Overview

Announced in December 2024 and on sale from January 2025, the FreeBuds Pro 4 are Huawei’s flagship TWS under the HUAWEI SOUND label. Highlights include an 11 mm dynamic driver plus planar diaphragm dual-driver system, Intelligent Dynamic ANC, IP54 for the buds, shape-memory foam ear tips, head-motion controls, and support for L2HC 4.0 up to 2.3 Mbps lossless transmission under specific device/OS conditions[1][3][4]. HWA Lossless and Hi-Res Wireless Audio certifications are listed by the manufacturer[1].

Scientific Validity

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Independent measurements remain limited. Manufacturer specs document the dual-driver architecture, 14 Hz–48 kHz bandwidth, IP54 (buds), and battery capacities of 55 mAh per bud and 510 mAh for the case[1]. A reputable third-party review reports THD 0.19% and THD+N 0.34% at 1 kHz using a near-field artificial-head setup (≈1 cm mic distance); methodology differs from standardized GRAS rigs and cross-review comparability is limited[2]. Call clarity and ANC are assessed as effective in practice, while claims around eliminating up to 100 dB ambient call noise are primarily manufacturer-conditioned and device-dependent[2][3]. Given the sparse standardized data, this score is provisional and will be revised when broader third-party measurements appear.

Technology Level

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The product integrates current-gen TWS tech: dual drivers with digital crossover, triple-adaptive EQ, a reverse bone-conduction mic alongside three conventional mics for calls, shape-memory foam tips, and head-motion controls[1][3]. L2HC 4.0 enables up to 2.3 Mbps lossless transmission but only with specific Huawei devices/OS (e.g., Mate X6 on EMUI 15); otherwise it falls back to LDAC or AAC[3][4]. Innovation is notable, yet practical gains are gated by ecosystem conditions, capping the score.

Cost-Performance

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Per policy, the comparator is the single cheapest product with equal-or-better user-visible functions and measured performance. Apple AirPods Pro 2 qualifies (ANC, transparency, spatial audio, wireless-charging case, and abundant third-party measurements). Using a commonly available market price of 169 USD for AirPods Pro 2, Cost-Performance is CP = 169 ÷ 210 = 0.80 → 0.8. Multiple contenders exist, but AirPods Pro 2 is the least expensive option meeting the equivalence requirement at review time; averaging is unnecessary here.

Reliability & Support

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Huawei lists typical one-year warranty coverage (region dependent). Specs indicate IP54 for the buds, firmware updates via AI Life, wireless charging, and standard battery capacities (55 mAh buds / 510 mAh case)[1]. However, long-term update cadence and failure-rate statistics are not disclosed, and availability/support vary by region. Overall: average.

Rationality of Design Philosophy

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Driver topology, call chain design, and fit optimization are reasonable[1][3]. The main drawback is ecosystem gating: the headline 2.3 Mbps L2HC 4.0 benefit materializes only with specific Huawei devices, while most users will operate on LDAC or AAC[4]. With limited independent measurements to substantiate objective superiority, the design leans more proprietary than universally rational.

Advice

If you own a compatible Huawei device (EMUI 15 or later) and can satisfy L2HC 4.0 conditions, the FreeBuds Pro 4 can be compelling. Otherwise, the practical gains narrow; broadly validated options like AirPods Pro 2 may offer better overall value unless this model’s price significantly drops. Match your source device and codec support before deciding.

References

[1] HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4 Specifications: https://consumer.huawei.com/en/headphones/freebuds-pro-4/specs/ (accessed 2025-08-20)
[2] Notebookcheck, “Huawei FreeBuds Pro 4 review – ANC headphones with lossless audio”: https://www.notebookcheck.net/Huawei-FreeBuds-Pro-4-review-ANC-headphones-with-lossless-audio.949186.0.html (accessed 2025-08-20)
[3] Press release (L2HC 4.0/2.3 Mbps, call-noise claims, foam tips): https://www.prnewswire.com/il/news-releases/huawei-freebuds-pro-4-huawei-sound-elevating-tws-flagship-experience-to-new-heights-302331885.html (accessed 2025-08-20)
[4] HUAWEI Support – HD/lossless settings and device conditions: https://consumer.huawei.com/en/support/content/en-us15900030/ (accessed 2025-08-20)

(2025.8.21)