On the one hand FreeBuds Pro from HUAWEI , earphones just arrived on the market from the other side Apple AirPods Pro which instead have now been present for some years. Two true wireless headphones that seek to take music listening to the next level. How do they differ? Here is our comparison.
by Editorial team published 10 November 2020 , at 09: 01 in the Audio Video channel
Apple Huawei
Apple v. HUAWEI. Android versus iOS. A comparison still open especially in the field of smartphones but now also in that of true wireless headphones, that is the earphones that in recent years have literally flooded the market among young people but also among professionals. Comfort, no wires, all connected via Bluetooth in an instant and above all an autonomy that can increase thanks to the case.
The new HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro still raise plus the asticella proposing itself as the first earphones in the world with not only active but also dynamic noise cancellation. A suffix that “ Pro ” which has a decidedly overbearing aspect in the world of in ear headphones. This is not present in the headphones of the Cupertino house which, however, introduce the element of ” spatiality ” during listening thanks to a software intervention. Aesthetically they look alike and we will see in our review if HUAWEI has surpassed the software power of Apple and its AirPods Pro with its dynamic cancellation.
AirPods Pro cost list 279 ?? while HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro are sold at a price of 179 ??. A difference of 100 ?? that we will evaluate considering the design but also the usability, the autonomy and clearly the sound.
DESIGN: similar and with silicone bulb
The most noticeable change of the AirPods Pro compared to the second generation AirPods involved the design most voted to be in-ear . After years of bucking the competition that had long since adopted earphones with silicone rubber pads, Apple has decided to use them in its new Pro version, thus managing to improve noise cancellation, a fundamental feature of this new generation of earphones.
Same thing did HUAWEI which has always adopted an “ open ” design that Apple has placed with its first and second generations of AirPods. The Chinese company has worked to make them comfortable during use even when listening to music for hours and hours. The work carried out by the Shenzhen engineers achieves an important generational leap compared to the previous FreeBuds with the ability to present itself on the market as a valid alternative to Apple’s headphones, which has always been at the top of the ranking of users’ satisfaction.
Both earphones are made of polycarbonate high quality with a main body with strongly anatomical lines capable of allowing the best ergonomics inside the auricle especially for multiple types of ears.
C ?? it is clearly the silicone bulb capable of completely sealing the auricle while the coating of the headphones is completely shiny allowing a beautiful effect sight and touch. In this case HUAWEI decides not only to focus on white but offers its own headphones with a triple color. Users can therefore choose the purchase of the FreeBuds Pro both in classic white color then the black one always totally glossy or even in Silver Frost which is opaque unlike the others. Apple with the AirPods Pro instead maintains its philosophy by offering users a single color which is then the classic white one that has always characterized every single accessory of the bitten Apple.
In both earphones we find a more or less long stem at the base of which there are holes for positioning a microphone. That of HUAWEI’s FreeBuds Pro is completely different from what we have seen so far. We have here a temple which is shorter compared to previous versions and also slightly enlarged becoming rectangular and no longer cylindrical. The reason is soon said given that inside there is practically the heart of the headset with all the concentrate of technology that concerns the dynamic noise reduction.
Apple’s AirPods Pro instead see a fully cylindrical stem with an end part which no longer has that thick and perforated chrome area present with the classic AirPods but a thin shiny circle divided into two sections, much less conspicuous especially due to the absence of the hole with the grill for the microphone. The stem as mentioned is shorter than before but above all it sees the presence of a small notch in possession of a force sensor capable of guaranteeing customized commands from iOS.
In in this case the ergonomics are still excellent for both. The headphones are very well balanced once worn and hardly, even after hours of continuous use, it will be necessary to remove them to give a little ?? of breath to the auricle. There are two magnets at the base of the legs of the earphones for connection with enclosures . Instead, the shape of the stem is different since for the FreeBuds Pro they see the presence of four very small slits which allow you to insert a double microphone as well as a duct able to completely eliminate the noise of the wind. Strongly aerodynamic design of the duct that does nothing but suppress the passing wind by effectively reducing noise and above all ensuring excellent conversations with the most crystal clear audio possible even during running sessions or even bike rides.
