Audiophiles who sneered at the idea of high-quality wireless audio, listen up. Huawei’s latest wireless tech is here to change your perception. Enter the world’s first earbuds featuring NearLink audio technology, the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5.
This is not Huawei’s first pair using NearLink as a wireless protocol—the FreeBuds Pro 4 already dipped its toes—but these are the first to feature NearLink audio technology, ushering in a new era of lossless sound with faster, more stable, and more efficient connections—thanks to advanced chipsets and dual-band communication.
When connected via NearLink, the range easily exceeds 100 meters (330 feet), and possibly more. That said, many of the magic-level features can only be fully experienced on HarmonyOS devices. The FreeBuds Pro 5 [CH] uses Huawei’s second-generation NearLink E2.0 and a Kirin A3 chipset, promising up to 4.6 Mbps “master tape-grade” lossless audio, dual-engine AI sensory noise reduction, and ultra-stable transmission speeds of up to 16 Mbps. For context, Super CD-grade lossless audio sits at just 1.5 Mbps.
Thanks to the L2HC 5.0 audio codec, the earbuds deliver 96 kHz/24-bit lossless sound, preserving fine details and letting you hear true studio-grade recordings. A dual-band Lingxi antenna system automatically hunts for optimal signal paths, ensuring stable connections even in complex environments—like subways or high-speed trains.
On the hardware side, the FreeBuds Pro 5 packs a dedicated dual-channel acoustic configuration featuring an ultra-linear dual-magnetic bass driver that drops as low as 10 Hz, and an ultra-thin planar tweeter reaching 48 kHz. Dual DSP processors and dual DACs further refine the output.
Aesthetically, the earbuds have a sleek stem design, while the case features a concealed hinge and a status light reminiscent of the HarmonyOS logo. They support gesture controls, advanced ANC modes, transparency modes, adaptive volume, voice pick-up enhancements, and AI-based recording and transcription.
Battery life hits 6 hours (ANC on) per charge and up to 38 hours with the case. Wireless and wired charging are supported. The earbuds are IP57 rated (IP54 for the case), and yes, Bluetooth remains—version 6.0—with dual-device connectivity, if the benefit of folks who do not own a HarmonyOS device. But really, if you want to take advantage of what this pair of earbuds has to offer, you need a Huawei device.
The Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 is now available in China with a starting price of 1,499 yuan [CH] (about US$212).
Images: Huawei [CH].