HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4 in review: Good sound and new features

A few weeks ago, HUAWEI officially announced the new HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4 at an event in Dubai. Now the new in-ear headphones with ANC are finally available in Germany and Austria. They are the first TWSEarphones under the HUAWEI SOUND brand.

For a recommended retail price of 199 euros, the headphones support an AI-based noise cancellation algorithm, a high-quality design, a 33-hour battery life and much more. We have tested the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4 extensively over the past few weeks and you can find out how they performed in everyday life and in comparison to other in-ears in this detailed test report.

Conclusion on the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4

In conclusion, I can say that I really like the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4. For a recommended retail price of 199 euros, I expect the best of the best and that is exactly what is offered here. The design is classy and the workmanship is first-class, they are comfortable to wear, the battery life of the charging case is top-notch, the sound quality is just great and the ANC is also impressive. There are also new functions such as the head control or the built-in speaker, which you don't necessarily need but are still "nice to have".

What I don't like so much is the tapping operation. I've already tested a few HUAWEI headphones and tapping operation has never been as unreliable as with the FreeBuds Pro 4. The battery life of the earphones could also be a bit better. Nevertheless, I can recommend the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4 across the board. However, I would wait a little longer until the price drops to around 170 euros. Otherwise, you can also go for the FreeBuds Pro 3, which currently cost around 160 euros.

Design and workmanship

When I first saw the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4 when unpacking, I was immediately impressed by the design. The waterproof charging case is nice and compact with dimensions of 46,9 x 65,9 x 24,5 millimeters, so it profits easily into any pocket. Thanks to the oval shape and matte surface, it sits comfortably and securely in the hand and leaves a high-quality impression. The weight of 47 grams is a little higher than some competitors, but it didn't bother me much - on the contrary! In my opinion, the high weight contributes to the high quality and fits in perfectly with the rest of the design.

You can choose between black, white and green, all of which look very stylish. The case is made of matte plastic in all color variants, which I really appreciate, because fingerprints and signs of wear are not nearly as noticeable as with a high-gloss finish. It also just looks better in my opinion, but that is of course a matter of taste. On the front of the case there is a small LED that lights up in four colors:

• White light: Appears when pairing with a new device
• Green light: The case still has enough power
• Red light: Appears when the case has less than 20% battery left
• Yellow light: Will be displayed when loading

In-ear headphones with speakers?!

On the back is the HUAWEI logo in a high-gloss square area, which has a fine structure when you look closely. I love small accents like this. The manufacturer calls this design "Ceramic Deco". This ceramic design with gold accents runs from front to back. For example, the USB-C port is also colored gold. Next to the USB-C port on the bottom there is actually a speaker, which I have never seen on any other in-ear headphones before.

At first I thought that such a speaker was completely unnecessary, but it probably has its raison d'être: For blind people, the speaker can be very useful, because it is the only way they can determine whether the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4 needs to be charged. When they have little battery left, there is an alert tone. There is also a tone when plugged in via the USB-C port.

earphones in the "Silver String Design"

The upper third of the case can be opened easily with one hand. Opening and closing works excellently and gives a very high-quality and stable impression. There is also a very satisfying sound when closing. The individual earphones sit securely and magnetically in the case. They can be removed from the case without any major problems.

The so-called "Silver String Design" is used here, which is very detailed. Otherwise, the earphones hardly differ from their predecessors. The earphones are solid, feel great and the stems are relatively short. However, I would also like a matte design like the case.

Comfort – good

The HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4 are classic in-ear headphones and not on-ear headphones like the FreeBuds 5. I was never the biggest fan of in-ears because they kept falling out of my ears, but with the FreeBuds Pro 4 I (almost) don't have that problem. They sit firmly in my ears with the pre-attached M-silicone attachments. If the earphones don't fit you, you can try larger or smaller silicone attachments. probeers that are included.

The headphones also sit comfortably and firmly when exercising. Now and then they slip a little, but this can be quickly fixed. Even after more than an hour of use, the FreeBuds Pro 4 don't hurt your ears - you hardly notice them at all. All in all, I'm very happy with how comfortable they are to wear. Compared to the FreeBuds Pro 2, this is a clear improvement.

Setup and pairing – child's play

As with the previous models, setting up the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4 is very easy. As soon as you open the charging case, the headphones are displayed directly on your HUAWEI smartphone so that you can connect them straight away. Simply tap and they are connected. When you put the headphones back in the case, the connection is automatically disconnected. If you open the box again and put in at least one headphone, the connection is reestablished immediately and without delay. If this doesn't work for you - for whatever reason - you can also easily pair them manually using the HUAWEI AI Life app.

If you don't use a HUAWEI smartphone, that's no problem at all. The FreeBuds Pro 4 work just as prowithout any problems with other Android devices and also with iPhones. To do this, open the charging case, briefly press the button on the side and the white LED signals that Bluetooth search is activated. The FreeBuds then appear in the Bluetooth settings of your device and you can connect them.

