Skip to content
HearWiki

Huawei FreeBuds Pro 4 vs Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5: which should you buy?

On aggregated review scores the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 comes out ahead with an HearWiki score of 84. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.

Our pick: Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 - Great overall at around $240.

Score breakdown

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

Huawei FreeBuds Pro 4 leads on 6 of 7 measures.

  • Huawei FreeBuds Pro 4
  • Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5
HearWiki score
79
84
Sound
7.5
7.0
Noise cancelling
8.0
7.0
Battery
6.5
6.0
Calls
7.0
6.0
Value
7.0
5.0
Price (USD)
$210
$240

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 Pro 5 (2026) against Huawei FreeBuds Pro 4 (2024). The Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 edges ahead on platform, but only just: Bluetooth 6.0 against 5.2. It also adds Water resistance IP57 against IP54.

  • FreeBuds Pro 42024
  • FreeBuds Pro 520262 yr newer
What differsFreeBuds Pro 4FreeBuds Pro 5

Platform

Bluetooth
5.2
6.0

Everyday features

Water resistance
IP54
IP57

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

Specifications

FreeBuds Pro 4FreeBuds Pro 5
Type
True Wireless
True Wireless
Price (USD)
$210
$240
HearWiki score
79
84
Released
2024
2026
Availability
Discontinued
Sold new
Driver
2-driver hybrid
2-driver hybrid
Driver type
hybrid
hybrid
Driver size
11 mm
11 mm
Drivers per side
2
2
Frequency response
14 Hz - 48 kHz
10 Hz - 48 kHz
Impedance
16 Ω
-
Bluetooth
5.2
6.0
Codecs
SBC, AAC, LDAC
LDAC
Multipoint pairing
Yes
Yes
Wireless range
10 m
12 m
Battery life
7 h
8 h
Battery life (ANC on)
4.5 h
5 h
Battery incl. case
33 h
33 h
Full charge time
-
40 min
Quick charge
-
3 min → 1 h
Wireless charging
Yes
Yes
Active noise cancelling
Yes
Yes
ANC type
adaptive
-
Transparency mode
Yes
Yes
Companion app
Yes
Yes
Custom EQ
Yes
Yes
Wear detection
Yes
Yes
Controls
touch
touch
Voice assistant
Yes
Yes
Weight
11.6 g
5.5 g
Case weight
47 g
43 g
Water resistance
IP54
IP57
Detachable cable
-
No
USB-C
Yes
Yes
Pad material
-
silicone
Microphones
4
3
Microphone type
-
MEMS
Call noise reduction
-
Yes

What reviewers said

Huawei FreeBuds Pro 4

The Huawei FreeBuds Pro 4 are premium wireless earbuds that combine hybrid active noise cancellation with a dual-driver setup for detailed sound. They offer a solid seven-hour battery life on a single charge, extendable to 33 hours with the case, and support high-resolution audio codecs like LDAC. With Bluetooth 5.2, multipoint connectivity, and an IP54 rating, they're built for versatile daily use, though ANC reduces playtime to about 4.5 hours.

  • Pro:Excellent hybrid ANC effectiveness
  • Pro:Supports high-res LDAC and LDHC codecs
  • Pro:Comfortable fit with IP54 water and sweat resistance
  • Con:Battery life drops significantly with ANC enabled
  • Con:No official IP rating for dust protection beyond basic IP54
  • Con:Touch controls may require a learning curve

Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5

The Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 are high-end true wireless earbuds with adaptive noise cancellation and a robust IP57 rating for water and dust resistance. They deliver a wide frequency response up to 48 kHz, support Bluetooth 6, and offer strong battery life with quick charging, making them a solid pick for those seeking premium features and connectivity.

  • Pro:Excellent adaptive noise cancellation
  • Pro:Strong IP57 water resistance for earbuds
  • Pro:Wide 10 Hz–48 kHz frequency range
  • Con:Battery life drops significantly with ANC on (6 hours)
  • Con:Requires compatible devices for L2HC codec full quality
  • Con:Price is on the higher side for TWS earbuds

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

Compare something else

Swap either side out, or start again from the picker.