Is the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro worth the upgrade from the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4?
Verdict
Clear upgrade
Going from the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 to the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro buys you 16.0 points of HearWiki score - a clear step up that reviewers agree on rather than a marketing refresh. The gains are concentrated in noise cancelling (5.5 to 8.0), battery (6.0 to 8.5) and sound (6.5 to 8.5). On paper: battery life 6 h to 12 h, codecs SBC, AAC to SBC, AAC, LDAC and bluetooth 5.2 to 6.1. Worth checking: battery incl. case goes 30 h to 28 h and wear detection goes Yes to No. That costs $140 more, or about $9 per point of score - reasonable value for the jump. If your current pair is worn out or the gains line up with how you listen, this one is worth the money.
What actually changes
Sub-scores both products have, on the same 0-10 scale. Bars extend right for a gain, left for a loss.
- Sound6.58.5
- Noise cancelling5.58.0
- Battery6.08.5
- Calls7.09.0
- Value7.58.0
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | Redmi Buds 4 | Liberty 5 Pro | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 6 h | 12 h | |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC, LDAC | |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 | 6.1 | |
| Multipoint pairing | No | Yes | |
| Water resistance | IP54 | IP55 | |
| Battery life (ANC on) | 4 h | 6.5 h | |
| Battery incl. case | 30 h | 28 h | |
| Full charge time | 90 min | 60 min | |
| Wireless charging | No | Yes | |
| Wear detection | Yes | No | |
| ANC type | hybrid | adaptive | |
| Quick charge | 5 min → 1 h | 5 min → 4 h | |
| Driver | 10 mm dynamic | 9.2 mm dynamic |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "Redmi Buds 4 to Liberty 5 Pro". 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.