A breakdown of the review per specifications

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

Huawei FreeBuds 5i IP54

Sony LinkBuds S IPX4

IP ratings is the rank of protection given by a casing, against dust and liquids. The letters 'IP' are followed by two values The first value of the IP rating means protection against solids say dust, followed by the one that refers to resistance against liquids (sweat).

Scoring IP54, the Huawei FreeBuds 5i'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.

Compared to the Huawei FreeBuds 5i, 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

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 9.2g

Sony LinkBuds S 9.6g

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

Sony LinkBuds S, at 9.6g are heavier than the Huawei FreeBuds 5i with a difference of 0.4g

Has No Wires Or Cables

Huawei FreeBuds 5i ✓

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

True wireless devices have no cables connecting any part of the device together, Huawei FreeBuds 5i are true wireless for this matter since they have no wires. This is a major distinction as some wireless earbuds have cables linking the pair of earbuds .

Sony LinkBuds S also is true wireless since it doesn't have cables connecting the 2 earbuds together.

Sweat Resistance

Huawei FreeBuds 5i ✓

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

Huawei FreeBuds 5i are resistant to sweat

Sony LinkBuds S's resistance to sweat makes both devices good for use during long-distance running, marathons, cardio sweat workouts , etc

Has Stereo Speakers

Huawei FreeBuds 5i ✓

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

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 Sony LinkBuds S also have stereo speakers

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
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Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

Huawei FreeBuds 5i ✓

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

ANC makes use of advanced technology to reduce unwanted ambient sounds. How it works, it listens to the sound pattern of incoming noise and generates a mirror signal to counter it. Simply put, it's like taking +1 (sound from your surrounding) and adding -1 (counter sound by the device) giving zero which results in a reduced level of noise.

The Huawei FreeBuds 5i have ANC 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 sounds.

The Sony LinkBuds S too have ANC which makes either of the earbuds ideal for plane rides and rush hour commutes. The Huawei FreeBuds 5i and Sony LinkBuds S operate with different noise cancellation modes, pick the mode that you prefer for commute or that enhances your chill time.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Huawei FreeBuds 5i ✓

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

Huawei FreeBuds 5i stay well in place, this creates an acoustic seal that reduces your environment sounds and also prevents the device music from leaking out at the same.

Both Sony LinkBuds S, and Huawei FreeBuds 5i have passive noise reduction which means that they limit ambient noise without using ANC to cancel it out.

Driver Unit Size

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 10mm

Sony LinkBuds S 5mm

Huawei FreeBuds 5i driver unit is 10mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful, and can produce better bass. A driver unit is basically a mini speaker that makes sound in the earbuds, its size determines the loudness of the earbuds.

Sony LinkBuds S driver unit is 5mm in diameter, which implies that they have a smaller driver unit than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5i by 5mm , 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 imply that they deliver better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 20Hz

Sony LinkBuds S 20Hz

The Huawei FreeBuds 5i's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response measures if and how well a particular audio component produces low frequencies that can be heard, and if it makes any changes to the signal on its way through.

Sony LinkBuds S's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this means that both devices produce equal bass

Highest Frequency

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 40000Hz

Sony LinkBuds S 40000Hz

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

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

Has A Neodymium Magnet

Huawei FreeBuds 5i ✗

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

Sony LinkBuds S have neodymium magnets, if used in earbuds produce a higher sensitivity and substantial sound output while using less power. They can help generate music at quite a high SPL, using high magnetic flux.

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Battery Life

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 7.5hours

Sony LinkBuds S 6hours

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 given by the manufacturer, and with more battery hours, you get to use it for longer and have to charge the device less often.

Sony LinkBuds S's battery life is less than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5i by 1.5 hours . Every 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 no longer play for long like they used to.

Battery Life Of Charging Case

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 20.5hours

Sony LinkBuds S 14hours

This is given by the vendor, and the Huawei FreeBuds 5i's case is said to have a charge of 20.5 hours. A charging case with more battery hours allows you to recharge your earbuds on the go many 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 5i by 6.5 hours

Charge Time

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 1hours

Sony LinkBuds S 2hours

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 in storage for extended periods.

