Is the Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max worth the upgrade from the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5?
Verdict
Downgrade
The Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max actually scores 7.9 points below the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5, so on aggregate review consensus this is a step backwards. The gains are concentrated in value (5.0 to 8.0), battery (6.0 to 8.5) and calls (6.0 to 7.5). On paper: battery life 8 h to 12 h, codecs LDAC to SBC, AAC, LDAC and bluetooth 6.0 to 6.1. Worth checking: weight goes 5.5 g to 11 g and battery incl. case goes 33 h to 28 h. And it costs $80 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.
- Sound7.08.0
- Noise cancelling7.08.0
- Battery6.08.5
- Calls6.07.5
- Value5.08.0
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | FreeBuds Pro 5 | Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 8 h | 12 h | |
| Codecs | LDAC | SBC, AAC, LDAC | |
| Weight | 5.5 g | 11 g | |
| Bluetooth | 6.0 | 6.1 | |
| Water resistance | IP57 | IP55 | |
| Battery incl. case | 33 h | 28 h | |
| Driver size | 11 mm | 9.2 mm | |
| Microphones | 3 | 8 | |
| Quick charge | 3 min → 1 h | 5 min → 4 h | |
| Controls | touch | both | |
| Driver | 2-driver hybrid | 9.2 mm dynamic | |
| Frequency response | 10 Hz - 48 kHz | 20 Hz - 20 kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "FreeBuds Pro 5 to Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max". 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.