Huawei FreeBuds 5 are like no earbuds we’ve ever seen

Huawei is in a rich vein of form when it comes to wireless earbuds. The new FreeBuds 5 look set to continue that, although they don’t look like their siblings, or, almost any other true wireless buds.

The Chinese firm recently launched the FreeBuds 5i, a budget-friendly option, and the similar-sounding FreeBuds 5 sit between those and the premium FreeBuds 2 Pro.

It’s difficult to think of any wireless earbuds with a similar design, partly because open-fit buds aren’t common and Huawei’s approach is – simply – different. Huawei says the FreeBuds 5 are ‘droplet-shaped’ with ‘double-C curves’.

The design is meant to create more contact with your ears for ‘reduced strain’ and a ‘breathable wearing experience’. There’s a shallow in-ear section, reduced height and the stem has a 32-degree tilt to get a comfortable fit and makes sure the pressure created when you tap a bud is more evenly distributed. 

Huawei says the design is the result of “tens of thousands of ergonomic simulations and hundreds of optimisations”. The closest rival would likely be the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, aka the Galaxy Beans. 

There’s a lot more to the FreeBuds 5 than the unusual design which, by the way, is available in Ceramic White, Silver Frost, and Coral Orange and is IPX4 water resistant.

Noise cancelling doesn’t tend to work overly well on open-fit design earbuds – due to the lack of a proper seal with the ear canal – but the FreeBuds 5 have intelligent dynamic ANC with triple mics on each bud, so can adjust the noise cancelling for you in real-time. 

Another real-time adjustment is via Triple Adaptive EQ which can reportedly optimise the sound based on things like the shape of your ear canal and volume.  

It works from 100-2000Hz but the headphones can produce frequencies as low as 16Hz thanks to ultra-magnet dynamic drivers. 

Like the FreeBuds Pro 2, there’s Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification here thanks to the inclusion of the LDAC codec, with 96kHz/24-bit audio at 990kbps. There’s also the L2HC codec, covering more Hi-Res bases. 

The charging case has a textured surface and a ‘matte glow’ finish and, combined with the buds’ own batteries, offer a total of up to 30 hours of listening (with ANC off). A short five-minute charge will get you two hours of listening time, an improvement on the FreeBuds 4. 

The buds are compatible with iOS and Android devices and support dual-device connection.  

You can buy the FreeBuds 5 from 17 April priced at £139.99/€159 and UK subscribers to the Huawei Store Newsletter (before 16 April) can get 10% off as long as you redeem by 27 April. 

We’re testing them right now, so watch this space for a full review and to find out if they make it into our chart of the best wireless earbuds.