© ROOT-NATION.com - Use of content is permitted with a backlink.
The previous generation of Huawei’s popular true wireless earbuds was released in spring 2023, so an update was due. We had the opportunity to test the new FreeBuds 6 ahead of their official launch in Europe – here are our impressions.
Positioning and price
It’s important to clarify that the new FreeBuds 6 should not be confused with the FreeBuds 6i. The 6i model, which launched last year, is a popular pair of in-ear earbuds from Huawei positioned in the mid-range segment. Alongside these in-ear options, Huawei has consistently offered true wireless earbuds with a different design. This variety is useful, as individual preferences vary and having a choice is valuable.
True wireless earbuds without silicone tips don’t seal the ear canal, allowing ambient sounds to be heard. They are likely not ideal for users seeking complete isolation from their surroundings or maximum noise cancellation. However, they work well for people who walk frequently, cycle, or do household tasks and want to stay aware of their environment – like hearing children in the next room. These earbuds are particularly comfortable for long conversations, podcasts, or audiobooks when you don’t want to be fully immersed in music.
People generally have different preferences when it comes to earbuds – some prefer in-ear models, others true wireless earbuds without silicone tips, and some like to have both options available to switch depending on the situation.
The Huawei FreeBuds 6 fall into the “upper mid-range” price category. The 6i model, which performs comparably, is currently available starting at around $67 / €59. The new FreeBuds 6, however, are priced at about $167 / €159 (the official price is $183, but an introductory discount – typical for Huawei – will likely last for an extended period). This pricing is consistent with previous launches, as the FreeBuds 5 originally launched at a similar price point.
It’s also worth noting that Huawei offers a more budget-friendly option – the FreeBuds SE 3, priced around \$34. This model comes with a stylish case featuring an eco-leather finish, but the feature set is trimmed down. For example, it lacks multipoint connectivity. On the other end of the spectrum, there’s the flagship FreeBuds Pro 4, which launched recently at nearly \$210. These offer excellent sound quality and an impressive frequency response curve, though they follow the in-ear design rather than the earbud style.
In the open-ear segment, it’s also worth mentioning the Huawei FreeClip. These are innovative earbuds designed to rest on the ear, similar to earrings. They prioritize comfort and maintain full awareness of the surrounding environment, making them a practical choice for users who value situational awareness over isolation.
As Huawei’s flagship open-fit earbuds, the FreeBuds 6 come equipped with spatial audio, wireless charging for the case, and active noise cancellation (ANC). That’s right – ANC in open-fit earbuds, not in-ear models. While this might sound surprising, especially to less experienced users, Huawei has been producing open-fit earbuds with ANC for some time now, and previous models have performed well in real-world use. We’ll cover this aspect in more detail later in the review.
Read also: Huawei FreeBuds 6i TWS Headphones Review
Huawei FreeBuds 6 specifications
- Bluetooth:
- Bluetooth 5.2
- Simultaneous Bluetooth connection with two devices
- Pop-up pairing, intelligent wear detection
- Protocols: A2DP (AAC, SBC, LDAC up to 990 kbit/s, L2HC 4.0 up to 2.3 Mbit/s), HFP, AVRCP
- Time and method of charging:
- Approx. 25 minutes with headphones (in case)
- Approx. 45 minutes with empty case (wired)
- Approx. 180 minutes with empty case (wireless)
- 2.5 hours of music playback after 5 minutes of charging
- USB-C port
- Rechargeable battery:
- Battery: 39.5 mAh
- Case: 510 mAh
- Battery life
- Music playback (headphones): 6 hours (without ANC), 4.5 hours (with ANC)
- Music playback (headphones + case): 36 hours (without ANC), 27 hours (with ANC)
- Frequency range: 14 Hz – 48000 Hz
- Codecs: AAC, SBC, LDAC, L2HC 4.0
- Dual emitters:
- 11 mm dynamic driver (supermagnetic)
- planar tweeter diaphragm
- Protection: IP54 (dust, accidental splashes)
- Microphones:
- 3 microphones + VPU (Voice Pick-up Unit)
- Noise cancellation during calls
- ANC: An enhanced version of ANC for open design, with effective noise reduction of up to 95 dB in ambient conditions and winds of up to 8 m/s. Three modes – General, Comfort, Dynamic.
