Huawei is back with another solid pair of headphones. This time around, we’re looking at the Huawei FreeLace Pro, the company’s sporty neckband-style wireless earbuds.
After their launch in September, the Huawei FreeLace Pro are now available in Europe, where they sell for 119 euros.
After spending a few weeks with the product, the FreeLace Pro is excellent value for money. Here’s what you need to know about them Android Authority Huawei FreeLace Pro review.
About this Huawei FreeLace Pro review: We tested the green version of the FreeLace Pro, along with a Mate 20 Pro, a Huawei GT Watch GT 2 smartwatch, and an Asus laptop. The Huawei FreeLace Pro test device was supplied by the manufacturer. This review, first published on September 9, 2020, has been updated several times.
Huawei FreeLace Pro Enough battery life for all your adventures
The FreeLace Pro is a great choice for those who want the convenience and ease of use of wireless earbuds, but also want longer battery life, portability and ruggedness compared to the typical true wireless earbuds.
Huawei FreeLace Pro specifications and technology
- Total length: 862.4 mm
- Weight: 34 grams
- Colors: obsidian black, spruce green, dawn white
- Loudspeaker: 14.2mm moving coil
- Battery: 150mAh
- Battery life: up to 24 hours
- Charging time: approx. 60 minutes
- Water and dust resistance: IP55
- ANC: Dual ANC, three microphones to reduce call noise
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C
- Controls: touch (left earbud only), physical buttons
What is it like to use FreeLace Pro?
The FreeLace Pro has a “neckband” design – with a flexible neckband that hangs like a necklace when you’re not listening to the earbuds. My first impression of the FreeLace Pro was that the cables were a little too long, but I got used to them quickly. Indeed, the length is necessary to make the neck tape comfortable to wear, even when wearing jackets or other bulky clothing. At 34 grams, the FreeLace Pro is light enough for extended use.
The back of the earbuds is magnetic so they stick together when you plug in. This prevents excessive dangling and automatically disconnects the earbuds from your phone or PC. I used the Spruce Green model for this test, which looks great, but you can also choose between black and creamy white models. The neck band is made of a rubber-like material, with two metal parts holding the controls and batteries.
Unless you have small ears, the non-detachable wing tips are likely too small to serve their purpose. I didn’t find this to be a major issue, however, as the FreeLace Pro fitted my ears pretty well.
Also read: Best Headphones Under $ 100 Of 2020
Overall, the FreeLace Pro looks pretty similar to last year’s FreeLace, with the biggest difference being the added wingtips. This is a good, sturdy design that stands out from the crowd of true wireless earbuds. While the FreeLace Pro headset is less seamless than a fully wireless solution, it might be a better choice for active users.
Huawei FreeLace Pro controls
The FreeBuds Pro only have touch controls in the left earbud – a tap-and-hold gesture cycles through the three ANC modes: On, Awareness and Off. Awareness mode amplifies and lets certain frequencies of ambient noise through to make sure you can hear them. This is useful when you want to speak to the store’s cashier without removing the earbuds.
Aside from the touch controls, I liked the inclusion of physical controls in the right pane. Here is a diagram that shows exactly what you can do with these controls.
Do the FreeLace Pro earphones have noise canceling?
Yes! The main feature upgrade compared to the FreeLace 2019 is the addition of Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). “Active” means that the earbuds generate noises that overlap and offset certain external noises. The effect is most noticeable with low-frequency, constant noises such as the hum of a vacuum cleaner or a car engine.
The FreeLace Pro buds have in-ear designs that completely seal against the ear canal, ensuring great isolation. Passive isolation is the key to optimal active noise cancellation so that you can enjoy your music even in noisy environments.
The ANC worked very well on my Huawei FreeLace Pro tester. To get an idea of its effectiveness, I was able to listen to my mid-level bossa nova playlist on Spotify while my wife used our noisy vacuum cleaner a few feet away.
