Syed Imran Haider 
The wireless earbud category of Huawei continues to expand with the launch of the FreeBuds Pro 3 that are priced slightly higher than their predecessor. Anyone who already has the predecessor may not find the innovation enough to upgrade, but they do manage to undercut the likes of Sony and Apple.
Design and build
The Freebuds Pro 3 have a mostly unchanged design as compared to the previous generation. Their stems are short and wide, which makes them look a bit stumpy. They are also 5% lighter at 5.8g per bud. They remain secure and comfortable and come with pre-fitted silicone tips, but the box also includes other sizes that you can try out.
The case is also similar to the predecessor, with only minor improvements and tweaks. It has a concealed hinge and is a bit smaller. The logo of Huawei is a piece of ‘nano glass’, but the rest of the case is plastic. Getting the buds out of the case is easier because they are more exposed and the case comes with a built-in speaker. When charging is complete, the case will give you a sound. The FreeBuds Pro 3 are available in four colors, Green, Ceramic White, Silver Blue and Silver Frost.
The stem also has a new groove that makes it easy to use the touch/press controls. It also has a crisp haptic feedback. You can adjust the volume by swiping up and down, or pinch them different times for different controls.
Sound quality and features
There is a dual-driver audio system that Huawei offers with 11mm dynamic drivers combined with planar diaphragm drivers. With this combination, the buds are able to offer a large frequency range of 14Hz to 48kHz. They offer dynamic, rich and spacious audio. Bass is also strong, making them the top choice for those who enjoy EDM i.e. electronic dance music.
However, the FreeBuds Pro 3 work well for all genre of music, along with podcasts. According to Huawei, they can adjust the sound profile based on shape of ear canal, volume level and wearing status. The buds will also detect when they in your ear and playback will pause automatically when you take one out.
Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) has been adjusted to Intelligent ANC 3.0 and the company claims that it is 50% better than the predecessor. They certainly do block unwanted sound and the awareness mode comes in handy when you want to know what is happening around you without taking the earbuds out.
Battery life
As far as battery life is concerned, the buds give you 6.5 hours, but this is when ANC is switched off and volume is 50%. When the charging case is included, you get a total of 31 hours. But, you can still get about five hours of battery life after making adjustments to the settings. It takes about 40 minutes for the buds to charge within the case with no fast charging mentioned.
The Verdict
There is no doubt that the FreeBuds Pro 3 are an excellent pair of wireless earbuds from Huawei. They offer great audio quality, on-bud controls, noise cancelling and a variety of useful features.
