Huawei’s initial entry into wireless earphones was in 2018, and the Chinese electronics manufacturer has improved its products year after year since then. I was really happy with the entry-level FreeBuds 4i and, more recently, the over-ear FreeBuds Studio earlier this year, so I was eager to hear the differences to see if they were worth the extra money with the FreeBuds Pro.
The huawei FreebudsPro wireless earphones are available in three colors: Ceramic White, Carbon Black, and Silver Frost. Silver Frost has a combination of matte and gloss, with the casing having a matte surface and the earbuds having a gloss finish, whereas both the white and black varieties have an all-glass design.
I was fortunate enough to acquire a pair of Silver Frost FreeBuds Pros, and I enjoy how they look – the silver is a wonderful contrast from the normal black or white, as well as the rectangular stem of buds, is shaped like a piano key rather than a new toothbrush head. The one disadvantage of the gloss surface is that fingerprints are more apparent, which I don’t mind because they’re either in my ears or on the case (and I’m happy to wash them off if they get dirty), but it may grate on some people’s nerves.
Pick your flavor
The casing boasts a flat oval design that prevents it from rolling about when placed on a level surface, as well as a USB-C charging port (cable included). I had some difficulty pulling the buds out of the case at first, but there’s a technique that includes pushing the buds out from you and up for a simple release. The buds also are magnetized to the bottom of the case, so they won’t fall out if you don’t take proper care of them.
Connecting the FreeBuds Pro (or any Huawei audio product, for that matter) to your Huawei smartphone is as simple as lifting its case lid (turning it on) and holding it close to a phone. You’ll need to pair the FreeBuds Pro with additional cellphones and devices (such as PCs) via the Bluetooth settings.
You can check the battery levels of earbuds and the case in the AI Life app, as well as play with options like gesture controls, noise-canceling profiles, and more. I bemoaned the lack of EQ options in my FreeBuds 4i review, and I’ll do it again here, but it’s still a letdown. The Find My Earphones feature allows owners to track down misplaced FreeBuds.
I rest my case
The Dynamic Active Noise Cancelling is one of the FreeBuds Pro’s most appealing features. Dynamic (automatically changes noise-canceling based upon your surroundings), Cozy (for less background noise), General (for busy locations), and Ultra are the four ANC modes offered (for lots of background noise).
I put the ANC modes to the test in a variety of situations and found that they did an excellent job of reducing background noise. Dynamic is the most astounding since it will assess your surroundings and select the most appropriate setting without interfering with the music. The best level of cancellation, Ultra, blocks out a lot of sounds and is perfect for utilizing on public transportation, but it didn’t completely drown out my coffee machine or other loud machines (like lawn mowers or drills) at close range.
