True Wireless
Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5
85Outstanding
$240
Full review dataHuawei FreeBuds Pro 5 vs Nothing Ear 3: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 comes out ahead with an HearWiki score of 85. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 - Outstanding overall at around $240.
True Wireless
Nothing Ear 3
78Great
$160
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5
Sound7.0
Noise cancelling7.0
Battery6.0
Calls6.0
Value5.0
Nothing Ear 3
Sound8.0
Noise cancelling7.5
Battery8.0
Calls7.0
Value8.0
Specifications
| Spec | Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 | Nothing Ear 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | True Wireless | True Wireless |
| Price (USD) | $240 | $160 |
| HearWiki score | 85 / 100 · Outstanding | 78 / 100 · Great |
| Released | 2026 | 2025 |
| Audio | ||
| Driver | hybrid | dynamic |
| Driver size | 11 mm | 12 mm |
| Drivers per side | 2 | 1 |
| Frequency response | 10 Hz - 48 kHz | 20 Hz - 40 kHz |
| Impedance | - | 32 Ω |
| Wireless | ||
| Bluetooth | 6.0 | 5.4 |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, L2HC 4.0 | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Multipoint pairing | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless range | 12 m | 10 m |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | 9 h | 10 h |
| Battery life (ANC on) | 6 h | 5.5 h |
| Battery incl. case | 38 h | 38 h |
| Full charge time | 90 min | 70 min |
| Quick charge | 3 min = ~1 h | 5 min = 10 h |
| Wireless charging | Yes | Yes |
| Features | ||
| Active noise cancelling | Yes | Yes |
| ANC type | adaptive | hybrid |
| Transparency mode | Yes | Yes |
| Companion app | Yes | Yes |
| Custom EQ | Yes | Yes |
| Wear detection | Yes | Yes |
| Controls | touch | touch |
| Voice assistant | Yes | - |
| Design | ||
| Weight | 5.5 g | 10.4 g |
| Case weight | 43 g | 71.4 g |
| Water resistance | IP57 | IP54 |
| Detachable cable | No | - |
| USB-C | Yes | Yes |
| Model code | HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 5 | - |
| Calls | ||
| Microphones | 6 | 6 |
What reviewers said
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
Nothing Ear 3
The Nothing Ear (3) brings a refined audio performance wrapped in the brand's signature transparent design, offering adaptive noise cancellation, multipoint connectivity, and strong battery life. While the sound quality and feature set impress, the microphone performance falls short of its marketing claims, and the tuning may lean bass-forward and bright for some listeners. Overall, it's a stylish, capable pair of true wireless earbuds, though the price-to-sound ratio might not convince everyone.
- Pro:Distinctive, eye-catching design
- Pro:Adaptive ANC and transparency mode work well
- Pro:Solid battery life with wireless charging case
- Con:Sound tuning can be bass-heavy and bright
- Con:Microphone quality doesn't match the 'Super Mic' promise
- Con:Audio may not justify the price for critical listeners
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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