Huawei Freebuds 4 test: comfortable True Wireless, but with mediocre sound insulation

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Huawei's "Open Fit" headphones will seduce refractory to intra-ear, but suffer from an ineffective noise reduction and autonomy below average.

01net's opinion.comHuawei Freebuds 4

MostThe lessers Writing note

3

Note publiée le 28/09/2021

Equipment

4/5

Comfort and autonomy

3/5

Dimensions and weights

5/5

Audio quality

2,5/5

General appreciation

2/5Voir la fiche technique Voir le verdict

What if Apple AirPods have an active noise reduction function?This is the risky bet of the Huawei smartphone manufacturer with its Freebuds 4 headphones, sold around 150 euros.But is it possible to associate an active reduction (ANC) with an open format?Answer in this test.

On the design side, these True Wireless are very close to Freebuds 3, launched in 2020.They have a long stem, the outside of which serves as a tactile zone.Thus, we were able to control reading, activate noise reduction, but also adjust the volume directly on the headphones.To do this, just scan on the stem, up or down.On the other hand, we have found that it is sometimes difficult to touch the touch zone twice in a row to trigger certain orders.

People who do not support the intrusion of in-audiole headphones will seduce by the "open fit" format, without tips, chosen by Huawei.It takes a few tests to find out how to properly place the Freebuds 4, with the fear that the headphones fall during a sudden movement of the head, but we finally got good outfit, and above all excellent comfort.Good point, the headphones are light (about 4 g) and resist water projections (IPX4 certification).

The headphones are delivered with a rounding load box, which is easily accommodated in the pocket.On the other hand, they are positioned with the stems inward, which implies making them undergo a rotation of 180 degrees before placing them in the ears.Bluetooth pairing is facilitated if you have a smartphone or a Huawei tablet with Emui 10 (or higher).In this case, a window appears automatically on the screen.For other devices, press a button on the side of the case to trigger the pairing procedure.

Where are the bass?

Now let's go to audio tests.Listening, the sound is detailed and precise, but sorely lacking in bass, which gives the sound a slightly metallic appearance.We made a frequency response measurement and found that the headphones favored high-mediums, and a little treble (between 2,500 and 4,500 Hz)).Is the situation desperate?No, if you use the AI Life app and activate the bass amplification.With this setting, the sound is finally satisfactory.The Freebuds 4 embark the AAC, SBC and L2HC codecs.The latter is the owner and requires a smartphone with EMUI 11 or Harmonyos 2 systems.0.Good point, Huawei incorporates the multipoint in the Bluetooth connection, which allows you to use two devices simultaneously.

A disappointing noise reduction

But where things were spoiled, it was when we tried the Freebuds 4 in public transport, first the metro, then the TGV.Huawei's promise is unfortunately not held.Thus, the noise is slightly eliminated by the ANC, especially in the low frequencies, but this is far from obvious.As soon as the noise is too strong, we hear everything and you have to mount the volume to compensate.Insulation of Freebuds 4 is hardly better than that of AirPods, which do not have noise reduction.

A autonomy at half mast

Another disappointment, Huawei's headphones are not very enduring.We have measured a duration of 3:46 with the active noise reduction (4:05, without ANC), a score that is better than what the manufacturer announces (2.5 hours with ANC), but is below average.In comparison, Apple's second generation AirPods go up at 5:12 am.It will therefore be necessary to have the housing at hand.According to the manufacturer, it offers the equivalent of 4.5 additional charges.

Most True Wireless headphones have a free application and freebuds 4 do not escape the rule.So we installed the AI Life program, available on iOS and Android.It gives information on the battery level of headphones and boxes.

It also allows you to choose between two levels of noise reduction and activate an HD mode to obtain clearer voice calls.We tried it without seeing any significant difference.Huawei also planned an equalizer, but with only two settings, which is too limited.We also regretted that personalization of touch controls only concerns double touch.

To discover also on video:

Enfin, l’appli permet de retrouver les écouteurs en les faisant sonner, comme un tracker Bluetooth. Pratique si vous ne savez plus où vous les avez mis.

Fiche technique Huawei Freebuds 4

Modèle	Oreillettes True Wireless
Restitution du son	Stéréo
Système actif de réduction du bruit	Oui
Poids (avec cordon et piles)	8 g

Voir la fiche complète

Most

The lessers

The verdict of the test

Huawei Freebuds 4

Nous aurions aimé dire beaucoup de bien de ces FreeBuds 4, mais ils se révèlent trop chers par rapport à leur réduction de bruit peu efficace et à leur autonomie réduite. La qualité sonore se révèle correcte si vous activez l’augmentation des basses, mais c’est surtout le confort qui est le vrai point fort de ces écouteurs.Mais il faudrait que Huawei les propose autour des 100 euros pour que vous envisagiez de les acheter, car Apple a récemment baissé le prix de ses AirPods de deuxième génération, qui sont désormais proposés à 149 euros.

Writing note

2.9 /5

Equipment

4/5

Comfort and autonomy

3/5

Dimensions and weights

5/5

Audio quality

2,5/5

General appreciation

2/5

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