Introduction
Huawei’s top true wireless earbuds have reached their fourth generation. On the surface they do not look especially radical, but the FreeBuds Pro 4 stand out for sound quality. They deliver class-leading audio for the brand, though at a price that feels a bit steep.
Availability and Price
Huawei announced the FreeBuds Pro 4 late last year, and they arrived in Finland on February 10. The street price is 229 euros. Color options include black, white, and green. This review covers the white model.
Competition
There are plenty of rivals. Comparable earbuds from phone makers include the OnePlus Buds Pro 3, Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro, and Sony WF-1000XM5. Apple’s AirPods 4 remain an obvious choice for iPhone users. High-quality noise-canceling earbuds are also available from Bose, JBL, and Sennheiser.
In the Box and Fit Options
The package contains the earbuds, a USB-C charging cable, a quick guide, and multiple ear tips. You get four pairs of silicone tips and three memory-foam options, which should fit most ears.
Design and Build
The charging case in pearlescent white looks striking. Its soft, rounded shape helps disguise what are slightly large dimensions, and it still slips into a pocket comfortably. The pearlescent finish gives a premium feel but also shows light scratches; during roughly four weeks of testing the case picked up scuffs faster than I expected.
The lid snaps closed firmly and stays shut in normal use. Magnets hold the earbuds securely in place. A charge LED sits on the front of the case and the Huawei logo is on the back. USB-C charging is on the bottom and the case supports wireless charging. A pairing button is tucked into the right side of the case.
Connectivity and Codecs
Connections use Bluetooth 5.2. Codec support includes SBC and AAC plus LDAC and L2HC, Huawei’s proprietary codec. In testing I paired the buds with a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and primarily used LDAC. The earbuds can be connected to two devices simultaneously. They start in pairing mode on first use but require manual pairing after that.
Comfort and Durability
The FreeBuds Pro 4 combine an in-ear portion with a stem that sits partially outside the ear. Each bud weighs 5.8 grams, which is reasonable and not uncomfortable in use. The buds carry an IP54 rating, so they resist dust and splashes, though the charging case has no ingress protection.
Tip selection is important. There are seven tip options in total: silicone in XS, S, M, L and memory-foam in S, M, L. With careful trialing I found the silicone tips provided the best seal and fit for my ears; the memory foam did not seat as well for me, which was unfortunate since foam can offer better passive noise isolation. Silicone tips stayed secure while walking, but during sweaty runs the buds tended to work loose.
Drivers and Sound
Huawei uses a two-driver design: an 11 mm dynamic driver paired with a diaphragm element.
Out of the box the sound is impressively accurate. The tuning is balanced and fairly neutral, with only slight emphasis perceptible in the upper and lower frequencies. Bass is tight rather than exaggerated, so the overall presentation can feel natural rather than flashy. The soundstage is airy on default settings.
You can further tweak the sound with Huawei’s AI Life app. That app is also one of the product’s weaknesses because it must be downloaded from Huawei’s AppGallery rather than Google Play, which will irk some Android users.
Controls and App
Controls are straightforward. The main app screen lets you select noise-canceling mode, active device, sound effects, and essential settings. Huawei includes seven Sound presets plus a 10-band equalizer for granular tuning.
The app does not offer personalized hearing adjustment or spatial audio. There is no true head tracking, though a head-gesture control can manage calls with a nod or shake.
Touch and swipe customization is extensive. That flexibility is a plus for power users but perhaps a downside for those who prefer simplicity, since there are many actions to remember. Basic commands work reliably, but the volume control based on sliding the stem feels imprecise.
Battery Life and Charging
Huawei lists up to seven hours of playback with ANC off using AAC, dropping to five hours with ANC enabled. Those figures lag behind some competitors who promise an extra hour.
In my test I ran the buds without ANC and on AAC, which yielded about 6.5 hours—close to the stated number. That is decent but not class-leading; for comparison the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 has better endurance even with ANC engaged. The case’s wireless charging is a plus, and wired charging from empty to full took about one hour. Wireless charging was much slower and approached three hours in practice.
Noise Canceling and Call Quality
Active noise canceling can reach very high effectiveness. The earbuds attenuate low and mid-frequency noise well; passing cars and similar outdoor sounds become much less intrusive. The transition into canceling is smooth rather than abrupt, which feels more natural. They do not quite match the absolute best true wireless ANC, but performance is excellent for the price.
An ambient transparency mode also works naturally.
Each earbud packs three microphones plus a bone-conduction sensor. That mic array handles both ANC and calls effectively, so the FreeBuds Pro 4 are a safe recommendation for phone conversations.
Verdict
At a street price around 200 euros, the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 4 are very capable true wireless earbuds. Their strengths are a clean, well-balanced sound and pleasantly effective noise canceling. Codec support, reliable call quality, and a wide selection of tips are additional wins that make daily use painless.
Weaknesses include only average battery life and a touch control system that can feel complex. The need to install AI Life from AppGallery rather than Google Play will annoy some Android users, though iOS users can get the app from Apple’s store.
Overall, the FreeBuds Pro 4 tilt strongly positive. If you value sound quality and ANC more than the longest battery life, they are an excellent choice.
Pros and Cons
Good
- Sound quality
- Premium feel of the earbuds
- Effective noise canceling
- Wide codec support
- Comprehensive fit options
Bad
- Touch control complexity
- Only average battery life
- AI Life not available on Google Play
