Huawei's 2024 FreeBuds 4E: A notable upgrade with advanced noise reduction and longer battery life

With our increasing familiarity with frequent product launches, we expect new versions of smartphones, headphones, and smartwatches to debut practically every year. After a two-year hiatus, Huawei now presents the refreshed version of its FreeBuds 4E model. So, what exactly has the Chinese manufacturer upgraded in this year's model?

The 2024 release of Huawei FreeBuds 4E headphones introduced subtle changes in design. The first look at manufacturer-supplied promotional materials sheds light on these modifications. Unfortunately, the bright red color option has been phased out, which is somewhat disappointing as it had more personality than the standard white or graphite versions.

The layout of the headphones has been kept unchanged. The 2024 Huawei FreeBuds 4E follows an earbud design, which is expected to appeal to many users. After all, not everyone prefers in-ear headphones that need to be inserted deep into the ear. The Huawei FreeBuds 4E stand out as one of the few true wireless headphones (TWS) of this type available in the market. Large transducers, measuring 0.56 inches in diameter, installed in each headphone ensure a wide sound transmission band, achieving up to 4 kHz.

The headphones are equipped with an advanced noise reduction system, ANC 2.0, which utilizes Huawei's proprietary ENC technology to eliminate unwanted ambient sounds. Users can customize the ANC system's behavior using a mobile app. The headphones also feature Bluetooth 5.2, enabling them to connect with two sound sources simultaneously.

The 2024 FreeBuds 4E model received a battery upgrade, resulting in a longer operating time – now up to 26 hours with ANC turned off, and up to 17 hours with the noise reduction function activated. This is a notable improvement over its predecessor, which offered a maximum of 22 hours without ANC and 14 hours with ANC. When on the move and the headphone battery is depleting, every additional hour of music playback feels precious.

While the battery capacity in the charging case has been enhanced, the headphone's battery remains unchanged, allowing up to 4 hours of music playback without needing to recharge in the case. However, with ANC activated, the operating time reduces to 2.5 hours, which isn't extraordinarily impressive considering that many competitors offer twice that lifespan.

Charging the headphones (after placing them in the charging case) takes 40 minutes, with the case itself charging from 0 to 100% within an hour.

The Huawei FreeBuds 4E 2024 model remains priced at 699 yuan (around $63) in China, presenting an attractive option for those seeking earbud wireless headphones that come with a charging case.

The headphones continue to sport an IP65 waterproof certification and touch panels for gesture control, underlining their functionality and resilience under varying conditions.