Home Wireless Earbuds Huawei Freebuds 5 Vs. Sony Linkbuds S

A Review By Comparison of the Huawei Freebuds 5 Vs. Sony Linkbuds S

Last updated on Apr 17, 2023   7 min read
Note: This page may contain affiliate links, we only earn from qualifying purchases!
Sony LinkBuds S

Sony LinkBuds S

See price on Amazon

Reasons why you might like the Sony LinkBuds S

Overall Score 6.2 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IPX4
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 6 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • 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 Sony LinkBuds S Huawei FreeBuds 5
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating IPX4 IP54
weight 9.6g 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 5mm 11mm
lowest frequency 20Hz 16Hz
highest frequency 40000Hz 40000Hz
has a neodymium magnet
POWER battery life 6hours 5hours
battery life of charging case 14hours 25hours
charge time 2hours
battery power 42mAh
has a battery level indicator
CONNECTIVITY has usb type-c
bluetooth version v5.2 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
has a mute function
control panel placed on a device
has voice prompts
travel bag is included
See price on Amazon

A breakdown of the review per specifications

Design

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

Sony LinkBuds S IPX4
Huawei FreeBuds 5 IP54

Ingress protection ratings refer to the rating of protection given by a casing, against dust and liquids. The letters 'IP' are followed by two values The first value means protection against solids say dust, while the second refers to protection against liquids (water).

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.

Compared to the Huawei FreeBuds 5, Sony LinkBuds S 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

Sony LinkBuds S 9.6g
Huawei FreeBuds 5 10.8g

The Huawei FreeBuds 5 have a weight of 10.8g . We take in account a lower weight better for the reason that lighter devices are easier to move with.

Sony LinkBuds S, at 9.6g are lighter than the Huawei FreeBuds 5 with a difference -1.2g

Has No Wires Or Cables

Sony LinkBuds S
Huawei FreeBuds 5

True wireless devices have no wires connecting any part of the device together, Huawei FreeBuds 5 are true wireless for this matter since they have no cables. This is an important difference since wireless earbuds have wires connecting the two earbuds together.

Sony LinkBuds S also is true wireless since it has no cables linking the pair of earbuds together.

Sweat Resistance

Sony LinkBuds S
Huawei FreeBuds 5

Huawei FreeBuds 5 have sweat resistance

Sony LinkBuds S's resistance to sweat makes both devices ideal for use while doing sports such as long-distance running, marathons, training in workout bodysuits, etc

Has Stereo Speakers

Sony LinkBuds S
Huawei FreeBuds 5

Huawei FreeBuds 5 have stereo speakers, what this means is that Huawei FreeBuds 5's speakers deliver sound from independent channels on both left and right sides, creating a richer sound and a better listening experience.

The Sony LinkBuds S also have stereo speakers

Sony LinkBuds S
See price on Amazon

Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

Sony LinkBuds S
Huawei FreeBuds 5

Active noise cancellation uses advanced kind of tech to actively cancel noise. ANC works when, it detects and analyzes the sound pattern of incoming noise and after generates a mirror signal to counter it. Simply put, it's like having +1 (sound from your surrounding) then adding -1 (counter sound by the device) to make zero which results in a reduced level of noise.

The Huawei FreeBuds 5 have ANC enabling you to listen at lower levels of volume, causing less ear fatigue as you don't need to crank up the device volume to outcompete background sounds.

The Sony LinkBuds S too have Active Noise Cancellation making both earbuds ideal for plane rides and morning travels. Each operate with different noise cancellation settings, pick the setting that suits your commute or that enhances your relaxation time.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Sony LinkBuds S
Huawei FreeBuds 5

The Sony LinkBuds S sit well in place, creating an acoustic covering that tones down background sounds while preventing the device voice audio from leaking out .

Driver Unit Size

Sony LinkBuds S 5mm
Huawei FreeBuds 5 11mm

The Huawei FreeBuds 5 driver unit is 11mm in diameter, the bigger the unit the more powerful, therefor producing better bass. The driver unit is the component that produces sound in the earbuds, the unit size corellates with the sound produced by the device.

Sony LinkBuds S driver unit is 5mm in diameter, which implies that they have a smaller driver unit than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5 by 6mm , a common assumption 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 produce better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

Sony LinkBuds S 20Hz
Huawei FreeBuds 5 16Hz

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

Sony LinkBuds S's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this implies that Huawei FreeBuds 5 can produce a juicier bass than the Sony LinkBuds S

Highest Frequency

Sony LinkBuds S 40000Hz
Huawei FreeBuds 5 40000Hz

The Huawei FreeBuds 5's highest frequency is at 40000Hz, high-frequency response indicates how well a particular audio device makes high audible frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal while at it.

Sony LinkBuds S's highest frequency is at 40000Hz, this means that both devices can generate equal treble

Has A Neodymium Magnet

Sony LinkBuds S
Huawei FreeBuds 5

The Sony LinkBuds S have neodymium magnets, when used in earbuds produce a higher sensitivity and substantial sound output using less power to do so. They can help produce music at quite a high sound pressure level, with the use of high magnetic flux.

