Huawei FreeBuds Pro 4 Review

Introduction

Almost every smartphone manufacturer has its own earbuds to offer, and while some are good, most don’t move the needle too much. With the latest flagship TWS set, the FreeBuds Pro 4, it didn’t take me long to realise these earbuds might be a little more special.

The FreeBuds Pro 4 take direct aim at the Apple AirPods Pro, with similar pricing and similar features on offer. However, these new buds bring a couple of extra things to the table, and for the right user, they could be game-changing.

The first is the ability to wirelessly transmit lossless 24-bit audio at up to 2.3mbps, providing you have the right phone. The second is AI-powered noise cancellation that can reduce background sound by up to 100db.

The FreeBuds Pro 4 also feature a unique dual-driver design, an adaptive EQ and lengthy battery life. The question is, are they worth buying? They’ve been everywhere with me for the past month, and here’s what I think.

Design

• Black, White and Green options
• Memory foam ear tips included
• IP54 rated

At first glance, the FreeBuds Pro 4 look a lot like the previous generation. Both the buds themselves and the charging case have a very familiar shape. The stalks are squared off and compact, and I’m a big fan of this, as it means they’re a little less in-your-face than much of the competition.

The charging case is extremely smooth and pebble-shaped. It reminds me of a bar of soap, especially in the white colour that I have for testing. There are also black and green variants, which I’d imagine will look more out of place in a bathroom.

There’s still a ceramic badge with the Huawei logo in the centre, but this time there’s a subtle laser-etched pattern with repeating lines behind the text. This pattern is also present on the stalks of the earbuds, and Huawei says it’s inspired by the strings of a piano. Honestly, though, it’s so subtle that unless someone pointed it to you, you might never notice it.

There’s also a new golden trim around the opening of the charging case and the edge of the earbud stalks. It’s a minor change, but it does look classy, and it gives these earbuds a little more personality.

One of the most impactful changes with this generation is that the earbuds now come with a set of memory foam ear tips included in the box, as well as the usual silicon ends. I love memory foam ear tips, but some people hate the way they feel, so it’s great to have both options included.

The buds sit comfortably in the ear, and with the right tips fitted, they never come loose, even while exercising. Popping them in and out of the case is smooth and hassle-free, and strong magnets keep them in place securely for charging.

There’s a multi-coloured LED indicator that shines through the casing to let you know how much battery you have left, a USB C port for charging, and wireless charging support, too. There’s also a small speaker built into the case that chimes to let you know when the buds are connected – a thoughtful touch.

Features

• Up to 2.3mbps lossless audio
• Pinch, tap and swipe controls
• AI noise cancellation for phone calls

The FreeBuds Pro 4 are absolutely loaded with sensors. There’s the usual stuff, like wear detection and capacitive touch sensors, but these buds also add pinch and swipe controls, and can even sense when you nod or shake your head.

It can be a little overwhelming at first, as if you adjust the position of the earbud you’re almost guaranteed to trigger one of the functions, but thankfully you can change what each gesture does as well as toggle them on and off in the companion app.

I find tap controls frustrating at times, simply because they’re too easy to trigger on accident, but the pinching motion is much more predictable, and these buds have me wishing it was a more common feature. 

The same goes for swiping to adjust the volume. It’s a little tricky at first, as you only have a short stem to work with, but it’s miles better than trying to remember which combination of taps increases or decreases the volume.

One of the headline features of the FreeBuds Pro 4 is the 2.3mbps lossless audio support. Unfortunately, though, there’s a pretty big caveat to go along with it. It only works with certain Huawei phones, like the new Mate X6.

On other devices, the FreeBuds will connect via LDAC or AptX HD instead. The quality is still brilliant, but if you’re specifically looking for lossless audio, then you’ll need to be ready to dive into the Huawei ecosystem. 

In 2025 that’s a pretty big ask, as newer Huawei phones have no access to Google services. I’ll spare you the intricacies, but if you want to know more, check out our review of the Pura 70 Ultra.

The same US sanctions that block Huawei from supporting Google services also mean that the (confusingly named) AI Life companion app isn’t available in the Play Store. It’s no big deal, you just download the APK directly from Huawei’s website instead, but I can imagine less techy-savvy buyers finding the process daunting. 

The AI noise cancellation feature, thankfully, works no matter what device the FreeBuds are paired to, and it works astonishingly well. Essentially, if you’re on a phone call, the FreeBuds Pro 4 will eliminate almost all background sounds, leaving a clear voice on the other end, no matter how noisy the environment.

It works by combining traditional microphones, bone-conducting tech and some AI processing, and I was amazed at the results. You can stand next to a speaker at a party, and to the person on the other end of the call, it’ll sound like you’re in a library. It even works with wind noise, which is great when you’re cycling.

The FreeBuds Pro 4 boast up to 7 hours of continuous playback, or up to 31 hours if you include the charging case battery. I’ve been using them daily for at least a month, and I have only needed to charge a couple of times, so it’s more than enough for me.

Sound Quality

• 24-bit 48khz support
• Adaptive EQ
• Intelligent dynamic ANC

The FreeBuds 4 Pro have a unique dual-driver arrangement. They utilise a quad-magnet 11mm driver and micro UHF planar diaphragm driver for each ear.

Of course, these details only matter if the FreeBuds Pro 4 sound impressive, and man, they sure do. To my ears, these sound as good, if not better, than some of the high-end audiophile earbuds that I’ve tried from brands like Campfire Audio and Final.

Using the default sound profile the clarity is exceptional, the bass is booming and the full range is well represented. It sounds great with all genres of music, and while I wouldn’t call it flat, the subtle V-shaped signature makes the sound lively and inviting. 

I played with the various sound profiles available in the app, and while they do make a big difference, I still found I preferred the default profile for just about everything. That said, I can imagine some listeners preferring a more gentle bass response, which can be achieved by switching to the Balanced or Classical profile.

The buds can get very loud, too. That’s not always the case on Android, so if you like to crank it, these are sure to satisfy.

As mentioned earlier, the lossless audio streaming only works with a compatible Huawei phone. Thankfully, I have the new Mate X6 in for testing, so I gave it a try. With a suitably high-quality source, I can hear a difference, but it’s extremely slight.

A true audiophile might feel differently, but for me, the difference is so subtle that it’s not worth worrying about. I certainly didn’t feel like I was missing out when I used the earbuds with other phones – or lossy sources like Spotify.

By default, you have three ANC modes to choose between, Dynamic, Awareness and off. However, if you prefer, you can dial in the ANC mode manually in the app. For me, the default Dynamic mode worked more than well enough.

When a sudden sound is introduced, like when you walk past a construction site, it’ll become quite audible, but then the ANC will recognise it and it’ll gradually and smoothly fade out. Consistent hums, like the engine of a train or plane are immediately vaporised.

I think a good transparency mode is almost as important as ANC, especially with memory foam tips that create such a good seal. This is an area where a lot of TWS buds are lacking, but not the FreeBuds Pro 4.

The awareness mode is so good that you can almost forget that you have earbuds in. It’s a very natural sound and it’s automatically balanced with your music, so you can remain aware while you jam out to some tunes.

Usually, my biggest gripe with transparency mode is that when you’re outside, the wind blowing across the mics can create some horrible sounds. Somehow, Huawei has managed to avoid this completely, and as a result, I found myself using this mode much more often. It’s great if you’re cycling in the city, and equally useful when waiting for your number to be called at McDonalds.

Should you buy it?