HUAWEI FreeBuds 7i Review: Best Affordable ANC Earbuds?
November 21, 2025- Type: Wireless
- Driver: 11mm Quad-Magnet Dynamic Driver
- Functionally: Bluetooth 5.4
- Colour: Pink
- Battery Capacity: 55 mAh (per-earbuds) / 510 mAh (charging case)
- Battery Life: ANC ON 5hrs (Buds) / ANC ON 20hrs ( Buds+Case)
- ANC OFF 8hrs (Buds) / ANC OFF 35hrs ( Buds + Case)
- Water & Dust Resistance: IP54
- Earbuds Weight: 5.4g (single)
- Case Weight: 36.5g
- Active Noise Canceling: Yes
- Wireless Charging: No
- Rating: 4/5
- Price: RM 329
For the current market today, the wireless earbud space is nothing short of a features Bonanza. Once the exclusive domain of high-end brands, premium features like Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) have become incredibly cheap and ubiquitous.
This shift has sparked a furious race to offer the best value, and HUAWEI has been exceedingly thoughtful about meeting consumer demand for affordability. By focusing on essential quality and high-end core features, the HUAWEI FreeBuds 7i emerges as a formidable contender, proving that you no longer need to break the bank to acquire a comfortable, high-fidelity earbud experience—an experience that starts with a truly surprising level of durability.
What’s Inside the Box?
When you purchase the device, you’ll find the charging case with the earbuds already inside, along with ear tips in sizes S, M, and L. However, take note that there is no USB-C cable included, even though most of us — including iPhone users — now rely on Type-C.
Colour Options & Setup
The earbuds come in three colour options: White, Black, and Pink.
At the back of the box, you’ll find a QR code that leads you to download the HUAWEI Audio app. Connectivity is fast and straightforward, making it easy even for first-time users.
Charging Case Design
The FreeBuds 7i charging case has been noticeably refined, offering a compact and comfortable design that suits everyday use. It features a rounded, pebble-like shape that differs from HUAWEI’s previous oval or angular cases, giving it both a stylish and functional appearance. Thanks to its smooth contours and compact size of approximately 57.8 mm by 57.8 mm by 27.8 mm, the case slips easily into pockets or bags without getting caught. It is also lightweight, weighing only 36.5 grams without the earbuds, making it convenient to carry around.
In terms of aesthetics, the case comes in three colours: Fritillaria White, Space Gray (Black), and Sakura Pink. The White and Pink versions typically have a glossy, dazzling finish, while the Black model usually features a sleek matte texture. The case uses a secure magnetic clamshell lid that opens smoothly and closes firmly. A USB-C charging port is located at the back or bottom, allowing for easy recharging.
Earbuds Design
The earbuds follow a classic stem-style, in-ear design that prioritises comfort and stability. Their silicone ear tips help create a strong seal, which is essential for delivering good sound quality and effective Active Noise Cancellation. Each earbud weighs only 5.4 grams, making them comfortable enough to wear for extended periods. To ensure the best possible fit, HUAWEI includes four ear tip sizes—XS, S, M, and L—so users can choose the one that provides the most secure and personalised seal.
HUAWEI FreeBuds 7i: Enchanting Melody & Audio Deep Dive
The HUAWEI FreeBuds 7i are designed to deliver a premium listening experience, combining high-resolution sound, powerful hardware, and intelligent noise control into one compact pair of earbuds.
The core of the audio performance comes from the 11mm quad-magnet dynamic drivers built into each earbud. This is considered a large driver for earbuds, allowing more air movement to produce deeper bass and a richer, fuller sound. The quad-magnet structure improves efficiency and power, helping the earbuds deliver strong, consistent audio across various genres. With a wide frequency response of 20 Hz to 40 kHz, the HUAWEI FreeBuds 7i can reproduce everything from deep low-end vibrations to airy highs, contributing to their Hi-Res Audio certification.