Also read: Panasonic RZ-S500W review: striving for a noise canceling crown
While the FreeLace Pro ANC isn’t a problem, the noise cancellation is even better with the FreeBuds Pro, Huawei’s true wireless earbuds. However, these are much more expensive at € 179 / £ 179.
How is the sound quality with the FreeLace Pro?
Given the price, I expected the FreeLace Pro to sound mediocre. I was pleasantly surprised that they actually offer great sound, which the noise cancellation enhances.
The FreeLace Pro are definitely bass heavy compared to the older FreeBuds 3. They’re more like the FreeBuds 3i I recently tested in this regard. The passive isolation where no sound comes out may have something to do with it. Still, I didn’t find the FreeLace Pro’s bass reproduction overbearing. Sound in the lower end of the spectrum never masked the vocals as it occasionally did with the FreeBuds 3i.
I am not very particular about my headphones and tend to consider myself a general consumer. Casual listeners will likely be just as pleased with the Huawei FreeLace Pro’s sound signature as I am.
Also read: Best True Wireless Earbuds – There’s More Than Just Apple
After using both FreeLace Pro and FreeBuds Pro for a while, they both sound pretty good despite the $ 60 difference.
How about some battery life?
On paper, the FreeLace Pro earbuds are an excellent performance – Huawei claims the batteries can power the buds for up to 24 hours on a single charge. This performance exceeds the FreeBuds 3, which are designed with the charging case for 20 hours.
The best thing about the FreeLace Pro is that you don’t have to carry a suitcase with you. When the battery is empty, you can easily charge the earbuds via the built-in USB-C port from any USB-C charger, PC or even phone that supports USB-C OTG. If you travel or commute a lot, it means you have a little more flexibility.
In real life, the FreeLace Pro definitely came close to its nominal battery specification. Your specific style of use – volume, ANC usage – will affect your mileage, but you will likely be satisfied. Note that ANC is a power-hungry feature that, according to Huawei, takes up to a third of the battery life. If you mainly use the FreeLace Pro in quiet environments, turn off noise cancellation.
What I like about the FreeLace Pro
- Robust, practical design: The FreeLace Pro isn’t minimalist and doesn’t look particularly futuristic. Even so, this headset does the job. As someone who’s come off real wireless earbuds, these neck buds are refreshingly straightforward.
- Good sound quality and ANC: The passive isolation and the ANC drown out the outside world and allow the speakers to produce a pleasant, bass-heavy sound.
- Fast connection: The earbuds plugged into my PC or phone in a matter of seconds. I needed to pry the magnetic earbuds apart and put them in my ears. That made it easy and fun to switch between headphones and device speakers.
What I don’t like about the FreeLace Pro
- The touch control: To scroll through the ANC (On, Transparency, and Off) modes, you need to long tap the left earbud. This gesture was a little hard to come by from the first try.
- No wear detection: If you remove the earbuds instead of taping them together, playback will resume. I would have preferred automatic wear detection.
Huawei FreeLace Pro Review: Should You Buy It?
The Huawei FreeLace Pro is a great choice for those who want the convenience and ease of use of wireless earbuds, but also want longer battery life, portability and ruggedness compared to the typical true wireless earbuds.
This headset is ideal for people and athletes outdoors thanks to its IP55 protection rating and battery life of up to 24 hours. I can easily recommend the FreeLace Pro for regular users who want great ANC and sound quality in an affordable package.
Alternatives to the FreeLace Pro include the Plantronics BackBeat Go 410, RHA T20 Wireless, and OnePlus Bullets Wireless 2. For more information on options in this category, see the summary on our sister site SoundGuys.
At 119 euros, the FreeLace Pro offers a lot of value. It might not be as advanced and sleek as the FreeBuds Pro, but if you’re waffling between the two, the FreeLace Pro should be seriously considered. The $ 60 you can save is nothing to make fun of and the features are comparable.
This concludes our Huawei FreeLace Pro test. Do you like this product? Tell us in the comments.
