Huawei FreeClip headset test: something different after a long time

There are exceptions, for example the Sony LinkBuds also have a rather unusual shape, the Huawei FreeBuds Lipstick are special because of the shape of the charging box, while the headphones have a traditional look. Huawei has been bold many times before. Once they hid the earphones right in the smart watch (Watch Buds), and the second time they played with the traditional shape of the earphones and changed them into the shape of drops (Huawei FreeBuds 5). I didn't get to test both, so I was looking forward to trying something different after a long time.

I got the Huawei FreeClip wireless headphones for the test, which I also saw at the MWC in Barcelona. They were something special, that's why they stayed in my memory, and in the last two weeks I've left most of my audio experience to them.

What did I find out?

Huawei FreeClip price in Slovenia?

The Huawei FreeClip is currently available for €199 in black or purple.

Huawei FreeClip: headphones, earrings or something else?

When you see them in the charging case, you know they're headphones. Without the box, however, I got several different comments. At first my partner thought that I had come up with the earrings as a late April Fool's joke, later she joked that it looked like some "exotic" toy. Others were also surprised by the appearance and the first thought was not always that it was headphones. Huawei's mind games have clearly worked, people will definitely remember the look of the FreeClip headphones and passers-by will look twice to see if they are headphones, earrings or something else.

Let's talk a few words about the appearance itself. The plug is the only thing classic about these headphones. The only difference is that they do not "get stuck" in the ear canal, but lie comfortably just outside it. The second part of the headphones consists of a kind of pea, which is stuck on the earlobe. They are connected by something that Huawei called the "C-bridge", and it is a bridge made of nickel-titanium alloy, which is extremely comfortable, despite the robust raw materials.

Very comfortable, they stay in place, but they are not without flaws

Comfort is actually the common denominator of all ingredients on the headphones. Since the plug is not directly in the ear canal, there is no uncomfortable feeling that is present in some headphones. The pressure on the earlobe is also very pleasant and just enough to keep the headphones in place. This bridge in between, although it seems very fragile at first glance, is actually very durable. I tried bending it and simulating what I could be doing wrong with it and saw no cause for alarm. I think the headphones will withstand years of use without any problems.

Their lightness also contributes to comfort. They weigh only 5.6 grams and you really hardly feel them while wearing them. I was also surprised by the fact that they stay in place. I wore them in the gym, while running, and regardless of the exercise, I didn't need to adjust their position in my ear every now and then. I was also shaking my head like some kind of crazy person and the headphones wouldn't budge.

The only time they were uncomfortable was when I fell asleep with them on, which at least happens to me often. I often listen to music before bed, and the thin walls between the apartments also mean I can hear every noise from the apartment next door. If I want to have a quiet night, I need headphones. At least for me, they would be out of the question in this regard, but I doubt many people have similar inclinations for sleeping with headphones.

I also like that both plugs are interchangeable, there is no left or right earpiece, so you never know, especially in the dark, whether you have inserted the correct earpiece.

The design has its drawbacks, however. First of all, management, which we do with moves, whether on a peg, a pea or a bridge. Three options, but I was not satisfied with the reliability or responsiveness of any of them. I've been using Huawei's Freebuds Pro 2 headphones for a good two years, where, apart from the sound and comfort, I'm most pleased that they always respond to my commands. With the Huawei FreeClip, I had to repeat the gesture too many times, which was becoming annoying.

Second is the setting. You simply insert ordinary headphones into the ear canal, you may even turn some of them so that they "lock", that's all. There's definitely a learning curve here on how to get the headphones in the fastest. At the beginning, I did it with both hands, but after a few attempts I realized that it is easiest to first place the pea on the bridge, place the earphone on the ear canal and then adjust the bridge if necessary. It's not as easy as the others, but then again, it's not quantum physics.

*Environmental noise cancellation (ANC) is the third drawback, but from another perspective, it is also an advantage. I've heard too many times that the cause of an accident/injury was inattention with the ANC on. Well, since this is not available with Huawei FreeClip, this should not be a problem. But I personally miss it, especially if I were to take them with me on a noisy plane. I also miss being able to forget about my surroundings by canceling out the noise. While reading a book, I can listen to soothing music and not be disturbed by sounds I don't want to hear. With the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2, which I use every day, I have a choice of how much noise I want to hear. When I go for a short run with it, I can still set whether I will have ANC on or not. With Huawei FreeClip, you don't have that choice.

What about sound and battery?

It's not the best, but it's not bad either, a kind of golden mean. Basically, I was surprised by the sound at first, as I thought the position of the headphones would make it much less penetrating. Yes, the bass is too gentle, I'm happy with the maximum volume, mid and high frequencies are mostly well exposed. It often happens that just the noises from the surroundings destroy the composition. While you are eagerly awaiting the chorus of your favorite music, the sound of a mixer from the kitchen creeps into your ears.

The average user will be very satisfied with them, audiophiles will have some comment, especially since there is no possibility of manual control of the equalizer in the application. Pre-built profiles are available, such as a treble amplifier, a profile for accentuating vocals and the like, and you can also set spatial effects (the feeling of a cinema, theatre, etc.).

When it comes to controls, I miss being able to control the headphones with one touch. With a double tap, you can change the track, make a pause, answer a call, and with a triple tap, you can only change the track.

They last about 6-7 hours on a single charge, and the charging box adds another good 30 hours.

I would almost always use them at home, I would stick with mine on the road

Huawei FreeClip is extremely interesting to me. They do a lot of things right. The design is memorable, they are extremely comfortable, suitable for recreation and I like that the headphones are interchangeable. However, I criticize the sound, which is good, but could be even better, the absence of noise cancellation, which, at least in my case, is what I miss the most, and the more difficult gesture control. It's also a shame that they have a fairly high price, if they were around €50 cheaper, they wouldn't immediately be compared to Sony, Beats, Apple headphones and the like.

For me, I can say that I would be happy to use them at home and during recreation. I wouldn't use them before bed, and on airplanes and other noisy environments, I would immediately take out my existing noise canceling ones.