- Weight:
- Earphone: 4.9 g
- Case: 40.3 g
- Dimensions:
- Earphones: 30.6×18.5×24.0 mm
- Case: 66.2 x 49.9 x 26.8 mm
- Gesture control: Double tap, triple tap, long hold, swipe to adjust volume and head movement control (nod or shake to answer or reject a call)
- Package contents: Earbuds, charging case, USB-C cable, 2 pairs of silicone tips for improved fit, quick start guide.
Read also: Anker Soundcore P40i TWS Headphones Review
Huawei FreeBuds 6 vs FreeBuds 5 – what has changed?
The new Huawei FreeBuds 6 aren’t just a minor refresh of the FreeBuds 5 – they represent a notable step forward in terms of sound quality, comfort, and feature set.
Here’s what has changed:
Drivers
The Huawei FreeBuds 6 are the first open-fit earbuds from the company to feature a dual-driver setup. They combine an 11mm dynamic driver with four magnets and a flat diaphragm dedicated to high frequencies. This design results in a more detailed and better-balanced sound compared to the single-driver system used in the previous FreeBuds 5.
Huawei has also expanded the effective frequency range of these earbuds to 14 Hz–48,000 Hz. This wider spectrum allows for improved reproduction of both low-end and high-frequency details, offering a more refined overall listening experience.
Sound quality
The new model supports Huawei Sound technology – a suite of advanced audio solutions developed by Huawei. Among its standout features is a triple adaptive equalizer, which automatically adjusts sound based on the shape of the ear canal, volume level, and how the earbuds are worn. The result is a more natural and immersive sound experience tailored to each user.
Active noise cancellation (ANC) and call quality
The FreeBuds 6 come equipped with an improved version of Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), which works more effectively – even with their open-ear design. According to the manufacturer, the system can reduce ambient noise even in environments with noise levels up to 95 dB.
Additionally, the FreeBuds 6 feature three microphones and a Voice Pickup Unit (VPU), which significantly enhances voice capture, even in challenging conditions such as wind speeds up to 8 m/s. This marks a notable improvement over the FreeBuds 5, which only had two microphones.
Operating and charging time
The FreeBuds 6 offer up to 6 hours of playback without active noise cancellation and up to 36 hours with the charging case. In comparison, the FreeBuds 5 provide 5 and 30 hours, respectively. Both models support fast charging, but the FreeBuds 6 can deliver up to 2.5 hours of playback from just 5 minutes of charging. Like the previous generation, the case also supports wireless charging.
Comfortable to wear
The new earbuds are lighter and slimmer, by 9% and 12% respectively. The angle of the earbuds was also adjusted, which improved both stability and comfort during use.
Read also: Huawei FreeBuds 5 review: Super headphones with a strange design
Package contents
Besides the earbuds and the charging case, the box includes a short USB-A to USB-C cable, a brief user manual, and four thin, semi-transparent ear tips. These tips are designed to slightly increase the size of the earbuds, which could be helpful for users with larger ear canals. This is a thoughtful addition from the manufacturer. The only downside is that fitting the tips onto the earbuds can be tricky – it’s somewhat like trying to stretch a balloon over a head.
Design
The Huawei FreeBuds 6 are open-fit earbuds, meaning they do not sit deeply in the ear canal. Compared to the previous generation (FreeBuds 5), they are noticeably lighter and slimmer – the manufacturer reduced their weight by 9% and thickness by 12%.
The earbud housing still retains the characteristic “teardrop” shape but has been slightly modified to improve comfort during extended use. The tilt angle was adjusted from 32° to 10°, allowing the earbuds to fit more securely and stay in place better, especially during movement.
I immediately noticed the slightly updated shape of the earbuds. In my opinion, they feel significantly more comfortable. Of course, ear shapes vary from person to person, but the current design seems to strike a reasonable balance. They fit well and don’t cause discomfort, even after extended wear.
