Is the Powerbeats Pro 2 worth the upgrade from the Huawei FreeBuds Neo?
Verdict
Downgrade
The Powerbeats Pro 2 actually scores 6.8 points below the Huawei FreeBuds Neo, so on aggregate review consensus this is a step backwards. The gains are concentrated in battery (8.0 to 8.8). You do give up ground on value (9.0 to 7.0). On paper: battery life (anc on) 6.5 h to 8 h and battery incl. case 40 h to 45 h. Worth checking: microphones goes 4 to 3. And it costs $141 more for a lower score, which is hard to justify on the data alone. 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.
- Sound8.07.9
- Noise cancelling8.08.2
- Battery8.08.8
- Calls8.08.3
- Value9.07.0
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | FreeBuds Neo | Powerbeats Pro 2 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Codecs | LDAC | AAC | |
| Water resistance | IP55 | IPX4 | |
| Battery life (ANC on) | 6.5 h | 8 h | |
| Battery incl. case | 40 h | 45 h | |
| Microphones | 4 | 3 | |
| Controls | touch | both | |
| Driver | dynamic | 9.5 mm dynamic | |
| Frequency response | 10 Hz - 48 kHz | 20 Hz - 20 kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "FreeBuds Neo to Powerbeats Pro 2". 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.