Is the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 worth the upgrade from the Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro?
Verdict
Meaningful upgrade
The Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 scores 7.0 points above the Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro. That's a real improvement, though not the kind you'd notice on every track. It loses ground on value (9.0 to 5.0) and sound (8.0 to 7.0). On paper: battery life 8 h to 9 h, codecs SBC, AAC, LDAC to SBC, AAC, LDAC, L2HC 4.0 and bluetooth 5.2 to 6.0. That costs $125 more, or about $18 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 cancelling7.07.0
- Battery6.06.0
- Calls7.06.0
- Value9.05.0
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | Liberty 3 Pro | FreeBuds Pro 5 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 8 h | 9 h | |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC, AAC, LDAC, L2HC 4.0 | |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 | 6.0 | |
| Water resistance | IPX4 | IP57 | |
| Battery incl. case | 32 h | 38 h | |
| Full charge time | 120 min | 90 min | |
| Case weight | 56 g | 43 g | |
| ANC type | hybrid | adaptive | |
| Frequency response | 20 Hz - 40 kHz | 10 Hz - 48 kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "Liberty 3 Pro 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.