Stable connection

What I particularly like is the stable connection. Even if I move a few meters away from the device or go into another room, the connection remains stable. There are no annoying connection interruptions and the synchronization works great - regardless of whether I'm listening to music, making a phone call or watching a video.

operation and AI Life app

HUAWEI offers its own app for the FreeBuds Pro 4 called AI Life, which is available for both iPhones and Android devices. I find it really useful because it lets you keep an eye on everything: from the functions and gestures to the connections.

At the top of the app, you can see the battery level of both the headphones and the charging case. As soon as the battery level drops below 20 percent, you will be notified with a sound in the earbuds and a notification - super helpful so that you don't suddenly find yourself without music. I think the connection center in the app is particularly cool. Here you can see which device the FreeBuds are currently connected to - and yes, you can even pair them with two devices at the same time. This worked for me without any problems, and switching between devices was super smooth.

You can set different actions for the right and left earbuds. For example, I double-tap the right earbud for the next track and the left earbud for the previous one. This makes things so much more flexible!

head control

In addition, the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4 introduce a completely new head movement gesture function that precisely detects head movements. With a simple nod to answer a call or a shake of the head to reject it, users can effortlessly manage calls. This function is deactivated by default, so you have to activate it in the app first. For me, the control works surprisingly well. In fact, a slight, subtle nod is enough to answer the call. Very practical when the smartphone is in your pocket and you don't feel like taking it out.

Sound and ANC – outstanding

Now let's get to the most important point about headphones - how is the sound? Very good! But first let's take care of the technical data: The HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4 are the first earphones to support lossless transmission at 2,3 Mbps, thanks to the exclusive Huawei L2HC 4.0 audio codec and the improved Polar Code technology. The earphones deliver an impressive frequency range of 14 Hz to 48 kHz thanks to an outstanding dual driver setup and an 11 mm quad-magnet dynamic driver unit. They are the first TWS earphones under the HUAWEI SOUND brand. The predecessors were created in collaboration with Devialet.

How does all this manifest itself in everyday life? The FreeBuds Pro 4 get very loud and the bass is very powerful and sometimes even reminds me of my Sony WH-1000XM4 over-ear headphones. But the sound is by no means bass-heavy - the bass is optimal! Highs and mids are also hit very well. I can hear even the finest details well, which is not really the case with my FreeBuds 6i. I really like the built-in ANC, although I haven't noticed any real improvements with the AI-based algorithm. Most noises are blocked out well and the FreeBuds Pro 4 have almost no problems with wind. In loud environments such as the gym or on the train, ambient noise can of course still be heard, but only minimally, so you can concentrate well on your music.

Individual adjustments to the sound

As mentioned above, you can adjust the sound to your own taste in the HUAWEI AI Life app. For example, I boosted the bass even further, although the bass is excellent without any adjustments. There are also four different spatial effects: "Standard", "Theater", "Cinema" and "Concert Hall", which are well implemented. I like the "Concert Hall" the best. There are also three modes for HD spatial audio:

• Fixed: The sound remains anchored in a fixed virtual space, regardless of how the head is moved. The sound sources appear static, as if you were sitting in a concert hall or cinema and the sound was coming from fixed speakers.
• Head-Track: The sound adapts dynamically based on your head movements. When you turn your head, the sound virtually stays in its original position. For example, a singer's voice stays in front of you even if you move your head left or right.

Battery – almost perfect

HUAWEI promises an impressive battery life of up to 33 hours with noise cancellation disabled and AAC music playback. However, I recommend you enable noise cancellation on these headphones as it is truly excellent. Of course, this will reduce the battery life a bit, but it is definitely worth it.

Picture: TechnikNews

With noise cancellation activated in "Ultra" mode, I achieve a total runtime of around 22 hours. The charging case with a capacity of 510 mAh lasts around 18 hours, which I would not have expected. For comparison: The case of my FreeBuds 6i with the same battery size "only" manages 12 hours, which I found to be good. The earphones themselves offer a runtime of 4 hours, which is rather average. My FreeBuds 6i do a little better here, but they are nowhere near the excellent ANC of the FreeBuds Pro 4. In conclusion, it can be said that the FreeBuds Pro 4 have a very good battery life, which can even be completely sufficient for up to a week.

The earphones are charged together with the case in under an hour, which is perfectly fine. Wireless charging is also possible, which I use in conjunction with the wireless reverse charging function of my Mate 50 Pro I don't want to miss it anymore.

Recommendations for you

• Huawei FreeBuds 6i in review: Affordable with noise-cancelling focus
• Huawei Freebuds Pro 3 in review: Truly outstanding in-ears
• Huawei FreeBuds 3: New in-ear headphones presented
• HUAWEI FreeClip review: headphones with an extraordinary design