Power

Battery Life

Sony LinkBuds S 6hours
Huawei FreeBuds 5 5hours

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

Sony LinkBuds S'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 have shorter listening time.

Battery Life Of Charging Case

Sony LinkBuds S 14hours
Huawei FreeBuds 5 25hours

This is given by the vendor, and the Huawei FreeBuds 5's case has a charge of 25 hours. A charging case with more battery hours allows you to recharge your earbuds on the go multiple times before recharging the case itself.

Sony LinkBuds S's charging case has a battery life of 14 hours, less than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5 by 11 hours

Charge Time

Sony LinkBuds S 2hours
Huawei FreeBuds 5

It requires 2 hours to fully charge the Sony LinkBuds S's battery. It is highly adivsable to charge fully the battery before using the earbuds for the first time.

Battery Power

Sony LinkBuds S
Huawei FreeBuds 5 42mAh

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

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Sony LinkBuds S
Huawei FreeBuds 5

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

Sony LinkBuds S too have a battery level indicator, these enable you determine the charging state of your earbuds, if charged fully, or having a low battery.

Sony LinkBuds S
See price on Amazon

Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

Sony LinkBuds S
Huawei FreeBuds 5

Huawei FreeBuds 5 support USB TYPE-C, a standard connector for transmitting both data and power in a single cable.

Sony LinkBuds S too use USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug is part and parcel of most current laptops, phones, and tablets.

Bluetooth Version

Sony LinkBuds S v5.2
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.

Sony LinkBuds S has a Bluetooth version of 5.2, equal to that of the Huawei FreeBuds 5 . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Sony LinkBuds S 10meters
Huawei FreeBuds 5 10meters

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

Sony LinkBuds S have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the Huawei FreeBuds 5

Has Aac

Sony LinkBuds S
Huawei FreeBuds 5

Sony LinkBuds S support AAC, a codec that is used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Because it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it provides better results than other codecs at the same bit rate.

Being the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Sony LinkBuds S will work fine with your iPhone. If you are planning on using these with Android you need to pay even closer attention to codec support for if they only have AAC they won't provide the best audio quality possible, ensure that they also support aptX HD, LDAC, or LHDC as well.

Has Ldac

Sony LinkBuds S
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.

Sony LinkBuds S support it as well, LDAC, can automatically adjust to a lower bitrate of 330kbps or 660kbps to increase stability.

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

Sony LinkBuds S 6only
Huawei FreeBuds 5 6only

The Huawei FreeBuds 5 have 6 microphones.

While the Sony LinkBuds S microphones are 6, equal to that of the Huawei FreeBuds 5 . More microphones record better sound quality and enable the earbuds to filter out background sounds.

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

Sony LinkBuds S
Huawei FreeBuds 5

The Huawei FreeBuds 5 use a noise-canceling microphone, these microphones are intended to reduce noise from the desired sound.

Sony LinkBuds S
See price on Amazon

Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Sony LinkBuds S
Huawei FreeBuds 5

Huawei FreeBuds 5 support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient sound to still be heard even when wearing them

The Sony LinkBuds S support ambient sound mode as well, helpful when you want to listen to music but also be aware of what’s happening around you, say you’re having a run but still want to hear traffic.

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Sony LinkBuds S
Huawei FreeBuds 5

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

The Sony LinkBuds S 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

Sony LinkBuds S
Huawei FreeBuds 5

If lost in a room, or can't easily find them in your bag, Huawei FreeBuds 5 support the find earbuds feature.

Sony LinkBuds S also have the find earbuds feature. You can use the earbuds app on your smartphone to play a sound from your device to help you locate them.

Supports Fast Charging

Sony LinkBuds S
Huawei FreeBuds 5

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

The Sony LinkBuds S too support fast charging. This kind is similar to regular charging, just that the battery fills up much faster. For example, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery is charged to 50% in just thirty minutes.

Multipoint Count

Sony LinkBuds S
Huawei FreeBuds 5 2only

The Huawei FreeBuds 5 support multipoint of 2 connections, the multipoint 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.

Has A Mute Function

Sony LinkBuds S
Huawei FreeBuds 5

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

The Sony LinkBuds S also support the mute function. It means that you can turn off the earbuds' microphone, but still hear the other party's voice.

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Sony LinkBuds S
Huawei FreeBuds 5

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

The Sony LinkBuds S too have a control panel on them.

Has Voice Prompts

Sony LinkBuds S
Huawei FreeBuds 5

The Huawei FreeBuds 5 support voice prompts. Automatically receive information through audio messages, like if there is a problem with the connection.

The Sony LinkBuds S also have voice prompts .i.e the device will notify you if the battery is low, and you need to recharge the earbuds.

Travel Bag Is Included

Sony LinkBuds S
Huawei FreeBuds 5

Huawei FreeBuds 5 come with their own special case. Carrying earbuds without a case, or placing them in your pockets without a cover can easily put them at risk of getting damaged.

Sony LinkBuds S also have a case included, which is useful for safe transportation.

Related Reviews