A few years ago, earbuds weren’t a thing. If you wanted to go wireless, it meant chunky, over-the-ear headphones. Now, it seems like every brand is bringing out their own pair of earbuds, making it harder to work out which set is best.

There are a few details you should never overlook, like battery life, sound quality and comfort. And if you're serious about sound, active noise cancellation (ANC) is something you should take into account.

With their sleek, oval-shaped charging case and bio-ergonomic design, Huawei’s new FreeBuds 4i earbuds are as lovely to look at as they are to wear. But that’s not the only reason they should be at the top of your “I need earbuds” list. Here are six more factors to consider:

1. A more immersive audio experience

While some earbuds do offer ANC, most do not. Being able to actively cancel out noise is a huge plus and the Huawei FreeBuds 4i do this using built-in acoustic components, like microphones, and algorithms to generate inverted soundwaves.

It may sound complicated but what this means is that no matter where you are, your audio will be clearer. Even in a busy shopping centre or a noisy office with a humming air conditioner, you’ll be able to hear your playlists, podcasts and calls easily.

In addition to ANC, the FreeBuds 4i have an Awareness mode. To switch off ANC and hear ambient sound (what’s going on around you) all you need to do is gently pinch the handle of the earbud — there’s no need to take them out at all.

2. Where performance meets pitch

It’s difficult to imagine what goes on inside earbuds — they’re just so little. Before earbuds came along, bigger was always better when talking about sound, but now tech has changed. Inside the FreeBuds 4i you’ll find a 10mm dynamic driver with well-balanced performance for high, mid and low frequencies.

What an earphone diaphragm is made of also matters and the light, elastic PEEK+PU polymer diaphragm inside the FreeBuds 4i gives the speaker a high degree of sensitivity and rich dynamic responsiveness to reproduce more audio details. If you’re planning to use the FreeBuds 4i for sports, you’ll appreciate that the dual-mic system comes with a slit-duct design that effectively reduces outdoor wind noise. You’ll be left wondering how something so small can sound so impressive.

3. A better battery

There’s no point investing in a pair of earbuds if the battery doesn’t last. Having a compact charging case does help but if you’re constantly taking out your earbuds to power them up, look away.

Thankfully, the FreeBuds 4i earbuds have an incredible battery life with 10 hours of continuous music playback and, if they’re running low, you also have the option to pop them right back in the case. In just 10 minutes, you’ll have enough battery life to keep the music going for another four hours. And don’t forget the case — you’ll get 22 hours of premium sound.

4. Hey, good looking!

Everyone’s ears are unique. Like a fingerprint, they define us, which is why it is crucial that the earbuds you buy work for you. They need to fit comfortably into your ear canals without falling out or straining your ears. The FreeBuds 4i come out tops, not only because they come with three sizes of soft silicone ear tips — pick the right size for a sturdier fit — but because they’re been designed to be the right weight.

Stable, snug and superlight — a single earphone weighs only 5.5g. They’re also available in two colours: Ceramic White and Carbon Black.

5. Touch me, feel me

While many wireless earbuds do have touch controls, not all of them are intuitive. They’re often too sensitive or not sensitive enough and, sometimes, they’re impossible to use, turning on and off without notice. Huawei has put built-in capacitive touch sensors on both sides of the FreeBuds 4i. These touch sensors get to know your habits using an advanced algorithm but also have something called an anti-mistouch algorithm to avoid responding to false touches.  

6. Counting connections

Turn your Bluetooth on and off. Turn your phone on and off. Turn your computer on and off. Download this app. Reinstall and update the app. Sound familiar? Sometimes connecting via Bluetooth gets complicated. Luckily, the FreeBuds 4i use proximity pairing and Bluetooth 5.2 so you’ll immediately see a pop-up notification, helping you to pair the earbuds but also see how much power is left.

If you’re after premium earbuds at a decent price point that come with remarkable sound, ANC and a battery life you cannot beat, Huawei’s new, true wireless FreeBuds 4i earbuds are a winner.

Available in Ceramic White and Carbon Black, take advantage of this pre-order deal, available at the Huawei Store.

Huawei FreeBuds 4i valued at R1,499 plus get a FREE Huawei mini speaker, protective case and Huawei Music three-month VIP subscription, all valued at R978.

This article was paid for by Huawei.