The wireless earphone market has gotten a bit crowded lately. It feels like new wireless earbuds are coming out almost every week, so it can be hard to see what’s worth it and what isn’t. With so many options, new offerings have to offer something new, and while that can be a tall order, the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2 rises to the challenge.
The second iteration of the line, the FreeBuds Pro 2, are the newest in Huawei’s flagship line of wireless earbuds. Looking fantastic in all color options (Silver Blue, Silver Frost or Ceramic White), these are headphones that are designed not only to stand out when you’re on the go, but also to deliver some of the best sound you’ve ever had. can find south of $300 – $268.99 to be exact.
The look of the headphones and the battery life
While the FreeBuds Pro 2 may look very similar to last year’s HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro, Huawei has made some notable changes that improve the overall experience. Once unboxed, you will find that the FreeBuds Pro 2 case looks a lot like many other wireless earphone cases on the market. Once you open the case and try the FreeBuds Pro 2, you will see the improvements.
The new stem blends well into the ear cup, providing a more comfortable fit compared to last year. It’s also remarkably lightweight, with each earbud weighing just 6.1g. Even the case managed to be one of the lightest I’ve used, weighing in at just 52g overall with the earbuds charging inside. As with most modern wireless headphones, the FreeBuds Pro 2 come with extra ear tips, so you should have no problem finding one that offers a good fit.
Despite their small size, the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 2 manage to deliver six hours of audio playback with active noise cancellation turned off and four with it. The case will charge the earbuds around five times, before they need recharging, giving you around 30 hours with ANC off or 18 hours with it on. It’s fantastic for people who are constantly on the go, as power outlets aren’t the easiest thing to find when travelling. Luckily, the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 2 supports charging wirelessly or via USB-C, providing options to suit your lifestyle. The buds are also IP54 dustproof rated now, so you need to worry a little less when you’re in dirty environments, an added bonus.
Audio, call quality and true adaptive equalizer
Similar to Apple’s AirPods Pro, each of the FreeBuds Pro 2 has an 11mm audio driver. Huawei didn’t stop there and also added a secondary planar diaphragm which provides a much wider frequency range. While most wireless headphones offer 20Hz to 20kHz, the FreeBuds Pro 2’s dual-driver design allows it to achieve ranges of 14Hz to 48kHz. Beyond that, Huawei’s “True Adaptive EQ” technology can automatically adjust the headphones to your ear canal structure, wearing posture and volume level to make the sound really stand out.
This means for audio that the FreeBuds Pro 2 brings much richer and fuller sound to the table compared to most standard buds on the market. The clarity of the audio and the warmth of the music make it stand out in a crowded market. For people who love the rich sound of Apple’s AirPods Pro, the FreeBuds Pro 2 is very close to what you might expect. Music played through the headphones gives the necessary separation, as well as the depth to the audio to make it a pleasure to listen to my favorite artists with.
“Despite their small size, the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 2 manage to deliver six hours of audio playback with active noise cancellation turned off and four with it on.”
With the clean sound of jazz, to the vocals of an acoustic ensemble, the FreeBuds Pro 2 manage to impress on all fronts. I threw everything from Rage Against the Machine to Ed Sheeran and was impressed every time. Even throwing on some Metallica Master of Puppets sounded rich, with the baselines and guitar crystal clear, despite the small size.
While you can control the volume right on the phone, the FreeBuds Pro 2 also let you change levels by pinching and sliding the earbud stems. It may seem a little complicated at first sight, but I found myself using it consistently to manage the volume control, which I didn’t expect. It also works on both headphones, which I don’t know why more brands aren’t looking to implement. The touch controls also work for activating ANC, switching to awareness mode, or simply controlling your music playback.
One of the coolest things about this year’s headphones is the new devialet partnership. HUAWEI has worked with the French audio company to bring more refined equalizer and profiles to make the headphones clearer and sound richer compared to the heavy bass that many brands resort to. Honestly, it’s hard to say how much the partnership changed the sound of the FreeBuds Pro 2, but thanks to the dual-driver design, I never had a problem with the music I listened to.
“While you can control the volume right on the phone, the FreeBuds Pro 2 also let you change levels by pinching and sliding the earbud stems.”
Call quality was just as impressive as the audio. When using the FreeBuds Pro 2 during a call, my voice sounded fine, with no issues with echo-filled audio from anyone I dealt with. Call audio is also very good, ranking them at the top of the in-ear headphones I’ve used to date. The microphone offered in the FreeBuds Pro 2 is one of the best I’ve seen in wireless headphones, making them a treat for people who need to be constantly on the phone throughout the day.
Active noise cancellation
With the FreeBuds Pro 2, HUAWEI tried to go beyond the noise cancellation offered. Not only do they offer the choice for ANC on, transparency mode and off, but they give different levels for what the ANC will do on the go. The AI sensing tech will adjust the level of ANC based on the outside world, doing a lot more on a busy street and a lot less walking around a standard office.
Although it might sound like a gimmick, the FreeBuds Pro 2 managed to impress me, so much so that I had to check the settings as I walked from my desk into the outside world, the drastic change being noticeable. It didn’t just turn up the volume, but worked to deliver great sound outdoors, or even on an airplane.
Of course, you can go beyond Dynamic mode, with the headphones allowing for a Cozy, General, and Ultra profile that you can switch to in the AI Life app. I never found the Dynamic a problem, but it’s good to see Huawei giving the option to best suit your needs.
Transparent mode or Awareness is also something that goes way beyond other brands. I’m a big fan of blocking out the world when I’m on the go, letting my podcasts or music fill my ears while I avoid the world, but that’s not always the right decision. Sometimes it’s important to hear what’s going on around you, for your safety or just to deal with people, and the FreeBuds Pro 2 excel in this area. When the mode is on, it lets in enough outside noise to make it feel natural while still letting your sound play clearly while you go about your business. It worked well when I was going to order something from the local office store and when dealing with people at work, letting in just enough background noise to make it useful without being annoying.
Software
As a HUAWEI product, you’ll want to download the AI Life app to take full advantage of what the FreeBuds Pro 2 have to offer. This will be where you go to adjust all of the ANC settings, sound effect controls, gesture settings, and how you update the buds when they need new firmware. I’m not a fan of needing new software for headphones, but the AI Life app is relatively unobtrusive for Android users and offers enough tweaks to make it worth downloading .
Granted, you can use the FreeBuds Pro 2 without any additional software, although to get the most out of the most advanced features of your true wireless headphones, it’s recommended that the headphones also work on iOS, so don’t worry, even if you have an Apple product, you can still enjoy excellent sound quality without paying the Apple tax.
With fantastic sound and great looks, the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 2 are a breath of fresh air for people who want their music on the go. These headphones are comfortable, have some of the best ANC I’ve seen on headphones, and the Silver Blue is striking to look at. For anyone on Android looking for new wireless earbuds, few compare to the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 2.