Home Wireless Earbuds Huawei Freebuds 5I Vs. Nothing Ear 1

A Review By Comparison of the Huawei Freebuds 5I Vs. Nothing Ear 1

Last updated on Apr 17, 2023   7 min read
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Huawei FreeBuds 5i

Huawei FreeBuds 5i

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Reasons why you might like the Huawei FreeBuds 5i

Overall Score 6.8 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IP54
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 7.5 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 4 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode
VS
Nothing Ear 1

Nothing Ear 1

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Reasons why you might like the Nothing Ear 1

Overall Score 6.0 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IPX4
  • 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 Huawei FreeBuds 5i Nothing Ear 1
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating IP54 IPX4
weight 9.2g 9.4g
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 10mm 11.6mm
lowest frequency 20Hz 20Hz
highest frequency 40000Hz 20000Hz
POWER battery life 7.5hours 5hours
battery life of charging case 20.5hours 29hours
charge time 1hours 1.5hours
battery power 55mAh
has wireless charging
has a battery level indicator
CONNECTIVITY has usb type-c
bluetooth version v5.2 v5.2
maximum bluetooth range 10meters 10meters
has ldac
audio latency 94ms
MICROPHONE number of microphones 4only 6only
has a noise-canceling microphone
mic sensitivity -47dBV/Pa
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
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A breakdown of the review per specifications

Design

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

Huawei FreeBuds 5i IP54
Nothing Ear 1 IPX4

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

Having a value of IP54, the Huawei FreeBuds 5i'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 5i, Nothing Ear 1 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 5i 9.2g
Nothing Ear 1 9.4g

Huawei FreeBuds 5i have a weight of 9.2g . We prefer a lower weight better for the reason that lighter devices are easier to carry.

The Nothing Ear 1, at 9.4g are heavier than the Huawei FreeBuds 5i with a difference of 0.2g

Has No Wires Or Cables

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
Nothing Ear 1

True wireless devices have no wires connecting any part of the device together, Huawei FreeBuds 5i are true wireless for this matter since they don't have cables. This is a major difference as some wireless earbuds have cables connecting the 2 earbuds .

Nothing Ear 1 also is true wireless since it has no wires connecting the pair of earbuds .

Sweat Resistance

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
Nothing Ear 1

Huawei FreeBuds 5i are resistant to sweat

Nothing Ear 1's resistance to sweat makes both devices ideal for use during long-distance running, marathons, cardio sweat workouts , etc

Has Stereo Speakers

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
Nothing Ear 1

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

The Nothing Ear 1 also have stereo speakers

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
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Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
Nothing Ear 1

ANC makes use of more advanced kind of tech to reduce ambient sounds. How it works, it studies the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and after generates a mirror signal to counter it. Simply put, it's like taking +1 (noise) then producing -1 (counter sound by the device) giving 0 resulting in a reduced level of noise.

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

Nothing Ear 1 too have Active Noise Cancellation which makes both earbuds ideal for flights and rush hour travels. The Huawei FreeBuds 5i and Nothing Ear 1 work with different noise cancellation modes, pick the setting that you prefer for commute or that enhances your relaxation time.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
Nothing Ear 1

The Huawei FreeBuds 5i stay tightly in place, creating a sound covering that reduces your environment sounds well as preventing the device voice audio from leaking out .

Both Nothing Ear 1, and Huawei FreeBuds 5i have passive noise reduction which implies that they limit ambient noise without using ANC to cancel it out.

Driver Unit Size

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 10mm
Nothing Ear 1 11.6mm

Huawei FreeBuds 5i have a unit size of 10mm in diameter, the bigger the unit the more powerful, therefor producing better bass. The driver unit is the component that makes sound in the earbuds, its size dictates the sound made by the earbuds.

Nothing Ear 1 driver unit is 11.6mm in diameter, making them have a larger driver unit than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5i by 1.6mm , many people have a misconception that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.

However, large drivers find it difficult to produce high frequencies so it's true that, larger drivers are capable of generating louder sound, but this does not indicate that they produce better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 20Hz
Nothing Ear 1 20Hz

Huawei FreeBuds 5i's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response measures if and how well a particular audio component generates low recognizable frequencies and if it alters the signal on its way through.

Nothing Ear 1's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this means that both devices can make sound with equal bass

Highest Frequency

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 40000Hz
Nothing Ear 1 20000Hz

Huawei FreeBuds 5i's highest frequency is at 40000Hz, high-frequency response shows how well a particular audio component generates high recognizable frequencies and if it changes to the signal while at it.

