Soundcore has never hesitated to take the Liberty Pro series to new heights, and the Liberty 5 generation is no exception.
This time, they’ve switched things up by launching two flagship models: the Liberty 5 Pro and the Liberty 5 Pro Max.
Both earbuds have a lot in common, but the Pro Max offers some unique features that might just transform how some people use their earbuds every day.
The real question is whether those extra features are worth the extra cost.
Let’s break it down!
Look & Feel
At first glance, you might not notice a huge difference in size between these two models — they’re similar enough that you’d need to see them side by side to really tell.
The earbuds are actually identical in both versions, and Soundcore has kept the accessories consistent as well.
Each version comes with a USB-C charging cable, various ear tip sizes, and stabilizing wing attachments, so you can mix and match for the best fit. Comfort is definitely a priority right from the start.
The real differences begin with the charging case. The Liberty 5 Pro is available in four colors — blue, black, pink, and white — while the Pro Max offers a more sophisticated look with its titanium and black options.
The Pro’s case has a smaller, lower-resolution screen on the front that offers basic controls: switching ANC modes, toggling Dolby sound, and finding your earbuds. It’s straightforward, clean, and does what it needs to do.
In contrast, the Pro Max case features a stunning 1.78-inch AMOLED display that really stands out. It blends in beautifully with a dark wallpaper, and yes — you can even set any photo from your gallery as the background.
It’s a small touch, but it adds a personal flair that makes the device feel uniquely yours.
More importantly, that AMOLED screen isn’t just for show. It serves as a full control center for your earbuds, allowing you to tweak settings, switch modes, and manage features without needing to pull out your phone.
Both cases support Qi wireless charging, which is a great perk at this price point. You won’t have to deal with tangled cables unless you really want to.
The TUS AI Chip
Before we jump into the specific features, it’s crucial to understand what’s driving everything — and that’s where Soundcore has made a significant leap forward.
Anker has introduced an in-house AI chip called TUS AI, which is being recognized as the world’s first compute-in-memory audio chip.
This architecture cleverly combines processing and memory, delivering about 150 times the computing power of the Liberty 4 Pro.
This isn’t just a marketing gimmick — it has real, tangible impacts across four key areas: call quality, active noise cancellation, personalized sound, and the speed of voice command responses.
Every major feature in the Liberty 5 series is built on this chip. Without it, none of the advancements that follow would be possible.
Call Quality
This feature is arguably the most impressive, and it’s completely legitimate.
Soundcore teamed up with an independent lab to put the Liberty 5 Pro through its paces against 13 other models, and guess what?
They scored the highest for speech quality among true wireless earbuds — even snagging a Guinness World Record for it!
What’s behind this impressive feat? A clever setup of 10 sensors: eight microphones and two bone conduction sensors.
The bone conduction sensors pick up the vibrations in your bone structure when you talk, allowing the system to focus on your voice while filtering out all the background noise.
This means these earbuds can deliver crystal-clear, noise-free calls even in environments with noise levels reaching up to 90 decibels.
In real life, this translates to making calls on bustling streets filled with wind, traffic, and all sorts of background chatter that would render other earbuds useless.
People on the other end of the line reported hearing only the speaker’s voice — nothing else. That’s a significant difference you can actually notice, not just some marketing hype.
Active Noise Cancellation
Those eight microphones that give you amazing call clarity are also working hard here.
The Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) on the Liberty 5 Pro is great at tackling a variety of noise profiles—whether it’s the roar of traffic, the drone of an airplane, office chatter, or just general background noise, it manages it all quite well.
The Soundcore app lets you tweak the intensity from level one to five, and there are even special presets for commuting situations like trains and planes. When you crank it up to level five, the isolation really stands out.
The sound stage does shrink a bit, shifting from a spacious feel to something more intimate, but the level of quiet and isolation you get is genuinely impressive, especially compared to earbuds that cost a lot more.
And the transparency mode? It’s worth mentioning—it sounds natural rather than artificial, which is a lot harder to pull off than you might think.
With an IP55 rating on both models, you’re all set against sweat, rain, splashes, and even dust—ideal for workouts, outdoor activities, or job sites.
Sound Quality
Soundcore has always designed the Liberty series with a consumer-friendly V-shape profile, and the Liberty 5 generation keeps that tradition alive — but with a noticeable upgrade in refinement.
The 9.2mm wool paper diaphragm drivers, along with bass-enhancing tubes, deliver a low end that packs a punch and has weight without becoming muddy.
The bass hits hard but doesn’t clutter the overall sound. The midrange stands out with a clear, present quality — vocals, dialogue, and guitars are slightly more prominent in the mix instead of getting lost.
The treble adds a brightness that keeps everything feeling lively and detailed. If you prefer a more neutral sound, the 10-band EQ in the Soundcore app is responsive and won’t cause a drop in volume when you start making adjustments, which is a common issue with lesser earbuds.
The app also features a signature sound hearing test that creates a personalized EQ curve based on your hearing profile.
Plus, if you’re listening to lower-bitrate audio, the AI engine can upsample it to enhance clarity.
Dolby Atmos with head tracking is also available — it’s particularly useful for movies, TV shows, and gaming rather than just music.
LDAC support is included in both models, so you can enjoy high-res audio playback if your source device is compatible.
Voice Commands
Historically, using voice commands on earbuds has been pretty frustrating because of latency.
By the time your command travels to your phone, gets sent to a cloud server, and comes back, the moment has usually passed.
The Liberty 5 Pro changes all that: it processes commands right on the earbuds. No phone relay, no cloud delays.