High-resolution audio support is one of the standout features, especially at this price point. The HUAWEI FreeBads 7i are certified for Hi-Res Audio Wireless and support Sony’s LDAC codec, which enables high-bitrate wireless transmission of up to 990 kbps. When paired with a device that supports LDAC, users can enjoy music with noticeably more detail and texture compared to standard codecs like AAC or SBC.
Out of the box, the earbuds offer a balanced, studio-like sound signature focused on clear mids, lifelike vocals, and natural instrument separation. For those who prefer a different sound profile, HUAWEI includes a 10-band equalizer inside the HUAWEI AI Life app, allowing users to adjust the tuning or choose from multiple presets. This is especially useful for listeners who want stronger bass, as the default tuning leans slightly towards clarity and balance rather than heavy low-end emphasis.
The listening experience is further enhanced by HUAWEI’s Intelligent Dynamic ANC 4.0. This advanced noise-cancellation system automatically adjusts the ANC strength based on the user’s environment, switching between Dynamic, Cosy, Balanced, and Ultra modes. With an average full-band noise-reduction depth of 28 dB, it effectively reduces background noises such as engine hum, air-conditioning, and daily ambient sounds, allowing users to stay immersed in their music.
Another highlight is the Unlimited Spatial Audio feature with head-tracking. Using a built-in six-axis motion sensor and an Inertial Measurement Unit, the earbuds can keep the soundstage anchored in a virtual space even when the listener moves their head. This creates a 360-degree immersive audio experience, making music, movies, and games feel more dynamic and realistic.
To complete the design, the stems of the earbuds feature a sleek and modern look, with either a streamlined or flat profile depending on the colour. The shimmery finish complements the stylish case, bringing a cohesive and contemporary feel to the overall design.
The control system on the HUAWEI FreeBuds 7i is built into the stems, which feature intuitive touch-sensitive panels. Users can swipe up or down on the stem to adjust the volume, double-tap to play or pause music or answer and end calls, and touch and hold the stem to switch between noise-cancellation modes, including ANC and Awareness Mode.
Each earbud houses a powerful 11mm quad-magnet dynamic driver unit, delivering rich audio with strong clarity and depth. The earbuds are also equipped with multiple microphones, including a bone-conduction microphone, to ensure superior call quality and more accurate noise cancellation.
Overall, the design philosophy reflects a blend of premium comfort and everyday practicality. The charging case focuses on portability and elegance, while the earbuds prioritize a secure fit, advanced functionality, and high-quality sound performance.
The Audio
The HUAWEI FreeBuds 7i are built to deliver a premium listening experience, focusing on high-resolution sound reproduction and effective noise control.
The foundation of their sound quality lies in the powerful internal hardware. Each earbud is equipped with an 11mm quad-magnet dynamic driver unit, which is considered large for earbuds and allows more air movement to produce deeper bass and a richer overall sound texture. The quad-magnet structure further enhances the efficiency and output power of the driver. With a wide frequency range of 20 Hz to 40 kHz, the earbuds are capable of reproducing deep lows and extended, airy highs, contributing to their Hi-Res Audio certification.
High-resolution audio support is another standout feature—especially at this price point. The earbuds are Hi-Res Audio Wireless certified and support the LDAC™ HD transmission protocol, provided the playback device also supports LDAC. This allows for high-bitrate wireless audio transmission of up to 990 kbps, enabling listeners to enjoy far more detail and texture than what standard codecs like AAC or SBC can deliver.
Out of the box, the HUAWEI FreeBuds 7i offer a balanced, studio-style sound signature with lifelike vocals and clear midrange textures. Reviewers often praise the prominence of the mids, which provide excellent clarity for both vocals and instruments. For users who prefer a different sound profile, the HUAWEI AI Life App includes a 10-band equalizer with multiple presets, allowing listeners to customise the tuning to their taste. This is especially helpful for bass lovers, as the default tuning leans slightly towards balance and clarity rather than heavy sub-bass emphasis.
