True Wireless
Huawei FreeBuds Neo
85Outstanding
$110
Full review dataHuawei FreeBuds Neo vs Xiaomi Buds 3: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the Huawei FreeBuds Neo comes out ahead with a HearWiki score of 85. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: Huawei FreeBuds Neo - Outstanding overall at around $109.
True Wireless
Xiaomi Buds 3
62Average
$87
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Huawei FreeBuds Neo leads on 6 of 7 measures.
- Huawei FreeBuds Neo
- Xiaomi Buds 3
HearWiki score
85
62
Sound
8.0
6.8
Noise cancelling
8.0
5.3
Battery
8.0
6.4
Calls
8.0
6.5
Value
9.0
5.8
Price (USD)
$110
$87
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
Huawei FreeBuds Neo (2026) against Xiaomi Buds 3 (2021). The Huawei FreeBuds Neo edges ahead on platform, but only just: Top codec LDAC against AAC. It also adds Custom EQ.
- FreeBuds Neo20265 yr newer
- Buds 32021
What differsFreeBuds NeoBuds 3
- Top codec
- LDAC
- AAC
- Custom EQ
- Yes
- No
Platform
Everyday features
Level on: ANC type, Transparency mode, Companion app, Water resistance.
Specifications
FreeBuds NeoBuds 3
- Type
- True Wireless
- True Wireless
- Price (USD)
- $110
- $87
- HearWiki score
- 85
- 62
- Released
- 2026
- 2021
- Availability
- Sold new
- Still sold new
- Driver
- dynamic
- 2× 12 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- dynamic
- dynamic
- Driver size
- -
- 12 mm
- Drivers per side
- -
- 2
- Frequency response
- 10 Hz - 48 kHz
- 20 Hz - 20 kHz
- Impedance
- -
- 32 Ω
- Bluetooth
- -
- 5.2
- Codecs
- LDAC
- SBC, AAC
- Multipoint pairing
- -
- Yes
- Wireless range
- -
- 10 m
- Battery life
- 10 h
- 7 h
- Battery life (ANC on)
- 6.5 h
- 5 h
- Battery incl. case
- 40 h
- 32 h
- Full charge time
- -
- 90 min
- Wireless charging
- -
- Yes
- Active noise cancelling
- Yes
- Yes
- ANC type
- adaptive
- adaptive
- Transparency mode
- Yes
- Yes
- Companion app
- Yes
- Yes
- Custom EQ
- Yes
- No
- Wear detection
- -
- No
- Controls
- touch
- touch
- Voice assistant
- -
- Google Assistant, Siri
- Weight
- 4.8 g
- 9.2 g
- Water resistance
- IP55
- IP55
- USB-C
- -
- Yes
- Microphones
- 4
- 3
What reviewers said
Huawei FreeBuds Neo
The Huawei FreeBuds Neo are lightweight, comfortable true wireless earbuds with adaptive active noise cancellation and a robust feature set for their price. They offer solid call quality, a lively sound signature, and practical extras like transparency mode and app support, making them a versatile mid-range option for travel and daily use.
- Pro:Comfortable and lightweight fit
- Pro:Effective adaptive ANC
- Pro:Good call quality with 4 mics
- Con:Battery life with ANC is modest
- Con:May not satisfy audiophiles seeking specialized tuning
- Con:Touch controls may require adjustment
Xiaomi Buds 3
The Xiaomi Buds 3 are affordable true wireless earbuds that deliver solid sound, adaptive noise cancellation, and a comfortable fit for daily use. They pack useful features like Bluetooth 5.2, IP55 water resistance, and wireless charging, making them a strong value pick for budget-conscious listeners. While not aimed at audiophiles, they offer a well-rounded performance with clear mids and highs and controlled bass.
- Pro:Effective adaptive ANC for the price
- Pro:Comfortable and easy to wear for long sessions
- Pro:Good battery life with 32 hours total including case
- Con:No custom EQ for fine-tuning sound
- Con:Battery drops to 5 hours with ANC on
- Con:Plastic build may feel less premium
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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