Home Wireless Earbuds Huawei Freebuds 5 Vs. Sony Wf C500

A Review By Comparison of the Huawei Freebuds 5 Vs. Sony Wf C500

Last updated on Apr 17, 2023   7 min read
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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
VS
Sony WF C500

Sony WF C500

See price on Amazon

Reasons why you might like the Sony WF C500

Overall Score 5.3 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IPX4
  • Battery Life of 10 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 2 only

A summary of the review by feature comparison

Category Features Huawei FreeBuds 5 Sony WF C500
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating IP54 IPX4
weight 10.8g 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 5.8mm
lowest frequency 16Hz 20Hz
highest frequency 40000Hz 20000Hz
has a neodymium magnet
POWER battery life 5hours 10hours
battery life of charging case 25hours 10hours
charge time 2.5hours
battery power 42mAh
has a battery level indicator
CONNECTIVITY has usb type-c
bluetooth version v5.2 v5
maximum bluetooth range 10meters 9meters
has aac
has ldac
MICROPHONE number of microphones 6only 2only
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
warranty period 1Years
has voice prompts
travel bag is included
See price on Amazon

A breakdown of the review per specifications

Design

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

Huawei FreeBuds 5 IP54
Sony WF C500 IPX4

IP ratings is the level of protection offered by an enclosure, against dust and liquids. In the format of IPXX, 'X' represents a number The first value represents protection against solids such as dust, while the second refers to protection against liquids (sweat).

Scoring IP54, the Huawei FreeBuds 5's rating is read as, the first number of 5 denotes 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 the second value of 4 means 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, Sony WF C500 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

Huawei FreeBuds 5 10.8g
Sony WF C500 10.8g

Huawei FreeBuds 5 have a weight of 10.8g . We prefer a lower weight best because lighter devices are more comfortable to transport.

The Sony WF C500, at 10.8g have the same weight as the Huawei FreeBuds 5

Has No Wires Or Cables

Huawei FreeBuds 5
Sony WF C500

For a device to be true wireless it must have no cables connecting any part of the device together, Huawei FreeBuds 5 are true wireless for this matter since they don't have cables. This is a major difference since wireless earbuds have cables linking the 2 earbuds together.

Sony WF C500 also is true wireless since it doesn't have wires connecting the pair of earbuds together.

Sweat Resistance

Huawei FreeBuds 5
Sony WF C500

Huawei FreeBuds 5 have sweat resistance

Sony WF C500'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

Huawei FreeBuds 5
Sony WF C500

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, this creates a richer sound and a better listening experience.

Both Sony WF C500 and Huawei FreeBuds 5 have stereo speakers

Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

Huawei FreeBuds 5
Sony WF C500

Active noise cancellation utilises more advanced kind of tech to reduce unwanted ambient sounds. ANC works when, it listens to the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and inverts the soundwaves to cancel it out. Simply put, it's like having +1 (sound from your surrounding) and producing -1 (counter sound by the device) giving 0 resulting in a reduced level of noise.

The Huawei FreeBuds 5 have ANC allowing you to listen at lower levels of volume, causing less ear fatigue since you don't have to crank up the earbuds volume to overcome background noise.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Huawei FreeBuds 5
Sony WF C500

The Sony WF C500 sit well in place, creating a sound seal that tones down your environment noise and also prevents the device voice audio from leaking out .

Driver Unit Size

Huawei FreeBuds 5 11mm
Sony WF C500 5.8mm

The Huawei FreeBuds 5 driver unit is 11mm in diameter, the bigger the unit the more powerful, and can produce better bass. A driver unit is basically a mini speaker that makes sound in the device, its size determines the loudness of the earbuds.

Sony WF C500 driver unit is 5.8mm in diameter, which implies that they have a smaller driver unit than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5 by 5.2mm , 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 yes, larger drivers can generate louder sound, but this does not mean that they produce better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

Huawei FreeBuds 5 16Hz
Sony WF C500 20Hz

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 while at it.

Sony WF C500's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this implies that Huawei FreeBuds 5 make sound with a juicier bass than the Sony WF C500

Highest Frequency

Huawei FreeBuds 5 40000Hz
Sony WF C500 20000Hz

Huawei FreeBuds 5's highest frequency is at 40000Hz, high-frequency response indicates how well an audio component produces high human frequencies and if it adjustments to the signal while at it.

