True Wireless
Huawei FreeBuds 5i
76Great
$99
Full review dataHuawei FreeBuds 5i vs Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro comes out ahead with an HearWiki score of 84. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro - Great overall at around $150.
True Wireless
Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro
84Great
$150
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Huawei FreeBuds 5i
Sound7.5
Noise cancelling7.0
Battery7.0
Calls6.5
Value8.5
Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro
Sound8.5
Noise cancelling8.0
Battery7.5
Calls8.0
Value8.5
Specifications
| Spec | Huawei FreeBuds 5i | Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Type | True Wireless | True Wireless |
| Price (USD) | $99 | $150 |
| HearWiki score | 76 / 100 · Great | 84 / 100 · Great |
| Released | 2023 | 2024 |
| Audio | ||
| Driver | 10mm dynamic | dynamic |
| Driver size | 10 mm | 10.5 mm |
| Drivers per side | 2 | 2 |
| Frequency response | 20Hz-40kHz | 14Hz-40kHz |
| Impedance | 16 Ω | 15.3 Ω |
| Sensitivity | 110.8 dB/mW | - |
| Wireless | ||
| Bluetooth | 5.2 | 5.3 |
| Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5.3 |
| Codecs | AAC, SBC, LDAC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Multipoint pairing | Yes | Yes |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | 7.5 h | 10 h |
| Battery life (ANC on) | 6 h | 7.5 h |
| Battery incl. case | 18.5 h | 40 h |
| Full charge time | 60 min | - |
| Quick charge | 15 min = about 4 h playback | 5 min = 4 h |
| Wireless charging | No | Yes |
| Features | ||
| Active noise cancelling | Yes | Yes |
| ANC type | hybrid | hybrid |
| Transparency mode | Yes | Yes |
| Companion app | Yes | Yes |
| Custom EQ | - | Yes |
| Wear detection | Yes | Yes |
| Controls | touch | touch |
| Voice assistant | supported | supports voice assistant via app |
| Design | ||
| Weight | 4.9 g | 5.5 g |
| Case weight | 33.9 g | 51 g |
| Water resistance | IP54 | IPX5 |
| USB-C | Yes | Yes |
| Calls | ||
| Microphones | 2 | 6 |
| Call noise reduction | - | AI noise reduction |
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
Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro
The Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro pack a hefty feature set into a budget-friendly wireless earbud package, including adaptive noise cancellation, LDAC support, multipoint connectivity, and wireless charging. They deliver solid sound with crisp treble and effective call quality, though the charging case can feel gimmicky and prone to fingerprints, and spatial audio falls short. Overall, they're a well-rounded value pick rather than a flagship-level performer.
- Pro:Strong active noise cancellation
- Pro:Wide codec support including LDAC
- Pro:Multipoint and wireless charging included
- Con:Charging case feels gimmicky and smudges easily
- Con:Spatial audio performance is weak
- Con:Battery life is average for the price
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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