When it comes to wireless earbuds, there are several factors that need to be in place for them to be considered good. Sound quality, comfort, battery life, usability, noise reduction, and many other elements contribute to the overall quality of the earbuds, but each person weighs these aspects differently. This is what makes recommending the EarFun Free Pro 3 earbuds quite difficult – they excel in some areas but fall short in others, making them a solid choice for some, but a disappointment for others.
I tested the EarFun Free Pro 3 earbuds for a few weeks, alternating with my daily earbuds, the Pixel Buds Pro. I was pleasantly surprised by how well the Free Pro 3 performed compared to the Pixel Buds Pro, considering the significant price difference – the Free Pro 3 earbuds retail for $89.99 CAD, while the Pixel Buds Pro are priced at $259.99 CAD.
In terms of sound quality, the EarFun Free Pro 3 earbuds sound almost as good as the Pixel Buds Pro. Of course, the Pixel Buds occasionally have a clearer sound, but overall, they are comparable enough that considering the price difference, I am satisfied with the Free Pro 3. I mainly listen to podcasts and music, covering various genres including metal, jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and many others (almost everything except country). The Free Pro 3 earbuds handle all of these well – podcasts are clear and crisp, and music sounds full, although it may not be as balanced as I would like. Of course, there is also the option to download the EarFun app and customize settings like the equalizer to tailor the sound to your preferences.
In terms of comfort, I rate the Free Pro 3 earbuds higher than the Pixel Buds Pro. The main reason is the small silicone wing on the end of each earbud, which helps secure them in the ear without causing discomfort during longer listening sessions. Of course, the Free Pro 3 earbuds are not as comfortable as the Surface Earbuds (and at this point, I don’t think anything matches their level of comfort), but I find them slightly more comfortable than the Pixel Buds during longer sessions.
As for battery life, the EarFun Free Pro 3 earbuds also perform quite well. The manufacturer advertises up to 7.5 hours of playback with noise cancellation off or 6 hours with noise cancellation on, plus an additional 33 or 27 hours respectively with the charging case. In practical use, it seems that the earbuds came close to these values, although I did not test their endurance with noise cancellation off.
Unfortunately, this is where the EarFun Free Pro 3 earbuds start to fall short. They have noise reduction, which is a plus, but it’s not as good as the Pixel Buds Pro. For example, when using the Free Pro 3 during my weekly train commute to the office, I can still hear a significant amount of noise from the train, although it is attenuated. The Pixel Buds Pro better simulate the feeling of not being on a train and instead being in a quiet room. Personally, I prefer weak noise reduction over no noise reduction, so the level of noise reduction in the Free Pro 3 earbuds doesn’t bother me. However, if you value good noise reduction, you should look for other options.
Additionally, usability and reliability are areas where the earbuds have some issues. The Free Pro 3 worked fine when I could simply put them in my ears, press play, and not worry. But when I wanted something more, like easy track skipping or pausing, there were troubles. Overall, the touch controls on the earbuds were not responsive to what I wanted. For example, the double-tap to pause feature almost always registered as a single tap, which would increase or decrease the volume of the playing music, depending on which earbud I tapped.
In terms of usability, I quickly missed the smart features available in the Pixel Buds Pro, such as automatic switching between noise cancellation and ambient mode when I started a conversation. This small yet useful feature proved itself more frequently than I expected. Additionally, there are many small details that make the Pixel Buds Pro work better with my phone, currently the Pixel 8, compared to the Free Pro 3 earbuds, resulting in a smoother user experience.
When it comes to reliability, the EarFun Free Pro 3 earbuds often gave me trouble with connecting and disconnecting from my phone. Many times, I would put the earbuds in and start playing something, only to find out that the sound was only coming from one earbud. I would then have to take out both earbuds, put them in the case, close it, wait a moment, open the case, and take out the earbuds again, hoping that on the second or third attempt, they would connect properly. Sometimes I would also take out the earbuds and put them in the case, only to later discover that the earbuds were not properly disconnected from my phone, and I had to do it manually through the Bluetooth menu.
As for the charging case, I appreciate its small size, although I have to admit that the plastic casing is not as luxurious as the Pixel Buds Pro. The case can be charged via USB-C or wirelessly, which is a huge plus.
In summary, I believe that the EarFun Free Pro 3 earbuds offer a decent package for the price of $89.99. However, they are not perfect, and the reliability issues, although rare, impact the overall experience. If you are looking for budget earbuds under $100 and don’t mind average sound quality, it is worth considering the EarFun Free Pro 3. However, if you expect high-quality noise reduction and seamless functionality, it’s worth exploring other options.
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The source of the article is from the blog exofeed.nl