Home Wireless Earbuds Huawei Freebuds 5 Vs. Apple Airpods Pro (2Nd Gen)

A Review By Comparison of the Huawei Freebuds 5 Vs. Apple Airpods Pro (2Nd Gen)

Last updated on Apr 17, 2023   8 min read
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Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

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Reasons why you might like the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Overall Score 6.4 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IPX4
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 6 hours
  • Number Of Microphones of 6 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode
VS
Huawei FreeBuds 5

Huawei FreeBuds 5

Reasons why you might like the Huawei FreeBuds 5

Overall Score 6.0 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IP54
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 5 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 6 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode

A summary of the review by feature comparison

Category Features Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) Huawei FreeBuds 5
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating IPX4 IP54
weight 10.6g 10.8g
has no wires or cables
sweat resistance
has stereo speakers
SOUND QUALITY has active noise cancellation (noise control)
has passive noise reduction
driver unit size 11mm 11mm
lowest frequency 20Hz 16Hz
highest frequency 20000Hz 40000Hz
POWER battery life 6hours 5hours
battery life of charging case 24hours 25hours
charge time 1hours
battery power 49.7mAh 42mAh
has wireless charging
has a battery level indicator
CONNECTIVITY has usb type-c
bluetooth version v5.3 v5.2
maximum bluetooth range 10meters 10meters
has aac
has ldac
MICROPHONE number of microphones 6only 6only
has a noise-canceling microphone
EXTRAS has ambient sound mode
has in/on-ear detection
has find earbuds feature
supports fast charging
multipoint count 2only 2only
has a mute function
control panel placed on a device
has voice prompts
travel bag is included
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A breakdown of the review per specifications

Design

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) IPX4
Huawei FreeBuds 5 IP54

IP ratings refer to the level of protection offered by an enclosure, against solids and water. The letters 'IP' are followed by two values The first value of the IP rating represents protection against solids such as dust, followed by the one that refers to resistance against liquids (sweat).

Scoring IP54, the Huawei FreeBuds 5's rating for solids indicates that ingress of dust is not totally prevented but dust does not enter in harmful quantities to interfere with the correct operation or impair safety, and of liquids that they can withstand low pressure spray similar to that of a shower head when tilted at 180° for 10 minutes.

In comparison to the Huawei FreeBuds 5, Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a rating of IPX4 meaning that no data available to specify a protection rating and that of liquids is that, they both have the same rating against liquids

Weight

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 10.6g
Huawei FreeBuds 5 10.8g

The Huawei FreeBuds 5 have a weight of 10.8g . We consider a lower weight best for the reason that lighter devices are easier to carry.

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), at 10.6g are lighter than the Huawei FreeBuds 5 by -0.2g

Has No Wires Or Cables

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Huawei FreeBuds 5

True wireless devices have no cables connecting any part of the device together, Huawei FreeBuds 5 are true wireless for this matter since they don't have wires. This is a key distinction as some wireless earbuds have wires linking the pair of earbuds together.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) also is true wireless because it doesn't have wires connecting the 2 earbuds together.

Sweat Resistance

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Huawei FreeBuds 5

Huawei FreeBuds 5 have sweat resistance

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s resistance to sweat makes both devices good for use while doing sports such as long-distance running, marathons, cardio sweat workouts , etc

Has Stereo Speakers

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Huawei FreeBuds 5

Huawei FreeBuds 5 have stereo speakers, devices with stereo speakers deliver sound from separate channels on both left and right sides, this creates a richer sound and a better listening experience.

Both Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) and Huawei FreeBuds 5 have stereo speakers

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
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Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Huawei FreeBuds 5

ANC makes use of more advanced kind of tech to reduce ambient sounds. How it works, it detects and analyzes the sound pattern of incoming noise and then inverts the soundwaves to cancel it out. Simply put, it's like taking +1 (noise) then producing -1 (counter sound by the device) giving 0 hence "diluting" the noise.

Huawei FreeBuds 5 have Active Noise Cancellation enabling you to listen at lower volume levels, causing less ear fatigue as you don't need to crank up the device volume to overcome background noise.

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too have ANC making either of the devices ideal for flights and rush hour commutes. Each work with different noise cancellation types, pick the setting that suits your commute or that enhances your chill time.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Huawei FreeBuds 5

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) sit tightly in place, this creates an acoustic covering that tones down your environment noise and also prevents the earbuds sound from leaking out .

Driver Unit Size

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 11mm
Huawei FreeBuds 5 11mm

Huawei FreeBuds 5 driver unit is 11mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful, therefor producing better bass. The driver unit is basically a mini speaker that produces sound in the device, the unit size determines the loudness of the earbuds.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) driver unit is 11mm in diameter, making both devices similar in how loud their sound gets , many people have a misconception that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.

However, large drivers usually have difficulty producing high frequencies so it's true that, larger drivers can generate louder sound, but this does not indicate that they deliver better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 20Hz
Huawei FreeBuds 5 16Hz

Huawei FreeBuds 5's lowest frequency is at 16Hz, low-frequency response measures if and how well an audio component generates low recognizable frequencies and if it alters the signal on its way through.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this implies that Huawei FreeBuds 5 can make sound with a juicier bass than the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Highest Frequency

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 20000Hz
Huawei FreeBuds 5 40000Hz

The Huawei FreeBuds 5's highest frequency is at 40000Hz, high-frequency response shows how well an audio device produces high audible frequencies and if it changes to the signal on its way through.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s highest frequency is at 20000Hz, this means that Huawei FreeBuds 5 produce a clearer and crispier treble than the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Power

Battery Life

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 6hours
Huawei FreeBuds 5 5hours

Huawei FreeBuds 5's battery life is 5 hours, these last less than 5 hours of listening which is considered average before recharge. A device's battery life is usually given by the manufacturer, and with more battery hours, you get to use it for longer and requires fewer chargings.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s battery life is more than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5 by 1 hours . Each time you recharge your earbuds, they get a little less playing time. The effect is barely noticeable at first, but over time, your wireless earbuds will no longer play for long like they used to.

