Huawei’s lightweight noise-cancelling wireless earbuds take aim at Sony’s affordable Award-winners
Can Huawei’s FreeBuds SE 5 Max topple the Sony WF-C710N?
Huawei has launched its latest pair of affordable noise-cancelling wireless earbuds, the FreeBuds SE 5 Max.
Aiming to compete with the Award-winning Sony WF-C710N (£100 / $120 / AU$189), Huawei promises that its new buds are “built for everyday listening”, combining a mammoth battery life with immersive sound and seamless comfort for both work and leisure.
The new buds house a set of 10mm dynamic drivers, seeking to provide a “wide frequency range” for “fuller, more natural detail”. The higher-quality LDAC Bluetooth codec supports streaming of files up to 24-bit/96 kHz from appropriate sources, while four preset sound modes and a 10-band custom EQ let you tailor your tunes to your liking.
Huawei’s latest buds go big on battery life, delivering up to 80 hours of playback with the charging case in play. The earbuds provide up to 10 hours of listening with noise cancelling off, or up to seven with ANC on. A quick 10-minute charge, meanwhile, grants up to four hours of additional playtime.
For voice calls, the new buds use a triple-microphone design with noise-reduction algorithms to spotlight human voices against background noise, aiming for clearer voice quality in noisy environments.
Each earpiece weighs a modest 4.3g, making the FreeBuds SE 5 Max the lightest noise-cancelling wireless earbuds the brand has yet produced. They should be reasonably tough and tenacious, too, as an IP55 dust and water-resistance certification grants protection against water splashes and most small particle ingress.
Designed using Huawei’s simulation platform and over 10,000 ear scans, the new buds promise a secure, comfortable fit with silicone eartips in small, medium, and large sizes.
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The Huawei FreeBuds SE 5 Max are available now in White, Blue or Black finishes, priced at £80 / $54.
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Harry McKerrell is a senior staff writer at What Hi-Fi?. During his time at the publication, he has written countless news stories alongside features, advice and reviews of products ranging from floorstanding speakers and music streamers to over-ear headphones, wireless earbuds and portable DACs. He has covered launches from hi-fi and consumer tech brands, and major industry events including IFA, High End Munich and, of course, the Bristol Hi-Fi Show. When not at work he can be found playing hockey, practising the piano or trying to pet strangers' dogs.
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