If you're in the market for a pair of the best wireless earbuds, you may find yourself overwhelmed with options. There are a whole heap of really great headphones on the market right now, and at increasingly competitive prices.
Sure, we all know about the Sony XF-X1000XM4, complete with a circa £200 RRP, but you don't have to break the bank for great option anymore. I recently used the Nothing Ear (2) and was blown away with the sound quality, design and feature set – particularly when they retail at just £129.
Now, Huawei are looking to get in the mix, with their newly unveiled Huawei Freebuds 5. The latest earbuds from the brand take on a new appearance, and put right some of our biggest spec sheet gripes from the Huawei Freebuds 4. The Freebuds 5 are set to retail at £159, and come in three colour variants – Ceramic White, Silver Frost and Coral Orange.
So, what's new? First things first, there's a 30-hour battery life listed. That's a giant leap up from the previous generation, and puts these earbuds right in the mix. Low-end frequency response is also given a boost, with Huawei claiming that these can handle frequencies as low as 16Hz.
If true, that is seriously impressive. This half-in ear style of headphone is notorious for losing bass frequencies – without a firm seal within your ear canal, they just can't keep it in. For that reason alone, I'm slightly dubious of Huawei's claim, though I would be very happy to be proven wrong.
Elsewhere, adaptive EQ optimises the audio based on a variety of measurements, such as ear canal shape, wearing status and volume level. That all happens in real-time, too, ensuring optimal sound quality.
Of course, the biggest change is in the design of the buds themselves. It's... different, and certainly unique, though I can see it being a bit of a love-it-or-hate-it choice. I also can't shake the resemblance to a kidney bean from my mind.
Eccentric design aside, though, these sound like a remarkably good pair of earbuds. I'm keen to try a pair – mostly to put those claims about the low-end to the test.
