By Bharat Upadhyay
The music lovers are constantly looking for affordable true-wireless earbuds with active noise-cancellation (ANC) for an immersive experience on the go as the high-end Apple AirPods Pro still remains north of Rs 20,000. Huawei aims to deliver that with FreeBuds 3i TWS earbuds for half the price in the country.
India’s True Wireless Stereo (TWS) market posted 656 per cent (year-on-year) growth in the second quarter of this year, becoming one of the few segments which actually grew during the pandemic, according to a latest report by Counterpoint Research.
The FreeBuds 3i claims to give one of the best ANC experiences in the industry with some unique features like an in-ear design with a triple mic setup for call noise reduction.
Let us see if the device (ceramic white) that is available for Rs 9,990 in India fits the bill.
Giving an Apple AirPods Pro look, the earbuds come fitted with a polymer composite diaphragm for professional tuning to deliver balanced audio.
The earbuds design gives it a premium look, with dimensions which are a perfect fit for the ears.
FreeBuds 3i comes with four silicone tips in different sizes for comfort and a secure fit.
The weight of each earbud is about 5.5 grams and the charging case is about 51 grams, making it light and easy to carry.
Whether listening to music, holding calls or experiencing thrilling movie audio effects, we enjoyed uninterrupted moments with the noise-cancelling experience.
The triple-Mic setup has two outward-facing mics and one inward-facing mic.
While the outward-facing mic detects ambient noise to actively counter with anti-noise, the inward-facing mic picks up the other noises in the ears for further cancellation, actively lowering background noise by up to 32dB.
Be it Bose or Apple, the ANC headphones give the best experience while flying or driving as we get the best results with low, monotone noise. This device was great while driving (flying is something that can only happen in the post-Covid world!).
The FreeBuds 3i was good with noise-cancelling in the open, definitely better than the earlier FreeBuds 3. The ear tips keep a lot of the ambient noise out.
The ‘Aware Mode’ offers the user customised controls. There’s a noticeable difference between ‘Aware Mode’ and simply turning the ANC off.
With its 10-mm large dynamic drivers, the device delivers good bass.
The pairing is simple and easy with the Pop to Pair, Ready to Start feature when the charging case is open, making it convenient for users.
With its IPX4 water-resistant technology, it is a perfect buddy in the monsoon.
The FreeBuds 3i gave a continuous music playback for about three and a half hours (the battery life can be improved further in upcoming models).
Another striking feature on the device is three-tap technology which is a user-friendly feature that has a double feature to play and pause music, and answer and end calls. Activate ANC with a long tap.
Conclusion: At Rs 9,990, FreeBuds 3i TWS earbuds is a steal deal for Android users. At this price point, the device offers an immersive acoustic experience.
(Bharat Upadhyay can be reached at [email protected])
–IANS
