Accessories

Huawei Freebuds 3 review: Best value wireless earbuds

Everything works as advertised

Published

December 4, 2019

True wireless earbuds with noise-cancellation sprouted like crazy in 2019. Not to be outdone, Huawei, along with a few other wearables, launched the Freebuds 3. And these earbuds are actually pretty darn good.

Comfy fit, on the fence about the look

Let’s get it out of the way before anything else. The Huawei Freebuds 3 looks a lot like Apple’s Airpods. In fact, the entire Freebuds line has looked like this since it’s first iteration.

But is it fair to reduce it as simply an AirPods knockoff? Not quite.

Looks-wise, I kind of get why they went with this design. Not everyone’s a fan of in-ear earbuds. Some feel they are too invasive.

I can definitely say that the in-ear ones feel more secure but the Freebuds can cling onto your ear just fine. The only time I saw one fall off was during a Huawei demo but that was only because a dancer wore it and she was moving pretty intensely.

Also, perhaps the only way to put all the tech that Huawei managed to pack in the Freebuds 3 is to have them look the way they do now. I’m personally not too wild about it, but that’s just me.

Noise-cancelling all star

Speaking of “all the tech” in these earbuds, at the heart of it is the Kirin A1 chip. Made specifically for wearables, this is what enables a lot of what makes these earbuds great.

Chief of those features is the intelligent noise cancellation. I’m quite skeptical about noise cancellation claims especially on wireless earbuds, but the Freebuds 3 performs just about as good as advertised.

It doesn’t quite shut you out of your environment the way noise-cancelling headphones do. However, it does it well enough that your attention won’t easily be taken away when you have these on even when you’re in a crowded area.

The noise cancellation is still a tier and a half below the Sony WF-1000XM3 which I consider to be a superstar in that department. That said, the Freebuds 3 still does an awesome job and should be more than enough for most users.

Surprising bass, fantastic sound quality

The default bass setting on the Freebuds 3 is such a pleasant surprise. Coupled with the noise cancellation, it gives you such a full sound that if you close your eyes you’d almost feel like you’re surrounded by the music you’re listening to.

I wasn’t even playing bass heavy tracks when I noticed this. I was in a bit of a slow jams mood while trying these earbuds out and listened to tracks like Nice and Slow by Usher and I Wanna Know by Joe and man, the bass was really banging in a really good way.

This level of bass can be achieved in other true wireless earbuds but they’re usually not turned on by default. On the Freebuds 3, there isn’t any option to tweak the sound quality but I don’t imagine anyone needing to do this.

There is significant leak out of the audio though when you turn the volume to maximum. But I never felt the need to do this. Only tried it for the heck of it.

Easy pairing and controls

Pairing these are pretty straightforward, you only need to hold the button on the case for about two to five seconds to enter pairing mode. Make sure the case’s lid is open.

It’s even easier when your using a device that already has EMUI10. It’ll automatically find the Freebuds 3 once you pop the lid open. Similar to how Samsung Galaxy phones quickly detect the Galaxy Buds.

Controls are straightforward. Double tap on the left to turn on/off noise cancelling, tap on the right to play or pause, and double tap to skip to the next track. You can switch this up on the Huawei AI Life but that’s about the level of tweaking you can do on these.

I paired our review unit with both the iPhone 11 Pro and the Huawei P30 Pro. It’s worth noting that at the moment, you won’t be able to make these control changes on the Huawei AI Life/Smart Home app on iOS. Then again, if you’re using an iPhone, you’ll probably just get an AirPods or AirPods Pro anyway.

Is the Freebuds 3 your GadgetMatch?

There’s a lot to love with the Freebuds 3. The noise cancellation is pretty good, sound quality is superb, and the carrying case is small enough to be pocketable but not too small that they’re easy to misplace.

The battery is also pretty darn good. I’ve only had to charge it once in my week with the device. Speaking of charging, you can do so through a USB-C cable which comes with the device on the box or through wireless charging.

