Huawei FreeLace Pro review - Function over style - Android

What’s it like to use the FreeLace Pro?

The FreeLace Pro features a “neckband” design — with a flexible neckband that just hangs like a necklace when you’re not listening to the earbuds. My initial FreeLace Pro impression was that the cables were a bit too long, but I quickly got used to it. The length is, in fact, necessary to be able to comfortably sport the neckband even when wearing jackets or other bulkier clothing. At 34 grams, the FreeLace Pro is light enough for extended use.

The earbuds’ backs are magnetic, so they stick together when you connect them, which prevents excessive dangling and automatically disconnects the earbuds from your phone or PC. I used the Spruce Green model for this review, which looks great, but you can select from black and cream-white models too. The neckband is made of a rubbery material, with two metal sections housing the controls and batteries.

Unless you have small ears, the non-detachable wingtips will probably be too small to serve their purpose. I didn’t find this to be a major issue though, as the FreeLace Pro fit my ears quite well.

Also read: Best headphones under $100 of 2020

Overall, the FreeLace Pro look quite similar to last year’s FreeLace, the biggest difference being the added wingtips. This is a good, sturdy design that stands out against the multitude of true wireless earbuds out there. While the FreeLace Pro headset is less seamless than a completely wire-free solution, it could be the better choice for active users.

Huawei FreeLace Pro controls

The FreeBuds Pro include touch controls in the left earbud only — a tap-and-hold gesture cycles through the three ANC modes: on, Awareness, and off. In Awareness mode, certain frequencies from the ambient noise are amplified and passed through, to ensure you hear them. This is handy if you want to talk to the store cashier without removing the earbuds.

Besides the touch controls, I liked the inclusion of physical controls on the right-hand section. Here’s a diagram that shows exactly what you can do with these controls.