I won’t go into detail about the “teardrop” design itself, as I covered it extensively in my FreeBuds 5 review two years ago. At that time, the shape felt fresh and unusual, but today it no longer feels novel. Whether people like it or not comes down to personal taste – personally, I would prefer something more classic and less conspicuous.
The case is compact, rounded, and convenient for everyday use. Compared to the FreeBuds 5, it is slightly smaller and lighter. It’s made from a matte plastic that feels pleasant to the touch and resists fingerprint smudges.
It’s worth noting that the HUAWEI FreeBuds 6 case is equipped with a small speaker that emits a sound signal – for example, when closing the lid if the battery level is low. This makes it easier to notice that the case needs charging, even if you’re not paying attention to the LED indicator. Unfortunately, unlike the earbuds themselves, the case cannot be located via the app. However, the app does allow you to play a loud sound through the earbuds, making them easier to find.
A practical feature worth noting is that the FreeBuds 6 don’t require any special twisting or positioning when placed back into the case. Unlike some models on the market where you have to angle or rotate the earbuds precisely, here the process feels intuitive. You simply remove the earbud and place it into the case in one smooth motion without needing to think about it.
On the front of the case, there is an LED indicator that shows the battery status of both the case and the earbuds. When you open the lid, the light glows green, orange, or red, depending on the charge level. It also indicates whether the earbuds are ready to pair via Bluetooth. At the bottom of the case, there is a USB-C port for charging.
On the right side, there is a nearly discreet pairing button. To connect the FreeBuds 6 to a phone or other device, simply open the case and hold this button for about 3 seconds until the indicator starts blinking white.
It’s worth noting that both the case and the earbuds are well-made. The fit and finish are precise, giving a solid overall impression. The earbuds have an IP54 rating, meaning they are protected against sweat, light rain, and accidental splashes. However, they are not designed to be submerged in water or rinsed under running water.
The earbuds come in three colors: black, white, and purple. It’s a shame the bright orange option from the FreeBuds 5 era is no longer available – I found it one of the more distinctive choices that stood out compared to competitors.
Summary: The FreeBuds 6 focus on comfort and an improved fit. While the design changes are subtle, they have a noticeable effect on how comfortable the earbuds feel during use.
Read also: Redmi Buds 5 Headphones Review: Very inexpensive for such quality
Pairing and control
As with other Huawei earbuds, the FreeBuds 6 can be connected in two ways: through the standard Bluetooth settings on your phone or via the Huawei AI Life app.
The first method is straightforward: open the case, hold the side button for a few seconds until the LED starts blinking white, then select the earbuds from your device’s Bluetooth list. This works in most cases but doesn’t provide access to all the device’s features. For full functionality, it’s recommended to install the Huawei AI Life app – ideally directly from the manufacturer’s website if you’re using Android.
In the app you will find, among other things, the following functions:
- charge level of each handset and case
- current noise cancellation mode
- gesture settings (e.g. tap, swipe, hold)
- equaliser and presets
- low latency mode for gamers
- “find my headphones” option (sound or last location on the map)
- software updates
- setting up headphone wear detection
As for the gestures themselves, FreeBuds 6 supports them:
- double and triple taps (e.g. play/pause, next track)
- swipe up and down the leg (volume control)
- hold (e.g. change ANC mode).
The gestures respond smoothly and without delay, and each one can be customized within the app.
A useful feature is automatic pause: when you remove an earbud, playback stops, and when you put it back in, the music resumes without needing to touch your phone.
The new Huawei models also include head gesture controls. This lets users answer a call by nodding (“yes”) or reject it by shaking their head (“no”). The feature uses motion sensors and can be helpful in situations where your hands are busy. You can enable it in accessibility or call settings, and there’s a brief guide within the menu explaining how to use it. I tested it myself, and it works well.