My only real gripe is how it looks. I’m still not a fan of how Apple has normalized wireless earbuds with stems sticking out. I find it frustrating that it’s now somehow considered trendy and fashionable.

That said, if you like rocking these types of earbuds, that’s completely fine. Live and let live, right? But part of me is hoping the next version has a different look. These do come in two colors: Ceramic Black and Carbon White so you can at least go with the black one if you think the white looks too much like a knockoff.

The Freebuds 3 is priced as follows: UK (GBP 147), Singapore (SG$ 238), Philippines (PhP 8,990), Malaysia (MY R679). That’s very competitive considering everything you get. These might just be the value upper tier true wireless earbuds with noise cancellation. Everything works as advertised and that is truly satisfying.

If you’re looking to splurge a little for a better audio experience, either for you or as a gift for someone else, then it’s hard not to recommend the Freebuds 3.

Related Topics:Freebuds 3 Huawei Huawei Freebuds 3

Accessories

Sony WF-1000XM6 was accidentally leaked online

The design suggests some interesting changes.

Published

February 3, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Despite how small they are, the unannounced Sony WF-1000XM6 has just made a huge appearance, albeit accidentally, in an online retail store. Though the leak doesn’t reveal all the technical details about the device, the scant photos and specs are enough to paint an interesting picture about Sony’s next earbuds.

Via The Walkman Blog, an online retailer called Power Buy accidentally released a store page for the WF-1000XM6. The page contains extensive photos and a few specs for the device. Now, the specs don’t reveal much. As we can already ascertain based on previous releases, the earbuds will have Active Noise Cancelation and IPX4-rated water resistance.

The photos, however, are telling. For one, the WF-1000XM6 will return to a completely matte texture after a brief switch to a glossy texture for the current generation. The overall design is more elongated or pill-shaped, too. Previous earbuds feature a more circular or compact design.

Conversely, the charging case switches from a pill-shaped design to a more angular one, featuring flat bases. The flatter design should make the case stabler while on a surface but might make it clunkier when inside a pocket.

The leak caps it all off by including a price: THB 11,990 (or roughly US$ 381), which is a lot higher than the current generation. Either Sony went crazy with the price increase, or this is just a placeholder price. Only time (and an official launch) will tell. The leak, unfortunately, doesn’t reveal a launch date, so it might still be quite a wait.

Accessories

OBSBOT launches AI-powered 4K Tiny 3 series webcams

Professional-grade audiovisual features in compact bodies

Published

January 28, 2026

GadgetMatch

OBSBOT has announced the global launch of two new AI-powered 4K webcams: the Tiny 3 and Tiny 3 Lite.

Designed for content creators, streamers, podcasters, remote professionals, educators, and more, the Tiny 3 series sets a new benchmark for professional webcams.

The products combine studio-grade spatial audio, flagship-level imaging, and industry-leading AI intelligence.

The two variants also come in ultra-compact aluminum-alloy bodies while delivering premium sight and sound.

Both the Tiny 3 and Tiny 3 Lite feature industry-leading triple silicon MEMS microphone array. This system combines one omnidirectional and two directional microphones powered by Sisonic MEMS technology.

The architecture is commonly found in premium TWS earbuds and professional audio equipment. Such technology enables:

ultra-low distortion up to 130 dB SPL
exceptional 69dB signal-to-noise ratio
full spectrum 50Hz-20kHz frequency response
consistent unit-to-unit studio quality

This way, users can expect immersive sound that rivals dedicated microphones without the need to buy an extra product.

In addition, the Tiny 3 series features five dedicated audio profiles so users can tailor fit the webcams for various needs:

Pure Audio Mode — zero processing, studio-grade capture
Spatial Audio Mode — enhanced left-right stereo separation for vlogs, storytelling with soundscape
Smart Omni Mode — AI-powered 360-degree pickup with balanced vocals, ambient sound
Directional Mode — focuses on voice in front while cutting surrounding noise
Dual-Directional Mode — clear audio capture from front and rear while rejecting side noise

Moreover, the Tiny 3 series comes with Voice Locator. This feature lets the product find users, smoothly rotating the gimbal and tracking them automatically.

