Huawei launches $56 earbuds with 80-hour battery life and LDAC support

Wireless earbuds promising long battery life are hardly unusual anymore, but Huawei's new FreeBuds SE 5 Max takes things a little further. According to the company's official announcement, the earbuds deliver up to 80 hours of playback with the charging case, a considerable improvement over the 50 hours advertised for the previous FreeBuds SE 4 ANC.

Before anyone starts planning an 80-hour listening marathon, there is a catch: that figure applies with active noise cancellation (ANC) disabled and includes multiple charges from the case. According to Huawei's official specifications, the earbuds themselves offer up to 10 hours per charge, dropping to seven hours with ANC enabled. Total endurance with the case reaches 57 hours with ANC switched on, while a 10-minute charge reportedly provides another four hours of listening.

Huawei has also upgraded the noise cancellation system, advertising up to 52dB of noise reduction across four selectable modes. The approximately 10mm dynamic drivers support the LDAC audio codec, while a 10-band equalizer in the Huawei Audio Connect app allows users to adjust the sound.

Huawei introduced the FreeBuds SE 5 Max in Japan on November 6, 2026, with a suggested retail price of ¥8,580 (approximately $56). The white version is available through retailers such as Yodobashi Camera, while black and blue variants are scheduled for November 20. The earbuds are also available in Germany for €79, with a promotional price of €49 announced for November 10–30. Huawei has additionally listed the model on its UK website.

For the price, the combination of LDAC, multipoint connectivity and extended battery life looks interesting, although Huawei's ANC and endurance claims still need independent verification.