One of the most practical features of the FreeBuds 6 – like other Huawei models except the budget SE – is the ability to connect to two devices simultaneously and switch between them seamlessly. I paired the earbuds with both my smartphone and laptop, and everything happened automatically. For example, while watching something on the laptop, an incoming call on the phone triggered the earbuds to switch over. After the call ended and I resumed the video, the audio switched back to the laptop without needing to manually change the source. This is known as multipoint functionality – the ability to connect to two devices at once and switch smoothly between them.
This functionality isn’t limited to phone calls. For example, if I’m listening to music on my computer and start playing a video on Instagram on my phone, the audio automatically switches to the phone. When I finish, the sound returns to the laptop. Or if I’m watching something on YouTube on my laptop but want to quickly play a TikTok video on my phone, I just hit play, and the earbuds switch over automatically. It’s important to remember to pause the audio on the first device first – otherwise, you might experience unintended or abrupt switching if both sources try to play audio simultaneously.
This is a genuinely convenient feature, especially if you frequently switch between working on a laptop and consuming content on your phone.
FreeBuds 6 also support the new NearLink standard, a technology that could replace Bluetooth in future Huawei devices. Currently, this feature is available only on select models in the Chinese market, but it has the potential to offer faster and more stable connections.
Read also: OPPO Enco Air3 Pro Review: Mid-budget TWS Earbuds with Premium Sound
Huawei FreeBuds 6 sound
The FreeBuds 6 are the first open-type earbuds on the market to feature a dual-driver setup: an 11mm dynamic driver with four magnets paired with an additional flat diaphragm dedicated to high frequencies. This design delivers both powerful, deep bass and clear high tones – a combination that has been difficult to achieve in earbuds of this type until now.
The earbuds support LDAC and L2HC 4.0 codecs with a bitrate of up to 2.3 Mbps, enabling near lossless audio playback – provided you have a compatible device and source. This is complemented by a triple adaptive equalizer that automatically adjusts sound based on volume, ear canal shape, and how the earbuds are worn. The Huawei AI Life app also offers a selection of preset sound profiles.
My impressions? These are, in my experience, some of the best earbuds I’ve used. The sound is quite spacious and natural. There were moments when I found myself turning around, as if the sound was coming from behind or beside me, rather than from small earbuds in my ears.
The audio is also clear and detailed, with no muddiness – each layer of the music is distinct. If you have different preferences, the app lets you easily switch between sound modes like bass-heavy, classic, balanced, and more. There’s also a manual equalizer for further customization.
The sound isn’t as “deep” as you’d get from in-ear canal headphones, but that’s not a drawback – it’s just a characteristic of the open design. The FreeBuds 6 deliver a spacious, clear, and remarkably realistic sound, which is their standout feature.
The volume range is solid – the earbuds can get loud enough even in noisy environments. However, rather than just turning up the volume, I’d recommend using the ANC feature, which I’ll cover later in this review.
Read also: Sanag S5 Pro review: Open Ear TWS headset, MP3 player, audio speaker, recorder
Active noise cancellation (ANC)
Few companies besides Huawei have attempted to implement active noise cancellation (ANC) in open-fit earbuds. From a technical standpoint, this is quite challenging because the design doesn’t physically isolate the ear from ambient noise. However, Huawei has been developing this technology for years, and it continues to improve.
With the FreeBuds 5, Huawei introduced the Open-fit ANC 3.0 technology, and the FreeBuds 6 take it a step further. The new model features an enhanced noise cancellation system for open-fit earbuds, utilizing three microphones and a Voice Pick-up Unit (VPU) to better capture and filter sound.
The earbuds analyze surrounding noise as well as sounds entering the ear and actively filter out unwanted interference. The system works effectively in environments with noise levels up to 95 dB – such as crowded streets, subways, or noisy public transport. Deep learning algorithms help better distinguish voice from background noise.
From a user perspective, the ANC in the FreeBuds 6 is impressive. It performs better than previous generations. While it doesn’t match the isolation levels of in-ear canal earbuds, for an open-fit design, it delivers a notable level of noise reduction. When ANC is activated, background sounds become much less intrusive, allowing you to focus on work or music even in noisy settings.