And just talking about the interaction of the two headphones on the stem we can only see the fact that they are similar. HUAWEI decides to keep a smooth design throughout the length of the same by proposing a touch-sensitive area to interact with the algorithm and therefore guarantee truly multiple functions for the user. There are so many interactions that can be set with your fingers via the headphone stem:
only once allows you to
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Answer or End the call
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Play or Pause music
To merge fingers twice allows you to
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Reject the call
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Play the next song
Pinching the fingers three times allows you to
Pinch and hold allows you to
Finally, the sliding of the fingers along the inside of the stem allows you to increase or decrease the volume.
Apple instead it changes the design compared to the past and offers a small notch with a force sensor capable of guaranteeing customized commands from iOS. You can activate, by holding down, noise cancellation or Siri. By pressing it quickly, however, it is possible to activate the playback of the music, from where it was last time you listened to it, or to answer or end a call.
As regards the case. Both are used as the main accessory to recharge the headphones once placed inside. Their shape is different but similar. Apple tries to maintain as much as possible a rectangular shape with strongly rounded corners and rather small dimensions (60. 6 x 45. 2 x 21. 7 mm). HUAWEI, on the other hand, decides for a slightly more rounded case with a slightly larger size (70 x 27. 3 x 24. 6 mm) although it is still capable of not creating clumsy bulges in the pocket.
Both the transport and charging cases are made of rigid polycarbonate so as not to damage the headphones once inserted inside. Pleasant to the touch with a completely smooth plastic for that of Apple and matte , but only in the Silver Frost version, for HUAWEI. Build quality important for both. Present a lid firmly fixed to the upper part of the cases by means of a hinge capable of opening quickly even with one hand. Magnetic closures that tend to seal everything making it difficult to accidentally open the cases, thus preserving the earphones.
Convenient then the status LED present in both which allows you to understand based on the color if the battery of the case is charged, discharged or if the device is connected to the smartphone. Finally present the wireless charging which allows therefore simply place the case on a Qi base to start charging. Also present is the classic one wired with Lighting cables for AirPods Pro and USB-C for FreeBuds Pro.
FUNCTIONALITY?? and USE: simple, comfortable and valid
HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro and AirPods Pro are simple to use, comfortable to hold on your ears and technically sound. On the ergonomics we find them very similar given the presence for both of the silicone rubber. The user will find it for both in three different sizes and with the possibility of to measure the right size of the rubber pad once inserted through the algorithm .
For Apple it is called ” V erification of the fit of the earphones ” and can be evaluated through the menu on iOS. In this case the user, to actually understand which of the three different sizes of the rubber pads is the most reliable and perfect for the ear duct, will only have to wear the AirPods Pro then start the procedure and wait for the outcome of the? ? Apple’s algorithm that will check if that type of grommet allows the best grip in the pavilion.
For HUAWEI instead it is called ” Adaptation test ” but in truth everything is practically identical to that of Apple. In this case the test is carried out by simply listening to the music reproduced by the application which at the same time, in a completely autonomous way, understands if the size of the silicone rubber pads is the right one.
first start will be immediate for both. Just open the case and in the presence of an iPhone for the AirPods Pro and a smartphone HUAWEI for the FreeBuds Pro, you will have automatic recognition of connected headphones as soon as after the notification with on-screen popup. In case of connection to other devices you will have to act on the button present in both to put everything in pairing mode via Bluetooth.
HAUWEI enriches the FreeBuds Pro operating system by proposing a specific application on the store where it will be possible to act on the settings of the headphones and where you will always have the command of the same with related information. This allows you to use the information and commands even on other non-HUAWEI smartphones. Apple instead allows you to change the settings of the AirPods Pro only in the Settings menu which unfortunately makes them inaccessible on other non-Apple smartphones. A lack that has given rise to third-party apps for Android but which in fact allow you to have some useful information or settings, but which are not native and complete.
Again through the HUAWEI application, which we remember is downloadable on the Play Store, it is then also possible to decide whether to let the sensors detect whether or not we are wearing headphones, we can find the earphones in case we lost them outside the case and finally we can also decide whether to record the audio in high quality that is to 20 kHz .
On comfort we can only declare that we are in the presence of definitely top of the range earphones. Both guarantee use in extreme situations such as workouts or even bike rides. Once worn, both AirPods Pro and FreeBuds Pro do not pop out of the ear cup unintentionally. Clearly the silicone rubber will tend to seal more by plugging in some situations a little? more than other types of non-in-ear headphones.
