei app gallery.
There's no hi-res codec support, and although it hints that you get this with a Huawei source running their EMUI11 platform- who knows, I've never owned a Huawei phone, and have no intention of doing so any time soon.
Battery Life - 7/10
With an advertised 3.5 hours of calling, 5 hours of listening with ANC on, they aren't battery monsters. I found with slightly above moderate use connected to a Windows PC and Android phone, the battery drains pretty quickly - it was closer to three, with one bud consistently draining more than the other.
Huawei have remedied this to a degree with fast charging (40 min for the buds, 1 hours wired for the case, 2 hours wireless) but whilst that's fine for most people, all day listening doesn't really work. Like the CC Pro they get rather hot with wireless charging.
Customer Service:
Unfortunately I get a very minor reverberation that sounds like low rumbling tinnitus in the right earbud. I contacted Huawei UK via their service desk and they arranged for a courier to collect having discussed the problem at length. This is outstanding service, and is a far cry from many of the AliExpress sellers, who ask for pointless videos to be recorded which will never reveal the problem anyway. The buds were returned working with an explanation and statement of works within 4 days, including two days postage, collection at their cost. Exceptional.
Final Comments
The FreeBuds Pro are rarely mentioned on head-fi, and don't seem to have received the amount of love they probably warrant. With a nice package of good sound, excellent calls, decent ANC, multipoint and good enough comfort once you find the right tips, the only quibbles are the short battery life, lack of water resistance rating and slightly limited app. Mine can occasionally glitch a little - sometimes one bud drops off, and sometimes the mics cycle on and off for no reason, but generally they are extremely reliable runners that do a sterling job, even with multipoint and ANC on.
At £129.99 on release, I think I'd have baulked, but currently £79.99 on the Huawei store, and £89.99 on Amazon, they're worth it for the solid multipoint connectivity alone. Whilst many buds have caught up in terms of features, the number of buds that truly support multipoint is basically Huawei or Jabra - and whilst the price reduction probably means the new Freebuds Pro are around the corner, £80 is still an excellent price for premium buds that tick almost every box for every scenario. Huawei are also offering £50 cashback through selected vendors, so this model could end up being an absolute steal.
Ideal for:
- Commuters
- Those that listen to audiobooks or music while they work, but need the alert of a phone call when necessary
- Those that switch between two devices frequently
- Those that appreciate a warm sound signature
- Those that need market-leading active noise cancellation
- Those on a budget
- Those that listen for long periods without a break
- Those with small ears
Raw Score: 90%
Huawei NDAA Issue:
The trade war between the US and China stems from a mistrust over the state ownership of Huawei, ZTE, Bytedance, Hikvision and a number of other technology companies, and their involvement in the data that is derived from these products and how it is used accordingly. Their founder, Ren Zhengfei, was a Deputy Regimental Chief of the Engineer Corps in the People's Libertarian Army (PLA) before founding Huawei in 1987, initially importing network switches before developing their own products around five years later, going from provincial supplier to global player within around ten years. Even this journey was not without controversy, as they were revealed to have allegedly supplied equipment to Saddam Hussein's regime at congress in 2001, violating U.N. sanctions
Their stratospheric growth has since been subject to further intense scrutiny, and major question marks over their corporate structure remain. aside from the Balding and Clarke paper which surmises Huawei are essentially an office of the state, and their involvement in the surveillance and mass detention of Uyghurs in China's Xinjiang re-education camps resulted in sanctions from the US department of state leading to the 2018 and then 2019 NDA, preventing the use of Huawei in Government projects. Whilst this should theoretically not impact on consumer behaviour, it obviously does - Huawei were hit hard, and the ongoing dispute between Trump and Jinping hit fever pitch in 2020, with 600 jobs cut in Santa Clara, threats to move their North American operation to Canada, and potential contracts with the UK Government for their 5g rollout also called into question.
Huawei agreed to sell the Honor brand to Zhixin Technology in late 2020, and after Trump was finally ousted, hired lobbyist Tony Podesta - yep, the guy who was investigated for links to Viktor Yanukovych - to try to smooth out relations with incoming president Biden, but the mistrust remains - further details can be found in the Feb 2021 CRS report here
ig: @regancipher