They can also leverage voice commands or the OBSBOT Vox SE wireless lavalier for cable-free audio.

Flagship imaging

Picture wise, the Tiny 3 features 4K@30fps video and up to 120fps high-frame rate capture. The system also uses advanced DCG HDR for balanced highlights and shadows, as well as ultra-fast dual all-pixel PDAF autofocus.

And powered by OBSBOT’s AI algorithms, the series introduces AI Tracking 2.0. Key capabilities include:

accurate tracking of subjects like individuals, groups, hands, objects, and more via Only Me mode
auto zoom, customizable composition lines, Face Framing
Voice Tracking
Multiple AI modes, including dedicated Desk Mode, Whiteboard Mode
Intuitive gesture and voice controls

For further control, users can use the OBSBOT Center and OBSBOT live for creative controls. These cover exposure and gamma curve adjustments, manual white balance tuning, and more.

Furthermore, the Tiny 3 products support remote interaction and VR features powered by the OBSBOT Toolkit.

They also integrate effortlessly with the OBSBOT ecosystem for livestreams, gaming handheld capabilities, and more.

Price, availability

The Tiny 3 starts at US$ 349 while the Tiny 3 Lite starts at US$ 199. The Vox SE, meanwhile, retails for US$ 59.

Accessories

Soundtrack for the city: HIDDEN.NY x AIAIAI TMA-2 headphones

Published

January 28, 2026

Alex Matinkhah

Living in a big city like New York makes you want to have music on a lot: on the subway, walking between meetings, sitting in a café with your laptop, zoning out on a long walk home, or romanticizing the smallest things. Headphones have become an essential part of my life.

That’s why the HIDDEN.NY x AIAIAI collaboration makes sense. The TMA-2 HIDDEN Edition headphones are reminiscent of early-2000s tech. It’s nostalgic but with New York City character, at least the kind that I encounter and not the one you see in movies.

If you follow either brand, the partnership feels natural. HIDDEN.NY started as an Instagram mood board and grew into a full lifestyle platform rooted in street culture and design. AIAIAI is a Danish company that’s long been part of music culture, known for modular gear that artists use.

The first thing you notice is the colorway. The transparent design with green highlights is subtle. It’s not loud but still stands out.

You can see the structure of the headphones, which makes them feel more like an accessory than just another piece of black plastic tech. Bonus points that they are a conversation starter, too.

In daily use, the headphones are easy to live with. They are light and comfortable, which is important when you’re wearing them for long stretches. They don’t clamp too hard nor do they feel bulky.

Sound-wise, they’re clean and balanced. While it doesn’t have active noise cancellation, it works well for all the ways people actually listen in a big city. I like that you don’t have to think about the sound much.

It’s just good in a way that doesn’t get in your way, whatever mood I’m in wherever I am in the city, these headphones are great company.

AIAIAI’s modular approach also means these aren’t built to be tossed when something wears out. The speaker, headband, earpads, and cable are all replaceable.

So much of the tech we use should grow with us, even if they get outdated. So AIAIAI builds systems that can be upgraded over time. That’s part of why artists and DJs use them.

Especially because it’s a collectible, it feels like a piece you’ll want to keep. As someone who uses his prized possessions for a really long time, I love this about these headphones.

In a city where everything moves fast and feels temporary, it’s nice to have gear that doesn’t feel disposable.

The campaign, shot by photographer Gunner Stahl, probably looks familiar if you’re attuned to hiphop culture. What sets his work apart is his portraits feel more raw and relaxed instead of posed and polished. It aligns with HIDDEN.NY’s aesthetic, the kind of everyday style that feels genuine.

At the end of the day, the HIDDEN.NY x AIAIAI TMA-2 Bluetooth headphones make sense for people who live in cities like New York, where music is part of how you move, work, and think.

They sound good, they look interesting and different. They fit into real life without trying too hard.

The TMA-2 Hidden Edition headphones retail for US$220 and is available on aiaiai.audio.