Sony LinkBuds S takes 2 hours to fully charge the battery, more than that of Huawei FreeBuds 5i by 1 hours

Battery Power

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 55mAh

Sony LinkBuds S ✗

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

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Huawei FreeBuds 5i ✓

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

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

Sony LinkBuds S too have a battery level indicator, these enable you tell the charging state of your device, if charged fully, or the battery is running low.

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
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Has Usb Type-C

Huawei FreeBuds 5i ✓

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

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

Sony LinkBuds S too support 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

Sony LinkBuds S v5.2

Huawei FreeBuds 5i have Bluetooth version of 5.2, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that allows data movement between devices placed in close proximity, 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 5i . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 10meters

Sony LinkBuds S 10meters

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

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

Has Aac

Huawei FreeBuds 5i ✗

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

Sony LinkBuds S support AAC, a codec that is 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.

Being the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Sony LinkBuds S will work well 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

Huawei FreeBuds 5i ✓

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

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 can reach a 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.

Audio Latency

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 94ms

Sony LinkBuds S ✗

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.

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Number Of Microphones

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 4only

Sony LinkBuds S 6only

The Huawei FreeBuds 5i have 4 microphones.

The Sony LinkBuds S 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 ✓

Sony LinkBuds S ✗

The Huawei FreeBuds 5i have a noise-canceling microphone, these microphones are designed to filter out noise from the earbuds' sound.

Mic Sensitivity

Huawei FreeBuds 5i -47dBV/Pa

Sony LinkBuds S ✗

The 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 voice that the earbud microphone can recognize.

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
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Has Ambient Sound Mode

Huawei FreeBuds 5i ✓

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

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

The Sony LinkBuds S support ambient sound mode as well, it’s useful when you want to listen to music but also be aware of your surrounding, for example when you’re having a run but would still want to hear traffic.

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Huawei FreeBuds 5i ✓

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

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

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

Huawei FreeBuds 5i ✓

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

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

Sony LinkBuds S too have the find earbuds feature. Simply use the earbuds app on your phone to play a sound from your earbuds to locate them.

Supports Fast Charging

Huawei FreeBuds 5i ✓

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

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

The Sony LinkBuds S support fast charging. It's very similar to regular charging, only that the battery is filling up much faster. For example, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery can be charged to 50% in thirty minutes.

Multipoint Count

Huawei FreeBuds 5i 2only

Sony LinkBuds S ✗

The 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 switch calls from one device to another without manually disconnect and reconnect.

Has A Mute Function

Huawei FreeBuds 5i ✓

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

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

The Sony LinkBuds S too have this function. The mute function means that you can turn off the device's microphone, but still hear the other party talk.

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Huawei FreeBuds 5i ✓

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

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

Sony LinkBuds S too have a control panel on them.

Has Voice Prompts

Huawei FreeBuds 5i ✓

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

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

Sony LinkBuds S also 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 ✓

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

The Huawei FreeBuds 5i come with a special pouch. Carrying earbuds openly, or placing them inside your pockets without a casing may easily put them at risk of getting damaged.

Sony LinkBuds S too have a travel bag included, which is useful for safe transportation.

A Review By Comparison Of The Technics Eah Az80 Vs. Huawei Freebuds 5I

Category	Features	Huawei FreeBuds 5i	Sony LinkBuds S
DESIGN	ingress protection (ip) rating	IP54	IPX4
	weight	9.2g	9.6g
	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	5mm
	lowest frequency	20Hz	20Hz
	highest frequency	40000Hz	40000Hz
	has a neodymium magnet	✗	✓
POWER	battery life	7.5hours	6hours
	battery life of charging case	20.5hours	14hours
	charge time	1hours	2hours
	battery power	55mAh	✗
	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	✓	✓
		See price on Amazon	See price on Amazon

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

Reasons why you might like the Huawei FreeBuds 5i

Reasons why you might like the Sony LinkBuds S

A summary of the review by feature comparison

A breakdown of the review per specifications

Design

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

Weight

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

Lowest Frequency

Highest Frequency

Has A Neodymium Magnet

Power

Battery Life

Battery Life Of Charging Case

Charge Time

Battery Power

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

Bluetooth Version

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Has Aac

Has Ldac

Audio Latency

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

Mic Sensitivity

Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Has Find Earbuds Feature

Supports Fast Charging

Multipoint Count

Has A Mute Function

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Has Voice Prompts

Travel Bag Is Included

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