Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2 review: Why the stylish earbuds are ideal for the modern career women

Out of the box, I was surprised by how lightweight the product is. Each earbud weighs approximately 6g, while the case itself only weighs 52g, making the FreeBuds Pro 2 one of the lightest products currently on the market.

The small size also meant that the wireless earbuds are very comfortable for long-wear. The ergonomic shape of the buds fits perfectly in my ear, and, unless you select the wrong size silicone tips, they’ll stay put. The compact fit is a bonus for me – wireless earbuds with silicone tips don’t typically sit well in my ear, so this was a pleasant surprise.

The earbuds stayed put during my day-to-day activities, whether I was running errands or travelling. I was also able to get through low-intensity workouts and strength training without losing any of the earbuds, though I’m not sure how they’ll fare against higher-intensity exercises like running. The earbuds are equipped with IP54 dust and water splash resistance, which is great given the rainy storms we’ve had recently.

With touch controls that can be activated from the ear stem, the FreeBuds Pro 2 is extremely intuitive and simple to control. The volume, for example, can be easily adjusted on the fly by simply sliding your finger up or down.

The earbuds are packaged in your typical curve-edged rectangular charging case with magnetic closing that offers a pleasing snap. The Devialet logo beams on the reflective plate that straddles the hinge, adding a sleek touch that catches the light at every turn. Three colourways are available: silver frost, silver blue, and the ceramic white reviewed here.

The FreeBuds Pro 2 punches well above their weight when it comes to power, backed by an ultra-hearing true sound dual driver sound system that gives the earbuds a wide range of frequencies – from 14Hz to 48kH. With professional tuning by Devialet, the sonically impressive earbuds deliver crystal-clear audio that captures booming bass, warm mids, and rich timbres.

The earbuds also leverage triple adaptive EQ technology to automatically tune audio according to users’ ear canal structure, posture and volume level. The result? A personalised and high-definition sound experience, regardless of where and what volume you are playing your music at. In addition, if you install the Huawei’s AI Life App (available in the App Store and Google Play) on your smartphone, you’ll also get access to a highly customisable equaliser that you can use to tune the sound exactly to your preference.

After losing my trusty wired headphones in the depths of a dark abyss known as my bag, I noted that phone calls with the FreeBuds Pro 2 are a stellar experience as well. The earbuds offer a HD voice feature – at the cost of a lower battery life – for elevated call quality and clarity.

Active noise cancellation (ANC) is a standout feature for many wireless earbuds currently on the market, and the FreeBuds Pro 2 doesn’t disappoint here either. There are four modes of intensity: cosy for reducing common white noise; general for the lowest ANC that still allows for a conducive listening experience; ultra for maximum ANC; and dynamic mode, which allows the earbuds to adjust noise cancellation instinctively, depending on your environment.

Ultra mode, in particular, offered me many peaceful moments; loud conversation and ambient noise on my typical train rides were muted, while a flight out for a weekend getaway was soundly serene, even though there was a baby on board.

As someone who enjoys blasting her favourite tunes or tuning into an addictive podcast while doing, well, everything, the short battery life with the FreeBuds Pro 2 was not ideal. Unfortunately, the high audio quality takes its toll, and with ANC on, the battery life clocks in at four hours – a figure that rises to around six and a half hours with ANC off.

The charging case, however, allows for 18 hours with ANC on and 30 hours with it disabled. The earbuds do get juiced up pretty quickly, I was able to go from 5 percent to a full charge in less than 30 minutes.

The wireless earbuds are as easy on the eyes as they are on the ears, with their sleek design and comfortable fit offering a rich audio experience.

If you’re a modern career woman seeking a trusty pair of wireless earbuds in your arsenal, the FreeBuds Pro 2 is certainly a top pick, whether you’re looking to dampen ambient noise during your daily commute, pick up a work call, work out, or activate the active noise cancellation to drown out loud conversations while you’re working in the office.

With impressive sound quality and noise cancellation, the FreeBuds Pro 2 is the very definition of small but powerful.

The Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2 are available online at Lazada and Shopee, and at Huawei authorised stores. 

Read Next

IKEA is set to launch a new collab with Swedish House Mafia

Apple unveils the new iPhone 14, Airpods Pro 2, Apple Watch Series 8, and more

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Watch 5 review: Are the new devices worth it?