Is the Huawei FreeBuds 5i worth the upgrade from the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5?
Verdict
Downgrade
The Huawei FreeBuds 5i actually scores 15.4 points below the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5, so on aggregate review consensus this is a step backwards. On paper: codecs LDAC to SBC, AAC, LDAC, battery life (anc on) 5 h to 6 h and case weight 43 g to 33.9 g. Worth checking: battery life goes 9 h to 7.5 h and bluetooth goes 6.0 to 5.2. One caution: this steps down a line tier (FreeBuds Pro 5 to FreeBuds 5i), 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 $105 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.
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | FreeBuds Pro 5 | FreeBuds 5i | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 9 h | 7.5 h | |
| Codecs | LDAC | SBC, AAC, LDAC | |
| Bluetooth | 6.0 | 5.2 | |
| Water resistance | IP57 | IP54 | |
| Battery life (ANC on) | 5 h | 6 h | |
| Battery incl. case | 33 h | 28 h | |
| Full charge time | 40 min | 60 min | |
| Driver size | 11 mm | 10 mm | |
| Drivers per side | 2 | 1 | |
| Microphones | 3 | 2 | |
| Case weight | 43 g | 33.9 g | |
| Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
| Quick charge | 3 min → 1 h | 15 min → 4 h | |
| Driver | 2-driver hybrid | 10 mm dynamic | |
| Frequency response | 10 Hz - 48 kHz | 20 Hz - 40 kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "FreeBuds Pro 5 to FreeBuds 5i". 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.