This means you get almost instant responses. With over 22 built-in commands, you can easily adjust the volume, play or pause your music, skip to the next track, and more.
It even supports several languages, including English, German, Japanese, and Chinese. When you try it out, the speed is genuinely impressive — you say it, and it just works.
Multi-Device Connectivity
Both models allow you to connect up to three devices at once using Bluetooth 6.1.
Most earbuds in this range typically only support two devices, so having the ability to connect to three is a significant advantage.
The switching between devices happens automatically based on which one starts playing audio first, so you don’t have to worry about manually toggling between them.
In practice, it works smoothly without the frustrating manual switching that often affects other earbuds in this category.
The Pro Max Exclusive: AI Note-Taking
This feature is what really sets the Pro Max apart from the standard Pro, and it’s genuinely useful depending on how you live your life.
The Pro Max case is the world’s first charging case equipped with built-in AI meeting transcription. Just double-press the power button on the case, and it starts recording right away—no phone or network connection needed for the recording itself.
It captures audio locally, lets you flag important sections during the meeting, and then transfers the audio to your phone the next time you open the Soundcore app.
Once you’re in the app, it takes care of the transcription and creates a summary that includes speaker identification, key discussion points, and a to-do list.
You can choose the recording language, select the AI model, and pick from various summary templates.
In my tests, the speaker identification worked impressively well, accurately distinguishing between voices and attributing dialogue correctly.
For professionals who spend a lot of time in meetings, this is a fantastic addition. You already have the case with you, so having it double as a discreet meeting recorder with AI summarization is incredibly practical—much more so than carrying around a separate device.
The Pro Max also offers real-time translation displayed right on the case screen. So, if you’re chatting with someone who speaks a different language, the translated text appears on the case without needing to pull out your phone.
It’s a specialized feature, but for international business travelers or anyone who often navigates multilingual conversations, it’s a game changer.
Find My Earbuds
Both models have a built-in find feature for locating the earbuds or the case — a small but appreciated addition for anyone who’s ever spent 10 minutes searching their couch cushions before heading out.
Battery Life
You can expect both models to provide between 6 to 6.5 hours of playback with ANC activated, and when you include the case for extra charges, you’re looking at about 28 hours in total.
Without ANC, the earbuds can last up to 12 hours by themselves, and with the case, that jumps to an impressive 50 hours.
Fast charging is quite effective too: just 5 minutes plugged in gives you 4 hours of listening time.
If you tend to forget to charge your earbuds before you leave, this feature is definitely a lifesaver!
Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro vs Liberty 5 Pro Max: Specs Comparison
| Feature | Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro | Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Audio Drivers | 9.2mm wool-paper dynamic drivers | 9.2mm wool-paper dynamic drivers |
| AI Chip | Soundcore Thus AI chip (shared) | Soundcore Thus AI chip (shared) |
| Noise Cancellation | Adaptive ANC (multi-level, app/case control) | Adaptive ANC (same system) |
| Call Quality | 8 mics + 2 bone conduction sensors (Guinness record class) | Same hardware, identical call performance |
| Bluetooth & Connectivity | Bluetooth 6.1, up to 3-device multipoint | Bluetooth 6.1, up to 3-device multipoint |
| Audio Features | LDAC, Dolby Atmos with head tracking, HearID personalization | Same full audio suite |
| Case Display | 0.96-inch front touchscreen (TFT-style) | 1.78-inch AMOLED full-lid touchscreen |
| Smart Case Controls | ANC, EQ, playback controls | Full UI control, widgets, wallpapers, settings |
| AI Note Taking | Not supported | Supported (record, transcribe, summarize offline) |
| Voice Commands | On-device instant voice control | On-device + case-triggered AI recording features |
| Battery (Earbuds) | Up to 6.5 hrs (ANC on) | Up to 6.5 hrs (ANC on) |
| Total Battery (with case) | Up to 28 hrs (ANC on) | Up to 28 hrs (ANC on) |
| Fast Charging | 5 min ≈ 4 hrs playback | 5 min ≈ 4 hrs playback |
| Charging | USB-C + Wireless (Qi) | USB-C + Wireless (Qi) |
| Water Resistance | IP55 (sweat & splash resistant) | IP55 (sweat & splash resistant) |
| Price (launch) | ~$170 / €180 | ~$230 / €250 |
Which Should You Buy?
Let’s be real: the Liberty 5 Pro is already a fantastic pair of earbuds. The call quality, noise cancellation, sound, and voice commands are all top-notch for the price.
If you mainly use them for music, commuting, taking calls, or just everyday listening, the standard Pro does it all without missing a beat.
The smaller case screen is practical, the earbuds are the same, and you won’t lose any audio or noise-canceling quality.
Now, the Pro Max justifies its higher price for a specific type of user. If you’re in meetings often and could use automatic transcription and summarization, the AI note-taking feature in the case is genuinely helpful and doesn’t even require your phone to record.
Plus, the larger AMOLED display makes controlling things on the case super convenient, and the translation feature is a nice perk for anyone who often finds themselves in multilingual situations.
In short, the Liberty 5 Pro is perfect for those who want the best listening and calling experience without breaking the bank.
The Liberty 5 Pro Max is for those who want all that plus a handy productivity tool right in their charging case.
Best Deal:
Liberty 5 Pro: View on Amazon
Liberty 5 Pro Max: View on Amazon
Nick, the Co-founder of Earbuds Arena, is a seasoned freelance tech journalist with over ten years of experience covering wearables, apps, headphones, and gadgets. When he’s not immersed in the tech world, you’ll likely find him unwinding with video games, going for a run, or enjoying a game of soccer on the field.
