Huawei Freebuds Professional 2 review: A compelling bundle

The Huawei Freebuds Professional 2 are a compelling proposition that adeptly balances design, {hardware}, and software program. They’re clearly designed to tackle the AirPods Professional, and succeed for probably the most half.

After a two-year break, Huawei is again with the second era of its premium Freebuds Professional wi-fi earbuds. The Freebuds Professional 2 are full of options and provide wonderful sound high quality, however the competitors is stacked. Must you purchase them? Discover out in our Huawei Freebuds Professional 2 review.

What you could know in regards to the Huawei Freebuds Professional 2

Bogdan Petrovan / Android Authority

• Huawei Freebuds Professional 2: £169 / €199 (~$207)

The Huawei Freebuds Professional 2 construct upon the sturdy basis of the unique Freebuds Professional, which we reviewed in 2020. Huawei polished the design — actually and figuratively — and improved the characteristic set whereas preserving the identical nice audio high quality and energetic noise cancellation (ANC) we liked on the 2020 mannequin.

Huawei teamed up with audio firm Devialet to tune the sound of the Freebuds Professional 2, as mirrored within the twin branding on the case. It’s laborious to say how a lot of an impression this collaboration had, however there’s no denying the Freebuds Professional 2 sound wonderful.

The energetic noise-cancelling (ANC) on the Freebuds Professional 2 performs admirably, helped by the silicone suggestions that seal out a lot of the exterior noise. Switching between a number of ANC modes allows you to decide probably the most snug stage, and you’ll simply toggle the noise cancellation with a pinch on the earbuds’ stems.

The Huawei Freebuds Professional 2 construct upon the sturdy basis of the unique Freebuds Professional.

The Freebuds Professional 2 are appropriate with Android, iOS, and Home windows units, although characteristic parity between platforms is just not good. Solely Huawei telephones working EMUI 12 or later get the whole characteristic set. Bluetooth connectivity by way of the high-resolution LDAC codec is obtainable, although it is going to solely be well worth the battery trade-off in case you pay attention from a high-resolution supply.

Huawei claims a battery lifetime of as much as 4 hours when ANC is on (six and a half hours with ANC off) and as much as 18 hours with ANC on (30 hours with ANC off) with the case included.

Obtainable in white, grey, and blue coloration choices, the Huawei Freebuds Professional 2 retail for round £170 within the UK and €200 in Europe. They can even launch in India and different markets around the globe, although it appears unlikely they’ll be accessible within the US as a result of fallout from the continuing commerce ban. They’re going up in opposition to severe competitors, together with the AirPods Professional, the Sony WF-1000XM4, and the model new Google Pixel Buds Professional.

What’s good?

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The Freebuds Professional 2 appear and feel premium. They’re easy and pleasantly rounded and really feel very snug within the ear. You possibly can select from one of many three sizes of silicone ear suggestions. The biggest set nonetheless felt just a little small to me, however to not the purpose that they fell out of my ears. AI Life, Huawei’s companion app for audio merchandise (Android, iOS), features a “Tip match check” characteristic that’s speculated to let you know which tip is finest for the form of your ear, nevertheless it was unreliable in my expertise.

For this Huawei Freebuds Professional 2 review, I examined the minimalist Ceramic White model; the Silver Blue colorway will stand out extra due to a color-shifting iridescent end, whereas Silver Frost is a extra stealthy and sober hue of grey.

Every earbud weighs about 6.1 grams, which is about the identical because the AirPods Professional. Huawei claims to have moved the earbuds’ middle of gravity to make them extra steady within the ear. I used to be in a position to put on them for hours with out discomfort. The charging case is smaller and lighter than the earlier era, and it’s extra ergonomic too. I didn’t have points eradicating and inserting the earbuds from the case as I did with the Freebuds Professional.

The Freebuds Professional 2 sound lovely. On the tech aspect, Huawei talks a few lengthy bevy of enhancements and improvements centered on the twin driver. This contains an 11mm quad-magnet driver for bass and different low notes and a planar diaphragm for the highs. The lows do get low — 14Hz, under the restrict of human audibility, in response to Huawei. Software program equalizes the sound based mostly on quantity and the place of every earbud within the ear canal in real-time. The outcomes are nice — the sound is mostly heat, the bass is satisfyingly deep, and vocals and mid-range advanced layers of devices come throughout clearly. Coupled with the efficient insulation and ANC, it’s powerful to fault the best way the Freebuds Professional 2 sound.

The sound is mostly heat, the bass is satisfyingly deep, and vocals and mid-range advanced layers of devices come throughout clearly.

Huawei says it’s improved the ANC on the Freebuds Professional 2 in comparison with the earlier era, they usually now outperform the AirPods Professional on this space. In my expertise, noise cancellation was extremely efficient with out ever turning into a nuisance. When strolling down a busy road or driving my automobile, I seen a transparent discount in low buzzing noises, which let me get pleasure from my music at a decrease quantity. Having ANC on will increase battery consumption, however the Freebuds Professional 2 mitigate this to some extent by adapting its depth to the extent of noise within the surroundings.

I appreciated the flexibility to manage all the important thing features of the Freebuds Professional 2 with gestures. You management the playback by pinching the earbuds’ stems, whereas pinching-and-holding cycles by way of the noise cancellation modes. You regulate the amount with swipes up and down the stems.

