They certainly look like they're from the future, but do they sound like it? We investigate...
In March this year, we reviewed
Huawei's Freebuds 4i, but these are the next step up, representing an technological evolution. Here is how we got on with them:
We'll get to what the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) does for the sound in a bit, but just played on their own, the Freebuds 4 give a dynamic sound design, no matter what kind of music you're listening to. There is also a deeper rumble to the bass than what was available on the Freebuds 3.
The buds and case themselves come in an eye-catching shiny dark silver (they will also be available in ceramic white), giving the impression of a big beach pebble. The stemmed buds themselves are incredibly light and comfortable, but whereas the 4i had rubber tips to seal off the gaps in ear, the 4's have gone with a particular design that may fit better in some ears than others.
Four hours of continuous playback with ANC turned off, and around 2.5 hours with it turned on. Combined with the charging case, you can get around 22 hours of play from a single full charge. It will also only take about 15 minutes of charging to get enough juice for about 2.5 hours of playback, which is great for those on the go.
The ANC is one of the biggest new features here, and while it doesn't completely cancel out the sound like you'd get from a pair of on-ear headphones, they certainly do dim the louder elements of the outside world. There is also a host of new touch controls that weren't available on the 4i - skipping tracks, playing/pausing, answering calls, etc. - that all work perfectly once you've figured out the individual commands required for each of them.
The pair will go for €139, and will be available in Ireland from Thursday, 24 June. Head to the official Huawei website
here to find out where you can pick them up.
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