Huawei FreeClip 2: 5.1 gram open-ear headphones with Adaptive Audio, IP57 and 9 hours of battery life in the test. With the first edition of the FreeClip, Huawei revolutionized the field of open-ear headphones at the end of 2023. In our test, the earphones impressed with their excellent wearing comfort, elegant design and rich sound, which is still superior to most competitors today. With over three million units sold, the FreeClip earphones have become a real bestseller. Now, with the Huawei FreeClip 2, we finally have a successor that aims to impress with even more comfort, longer battery life and powerful sound. Our test reveals more.
Technical data
| The product | FreeClip 2 |
| Bluetooth version | 5.3 |
| Bluetooth codecs | SBC, AAC, L2HC and LC3 |
| Maximum operating range | 12m (without obstacle) |
| Battery life | Up to 9 hours, 38 hours in total with charging case; (varies depending on volume level and audio content) |
| Charging time | 1.5 hours (for charging case via USB-C) |
| Size of charging case (H x W x D) | 50 mm x 49.6 mm x 25 mm |
| Weight | 5.1 g per earbud; 37.8 g charging case & earphones |
| Most important functions | Wear detection; Multipoint; IP57; Smart Wear Detection; Adaptive Audio |
| Price | 199,00 Euro |
Huawei FreeClip 2 Review: New design for even more comfort
- only 5.1 grams per earbud
- elegant clip-on design
- excellent workmanship
With their innovative clip-on design, the FreeClip caused a genuine revolution around two years ago, which was subsequently adapted by many other manufacturers such as QCY with the Crossky C50 (our test). The new Huawei FreeClip 2 builds on the design trio of the first model and improves it significantly.
The new open-ear headphones once again come with a combination of Comfort Bean and Acoustic Ball, which are responsible for the sound and are modeled on the human ear to ensure the best possible wearing comfort. However, both components have been noticeably improved in the new edition, are much lighter and make better use of the space in the ear to produce an even fuller sound.
What designs are available for open-ear headphones? Open-ear headphones are an innovative alternative to conventional in-ear or over-ear models. Two of the most common designs are the headband design and clip-on. With the headband design, a sturdy headband runs behind the ear or around the head. Clip-on models attach directly to the earlobe or ear rim and are fixed there.
Both parts are connected via the newly designed “Airy C-bridge”, which is made of particularly skin-friendly liquid silicone. One of the Huawei FreeClip 2 earphones weighs just 5.1 grams, making the new model one of the lightest open-ear headphones on the market. This naturally has a positive effect on wearing comfort, which leaves nothing to be desired. The FreeClip 2 sit incredibly comfortably on the ear even after several hours of use. You hardly notice that you are wearing the earbuds.
The fit is firm enough to prevent the FreeClip 2 from slipping or falling out of the ear, even when moving quickly. The new open-ear headphones are an absolute visual treat, especially in the new blue color scheme, but also in rose gold, black or white, and are impeccably finished.
Features of the Huawei FreeClip 2
- Bluetooth 5.3 with Multipoint
- Spatial audio; head tracking; 10.8 mm driver
- IP57 certification
When it comes to features, the Huawei FreeClip 2 goes all out. Bluetooth 5.3 including Multipoint for connecting two devices simultaneously is also included. If desired, playback is also possible in the high-resolution L2HC codec, which has a positive effect on the sound quality.
Spatial audio surround sound including head tracking is also included, as is a new “Adaptive Audio” feature that automatically adjusts the playback volume to the ambient noise. So if it is very loud around you, the FreeClip 2 will turn up the volume and reduce the volume in quiet environments.
Responsible for the acoustics are revised dual-diaphragm drivers with a diameter of 10.8 mm, which, according to the manufacturer, should be 100 percent louder than the corresponding counterpart in the first edition and produce even fuller, richer bass.
The new model has particularly improved in terms of water resistance. IP57 certification promises reliable protection against water splashes and sweat and allows you to simply wipe the open-ears with a damp cloth without damaging them. The practical Smart War Detection technology is also included, thanks to which it doesn’t matter which earphones you put in which ear. The FreeClip 2 automatically recognize their position and adjust the sound accordingly.
Huawei FreeClip 2 with reliable gesture control
- Reliable gesture control
- new swipe gesture for volume
The touch and gesture control of the Huawei FreeClip 2 is carried out via the Comfort Bean and works extremely reliably. Fortunately, you can now use double or triple tap gestures everywhere – whether on the bean, the C-bridge or the Acoutic Ball.