The overall listening experience is further strengthened by Intelligent Dynamic ANC 4.0. This is the latest version of HUAWEI’s ANC algorithm, which automatically detects the surrounding environment and adjusts the noise-cancellation strength accordingly. According to HUAWEI, the system offers an average noise-reduction depth of 28 dB, effectively reducing low-frequency background noise such as engine hums or air-conditioning sounds.
For an even more immersive experience, the FreeBuds 7i support Unlimited Spatial Audio with head-tracking. Equipped with a six-axis motion sensor and an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), the earbuds can keep the soundstage anchored in a virtual space even when the listener moves their head. This creates a 360-degree audio environment that makes music, movies, and games feel more dynamic and realistic.
In conclusion, the audio features of the HUAWEI FreeBuds 7i are anything but basic. They combine Hi-Res wireless streaming, powerful drivers, customisable EQ, advanced noise control, and immersive spatial audio into a single, competitively priced package.
Endurance and Power: Fast Charging Eliminates Anxiety
The HUAWEI FreeBuds 7i deliver strong battery performance designed for all-day listening, supported by an impressive fast-charging system that keeps users powered with minimal downtime.
The earbuds come with reliable battery capacities that offer excellent endurance for their size. Each earbud houses a 55 mAh battery, while the charging case carries a substantial 510 mAh capacity. In real-world usage, this allows the earbuds to deliver up to 8 hours of playback on a single charge with ANC turned off, and up to 5 hours with ANC active. When combined with the charging case, users can enjoy up to 35 hours of total listening time with ANC off and up to 20 hours with ANC on. The 8-hour playback time without ANC is particularly impressive for earbuds in this category, rivaling even some higher-end models. Even with ANC enabled, the total endurance remains more than adequate for a full day of use.
Fast charging is one of the standout advantages of the HUAWEI FreeBuds 7i, offering convenience for users who are always on the move. The earbuds support a high-rate fast-charging system, enabling a remarkable 10-minute power boost that provides up to 4 hours of music playback. This quick top-up feature significantly reduces battery anxiety, making it ideal for commutes, workouts, or last-minute usage.
A full charge takes approximately 40 minutes for the earbuds when placed inside the case, while the charging case itself requires around 1 hour to fully recharge via USB-C. One limitation to note is that charging is available exclusively through a wired USB-C connection; the HUAWEI FreeBuds 7i do not support wireless charging, a convenience feature sometimes seen on competing models.
Verdict
The HUAWEI FreeBuds 7i offer an impressive combination of performance, design, and affordability. Their 11mm quad-magnet drivers deliver rich, detailed sound, while support for Hi-Res Audio Wireless and the HUAWEI AI Life app allows users to customise the audio experience to their preferences. Intelligent Dynamic ANC 4.0 effectively reduces background noise, and Unlimited Spatial Audio with head-tracking creates an immersive listening environment for music, movies, and games.
The earbuds are lightweight, comfortable, and come with multiple ear tip sizes for a secure fit, while the charging case is compact, stylish, and pocket-friendly. Fast charging is a major convenience, providing hours of playback with just a short 10-minute top-up.
However, the HUAWEI FreeBuds 7i do have some limitations. ANC can struggle with sudden high-frequency sounds, such as keyboard clicks or nearby voices, and wind sensitivity can introduce noise during calls or outdoor listening. The default tuning is slightly light on deep sub-bass, requiring EQ adjustments for bass enthusiasts. Additionally, the charging case supports only wired USB-C charging, with no wireless option.
Overall, the HUAWEI FreeBuds 7i deliver excellent value, combining high-quality sound, comfort, and essential premium features at a competitive price. While minor drawbacks exist, they are outweighed by the earbuds’ performance and thoughtful design, making them a compelling choice for anyone seeking an affordable, feature-rich, high-fidelity earbud experience.
