Is the OnePlus Buds Z worth the upgrade from the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5?
Verdict
Downgrade
The OnePlus Buds Z actually scores 19.5 points below the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5, so on aggregate review consensus this is a step backwards. It loses ground on calls (8.7 to 6.0) and sound (8.6 to 6.0). Worth checking: battery life goes 9 h to 5 h and active noise cancelling goes Yes to No. One caution: this steps down a line tier (FreeBuds Pro 5 to Buds Z), 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 $150 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.
- Sound8.66.0
- Battery8.26.5
- Calls8.76.0
- Value8.37.5
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | FreeBuds Pro 5 | Buds Z | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 9 h | 5 h | |
| Active noise cancelling | Yes | No | |
| Codecs | LDAC | SBC, AAC | |
| Bluetooth | 6.0 | 5.0 | |
| Multipoint pairing | Yes | No | |
| Water resistance | IP57 | IP55 | |
| Battery incl. case | 33 h | 20 h | |
| Wireless range | 12 m | 10 m | |
| Driver size | 11 mm | 10 mm | |
| Drivers per side | 2 | 1 | |
| Microphones | 3 | 2 | |
| Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
| Transparency mode | Yes | No | |
| Companion app | Yes | No | |
| Custom EQ | Yes | No | |
| Wear detection | Yes | No | |
| Quick charge | 3 min → 1 h | 10 min → 3 h | |
| Driver | 2-driver hybrid | 10 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 Buds Z". 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.