HUAWEI FreeBuds 5i Wireless Headphones, TWS Bluetooth Headphones, Hi-Res Sound, Multi-Mode Noise Cancellation, 28 Hour Battery Life, Compatible with Android/iOS/Window, Blue

First of all before I get started, I am not an audiophile and I bought these with my own money, it's an honest buyers review, I'm just your average bloke who likes a bit of tech, appreciates good sound, listening to music, podcasts and audiobooks on my 1hr + train commute.I pre ordered these 6i freebuds and they arrived the day after the their release date.Why did I order them? Purely because my dog decided to chew up one of my 5i Freebuds!!Packaging - I'm not someone who needs a nice flashy cardboard box when it comes to buying anything. As long as the product is well protected then I'm good.As usual though Huawei again use a good thick cardboard box and inner card linings/tray with the buds nicely protect in an opaque plastic sleeve. Remove the earbuds cardboard and you'll find the charge lead, a choice of different sized silcone tips and your usual paperwork. All very well made and presented.Case & Buds Build quality - Again Huawei have come through here with top marks. The case & buds have a gloss finish which punch above their weight at this price point. The case just feels nice in your hand, very much like a worn smooth pebble. Being this shape means it very easily slips into your jeans or trouser pocket unlike many bud cases I've owned.As mentioned before, the gloss finish is also applied to the earbuds, again giving a premium feel.The case has your usual led to show its charging and a USB - C port, there is no wireless charging feature which some will find annoying, personally I'm fine with plugging them in.Connectivity - I have an android phone so can't speak for I-phone users here. I already had the AI life app from Huawei, you can't get it on Google play store but it's easy enough to get from Huawei and I highly recommend using it.Once you open up the app you can follow the instructions and your earbuds easily pair. There are plenty of options for sound, ANC and even a find earbuds feature which is a nice touch.Earbuds in action -Over the last couple of years I have bought too many earbuds than I should, trying to find what is right for me. From £25 soundpeats to £200 XM4 Sonys. My happy place was the 5i Freebuds ( until their untimely demise).The things that are important to me are decent, sound, effective ANC and easy to use controls.Sound- As I said I'm definitely am not an audiophile but I appreciate good quality. The 6i's I believe are about as good as you get at this price point . Some reviews of the 5i and 6i have said that for music they can sound 'flat' and I can see where they are coming from but personally I like them, you can fiddle with the settings and in my humble opinion I the clarity of highs is about right, the bass is clear and not muddled, if you're a bass junky they aren't for you but listening to different styles of music I think Huawei have covered pretty well. I would like them to be louder but that may be down to euro laws I've been told.ANC - in the app you can set the ANC manually or it can be switched to an auto mode which adapts to your surroundings.Personally I have it manually adjusted to ultra, the highest setting. I have ANC on to drown out idiots who make calls on their phone speaker or just generally irratate me on the train - of which there are many. On Ultra the ANC is very good, I'd say the best you will get with this style of earbuds definitely better than the Sony XM4's I had which are highly rated by many. They won't silence everything but you can easily listen to a podcast or audio book without getting distracted by people or background noise. Huawei have done a great job here.Controls- the controls are customisable in the app. There is a swipe up/ swipe down on the stalks for volume. The next/previous track, pause/play, answer/hang are all controlled by a light tap or three on the top of each bud, again all can be changed to your personal preference in the app. The sensitivity is spot on, not too sensitive which can be a pain on some earbuds.The earbuds also pause when removed, a feature I didn't think I would be bothered about until I first used it on the Sony XM4'S, it's just very handy to have.Comfort - The 6i's are very light and ergonomics are great, you literally don't know you have them in.Comparisons.I said that I have had a few earbuds they inclue the Sony XM4'S, Sound peats tru air 2+, Anker P40i, Cambridge ( can't remember model, Panasonic RZ-S500WE-K and Huawei Freebuds 5i.Oveall for value, performance and quality I would put the 6i's at the top, no they don't sound as good as the Sonys but they are under half the price and I had issues with two pairs of XM4's which resulted in a refund and Somy weren't helpful.The soundpeats whilst good value are nowhere near in the same league sound wise.The Ankers? Very good for the money but missing a few features of the 6i's.When it comes to comparing the 5i's its not so easy. They are an improvement ( call qualityis meant be better which I haven't really tested tbh) The photos i have uploaded show the white 6i's and black 5i for comparison. Whilst the cases are near identical they aren't interchangeable.Sound wise they are very similar, the 6i's do have the edge.As you can see in thr photos there physically is hardly any difference.So, if you put them side by side?I'd take the 6i's definitely.Would I upgrade just because they are the new model? That's a no from me, the 5i's are very close in every way, there isn't enough improvement to upgrade for the sake of it from where I stand.So overal as you have probably worked out, I think Huawei have done a top job and they should be right up there if you're in the market for a new set of earbuds mid price upwards.Enjoy your music 👍

Needed some noise cancelling ear buds to use for work to drown out the Christmas music. Purchased Hauwei GT3 watch to go with my S23 Ultra two months ago and thought it was amazing value, so thought I'd try Hauwei earbuds.Have connected them to my iPhone SE2020 (work phone) and my Apple Watch Series 4 and they just work perfectly.For the price I paid (£79) I could not be happier. Music is crystal clear and the bass is good. Easy to control. Nice build quality. Noise cancelling is not inSony WH-1000XM4 territory, but neither is the PRICE, but for this price point they do a solid job.Well done Hauwei.

Came free with another purchase. When bought on offer they are worth a try but don’t think they are worth the normal retail price around £70.

These EarPods are brilliant. No problems with phone calls - everyone can always hear me. Charge well and great music quality. Have recommended to friends looking for a cheaper alternative to Apple but still great quality.

Love these 6i HUAWEI earbuds. Wearing them is joy due to perfect grip. Sound quality /price is great combination compare to apple.Whether you have a dog problem or lost one of the earbud - the solution is also simple. Buy another pair and reset to combine earbuds from different sets by using a side reset button. In my case I had to buy several sets so far as my child leaves them in various places and dig is keep chewing on the buds as seems like a dog treat.

Five star earbuds. Bought 3 pairs now. Sound amazing and very comfortable.

Great product, long lasting battery!

Easy setup, sound quality good especially with equaliser options. Microphone good for calls and stops UK wind noises when talking on calls (in Birmingham, UK). Quick pair and switch between laptop and phone (not Huawei devices).ANC not as good as YouTube claims but then again, I'm coming from actual headphones