Is the Huawei FreeBuds 5i worth the upgrade from the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro?
Verdict
Downgrade
The Huawei FreeBuds 5i actually scores 18.9 points below the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro, so on aggregate review consensus this is a step backwards. On paper: case weight 46.5 g to 33.9 g. Worth checking: bluetooth goes 5.4 to 5.2 and battery incl. case goes 30 h to 28 h. One caution: this steps down a line tier (Galaxy Buds3 Pro 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 $156 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 | Galaxy Buds3 Pro | FreeBuds 5i | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, Samsung Scalable | SBC, AAC, LDAC | |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.2 | |
| Water resistance | IP57 | IP54 | |
| Battery incl. case | 30 h | 28 h | |
| Microphones | 6 | 2 | |
| Case weight | 46.5 g | 33.9 g | |
| Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
| ANC type | adaptive | hybrid | |
| Quick charge | 5 min → 1 h | 15 min → 4 h | |
| Driver | 10.5 mm driver | 10 mm dynamic | |
| Frequency response | 20 Hz - 20 kHz | 20 Hz - 40 kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "Galaxy Buds3 Pro 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.