Is the Huawei FreeBuds 4 worth the upgrade from the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2?
Verdict
Downgrade
The Huawei FreeBuds 4 actually scores 18.0 points below the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2, so on aggregate review consensus this is a step backwards. It loses ground on noise cancelling (8.5 to 5.0) and sound (8.5 to 6.5). On paper: battery incl. case 18 h to 22 h, driver size 11 mm to 14.3 mm and case weight 52 g to 38 g. Worth checking: battery life goes 6.5 h to 4 h and codecs goes LDAC, AAC, SBC to SBC, AAC. One caution: this steps down a line tier (FreeBuds Pro 2 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 $174 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 cancelling8.55.0
- Battery6.55.5
- Calls7.56.0
- Value8.06.0
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | FreeBuds Pro 2 | FreeBuds 4 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 6.5 h | 4 h | |
| Codecs | LDAC, AAC, SBC | SBC, AAC | |
| Water resistance | IP54 | IPX4 | |
| Battery life (ANC on) | 4 h | 2.5 h | |
| Battery incl. case | 18 h | 22 h | |
| Driver size | 11 mm | 14.3 mm | |
| Drivers per side | 2 | 1 | |
| Case weight | 52 g | 38 g | |
| Custom EQ | Yes | No | |
| ANC type | adaptive | hybrid | |
| Driver | 11 mm dynamic driver + planar diaphragm driver | 14.3 mm | |
| Frequency response | 14Hz-48kHz | 20Hz-40kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "FreeBuds Pro 2 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.