True Wireless
Apple AirPods Pro 3
86Outstanding
$180
Full review dataApple AirPods Pro 3 vs Huawei FreeBuds 6: 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 6
73Great
$190
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 6 of 7 measures.
- Apple AirPods Pro 3
- Huawei FreeBuds 6
HearWiki score
86
73
Sound
8.6
7.6
Noise cancelling
9.3
5.8
Battery
7.3
5.8
Calls
7.4
8.1
Value
8.3
6.3
Price (USD)
$180
$190
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?
Mixed generations
Both shipped in 2025. Neither is straightforwardly newer: the Apple AirPods Pro 3 brings Bluetooth 5.3 against 5.2, while the Huawei FreeBuds 6 answers with Top codec LDAC against AAC. The Apple AirPods Pro 3 answers on convenience features: it adds Water resistance IP57 against IP54.
- AirPods Pro 32025
- FreeBuds 62025
What differsAirPods Pro 3FreeBuds 6
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- 5.2
- Top codec
- AAC
- LDAC
- Water resistance
- IP57
- IP54
Platform
Everyday features
Level on: ANC type, Multipoint pairing, Wireless charging, USB-C, Wear detection, Transparency mode, Companion app.
Specifications
AirPods Pro 3FreeBuds 6
- Type
- True Wireless
- True Wireless
- Price (USD)
- $180
- $190
- HearWiki score
- 86
- 73
- Released
- 2025
- 2025
- Availability
- Sold new
- Sold new
- Driver
- 10.7 mm dynamic
- 2-driver hybrid
- Driver type
- dynamic
- hybrid
- Driver size
- 10.7 mm
- 11 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 2
- Frequency response
- 20 Hz - 20 kHz
- 14 Hz - 48 kHz
- Sensitivity
- 110 dB/mW
- -
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- 5.2
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC
- SBC, AAC, LDAC
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- Yes
- Battery life
- 8 h
- 6 h
- Battery life (ANC on)
- 8 h
- 4.5 h
- Battery incl. case
- -
- 36 h
- Full charge time
- -
- 25 min
- Quick charge
- -
- 5 min → 2.5 h
- Wireless charging
- Yes
- Yes
- Active noise cancelling
- Yes
- Yes
- ANC type
- adaptive
- adaptive
- Transparency mode
- Yes
- Yes
- Companion app
- Yes
- Yes
- Wear detection
- Yes
- Yes
- Controls
- touch
- both
- Voice assistant
- Siri
- Celia, Google Assistant, Siri
- Weight
- 5.5 g
- 4.9 g
- Case weight
- 44 g
- 40.3 g
- Water resistance
- IP57
- IP54
- USB-C
- Yes
- Yes
- Microphones
- 3
- 3
- Microphone type
- beamforming
- -
What reviewers said
Apple AirPods Pro 3
The Apple AirPods Pro 3 are premium true wireless earbuds that combine adaptive active noise cancellation with a comfortable, secure fit. They deliver clear calls, robust battery life, and a balanced sound profile, all wrapped in an IP57-rated design that handles water and dust. With Bluetooth 5.3, multipoint connectivity, and wireless charging, they offer a polished experience for Apple and non-Apple users alike.
- Pro:Excellent adaptive noise cancellation
- Pro:Clear call quality with beamforming mics
- Pro:Strong battery life of 8 hours with ANC on
- Con:Fit may be tricky for some ears
- Con:Premium price point
- Con:Limited codec support (SBC, AAC only)
Huawei FreeBuds 6
The Huawei FreeBuds 6 are half-in-ear wireless earbuds that excel at call clarity and speech pickup, making them a top pick for phone calls and video meetings. They offer a feature-rich package with dual drivers, LDAC support, adaptive ANC, and fast charging, though battery life and noise cancellation are only average for the price. Overall, they are a strong choice for communication-focused users who value versatility and comfort.
- Pro:Outstanding call quality and voice pickup
- Pro:Comfortable open-fit design with secure wear
- Pro:Rich features: dual drivers, LDAC, adaptive ANC, multipoint
- Con:Battery life is only decent, especially with ANC on
- Con:ANC performance is not class-leading
- Con:Higher price point for the feature set
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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