Is the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 worth the upgrade from the Nothing Ear 3?
Verdict
Meaningful upgrade
The Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 scores 7.0 points above the Nothing Ear 3. That's a real improvement, though not the kind you'd notice on every track. It loses ground on value (8.0 to 5.0) and battery (8.0 to 6.0). On paper: codecs SBC, AAC, LDAC to SBC, AAC, LDAC, L2HC 4.0, bluetooth 5.4 to 6.0 and wireless range 10 m to 12 m. Worth checking: battery life goes 10 h to 9 h and full charge time goes 70 min to 90 min. That costs $79 more, or about $11 per point of score - reasonable value for the jump. Worth doing if you're replacing anyway; harder to justify as a pure upgrade if what you have still works.
What actually changes
Sub-scores both products have, on the same 0-10 scale. Bars extend right for a gain, left for a loss.
- Sound8.07.0
- Noise cancelling7.57.0
- Battery8.06.0
- Calls7.06.0
- Value8.05.0
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | Ear 3 | FreeBuds Pro 5 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 10 h | 9 h | |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC, AAC, LDAC, L2HC 4.0 | |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 6.0 | |
| Water resistance | IP54 | IP57 | |
| Full charge time | 70 min | 90 min | |
| Wireless range | 10 m | 12 m | |
| Driver size | 12 mm | 11 mm | |
| Drivers per side | 1 | 2 | |
| Case weight | 71.4 g | 43 g | |
| ANC type | hybrid | adaptive | |
| Quick charge | 5 min = 10 h | 3 min = ~1 h | |
| Driver | dynamic | hybrid | |
| Frequency response | 20 Hz - 40 kHz | 10 Hz - 48 kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "Ear 3 to FreeBuds Pro 5". 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.