Nothing Ear 1's highest frequency is at 20000Hz, this means that Huawei FreeBuds 5i can produce a clearer and crispier treble than the Nothing Ear 1

Power

Battery Life

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 7.5hours
Nothing Ear 1 5hours

The Huawei FreeBuds 5i's battery life is 7.5 hours, these last longer than 5 hours of listening which is considered average before recharge. A device's battery life is given by the manufacturer, and with more battery hours, you get to use it for longer and have to charge the device less often.

Nothing Ear 1's battery life is less than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5i by 2.5 hours . Each time you recharge your device, they get a little less listening time. The effect is not noticeable at first, but over a few years, your wireless earbuds will have shorter listening time.

Battery Life Of Charging Case

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 20.5hours
Nothing Ear 1 29hours

The battery life of the charging case is given by the vendor, and Huawei FreeBuds 5i's case has a full charge of 20.5 hours. A charging case with a longer battery life allows you to recharge your earbuds on the go many times before having to recharge the case itself.

Nothing Ear 1's charging case has a battery life of 29 hours, more than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5i by 8.5 hours

Charge Time

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 1hours
Nothing Ear 1 1.5hours

It takes 1 hours to fully charge the Huawei FreeBuds 5i's battery. It is highly adivsable to fully charge the battery before using the earbuds for the first time.

Nothing Ear 1 takes 1.5 hours to fully charge the battery, more than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5i by 0.5 hours

Battery Power

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 55mAh
Nothing Ear 1

Huawei FreeBuds 5i's battery capacity is 55mAh, battery capacity, shows the amount of electrical energy that a battery can store.

Has Wireless Charging

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
Nothing Ear 1

The Nothing Ear 1, the device supports wireless charging. To charge the device, you simply put down on a supported charging pad.

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
Nothing Ear 1

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

Nothing Ear 1 too have a battery level indicator, charging indicators enable you to determine the charging state of your device, whether fully charged, or having a low battery.

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
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Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
Nothing Ear 1

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

Nothing Ear 1 too use USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug is part and parcel of most current laptops, phones, and tablets.

Bluetooth Version

Huawei FreeBuds 5i v5.2
Nothing Ear 1 v5.2

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

Nothing Ear 1 has a Bluetooth version of 5.2, equal to that of the Huawei FreeBuds 5i . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 10meters
Nothing Ear 1 10meters

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

Nothing Ear 1 have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the Huawei FreeBuds 5i

Has Ldac

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
Nothing Ear 1

The Huawei FreeBuds 5i 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, which provides high-resolution audio.

Audio Latency

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 94ms
Nothing Ear 1

Latency refers to the time it takes for the audio signal to be transmitted to your earbuds. Huawei FreeBuds 5i have a latency of 94ms, a lower latency reduces audio lag and is particularly important when playing games or watching videos.

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 4only
Nothing Ear 1 6only

Huawei FreeBuds 5i have 4 microphones.

The Nothing Ear 1 microphones are 6, more than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5i by 2 . More microphones record better sound quality and enable the earbuds to filter out background sounds.

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
Nothing Ear 1

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

The Nothing Ear 1 too use a noise-canceling type of microphone. Especially useful in noisy areas.

Mic Sensitivity

Huawei FreeBuds 5i -47dBV/Pa
Nothing Ear 1

Huawei FreeBuds 5i microphone sensitivity is measured at -47dBV/Pa. The size of the analog or digital output signal from the microphone with its input stimulus is a calculation of its sensitivity. It's the 'loudness' of the sound that the microphone can recognize.

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
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Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
Nothing Ear 1

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

The Nothing Ear 1 support ambient sound mode as well, it’s useful when you want to listen to music but also be aware of your surrounding, say you’re having a run but would still want to hear traffic.

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
Nothing Ear 1

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

Nothing Ear 1 too support in/on-ear detection, automatically pauses your music, or audiobook when you remove earbuds from your ears improving your listening experience.

Has Find Earbuds Feature

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
Nothing Ear 1

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

The Nothing Ear 1 also have the find earbuds feature. You can use the device app on your smartphone to play an alarm from your earbuds to help you locate them.

Supports Fast Charging

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
Nothing Ear 1

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

Also the Nothing Ear 1 too support fast charging. It's very similar to regular charging, only that the battery fills up much faster. For example, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery is charged to 50% in 30 minutes.

Multipoint Count

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 2only
Nothing Ear 1

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

Has A Mute Function

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
Nothing Ear 1

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

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
Nothing Ear 1

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

The Nothing Ear 1 also have a control panel on them.

Warranty Period

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
Nothing Ear 1 1Years

The Nothing Ear 1 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 5i
Nothing Ear 1

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

Nothing Ear 1 too have voice prompts meaning the device will notify you when the battery is running low, and it's time to recharge them.

Travel Bag Is Included

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
Nothing Ear 1

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

Nothing Ear 1 too have a case included, which is useful for safe transportation.

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