Huawei FreeArc open-ear earbuds launch as a Powerbeats Pro 2 rival for £100

The Huawei FreeArc is the newest pair of open-ear earbuds from Chinese tech giant, Huawei. With a price tag that's less than half that of the Powerbeats Pro 2, the FreeArc is a cheaper alternative for those who want a pair of earbuds for working out.

The FreeArc earbuds are not Huawei's first pair of open-ear earbuds, there's the unconventional-looking FreeClip released in December 2023. However, what sets the FreeArc apart are the hooks for a secure fit, a first for Huawei's open earbuds. According to Huawei, the FreeArc has a 140º optimal triangle design which provides support and keeps the earbuds fixed during workouts.

Each of the earbuds weighs 8.9 grams and has an S-shaped curve which puts less pressure on the tragus and has a larger contact area. The hooks also feature a shape-memory Nickel-Titanium alloy that is both durable and flexible. The earbuds are covered in soft liquid silicone to make them comfortable to wear for long.

The FreeArc is also the first pair of Huawei earbuds with an IP57 dust and water resistance rating. Do note that this doesn't extend to the charging case. Each earbuds has a 17 × 12 mm highly-sensitive driver unit. They also feature a reverse sound waves system that helps to minimize sound leakage. There are two microphones on each earbud and triple call noise cancellation for crystal-clear calls.

Huawei says the FreeArc earbuds can maintain a connection of up to 400 meters in an open space or 100m² in an office thanks to the dual-resonator antenna. There are also touch controls for controlling playback and calls and adjusting the volume. The FreeArc don't have ANC which shouldn't be surprising. They also lack adaptive EQ equalizer but users can manually adjust the equalizer using the companion app.

The earbuds support SBC and AAC codecs, can connect to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously, and support Audio Sharing when connected to a Huawei phone or tablet. Battery life for the FreeArc is 7 hours on a single charge and a total of 28 hours with the charging case. There's no wireless charging but there's fast charging as a 10-minute charge will provide 3 hours of listening time.

The Huawei FreeArc earbuds come in Green, Grey, and Black and are available to buy now in the UK for £99.99 and in Europe for €119.99, making them cheaper than the £119/€149 Nothing Ear (Open) (available on Amazon for $129).