Calls sounded loud and clear on the Freebuds Professional 2. The individual on the opposite finish by no means had points listening to me, even once I was driving in a automobile down the freeway.

What’s not so good?

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I discovered the Freebuds Professional 2 battery life enough for my wants, however they lag direct rivals on this regard. They’re rated for 4 hours of listening with ANC, which is common (or barely under) in 2022. For comparability, the Sony WF-1000XM4 are rated for as much as eight hours of playback with ANC on, the Galaxy Buds Professional hit 5 hours, and the AirPods Professional 4 and a half hours. Even the unique Freebuds Professional lasted longer, at 5 hours. On the brilliant aspect, the Freebuds Professional 2 cost in a short time — it solely takes about 10 minutes to go from 0% to 50% (earbuds charging within the case), so at the very least you’ll be able to return to listening shortly.

Freebuds Professional 2 battery life is enough, nevertheless it lags direct rivals on this regard

As with different Huawei headphones, you’ll solely profit from the Freebuds 2 Professional’s full set of options in case you use them with choose Huawei telephones, tablets, or PCs. The important thing performance is obtainable cross-platform, however examine the “high-quality print” if there’s a specific characteristic you’re after.

Lastly, I seen some minor however annoying interruptions in playback when utilizing the Freebuds Professional 2 with my laptop, however by no means with my cellphone. It’s laborious to inform which gadget was guilty, nevertheless it’s one thing to be cautious of in case you plan on solely utilizing them with a laptop.

Huawei Freebuds Professional 2 specs

Huawei Freebuds Professional 2 review: The decision

Bogdan Petrovan / Android Authority

The Huawei Freebuds Professional 2 are a well-rounded bundle designed to please a large userbase, and we are saying that as a praise. They sound excellent, they’re full of options, and have respectable battery life. They could not excel in anyone space, however they’re a compelling proposition that adeptly balances design, {hardware}, and software program.

The Huawei Freebuds Professional 2 sound excellent, they’re full of options, and have respectable battery life

Huawei clearly set its sights on Apple and the AirPods Professional (£239) when it designed the Freebuds Professional 2. Characteristic for characteristic, the Freebuds are on par with the AirPods Professional whereas undercutting them in worth by £70. Should you’re okay with the platform-related limitations, the Freebuds Professional 2 appear to be the higher alternative for that cause alone, with the caveat that the AirPods Professional 2 (coming this fall) might change the phrases of the equation.

In order for you one of the best battery life, it’s best to cross on the Freebuds Professional 2 and look as a substitute on the Sony WF-1000XM4 (£250), Google Pixel Buds Professional (£179), or Bose Quietcomfort Earbuds (£249). That doesn’t imply the Freebuds Professional 2 have poor battery life — they need to nonetheless be greater than sufficient for many customers. Additionally, Huawei’s earbuds are lighter and extra discreet than these alternate options.

Don’t miss: One of the best headphone offers

Lastly, it’s price having a look on the unique Huawei Freebuds Professional. They’re at the moment accessible for as little as £80 and have barely battery life. The ANC and sound enhancements on the Freebuds Professional 2 will not be price double the cash.

Huawei Freebuds Professional 2

Glorious sound • World-class ANC • Clear voice calls

The Freebuds Professional 2 sound nice and have loads of options, however they are not with out flaws.

For a set of wi-fi earbuds, the Huawei Freebuds Professional 2 supplies excellent sound. Their energetic noise canceling outperforms many rivals. Voice calls are loud and clear, whereas the contact controls are handy.

High Huawei Freebuds Professional 2 questions and solutions

Are the Freebuds Professional 2 waterproof?

The Huawei Freebuds Professional 2 are usually not waterproof, however they’re water-resistant. Extra precisely, the earbuds are rated IP54 or “splash resistant,” that means they need to deal with the common wet day or exercise, however not full submersion or contact with a robust water jet. The case is just not water-resistant in any respect. Huawei warns that the water resistance on the Freebuds Professional 2 will lower over time.

Do the Freebuds Professional 2 work with iPhone?

Sure, you should utilize the Freebuds Professional 2 with iPhones and iPads, in addition to Mac computer systems. They may work like every Bluetooth headphones, however on iOS, they won’t help all of the options marketed by Huawei. Examine the official product web page for particulars.

What codecs do the Freebuds Professional 2 help?

The Freebuds Professional 2 help the LDAC, AAC, and SBC codecs. Utilizing the AI Life app, you’ll be able to toggle between LDAC (highest definition, highest battery consumption) and AAC. Most customers is not going to discover the advantage of LDAC, so we advocate leaving the setting to AAC (commonplace definition). Try this text for an evidence of the variations between codecs.

Is there an app for Huawei Freebuds Professional 2?How do I management the Huawei Freebuds Professional 2?

You possibly can management the Freebuds Professional 2 by pinching the earbuds’ stem (one pinch: cease/play; two pinches: subsequent observe; three pinches: earlier observe); by pinching-and-holding (swap between ANC on, ANC off, and Consciousness mode); and by swiping on the stems (quantity up/down).

Do the Freebuds Professional 2 have Transparency mode?

Sure, nevertheless it’s not referred to as Transparency, which is Apple’s characteristic. As a substitute, it’s referred to as Consciousness mode, and it selectively pipes in voices and different sounds from the skin. This allows you to chat or take heed to bulletins with out eradicating your earphones.

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