Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 review: premium sound and strong ANC at a competitive price (aff)
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Huawei’s latest flagship earbuds combine hi-fi sound, impressive ANC and premium design to challenge big-name rivals at a lower price point
Huawei has made some bold statements about its latest flagship earbuds, the Freebuds Pro 5. High-end sound quality, trick noise cancellation, and a new premium design makes for quite the introduction.
Priced currently at £149.99, if you can catch the early £30 launch discount, they're also competitively priced, when lined up against rivals from Apple, Sony, and Samsung.
Opening the compact box they come in reveals a predictably-designed case, which looks pretty innocuous in most of the four colours it's available in. The blue option, however, has a vegan leather coating, and it's rather lovely. It feels expensive, and like it should wear very well.
Then you pop the buds out, and Huawei's design appears to be centred around comfort and function. There's a smart, chrome-ringed oval panel with a new logo on it, but the general shape isn't exactly revolutionary. In white, you'd be forgiven for mistaking them for AirPods, at first glance.
The build quality, though, is top notch. And what also stands out in these newcomers is sound quality, which is genuinely excellent.
The tuning leans toward a clean, hi-fi presentation rather than exaggerated bass, and that makes them immediately feel more refined than many mainstream rivals.
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Bass is present and punchy but tightly controlled, vocals come through clearly without sounding pushed forward, and higher frequencies stay crisp without becoming sharp or fatiguing.
There’s also a surprising sense of space for in-ear buds, giving music a wider, more open feel than you’d expect from something this compact.
They reward better-quality streaming sources too, so if you listen via high-bitrate services you’ll notice the difference. Sadly, you'd need a flagship Huawei smartphone to unlock the top echelons of its tech prowess, but the rewards are rich if you do.
Noise cancellation is another strong area. Huawei has poured a lot of energy into developing its active noise cancelling, and the FreeBuds Pro 5 handle everyday environments with confidence.
Low-frequency sounds like trains, traffic and aircraft cabin noise are reduced effectively, while office chatter and background hum fade into the background without creating that uncomfortable pressure effect some ANC systems produce.
Transparency mode feels natural enough for conversations, and call quality is particularly impressive, with voices remaining clear even when there’s wind or street noise around you. It can even dim the sound a little when you strike up a conversation, to save you having to remove an earbud. I love that.
I tend not to find earbuds that comfortable, especially over long periods, but this is another area Huawei has clearly put some work into. There's a refined stem design and lightweight construction to the buds, so they sit securely without needing constant adjustment. They're by no means designed for extreme sports, but they're secure enough for every day use.
Where things become slightly more complicated is software and ecosystem support. On a Huawei phone, everything works seamlessly and features feel fully integrated. On other Android devices or iPhones, setup can be less straightforward because the companion app isn’t always as easy to install or manage as those from Apple, Sony or Google.
The earbuds themselves connect perfectly well over Bluetooth, but some advanced controls and updates require extra effort compared with more mainstream alternatives. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it does mean the experience isn’t quite as frictionless as rivals.
Battery life is good rather than class-leading. You’ll typically get around five hours of listening with noise cancellation enabled, with the case providing enough extra charge to comfortably last a full day or more of mixed use.
Fast charging helps reduce downtime, but competitors have started pushing longer single-charge endurance.
Living with the FreeBuds Pro 5 day to day highlights how strong the fundamentals are. Connections remain stable, controls respond reliably, and they handle everything from podcasts to music and calls without fuss. The overall impression is of a product engineered with real attention to audio performance rather than marketing gimmicks.
If you've been in the market for high-end earbuds, Huawei might not have been on your radar. But it really should be. These are definitely worthy of taking on the big brands, and they bring that added bonus of exclusivity.
Take into account the decent entry price, especially if you catch the launch deal, and these are some of the best-sounding buds you can buy for the money. A polished performance all round, and easy to recommend.