There are three noise reduction modes to choose from:
- General, for noisy public places
- Comfort, for quieter rooms
- Dynamic, which automatically adjusts the damping intensity to the current conditions.
It’s worth noting that these earbuds don’t have a typical transparency mode. This makes sense, though, since the open design naturally allows you to hear your surroundings whenever ANC is turned off.
Voice communication
The active noise cancellation system in the FreeBuds 6 works not only during music playback but also during voice calls. Each earbud is equipped with three microphones and a dedicated Voice Pick-up Unit (VPU) designed to accurately capture the user’s voice. This setup allows the earbuds to effectively separate speech from background noise.
The technology relies on analyzing external sounds entering the ear, then uses artificial intelligence algorithms (DNN) to filter out unwanted noise in real time.
The result is clear and natural voice transmission even in challenging conditions. The earbuds can handle ambient noise levels up to 95 dB (such as in crowded city environments or the subway) and strong wind speeds up to 8 m/s.
In practice, this means that people on the other end of the call hear you clearly without background noise, so you don’t have to worry about call quality – whether you’re at home, outside, or waiting at a bus stop.
Read also: Sanag T50 Pro Headphones Review: Sound You’ll Wish to Hear
Baiiery life
Compared to the previous generation, the Huawei FreeBuds 6 offer a noticeably longer battery life, which is somewhat surprising given their smaller size and lighter design.
Without ANC enabled, the earbuds can play music for up to six hours, and with active noise cancellation on, the playback time is around 4.5 hours. Using the charging case, the total usage time extends to 36 hours without ANC and 27 hours with ANC. This is a clear improvement over the FreeBuds 5, which offered up to 30 hours without ANC and 20 hours with it.
Huawei states that a 5-minute charge provides about 2.5 hours of music playback, which means the earbuds can be quickly powered up when needed. A full charge of the earbuds inside the case takes around 25 minutes, while the charging case itself reaches full charge via wired connection in about 45 minutes.
Wireless charging is also supported, but it takes significantly longer – about three hours just to charge the case. You can safely leave the case on a dedicated charging pad overnight. It’s also possible to use your smartphone to charge the earbuds if your phone supports reverse wireless charging. However, this is more of a backup option, as most people probably won’t want to dedicate several hours of their phone’s battery to charging earbuds.
With regular daily use, the battery performance of the FreeBuds 6 closely matches the manufacturer’s claims. Overall, battery life is a strong point for this model, especially among open-fit earbuds.
Conclusions
The HUAWEI FreeBuds 6 are a rare example of open-fit earbuds aiming to be a flagship product – and they largely succeed. Compared to the previous generation, they offer several tangible improvements:
- Lighter and slimmer design
- Longer battery life (up to 6 hours without ANC, up to 36 hours with case) and faster charging
- Improved ANC
- New microphone system → improved call quality
- Head gesture support (reject/accept calls)
The sound is notably spacious and natural, while the design – though still somewhat delicate and intricate – has been refined to offer greater comfort during use. Additionally, the earbuds feature solid build quality, an ergonomic shape, and extensive customization options available through the companion app.
The price of the FreeBuds 6 isn’t the lowest on the market, but it reflects a refined and functional product. These earbuds are a rare example of open-fit models offering features typically found in premium in-ear headphones:
- relatively effective frequency response
- multi-point (which works brilliantly, believe me, I have tested many headphones, and this is rare!)
- convenient touch controls, including swipe gesture for volume control
- wireless charging case
- support for HD codecs (LDAC, L2HC 4.0)
- advanced microphone system
- automatic pause
- as well as complete and convenient configuration via the app
For those looking for comfortable open-fit earbuds for everyday use, with good sound quality, easy controls, and reliable multipoint connectivity, this is one of the better options available. However, it comes at a premium price.
Read also:
- Huawei Band 10 Review: Bright and Stylish Fitness Tracker
- Kiwi Ears Airoso Review: 5-driver IEM Headphones for Audiophiles at an Affordable Price
