HUAWEI FreeClip 2 Review: My New Best Open Earbud

THE SCORECARD

How the HUAWEI FreeClip 2 scored

• Comfort

  10/10

  At 5.1 g, each earbud feels even lighter than the 5.6 g HUAWEI FreeClip, and I found them good for side sleeping.

• Security of the fit

  9/10

  The wire is slightly tighter than on the original FreeClip, though I did not find the difference very noticeable with my larger ears.

• IP Rating

  10/10

  The earbuds have an IP57 dust and water resistant rating, so they are dustproof and can be submerged in water.

• Case and battery life

  9/10

  Battery life is 9 hours on the buds and 38 hours total with the case, while the IP54-rated case is the most compact open-earbud case I have tested.

• Controls

  9.5/10

  Tap controls are simpler, and the new volume swipes work, although they take some getting used to.

• Connectivity

  9.5/10

  Bluetooth 6.0, multipoint, a low-latency gaming mode and support for SBC, AAC, LC3 and Huawei-only L2HC are included.

• Call quality

  8.5/10

  This is the best clip-on call quality I have tested, slightly ahead of the original FreeClip.

• App customization and extra features

  8.5/10

  A 10-band EQ is the key upgrade, alongside control customisation, head controls, wearing detection and other features.

• How the buds sound below 60% volume

  9/10

  With my subtle bass and treble boost, the sound is punchy and full for open earbuds, with clear vocals and detailed treble.

• Sound quality above 60% volume

  9.25/10

  At high volume, the sound is close to the SHOKZ OpenDots ONE, but boosted bass can introduce very subtle distortion on bass-heavy tracks.

The Pros and Cons

Are the HUAWEI FreeClip 2 comfortable and secure?

I scored comfort a full 10 out of 10. The FreeClip 2 is slightly more compact than the original HUAWEI FreeClip and weighs 5.1 g per bud compared with 5.6 g. The bridge has a smoother finish too. My only complaint is the glossy finish.

I gave fit security 9 out of 10. The wire feels slightly tighter than the original, although it was not a dramatic change for my larger ears. I would be comfortable using these for workouts, running or weight training. They also work well for side sleeping because the wire does not stick far out from the ear canal.

The IP57 rating is a meaningful upgrade from IP54 on the original. The buds are dustproof and waterproof, so they can be submerged in water.

What are the FreeClip 2 battery life, case and controls like?

The FreeClip 2 lasts 9 hours on the earbuds and 38 hours with the case, up from 8 hours and 36 hours on the original. A 10-minute charge gives 3 hours of playback, and wireless charging remains available.

The case is thinner and more compact than the original FreeClip's case. It also has an IP54 dust and water resistant rating, making it the only open earbud case I have tested with any dust or water resistance. The buds sit in it in an unusual way, but I got used to that quickly.

Controls are simpler because I can tap anywhere on the earbud for double tap, triple tap and long hold actions. Volume is handled by swiping on the back of the bud. That gesture is not the most intuitive, but it works better than the original FreeClip's long-hold volume control, which did not always work for me.

Do the FreeClip 2 have good calls and useful app features?

I scored call quality 8.5 out of 10 after my quiet-room, crowd-noise and windy-city simulations, all recorded on an actual phone call. That makes the FreeClip 2 my best clip-on earbuds for calls, slightly ahead of the original.

The app now includes a 10-band EQ, which the original FreeClip did not have. I can also customise controls, enable head gestures for calls, toggle wearing detection and use an automatic left-and-right switch so either bud can go in either slot of the case.

Other extras include Find My Earphones, a low-latency mode, drop detection and charging-case tone toggles. The low-latency gaming mode brought latency down to a pretty decent level in my quick test.

How does the HUAWEI FreeClip 2 sound?

The FreeClip 2 is easily the loudest clip-on earbud I have tested. Sound leakage is about average for this type of earbud: at roughly 60% volume, there is subtle leakage in a quiet environment. For the richest sound and bass, I found it best to angle the buds slightly down towards my ear canal.

Below 60% volume, I scored the sound 9 out of 10. I preferred a subtle bass boost and treble boost because the stock bass is a little flat for me. Even with that EQ, bass stays punchy rather than boomy, vocals are clear and natural, and the treble is detailed without getting harsh or sibilant.

At higher volumes, the score rises to 9.25 out of 10. The FreeClip 2 has more bass than the original, clear vocals and crisp treble. It is very close to the SHOKZ OpenDots ONE: the OpenDots ONE has slightly crisper treble, while the FreeClip 2 has more forward vocals.

The reason I put the FreeClip 2 0.25 points below the OpenDots ONE at high volume is very subtle bass distortion on bass-heavy tracks after my EQ customisation. On the stock tuning, I heard no distortion, although there is less bass. If you want to boost the bass, dialling it back a little from my setting is sensible.

HUAWEI FreeClip 2 vs SHOKZ OpenDots ONE vs Baseus Inspire XC1

The HUAWEI FreeClip 2 finishes with 92.25 out of 100 and takes first place over every open earbud I have scored. For all-round features, I think it is better than the SHOKZ OpenDots ONE. The OpenDots ONE have finicky touch controls, and while the FreeClip 2 controls are not perfectly intuitive, I found the SHOKZ controls a little worse.

If sound quality is your number-one priority, I would still give the edge to the SHOKZ OpenDots ONE. They are slightly better without the FreeClip 2's boosted-EQ distortion on bass-heavy tracks.

The Baseus Inspire XC1 scores 89.5 out of 100 and costs half the price of the FreeClip 2. It has slightly better sound at lower volumes and simpler physical button controls, so it remains my best-value clip-on open earbud.