Home Wireless Earbuds Huawei Freebuds 5I Vs. Oneplus Buds Z2

A Review By Comparison of the Huawei Freebuds 5I Vs. Oneplus Buds Z2

Last updated on Apr 17, 2023   8 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
OnePlus Buds Z2

OnePlus Buds Z2

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Reasons why you might like the OnePlus Buds Z2

Overall Score 6.0 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IP55
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 7 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 6 only

A summary of the review by feature comparison

Category Features Huawei FreeBuds 5i OnePlus Buds Z2
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating IP54 IP55
weight 9.2g 9g
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 11mm
lowest frequency 20Hz 20Hz
highest frequency 40000Hz 20000Hz
POWER battery life 7.5hours 7hours
battery life of charging case 20.5hours 31hours
charge time 1hours 1.5hours
battery power 55mAh 40mAh
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
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
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
OnePlus Buds Z2 IP55

IP ratings is the rating of protection given by an enclosure, against solids and liquids. In the format of IPXX, 'X' represents a number The first value of the IP rating represents protection against solids say dust, followed by the one that refers to resistance against liquids (sweat).

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 the second number of 4 means 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 5i, OnePlus Buds Z2 have a rating of IP55 meaning that they both have the same rating against dust and that of liquids is that, OnePlus Buds Z2 has a higher liquid rating than Huawei FreeBuds 5i

Weight

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 9.2g
OnePlus Buds Z2 9g

Huawei FreeBuds 5i have a weight of 9.2g . We consider a lower weight better because lighter devices are easier to move with.

OnePlus Buds Z2, at 9g are lighter than the Huawei FreeBuds 5i with a difference -0.2g

Has No Wires Or Cables

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
OnePlus Buds Z2

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

OnePlus Buds Z2 also is true wireless since it has no cables connecting the pair of earbuds .

Sweat Resistance

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
OnePlus Buds Z2

Huawei FreeBuds 5i are resistant to sweat

OnePlus Buds Z2's resistance to sweat makes both devices fit for use while doing sports such as long-distance running, marathons, training in workout bodysuits, etc

Has Stereo Speakers

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
OnePlus Buds Z2

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

The OnePlus Buds Z2 also have stereo speakers

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
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Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
OnePlus Buds Z2

ANC utilises more advanced technology to reduce ambient sounds. How it works, it studies the sound pattern of incoming noise and then inverts the soundwaves to counter it. Simply put, it's like having +1 (sound from your surrounding) and producing -1 (inverted noise) to make 0 hence "diluting" the noise.

The Huawei FreeBuds 5i have Active Noise Cancellation allowing you to listen at lower volume levels, good for your ears since you don't need to crank up the earbuds volume to overcome background sounds.

OnePlus Buds Z2 too have ANC making either of the earbuds ideal for plane rides and rush hour travels. Each operate with different noise cancellation modes, pick the noise cancellation type that suits your commute or that enhances your relaxation time.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
OnePlus Buds Z2

Huawei FreeBuds 5i sit tightly in place, this creates an acoustic covering that tones down your environment noise and also prevents the earbuds sound from leaking out at the same.

Both of these devices have passive noise reduction which means that they tone down ambient noise without using technology to cancel it out.

Driver Unit Size

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 10mm
OnePlus Buds Z2 11mm

Huawei FreeBuds 5i have a unit size of 10mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful, therefor producing better bass. The driver unit is the component that produces sound in the earbuds, the unit size determines the loudness of the device.

OnePlus Buds Z2 driver unit is 11mm in diameter, making them have a larger driver unit than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5i by 1mm , as many tend to believe 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 can generate louder sound, but this does not indicate that they produce better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 20Hz
OnePlus Buds Z2 20Hz

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

OnePlus Buds Z2's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this means that both devices produce equal bass

Highest Frequency

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 40000Hz
OnePlus Buds Z2 20000Hz

The Huawei FreeBuds 5i's highest frequency is at 40000Hz, high-frequency response shows how well a particular audio component makes high recognizable frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal on its way through.

