Huawei FreeBuds 5i vs Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro: which should you buy?

On aggregated review scores the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro comes out ahead with a HearWiki score of 92. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.

Our pick: Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro - Outstanding overall at around $250.

True Wireless

Score breakdown

Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.

Huawei FreeBuds 5i leads on 6 of 7 measures.

Huawei FreeBuds 5i
Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro

HearWiki score

Sound

7.5

Noise cancelling

7.0

Battery

7.0

Calls

6.5

Value

8.5

Price (USD)

$94

$250

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

Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro (2024) against Huawei FreeBuds 5i (2023). Neither is straightforwardly newer: the Huawei FreeBuds 5i brings Top codec LDAC against AAC, while the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro answers with Bluetooth 5.4 against 5.2 and ANC type Adaptive against Hybrid. The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro answers on convenience features: it adds Wireless charging and Water resistance IP57 against IP54.

FreeBuds 5i2023
Galaxy Buds3 Pro20241 yr newer

What differsFreeBuds 5iGalaxy Buds3 Pro

Bluetooth: 5.2; 5.4
Top codec: LDAC; AAC
ANC type: Hybrid; Adaptive
Wireless charging: No; Yes
Water resistance: IP54; IP57

Level on: Multipoint pairing, USB-C, Wear detection, Transparency mode, Custom EQ, Companion app.

Specifications

FreeBuds 5iGalaxy Buds3 Pro

Type: True Wireless; True Wireless
Price (USD): $94; $250
HearWiki score: 73; 92
Released: 2023; 2024
Availability: Discontinued; Discontinued
Driver: 10 mm dynamic; 10.5 mm driver
Driver type: dynamic; -
Driver size: 10 mm; 10.5 mm
Drivers per side: 1; 1
Frequency response: 20 Hz - 40 kHz; 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Impedance: 16 Ω; 32 Ω
Sensitivity: 110.8 dB/mW; 92 dB/mW
Bluetooth: 5.2; 5.4
Codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC; SBC, AAC, Samsung Scalable
Multipoint pairing: Yes; Yes
Battery life: 7.5 h; 7 h
Battery life (ANC on): 6 h; 6 h
Battery incl. case: 28 h; 30 h
Full charge time: 60 min; -
Quick charge: 15 min → 4 h; 5 min → 1 h
Wireless charging: No; Yes
Active noise cancelling: Yes; Yes
ANC type: hybrid; adaptive
Transparency mode: Yes; Yes
Companion app: Yes; Yes
Custom EQ: Yes; Yes
Wear detection: Yes; Yes
Controls: touch; touch
Voice assistant: Yes; Bixby
Weight: 4.9 g; 5.4 g
Case weight: 33.9 g; 46.5 g
Water resistance: IP54; IP57
USB-C: Yes; Yes
Microphones: 2; 6
Call noise reduction: -; Yes

Specification comparison of Huawei FreeBuds 5i vs Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro
Spec	Huawei FreeBuds 5i	Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro
Type	True Wireless	True Wireless
Price (USD)	$94	$250
HearWiki score	73 / 100 Good	92 / 100 Outstanding
Released	2023	2024
Audio
Driver	10 mm dynamic	10.5 mm driver
Driver type	dynamic	-
Driver size	10 mm	10.5 mm
Drivers per side	1	1
Frequency response	20 Hz - 40 kHz	20 Hz - 20 kHz
Impedance	16 Ω	32 Ω
Sensitivity	110.8 dB/mW	92 dB/mW
Wireless
Bluetooth	5.2	5.4
Codecs	SBC, AAC, LDAC	SBC, AAC, Samsung Scalable
Multipoint pairing	Yes	Yes
Battery
Battery life	7.5 h	7 h
Battery life (ANC on)	6 h	6 h
Battery incl. case	28 h	30 h
Full charge time	60 min	-
Quick charge	15 min → 4 h	5 min → 1 h
Wireless charging	No	Yes
Features
Active noise cancelling	Yes	Yes
ANC type	hybrid	adaptive
Transparency mode	Yes	Yes
Companion app	Yes	Yes
Custom EQ	Yes	Yes
Wear detection	Yes	Yes
Controls	touch	touch
Voice assistant	Yes	Bixby
Design
Weight	4.9 g	5.4 g
Case weight	33.9 g	46.5 g
Water resistance	IP54	IP57
USB-C	Yes	Yes
Calls
Microphones	2	6
Call noise reduction	-	Yes

What reviewers said

Huawei FreeBuds 5i

The Huawei FreeBuds 5i deliver a surprisingly premium feel and a rich feature set for their modest price, including hybrid ANC, LDAC support, and multipoint pairing. While they excel in overall value and sound quality, their noise cancellation isn't top-tier, and the lack of wireless charging plus reliance on the companion app for full functionality are notable trade-offs.

Pro:Excellent value with premium design
Pro:Supports LDAC and multipoint connectivity
Pro:Effective hybrid ANC for the price

Con:ANC is not class-leading
Con:No wireless charging support
Con:Best experience requires Huawei app

Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro

These premium wireless earbuds from Samsung deliver strong adaptive noise cancellation and a comfortable fit, backed by IP57 water resistance and a solid 7-hour battery per charge. They support Bluetooth 5.4 with AAC and LDAC codecs, plus multipoint connectivity for seamless device switching. With a two-way driver setup and touch controls, they aim for a balanced, feature-rich listening experience in a compact design. Their 30-hour total battery with the case and wireless charging add convenience for daily use. However, their sensitivity is somewhat low, which may require higher volume levels to drive efficiently. They also lack a dedicated low-latency gaming mode and a wear-detection sensor, which could be missed by some users.

Pro:Effective adaptive noise cancellation
Pro:IP57 water and dust resistance
Pro:Multipoint Bluetooth 5.4 with LDAC support

Con:Battery life is average at 7 hours
Con:Low sensitivity may need high volume
Con:No wear-detection sensor

Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.

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