Huawei FreeBuds SE 3: nice open earphones, complete and very affordable
In China, Huawei has just formalized a new pair of true wireless headphones called FreeBuds SE 3. Without silicone tips, like the AirPods 4 of Apple and Galaxy Buds3 from Samsung, they do not fit completely into the ears. Furthermore, with a refined design and a fairly modest sound architecture, they are intended for users looking for a solution with a good price/performance ratio.
FreeBuds SE 3: refined design and durability in the spotlight
The FreeBuds SE 3 stand out first of all for their refined design case, combining imitation leather and a well-designed metallic finish. Granted to the case, the headphones themselves seem to have a completely decent level of finish. Like almost all headphones of their caliber, they are equipped with a single 10 mm transducer accompanied by a Bluetooth 5.4 receiver compatible with SBC and AAC codecs. Nothing too exotic there.
The nomadic design would also be in the spotlight, thanks to an IP54 certification allowing them to resist splashes and a weight of only 3.8 g per earphone. During their design, Huawei would have subjected them to a series of tests in order to offer them the best possible durability. With compatibility with the Huawei AI Life app, which is quite complete, the features should be worthy of the brand's more high-end headphones.
No noise reduction or multipoint Bluetooth
If the FreeBuds SE 3 undoubtedly have qualities in terms of user experience and sound, they display some limitations attributed to their level of range. If we do without a noise reduction system, a fairly classic failure for this type of headphones, the absence of multipoint Bluetooth is more handicapping. With the FreeBuds SE 3, it will therefore be impossible to juggle between two audio sources or take a phone call if the headphones are already connected to a computer.
Although we have no information on the battery life for a single charge, Huawei announces an impressive total lifespan of 42 hours thanks to the portable case. In addition, a fast charging function would be included to benefit from 3 hours of autonomy for only 5 minutes of charging.
Only available in China at a price of 199 yuan, or less than €30, the FreeBuds SE 3 are among Huawei's least expensive headphones. If we cannot be sure, they should be made official in France shortly.