OnePlus Buds Z2's highest frequency is at 20000Hz, this implies that Huawei FreeBuds 5i can generate a clearer and crispier treble than the OnePlus Buds Z2

Power

Battery Life

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 7.5hours
OnePlus Buds Z2 7hours

The Huawei FreeBuds 5i's battery life is 7.5 hours, these last longer 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.

OnePlus Buds Z2's battery life is less than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5i by 0.5 hours . Each time you recharge your earbuds, they get a little less listening 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 5i 20.5hours
OnePlus Buds Z2 31hours

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

OnePlus Buds Z2's charging case has a battery life of 31 hours, more than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5i by 10.5 hours

Charge Time

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 1hours
OnePlus Buds Z2 1.5hours

It requires 1 hours to fully charge the Huawei FreeBuds 5i's battery. It is highly adivsable to fully charge the battery before using the earbuds when they have been unused for extended periods.

OnePlus Buds Z2 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
OnePlus Buds Z2 40mAh

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

OnePlus Buds Z2's battery power is 40mAh. less than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5i by 15mAh

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
OnePlus Buds Z2

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

OnePlus Buds Z2 too have a battery level indicator, these allow you to tell the charging state of your device, whether fully charged, or the battery is running low.

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
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Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
OnePlus Buds Z2

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

OnePlus Buds Z2 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
OnePlus Buds Z2 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 range, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.

OnePlus Buds Z2 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
OnePlus Buds Z2 10meters

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

OnePlus Buds Z2 have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the Huawei FreeBuds 5i

Has Aac

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
OnePlus Buds Z2

OnePlus Buds Z2 support AAC, a codec used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Since it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it can provide better results than other codecs at the same bit rate.

Since its the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the OnePlus Buds Z2 will work fine with your MacBook. 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

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
OnePlus Buds Z2

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, providing high-resolution audio.

Audio Latency

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 94ms
OnePlus Buds Z2

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
OnePlus Buds Z2 6only

The Huawei FreeBuds 5i have 4 microphones.

OnePlus Buds Z2 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 noise.

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
OnePlus Buds Z2

Huawei FreeBuds 5i have a noise-canceling type of microphone, these microphones are intended to filter out noise from the desired sound.

The OnePlus Buds Z2 too have a noise-canceling microphone. Especially useful in noisy environments.

Mic Sensitivity

Huawei FreeBuds 5i -47dBV/Pa
OnePlus Buds Z2

The Huawei FreeBuds 5i microphone sensitivity is measured at -47dBV/Pa. The vastness 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 earbud microphone can recognize.

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
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Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
OnePlus Buds Z2

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

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
OnePlus Buds Z2

The Huawei FreeBuds 5i have in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the device can detect when they are removed from your ears .

OnePlus Buds Z2 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

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
OnePlus Buds Z2

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

OnePlus Buds Z2 too have the find earbuds feature. Simply use the device app on your phone to play an alarm from your device to find them.

Supports Fast Charging

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
OnePlus Buds Z2

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

Also the OnePlus Buds Z2 too support fast charging. This kind is similar to regular charging, only that the battery is filling up much faster. For example, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery is charged to 50% in just thirty minutes.

Multipoint Count

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 2only
OnePlus Buds Z2

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

Has A Mute Function

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
OnePlus Buds Z2

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

The OnePlus Buds Z2 also support the mute function. It means that you unilaterally turn off the device's microphone, but still hear the other party's voice.

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
OnePlus Buds Z2

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

The OnePlus Buds Z2 too have a control panel on them.

Has Voice Prompts

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
OnePlus Buds Z2

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

The OnePlus Buds Z2 too support voice prompts .i.e the earbuds notifies you if the battery is low, and it's time to recharge the device.

Travel Bag Is Included

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
OnePlus Buds Z2

Huawei FreeBuds 5i come with their own special pouch. Carrying earphones without a case, or putting them inside your bag without a cover can easily damage them.

OnePlus Buds Z2 too have a travel bag included, which is useful for safe transportation.

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