HUAWEI FreeClip 2 If you are looking for open earbuds to stay aware of your surroundings while listening to music, the HUAWEI FreeClip 2 are a good option. With a lightweight design, convenient features, and impressive bass output, the FreeClip 2 are among the best open earbuds on the market, though with a hefty price tag to match.
Open earbuds have taken the audio world by storm in recent years. Many major brands are launching products that promise to let you listen to music anytime, anywhere, while also staying aware of your surroundings. HUAWEI is already onto the second generation of its open earbuds, the FreeClip, and this new version feels more refined than any other open earbuds I’ve tried.
While some issues with open earbuds are unavoidable (such as the lack of noise canceling), HUAWEI has taken major strides when it comes to comfort, sound quality, and features. Does that make the FreeClip 2 earbuds worth the high asking price? Well, that depends on a few things, starting with your sense of fashion.
The design of the HUAWEI FreeClip 2 is unique but functional
Chase Bernath / Android Authority
The HUAWEI FreeClip 2 have a very alien design compared to most wireless earbuds. While wearing these earbuds, I had more than a few people come up to me asking to try them on. The reflective metal buds combined with the fabric C-bridge hook that wraps around your ear give these earbuds a very unique look that is sure to catch the attention of a few eyes. Whether or not these earbuds could truly replace earrings as a fashion statement is up for debate, but the FreeClip 2 certainly deliver a bold look.
Looks aside, the design of the HUAWEI FreeClip 2 makes these earbuds surprisingly comfortable to wear for hours on end. The C-bridge provides enough pressure to hold the earbuds in place while I move around, without ever becoming painful. That’s a tricky line to walk for this type of earbud design, but HUAWEI nails it, at least with the shape of my ears. The FreeClip 2 are 9% lighter and 11% smaller than the previous generation FreeClip. At only 5.1g each, it’s easy to forget you are wearing them.
It's easy to forget you are wearing the HUAWEI FreeClip 2.
The small size of the earbuds also leads to a very portable charging case. As someone who often has their phone, keys, and wallet all in their pants pocket, adding in a large earbud charging case is out of the question, so thankfully, the FreeClip 2 case is barely noticeable in my pockets. The charging case also has a nice grippy texture to it. I’ve dropped other earbuds on the floor more than I care to admit, but thanks to this grippy coating, I have yet to drop the FreeClip 2.
I often take my earbuds to the gym, and I live in a rainforest, so water resistance is a must-have feature for my earbuds. The FreeClip 2 pull through in this regard with an IP57 water resistance rating for the earbuds and an IP54 water resistance rating for the case. These earbuds also have excellent battery life, with 9 hours of playback time from the earbuds and up to 38 hours of playback time with the case. With the impressive durability and battery life, the FreeClip 2 will outlast most other wireless earbuds with typical use.
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