True Wireless
Apple AirPods Pro 3
86Outstanding
$180
Full review dataApple AirPods Pro 3 vs Huawei FreeBuds 3: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the Apple AirPods Pro 3 comes out ahead with a HearWiki score of 86. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: Apple AirPods Pro 3 - Outstanding overall at around $179.
True Wireless
Huawei FreeBuds 3
47Weak
$210
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Apple AirPods Pro 3 leads on 7 of 7 measures.
- Apple AirPods Pro 3
- Huawei FreeBuds 3
HearWiki score
86
47
Sound
8.6
6.6
Noise cancelling
9.3
3.5
Battery
7.3
3.4
Calls
7.4
6.6
Value
8.3
2.2
Price (USD)
$180
$210
Generation & platform
The scores rank quality. This is the other question: is the newer one actually newer technology, or the same platform in a new shell?
Half a step newer
Apple AirPods Pro 3 (2025) against Huawei FreeBuds 3 (2020). The Apple AirPods Pro 3 edges ahead on platform, but only just: Bluetooth 5.3 against 5.1. It also adds Multipoint pairing, Transparency mode, Companion app and Water resistance IP57 against IPX4.
- AirPods Pro 320255 yr newer
- FreeBuds 32020
What differsAirPods Pro 3FreeBuds 3
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- 5.1
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- No
- Transparency mode
- Yes
- No
- Companion app
- Yes
- No
- Water resistance
- IP57
- IPX4
Platform
Everyday features
Level on: Top codec, ANC type, Wireless charging, USB-C, Wear detection.
Specifications
AirPods Pro 3FreeBuds 3
- Type
- True Wireless
- True Wireless
- Price (USD)
- $180
- $210
- HearWiki score
- 86
- 47
- Released
- 2025
- 2020
- Availability
- Sold new
- Still sold new
- Driver
- 10.7 mm dynamic
- 14.2 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- dynamic
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 10.7 mm
- 14.2 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 1
- Frequency response
- 20 Hz - 20 kHz
- -
- Sensitivity
- 110 dB/mW
- -
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- 5.1
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC
- SBC, AAC
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- No
- Latency
- -
- 190 ms
- Wireless range
- -
- 10 m
- Battery life
- 8 h
- 4 h
- Battery life (ANC on)
- 8 h
- 4 h
- Battery incl. case
- -
- 20 h
- Full charge time
- -
- 60 min
- Wireless charging
- Yes
- Yes
- Active noise cancelling
- Yes
- Yes
- ANC type
- adaptive
- adaptive
- Transparency mode
- Yes
- No
- Companion app
- Yes
- No
- Custom EQ
- -
- No
- Wear detection
- Yes
- Yes
- Controls
- touch
- touch
- Voice assistant
- Siri
- Yes
- Weight
- 5.5 g
- 4.5 g
- Case weight
- 44 g
- 48 g
- Water resistance
- IP57
- IPX4
- USB-C
- Yes
- Yes
- Microphones
- 3
- -
- Microphone type
- beamforming
- -
What reviewers said
Apple AirPods Pro 3
The Apple AirPods Pro 3 are premium true wireless earbuds that deliver top-tier active noise cancellation, clear call quality, and a well-balanced sound profile. They offer a robust feature set including adaptive ANC, wireless charging, and IP57 water resistance, though their higher price and somewhat finicky fit may give some buyers pause. Overall, they stand out as a polished, high-performance option for iOS users willing to invest in a premium experience.
- Pro:Excellent active noise cancellation
- Pro:Clear call quality in noisy environments
- Pro:Strong battery life with the charging case
- Con:Fit can be finicky and may lose seal easily
- Con:Premium price point
- Con:Only supports AAC codec
Huawei FreeBuds 3
The Huawei FreeBuds 3 are open-fit wireless earbuds that pair a sizeable dynamic driver with adaptive noise cancellation, aiming to deliver solid audio in a compact package. They offer a comfortable fit, decent battery life with a wireless-charging case, and good value for their price, though the ANC performance can be inconsistent and weaker than some rivals. Overall, they strike a balance between sound quality and features, but may not satisfy those seeking top-tier noise isolation.
- Pro:Clear audio with notably deep bass
- Pro:Compact case with wireless charging support
- Pro:Respectable battery life with quick top-ups
- Con:ANC effectiveness varies and can be weak
- Con:No transparency mode or multipoint connectivity
- Con:Limited codec support (only SBC and AAC)
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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