Huawei's next-gen open earbuds promise a refined design and improved sound performance

Huawei's new FreeClip 2 aim to refine the unique open earbud design it unleashed upon the world two years ago, while hoping to fix a few problems we had on the all-important sound quality front.

Open earbuds have exploded into the market, with the ear tip-less design allowing you to hear everything around you while also pumping out tunes. The focus here is more about environmental awareness than pure sound quality (the lack of a proper seal means that sound quality will inherently suffer), but it is a category that has blossomed since we first tested Huawei's first-gen FreeClip in 2023.

The FreeClip 2 sport an unusual design, even in the open earbud world, with an 'acoustic ball' (where the driver is housed) connected to the 'comfort bean' (which supports the ear placement and has touch controls) by way of a 'C-bridge' – the bendy connecting wire between the two sections.

Compared to the previous generation, the new earbuds are 11% smaller and lighter (5.1g to the first gen's 5.6g) and claim 25% reduced ear pressure for a more comfortable fit. The charging case is now more compact, too.

The 'comfort bean' has been refined to be more compatible with different ear shapes, and offers updated playback touch controls that should be more responsive. New is the ability to adjust volume on the go with a sliding motion on the surface, while head gestures (like those on the AirPods Pro) allow you to answer or reject a phone call.

Our big criticism of the original FreeClip was about sound quality, with the buds offering a poor, tinny sound that lacked warmth, dynamism or solidity. Huawei hopes to rectify that by re-engineering the FreeClip 2's acoustics to "optimise" the open-ear performance.

Inside the acoustic ball is a 10.8mm "turbo" driver unit, which has a dual diaphragm that promises twice the amount of bass compared with the older model.

The way the space is used inside the acoustic ball has also adjusted, with a double-vented design that aims to push 53% more air volume than before.

There's no noise-cancelling here of any kind of course, but the FreeClip 2 does incorporate an AI-powered volume adaptation technology, which aims to dynamically enhance the sound according to the noise levels around you.

Due to the open, leaky nature of the earbuds, Huawei employs a reverse sound field technology that promises to eliminate sound waves to reduce sonic leakage.

Voice calls have also been improved for clarity, with 85dBA call noise reduction and voice enhancement technology used alongside two mics and a new voice pick up unit so you can "hear and be heard clearly".

The FreeClip had a pretty long battery life and this has been improved further in the second-generation model, which now offers nine hours on a single charge and 38 hours in total with the charging case. A 10-minute charge via USB-C offers three hours of juice.

The earbuds have an IP57 water-resistance rating (the charging case is rated at IP54) and support the standard AAC and SBC Bluetooth codecs.

The Huawei FreeClip 2 will cost £179 when they are available to buy in UK/Europe from 21st January 2026. Considering the original model launched at £180 two years ago, zero change in price is a strong stance from Huawei.

There are four new finishes: blue, white, black and rose gold. Other territory prices and availability are TBC.

We have a sample of the new FreeClip 2 and are taking them for a spin, so stay tuned for a full review in due course.

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Read our original Huawei FreeClip review

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