Is the Huawei FreeBuds 4 worth the upgrade from the Apple AirPods Pro 3?
Verdict
Downgrade
The Huawei FreeBuds 4 actually scores 18.0 points below the Apple AirPods Pro 3, so on aggregate review consensus this is a step backwards. It loses ground on noise cancelling (9.5 to 5.0) and battery (8.0 to 5.5). On paper: driver size 10.7 mm to 14.3 mm and case weight 43.99 g to 38 g. Worth checking: battery life goes 8 h to 4 h and bluetooth goes 5.3 to 5.2. One caution: this steps down a line tier (AirPods Pro 3 to FreeBuds 4), and base models usually trade away tier features - check the codec and ANC rows above before trusting the score gap alone. It is at least $77 cheaper, so the lower score comes with a saving. Only worth it if a specific feature above matters more to you than overall quality does.
What actually changes
Sub-scores both products have, on the same 0-10 scale. Bars extend right for a gain, left for a loss.
- Sound8.56.5
- Noise cancelling9.55.0
- Battery8.05.5
- Calls8.56.0
- Value7.56.0
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | AirPods Pro 3 | FreeBuds 4 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 8 h | 4 h | |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.2 | |
| Water resistance | IP57 | IPX4 | |
| Battery life (ANC on) | 8 h | 2.5 h | |
| Battery incl. case | 24 h | 22 h | |
| Driver size | 10.7 mm | 14.3 mm | |
| Case weight | 43.99 g | 38 g | |
| ANC type | adaptive | hybrid | |
| Quick charge | 5 minutes in case = about 1 hour listening time | 15 min = 2.5 h | |
| Frequency response | 20 Hz - 20 kHz | 20 Hz - 40 kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "AirPods Pro 3 to FreeBuds 4". 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.