In this case, for both, the ” Transparency ” mode (which HUAWEI calls Aware) and which allows you to listen to perfection everything that surrounds us without the need to remove the headphones from the ears. For HUAWEI, the Voice mode is also interesting, which allows human voices to stand out by significantly reducing environmental sounds.
QUALITY ?? SOUND: HUAWEI has dynamic cancellation
Now let’s talk about the audio quality of the earphones. In both devices the technological presence is massive above all because it is also accompanied by Artificial Intelligence capable of guaranteeing maximum comfort with noise suppression.
HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro see the presence of the Kirin A1 which is a chip specifically designed to obtain high performance with optimized encoder for stable connection without interference even in crowded environments. There is no latency that guarantees watching movies or making gaming sessions precisely without delays or system lag. On the active noise suppression we have achieved an important result especially for its dynamism that is not present in AirPods Pro. Yes, because the processor understands, thanks to the microphone, the sound level present outside and therefore allows you to calibrate the suppression in an intelligent and autonomous way.
Three mode: the Ultra one to immerse yourself in listening to music in extreme travel or high noise situations, then the Comfort which allows you to increase the user’s concentration reducing the noises of the office or library and finally the Standard mode which guarantees immersion in case of listening in a bar or a busy street. The sound is always with a high volume and above all clear and detailed in its definition even with high bass.
Apple relies on its Apple H1 chip instead also integrated on second generation classic AirPods. A processor with excellent performance both for wireless connections that hardly deteriorate or are not made. Our tests have revealed an H1 chip that is always ready when needed and above all capable of better regulating active noise cancellation. The sound is thick and deep even if, as always for Apple earphones, the bass is not exaggerated and rather is missing in some situations. Advantage for those who prefer their absence, but a disadvantage for those who cannot do without them.
Excellent predisposition of HUAWEI earphones to calls. The conversation in headphones is practically perfect with a crystal clear voice and effective for both the listener and the speaker. The tests conducted have rewarded this aspect as a result of an excellent job by the Shenzhen-based company, which has always been a pioneer in this field.
AUTONOMY: excellent for both
Apple declares the autonomy of the new AirPods Pro in 4 and a half hours with active noise cancellation with at least a 24 hours with using the charging case. The case itself allows charging both via Lightning cable and in Wireless mode, a considerable advantage in the latter case if you have any Qi-supporting base.
Indeed the autonomy confirms the expectations since with AirPods Pro we can do over four and a half hours with ANC active while watching a streaming movie or even while listening to music from Apple Music or other services. We also tried to intersperse the music or movies with HD voice calls and the result allowed us to reach 5 hours without problems.
For HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro the company declares 4 hours with ANC activated in continuous playback. The tests, however, allowed us to obtain more than 4 and a half hours of use with the cancellation activated, a sign that the potential is all there. Not only because the autonomy rises to 7 and a half hours if we do not activate the ANC. This is always playing any audio.
The battery of the case guarantees us to have up to 20 hours of playback with full charge. A really important time that in the practical test allowed us to never run out of water. On charging, the case is recharged at 6W with the USB-C port while via the wireless one it is possible to reach a maximum of 2W. The time taken is however short because the earphones take less than three quarters of an hour to reach 100% from 0 while the case with the cable charging is ” full ” in less than an hour.
So on autonomy we are practically on the same line. Apple travels with its AirPods Pro on 4 and a half hours with active noise cancellation while HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro reach and exceed 4 and a half hours. The charging case then allows both to practically obtain the 24 hours of use before having to recharge the accessory.
CONCLUSIONS: the price and the dynamic ANC makes HUAWEI win
HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro and Apple AirPods Pro are undoubtedly two of the best active noise canceling headphones on the market today in this price range. They are antagonistic to each other and in fact have improved aspects compared to past generations with the introduction, above all, of active noise reduction. The quality is high for both with a product, that of HUAWEI, devoted more to automatic adjustment of noise cancellation which becomes dynamic and therefore adapts to external situations. A significant plus that highlights the work of the Shenzhen company.
C ?? is also from emphasize the price. AirPods Pro cost 279 ?? against i 179 ?? that you will have to pay for the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro , these days and up to 11 November even discounted by additional 17 ??, to 159 ??. An important difference that could turn the balance in favor of one rather than the other as well as considering the ecosystem to work on.