Battery Life Of Charging Case

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 24hours
Huawei FreeBuds 5 25hours

The battery life of the charging case is given by the manufacturer, and Huawei FreeBuds 5's case is said to have a full charge of 25 hours. A charging case with more battery hours allows you to recharge your earbuds on the go many times before having to recharge the case itself.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s charging case has a battery life of 24 hours, less than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5 by 1 hours

Charge Time

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 1hours
Huawei FreeBuds 5

It requires 1 hours to fully charge the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s battery. It is recommended to charge fully the battery before using the earbuds when they have been in storage for extended periods.

Battery Power

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 49.7mAh
Huawei FreeBuds 5 42mAh

Huawei FreeBuds 5's battery capacity is 42mAh, battery capacity, shows the amount of electrical energy that a battery can keep.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s battery power is 49.7mAh. more than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5 by 7.7mAh

Has Wireless Charging

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Huawei FreeBuds 5

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), the device supports wireless charging. To charge the device, you just place down on a supported charging pad.

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Huawei FreeBuds 5

Huawei FreeBuds 5 have a battery level indicator, an indicator notifies you when the device has a low battery. The battery indicator lights indicate the charging state of your device and case.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too have a battery level indicator, these enable you to determine the charging state of your earbuds, whether fully charged, or having a low battery.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
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Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Huawei FreeBuds 5

Huawei FreeBuds 5 use USB TYPE-C, an industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power through a single cable.

Bluetooth Version

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) v5.3
Huawei FreeBuds 5 v5.2

Huawei FreeBuds 5 have Bluetooth version of 5.2, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that enables data transfers between devices placed in range, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) has a Bluetooth version of 5.3, newer than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5 . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 10meters
Huawei FreeBuds 5 10meters

Huawei FreeBuds 5 have a 10meters distance connecting via Bluetooth.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the Huawei FreeBuds 5

Has Aac

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Huawei FreeBuds 5

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support AAC, a codec that is used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Since it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it provides better results than other codecs at the same bit rate.

Since its the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) will work fine with your iPad. If you are planning on using these with Android , ensure that they also support aptX HD, LDAC, or LHDC as well.

Has Ldac

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Huawei FreeBuds 5

The Huawei FreeBuds 5 support LDAC, a codec developed by Sony which allows streaming high-resolution audio over Bluetooth connections at up to 990 kbps at 32 bit/96 kHz. It is capable of a very high bitrate of 990kbps, providing high-resolution audio.

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 6only
Huawei FreeBuds 5 6only

The Huawei FreeBuds 5 have 6 microphones.

While the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) microphones are 6, equal to that of the Huawei FreeBuds 5 . More microphones result in better sound quality and help the device to filter out background sounds.

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Huawei FreeBuds 5

Huawei FreeBuds 5 use a noise-canceling type of microphone, these microphones are designed to reduce background sounds from the earbuds' sound.

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too use a noise-canceling microphone. Especially useful in noisy environments.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
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Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Huawei FreeBuds 5

Huawei FreeBuds 5 support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to channel ambient noises so that they can still be heard even when wearing them

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support ambient sound mode as well, it’s useful when you want to listen to music while being aware of what’s happening around you, for example when you’re having a jog but still want to hear traffic.

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Huawei FreeBuds 5

Huawei FreeBuds 5 support in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the device can detect when they are removed from your ears so that the music is paused.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too support in/on-ear detection, automatically pauses your music, or audiobook when you remove earbuds from your ears saving battery life.

Has Find Earbuds Feature

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Huawei FreeBuds 5

When lost in a room, or can't be found in your bag, the Huawei FreeBuds 5 have a find earbuds feature.

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) also have the find earbuds feature. Simply use the device app on your smartphone to play a sound from your earbuds to help you find them.

Supports Fast Charging

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Huawei FreeBuds 5

Huawei FreeBuds 5 support fast charging. Commonly, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to lower the amount of time it takes to charge a device.

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support fast charging. It's very similar to regular charging, just that the battery is filling up much faster. For example, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery can be charged to 50% in just thirty minutes.

Multipoint Count

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 2only
Huawei FreeBuds 5 2only

Huawei FreeBuds 5 have a multipoint of 2 connections, this feature allows you connect to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. Say, you can easily switch calls from one device to another without having to manually disconnect and reconnect.

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support multipoint count of 2, equal to that of the Huawei FreeBuds 5 . Bluetooth multipoint comes in handy when you can be on one call without missing notifications coming from another device.

Has A Mute Function

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Huawei FreeBuds 5

Huawei FreeBuds 5 have a mute function, they support the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device.

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) also have this function. The mute function means that you can turn off the earbuds' microphone, but you can still hear the other party talk.

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Huawei FreeBuds 5

The Huawei FreeBuds 5, so you can access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever features are supported on the earbuds.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too have a control panel on them.

Has Voice Prompts

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Huawei FreeBuds 5

The Huawei FreeBuds 5 have voice prompts. Automatically receive information via audio messages, say if there is a problem with the connection.

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too support voice prompts meaning the earbuds notifies you if the battery is low, and it's time to recharge them.

Travel Bag Is Included

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Huawei FreeBuds 5

Huawei FreeBuds 5 come with their own special case. Carrying earphones without a case, or putting them in your bag without a casing may easily put them at risk of getting damaged.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) also have a travel bag included, which offers safe transportation.

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