The FreeBuds Pro 3 are somewhat more expensive than their predecessors, at £179.99, and while they undercut the likes of Apple and Sony, there isn’t much new here to lure someone who already has the FreeBuds Pro 2.
a new groove on the stem makes using the press/touch controls easier
Design & Build
- Refined design
- Groove for controls
- New green color
The FreeBuds Pro 3’s design is substantially identical from the previous model.
They have stumpy stems with short and broad stems, which I don’t mind. The buds are 5% lighter (5.8g per bud) than the FreeBuds Pro 2, but the difference is insignificant.
Regardless, they are safe and comfy. I only used the pre-fitted silicone tips, but there are several sizes available in the package, including a new extremely tiny size.
The casing is essentially similar, with slight differences and enhancements. It’s a little smaller, and the hinge is hidden, no longer cutting through the rear panel with the Huawei logo, which is made of ‘nano glass’. Though it appears like the entire casing is made of glass, the remainder is made of plastic.
The buds are more exposed, making them easier to remove, and the casing now includes a speaker. For the time being, this will play a sound when charging is complete, however a ‘find my case’ option will be added later.
The FreeBuds Pro 3 is available in four different colors: silver frost, silver blue, ceramic white, and green. The latter is the new livery, which I’ve been testing here.
An IP54 rating makes them dust and splash proof and a new groove on the stem makes using the press/touch controls easier. I really like not fumbling around trying to find the right part and the haptic feedback is nicely crisp.
For different controls (primarily playback and ANC modes), you may squeeze once, twice, three times, or a lengthy pinch, as well as swiping up and down to change the volume.
The latter works well, however it must be done on the same grooved piece that faces forward as opposed to the more intuitive outside surface of the stem where the Huawei logo is located.
Sound Quality & Features
- Dual drivers
- Two Hi-Res codecs
- Software hurdles
Huawei delivers a dual-driver audio system with 11mm dynamic drivers and planar diaphragm drivers once again.
Because of this, the buds have an epically wide frequency range of 14Hz-48kHz. And, once again, they sound fantastic, providing rich, powerful, and expansive sounds.
The FreeBuds Pro 3 are certainly worthy of their Pro moniker when it comes to codecs
The bass is particularly robust once more, so if you enjoy EDM (electronic dance music), the FreeBuds Pro 3 are an excellent choice. However, because of the precise mid-range and gently handled high-end, they are ideally suited to a wide range of musical genres as well as podcasts and the like.
I can’t test the performance because I can’t turn it on and off, but Huawei advertises ‘triple adaptive EQ,’ which can modify the sound profile based on volume level, ear canal shape, and wearing status.
Again, the buds can detect when they are in your ears and will instantly cease playing when you remove one. It performs as expected.
Intelligent ANC 3.0, which the company claims is 50% better than the FreeBuds Pro 2, is now available. I didn’t notice much of a difference, but they do an excellent job of blocking out annoying sound, and the awareness mode is handy for hearing what’s going on around you without pulling the earphones out.
The ANC is set to dynamic mode by default and will pick according on your surroundings, but manual choices of comfortable, general, and hyper can be found in the AI live app.
A quad mic system with three silicon and one bone conduction mics handles call quality once more. I found the quality of the FreeBuds Pro 2 to be extremely nice. Whatever Pure Voice 2.0 is doing in the background to remove noise, including wind, is effective.
When it comes to codecs, the FreeBuds Pro 3 surely live up to their Pro label. Along with the standard ones found on almost any pair of earbuds, they enable LDAC and L2HC 2.0, allowing you to listen to Hi-Res Audio wirelessly.
This is only possible if you have a suitable handset, as L2HC 2.0 is only accessible on Huawei phones running EMUI 13.0 or later. Bare in mind that you’ll also need Hi-Res content/streaming subscription.
If you possess a Huawei device that supports pop-up pairing, you’ll find it easy to connect. Other modern/smart features include dual connections, which allow you to connect to two devices at once, including Android and iOS, a fit test, and find my earbuds.
There’s also audio sharing, which allows two sets of buds to be linked to the same item and listen to the same audio, although this is only available on certain Huawei smartphones.
Another software stumbling block is that the AI Life app isn’t accessible on the Google Play Store, so you’ll have to get it from Huawei’s App Gallery instead. This is a hassle, and even so, the program couldn’t locate my FreeBuds Pro 3. I had better luck on iPhone where the app is available and found the headphones.
You can use the buds without the app, but you’ll need it to access all the settings and features.
Battery Life & Charging
- Marginal gains
- No quick charging
- Wireless charging case
In terms of battery life, Huawei claims 6.5 hours from the buds when used at 50% volume, with ANC turned off, and the standard AAC Bluetooth codec. The overall time, including the charging case, is 31 hours.
Of course, real-world battery life will vary. Listening at 50% volume with noise canceling on for an hour on a loud train depleted the battery by roughly 20%, implying a lifespan of five hours.
It’s a minor improvement over the previous version of FreeBuds Pro, but if you need more battery life, you can find it elsewhere.
The buds will take around 40 minutes to charge within the case, with Huawei making no mention of rapid charging. The case can be charged by USB-C or wireless charging, albeit at up to 2W, wireless charging will take more than twice as long to fill.
In typical fashion, Huawei undercuts rivals when it comes to the price
Price & Availability
In typical fashion, Huawei undercuts rivals when it comes to the price. The FreeBuds Pro 3 are yours for £179.99 placing them as more of a mid-range option.
You can buy them from the official store as well as Amazon and Very. They are not available in the US at the time of writing.
Should you buy the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3?
Huawei has made another largely excellent pair of true wireless earbuds.
They undercut big-name rivals while offering top-notch audio quality, noise cancelling, on-bud controls and a number of useful features.
However, there are some things to consider before hitting the buy button.
A number of features are limited to Huawei devices, the software experience isn’t straightforward and not a whole has changed when comparing the buds with the FreeBuds Pro 2 which, now they are the older generation, you might find for an attractive price.
Specs
- 11mm dynamic driver, planar diaphragm driver
- 14Hz – 48kHz
- Bluetooth
- Bone sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope sensor, Infrared sensor
- Simultaneous connection to two Bluetooth devices supported
- LDAC, L2HC2.0, AAC, SBC
- Pinch and swipe gestures
- Battery life: Up to 6.5 hours music playback on 1 charge (4.5hr with ANC), 31hr playback with charging case
- USB-C
- Wireless charging (market dependant)
- Dynamic active noise cancelling (up to 47dB)
- Dimensions: 29.1 x 23.7 x 21.8 mm (per earbud)
- Dimensions: 67.9 x 47.5 x 24.5 mm (charging case)
- Weight: About 5.8g (per earbud), About 45.5g (charging case)
- IP54
- Silver Blue,Silver Frost ,Ceramic White, Green
