Is the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 worth the upgrade from the Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max?
Verdict
Meaningful upgrade
The Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 scores 7.9 points above the Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max. That's a real improvement, though not the kind you'd notice on every track. It loses ground on value (8.0 to 5.0) and battery (8.5 to 6.0). On paper: weight 11 g to 5.5 g, battery incl. case 28 h to 33 h and driver size 9.2 mm to 11 mm. Worth checking: battery life goes 12 h to 8 h and codecs goes SBC, AAC, LDAC to LDAC. It's also $80 cheaper, which makes this an easy call. Worth doing if you're replacing anyway; harder to justify as a pure upgrade if what you have still works.
What actually changes
Sub-scores both products have, on the same 0-10 scale. Bars extend right for a gain, left for a loss.
- Sound8.07.0
- Noise cancelling8.07.0
- Battery8.56.0
- Calls7.56.0
- Value8.05.0
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max | FreeBuds Pro 5 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 12 h | 8 h | |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | LDAC | |
| Weight | 11 g | 5.5 g | |
| Bluetooth | 6.1 | 6.0 | |
| Water resistance | IP55 | IP57 | |
| Battery incl. case | 28 h | 33 h | |
| Driver size | 9.2 mm | 11 mm | |
| Microphones | 8 | 3 | |
| Quick charge | 5 min → 4 h | 3 min → 1 h | |
| Controls | both | touch | |
| Driver | 9.2 mm dynamic | 2-driver hybrid | |
| Frequency response | 20 Hz - 20 kHz | 10 Hz - 48 kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max to FreeBuds Pro 5". The other direction is a separate question with a different answer. Scores blend published review verdicts across true wireless and shift as new reviews land, so a marginal call today may not be one next quarter.