An exciting new feature is the swipe gesture, which can be used to adjust the playback volume or skip to the next or previous song. This is a real advantage over the first edition, where it was not possible to adjust the volume directly on the device.
In addition, the FreeClip 2 now features head gesture control. Nodding allows you to accept calls or respond to announcements, while shaking your head rejects calls. Everything works wonderfully quickly and reliably.
Huawei FreeClip 2 battery life: A real endurance runner
- 9 hours of battery life for earphones
- 38 hours with charging case
- Fast Charge: 10 min. for 3 hours of use
With eight hours of continuous use, the first iteration was already extremely long-lasting. But Huawei goes one better and increases the battery life of the Huawei FreeClip 2 to a whopping 9 hours of use before the open-ears run out of juice. In combination with the charging case, the combination achieves a usage time of 38 hours – absolutely impressive.
There is also a quick-charging function that makes the earbuds ready for a full three hours of use in just 10 minutes in the case. A full charge, on the other hand, takes around one and a half hours. Charging can be done either via USB-C or wirelessly.
Audio quality and microphones
- Airy, lively sound
- Impressive volume; good bass response
- Treble a little too shrill; level of detail could be better
The sound of the Huawei FreeClip 2 is convincing almost across the board. While the predecessor already offered a full, lively and rich sound that sometimes clearly outperformed other open-ear headphones, the new generation goes one better. The improvements to the drivers promised by the manufacturer are immediately audible.
The FreeClip 2 impresses with a lively and full sound that is impressively loud. So loud, in fact, that it can become somewhat unpleasant at maximum volume. However, if you turn it down a little, you can enjoy the music to the full. The bass response has also been noticeably improved. Although it still doesn’t reach the level of classic in-ear headphones, the low frequencies are quite dynamic and detailed, so fans of electronic music or hip-hop will also get their money’s worth.
However, the open-ears reveal weaknesses in the high frequencies and upper mids are somewhat shrill and sharp. This makes the sound (especially voices) seem a little strained. Especially at higher volumes. As the equalizer presets only offer an additional boost to the treble, you have to adjust the equalizer yourself to compensate for this sharpness. However, this can be done without any problems.
Thanks to the open design, the Huawei FreeClip 2 deliver a pleasantly airy sound that can unfold very well. However, the sound is not quite as detailed as you would expect from very good in-ear headphones. Let’s see if the manufacturer can remedy this with a potential firmware update.
Strong microphone quality of the FreeClip 2
- Good intelligibility
- Ambient noise is reduced very well
The microphones of the Huawei FreeClip 2 have also improved noticeably. For example, the new open-ear headphones now have three microphones with a noise-cancellation function and a revised algorithm that should be able to block out ambient noise even better.
Both your own voice and that of the person you are listening to are reproduced clearly and in detail.
Microphone test recording Huawei FreeClip 2:
Microphone test recording Huawei FreeClip:
Microphone test recording Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd gen):
Although the FreeClip 2 recordings are not quite as detailed as the microphones of the best (and significantly more expensive) in-ear headphones, the voice intelligibility is still pleasantly clear and convincing. Ambient noise is filtered out very well so that you can be heard clearly even in noisy environments.
App connection: Huawei Audio Connect
- Clearly arranged app
- Own equalizer
The companion app is Huawei Audio Connect, which immediately recognizes the FreeClip 2 and has a clean design. Here you can, for example, adjust the gesture control, influence the sound using an equalizer preset or your own settings and much more.
Additional settings can also be activated or deactivated in the app. These include, for example, adaptive volume, a low latency mode (particularly interesting for games) or the option for the FreeClip 2 to play a sound if they fall out of your ear.
Huawei FreeClip 2 Review: Conclusion
Are the new Huawei FreeClip 2 the best open-ear headphones in 2026? In my opinion, yes. The manufacturer has built on the successful basic structure of its predecessor and significantly improved the sound, battery life and wearing comfort.
Above all, the increased volume and reduced weight represent real added value and with a runtime of up to 9 hours, the new edition is well ahead. In terms of sound, the FreeCip 2 outperform almost all other open-ear headphones, but require some fine-tuning, especially at high volumes due to the somewhat sharp mids and highs. However, this can easily be done with the help of the companion app.
- Elegant design
- Convincing sound
- Strong bass response
- Excellent wearing comfort
- Very good battery life
- Good microphone quality
- Shrill mids and highs
- Sound could be a little more detailed
Huawei FreeClip 2
Workmanship
Wearing comfort
Sound quality
Recording quality
Features
Value For Money
90/100
Rich sound, long battery life, elegant design and great comfort: the Huawei FreeClip 2 are almost completely convincing open-ear headphones
