Chinese language electronics behemoth Huawei may not be lively within the Indian smartphone market anymore, however its audio merchandise appear to be holding sturdy. The TWS area has been ultra-competitive over the previous couple of years, particularly within the beneath Rs 10,000 section. Huawei’s FreeBuds 4i is obtainable on Amazon for Rs 6,999 and on paper, it makes an attention-grabbing proposition. On this evaluate, let’s learn the way good the audio high quality is, how lengthy the earbuds final when it comes to battery life, and in case you ought to think about the FreeBuds 4i over among the extra staple names within the Indian TWS section.
Desk of Contents
The lowdown
The FreeBuds 4i has an ovular case with a elegant black end that may be very vulnerable to catching fingerprints. I wouldn’t significantly characterise the case as light-weight however the general aesthetic is sort of slick alongside being compact sufficient to slide right into a denims pocket with out inflicting discomfort. The case’s hinge snaps shut fairly firmly by way of magnets whereas the lid’s motion is fluid. A single button on the facet is current for pairing functions and on the underside, you could find a USB-C port for charging. Props to Huawei for offering a considerably lengthy cable contained in the field than what’s bundled by most others. On the within, the earbuds’ lengthy stems and angled in-ear design is harking back to Apple’s AirPods lineup. The buds are locked firmly of their respective positions, generally a bit too agency for my liking. Opening the case powers them on, and immediately connects the FreeBuds 4i to a beforehand paired gadget.
By way of sporting consolation and match, the pre-installed silicone suggestions match fairly snugly inside my ear canal. There are a number of suggestions additionally offered contained in the field to go well with quite a lot of ear sizes. The capacitive contact controls on every stem can accomplish fundamental working features reminiscent of play/pause, quantity up/down, monitor subsequent/earlier, and ANC on/off. Sadly, the response on the contact controls is iffy, and sometimes registers the incorrect enter. Put on detection works fairly properly with the music pausing immediately when both earbud is taken out from the ear. There may be additionally a devoted app for superb audio tuning and customisations known as the Huawei AI Life app, out there on each Android and iOS. You will have management over what motion completely different contact gestures ought to carry out, change between the varied ANC modes, activate put on detection and take a look at the battery stage in every of the 2 buds and the case. Nevertheless, there aren’t any EQ settings out there within the app which is a bit disappointing. Different bodily attributes on the buds embody IP54 water resistance which ought to defend them from a sweaty exercise or a lightweight drizzle.
The audio efficiency and sound high quality on the FreeBuds 4i is sort of spectacular. ANC on the earbuds is probably the most effective I’ve skilled within the section and that’s no imply feat to attain seeing how populated the worth bracket already is. Popping the FairBuds 4i in my ears is equal to dropping the curtains on ambient noise. There may be an Consciousness mode to let extra of the skin sounds seep in however the end result could be garbled and inconsistent. The 10mm dynamic coil drivers contained in the buds create a particularly immersive extensive soundstage. Vocals and instrument separation are simply distinguishable though the muddy bass can play spoilsport in among the traditional rock songs. The FairBuds have an honest sound signature that depends extra on the highs than balanced mids. Consequently, for an entry-level audiophile reminiscent of myself, this combo was excellent to pump on some Deep Home and Digital trance numbers from my Spotify playlist.
As for the battery life, the earbuds are mentioned to last as long as 10 hours on a single cost with ANC off. The case packs in a 215mAh cell which additional offers as much as 22 hours extra. I used to be in Jaipur for a weekend and the FreeBuds 4i lasted the whole thing of the journey with almost 50 p.c battery on the case. I listened to about 11-12 hours of music throughout this time and the battery life is pretty first rate for that.
Remaining verdict
The value level of the FreeBuds 4i is sort of spectacular particularly while you issue within the wonderful ANC capabilities and the distinctive soundstage. Nevertheless, the product won’t cater to an viewers that enjoys punchy bass of their music pallet nor will it appease audiophiles preferring traditional rock. The contact controls are iffy, and the devoted app doesn’t provide EQ settings. Even so, the Huawei FreeBuds 4i provide a terrific cost-to-performance ratio, and a elegant and transportable case with first rate battery life, which makes it an choice price contemplating.
Editor’s score: 3.5 / 5
Execs:
- Immersive soundstage
- Wonderful ANC
- Smooth case
Cons
- Muddy bass
- Contact controls are finicky