Sony WF C500's highest frequency is at 20000Hz, this means that Huawei FreeBuds 5 produce a clearer and crispier treble than the Sony WF C500

Has A Neodymium Magnet

Huawei FreeBuds 5
Sony WF C500

Sony WF C500 have neodymium magnets, when used in earbuds produce a higher sensitivity and substantial sound output while using less power. They can help generate music at quite a high sound pressure level, using high magnetic flux.

Power

Battery Life

Huawei FreeBuds 5 5hours
Sony WF C500 10hours

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 given by the manufacturer, and with longer battery life, you get to use it for longer and requires fewer chargings.

Sony WF C500's battery life is more than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5 by 5 hours . Each time you recharge your earbuds, they get a little less playing time. The effect is not noticeable at first, but over time, your wireless earbuds will no longer play for long like they used to.

Battery Life Of Charging Case

Huawei FreeBuds 5 25hours
Sony WF C500 10hours

This is given by the vendor, and the Huawei FreeBuds 5's case is said to have a charge of 25 hours. A charging case with a longer battery life enables you to recharge your earbuds on the go multiple times before having to recharge the case itself.

Sony WF C500's charging case has a battery life of 10 hours, less than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5 by 15 hours

Charge Time

Huawei FreeBuds 5
Sony WF C500 2.5hours

It requires 2.5 hours to fully charge the Sony WF C500's battery. It is recommended to fully charge the battery before using the earbuds for the first time.

Battery Power

Huawei FreeBuds 5 42mAh
Sony WF C500

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

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Huawei FreeBuds 5
Sony WF C500

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

Sony WF C500 too have a battery level indicator, charging indicators enable you determine the charging state of your device, if charged fully, or having a low battery.

Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

Huawei FreeBuds 5
Sony WF C500

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

Sony WF C500 too use USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug comes along with most current electronics.

Bluetooth Version

Huawei FreeBuds 5 v5.2
Sony WF C500 v5

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

Sony WF C500 has a Bluetooth version of 5, older than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5 . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Huawei FreeBuds 5 10meters
Sony WF C500 9meters

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

Sony WF C500 have a maximum range of 9meters, less than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5 by 1meters

Has Aac

Huawei FreeBuds 5
Sony WF C500

Sony WF C500 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.

Since its the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Sony WF C500 will work well with your iPhone. If you intend on using these with Android , ensure that they also support aptX HD, LDAC, or LHDC as well.

Has Ldac

Huawei FreeBuds 5
Sony WF C500

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 can reach a high bitrate of 990kbps, which provides high-resolution audio.

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

Huawei FreeBuds 5 6only
Sony WF C500 2only

Huawei FreeBuds 5 have 6 microphones.

The Sony WF C500 microphones are 2, less than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5 by 4 . More microphones record better sound quality and help the earbuds to filter out noise.

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

Huawei FreeBuds 5
Sony WF C500

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

Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Huawei FreeBuds 5
Sony WF C500

The Huawei FreeBuds 5 support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient noises so that they can still be heard even while wearing the earbuds

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Huawei FreeBuds 5
Sony WF C500

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

Has Find Earbuds Feature

Huawei FreeBuds 5
Sony WF C500

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

Supports Fast Charging

Huawei FreeBuds 5
Sony WF C500

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

The Sony WF C500 support fast charging. This kind is similar to regular charging, only that the battery fills up much faster. Say, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery can be charged to 50% in thirty minutes.

Multipoint Count

Huawei FreeBuds 5 2only
Sony WF C500

The Huawei FreeBuds 5 support multipoint of 2 connections, this feature allows you to link to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. For example, you can switch calls from one device to another without having to manually disconnect and reconnect.

Has A Mute Function

Huawei FreeBuds 5
Sony WF C500

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

The Sony WF C500 too support the mute function. It means that you are in position turn off the earbuds' microphone, but still hear the other party's voice.

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Huawei FreeBuds 5
Sony WF C500

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 WF C500 also have a control panel on them.

Warranty Period

Huawei FreeBuds 5
Sony WF C500 1Years

Sony WF C500 have a warranty period of 1 Years, the period of time that warrant free repair and adjustment services in case of a malfunction occurring under normal use following instruction manuals.

Has Voice Prompts

Huawei FreeBuds 5
Sony WF C500

Huawei FreeBuds 5 support voice prompts. With voice prompts, you receive information through audio messages, like if there is an issue with the connection.

The Sony WF C500 also support voice prompts meaning the earbuds will notify you if the battery is running low, and you need to recharge them.

Travel Bag Is Included

Huawei FreeBuds 5
Sony WF C500

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

Sony WF C500 too have a travel bag included, which is useful for safe transportation.

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