Huawei FreeClip 2S Review: Not a Big Upgrade, Still Impressive

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When Huawei launched the original FreeClip earbuds, they were a nice surprise. That open-ear, earring-style design could have easily been a gimmick. It wasn’t.

Now there’s a FreeClip 2S. And after using it next to the standard FreeClip 2 for a while, here’s the short version: it’s basically the same earbuds. Huawei spent almost all of its redesign energy on one thing — the case.

So this isn’t really a sequel. It’s a reskin. And whether that reskin is worth it comes down to taste.

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Huawei FreeClip 2S – Specifications

Design	Open-ear, clip-style earbuds
Driver	10.8 mm dual-diaphragm driver
Frequency Range	20 Hz – 20 kHz
Weight	~5.1g (each earbud), ~39.4g (case)
Battery Capacity	60 mAh (earbud), 537 mAh (case)
Charging	USB-C wired, wireless charging supported
Sensors	Infrared, Hall sensor, gyroscope, touch sensor
Connectivity	Bluetooth (Android & iOS compatible)
Dimensions	Earbuds: 25.4 × 26.7 × 18.8 mm Case: 37.4 × 48.6 × 48.9 mm

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The Case Is the Whole Story

Put the two cases side by side and the difference is obvious. The FreeClip 2’s case is flatter, more pocket-friendly, and has this matte, almost denim-like texture that feels really nice to hold.

The 2S ditches all of that for a glossy, rounded shell. It looks more like a piece of jewelry than a tech case, honestly. It’s eye-catching, no doubt.

But it’s also a fingerprint magnet. Smudges show up almost instantly. It scratches more easily too. And the rounder shape means it doesn’t slide into a pocket as cleanly — you’ll notice it sitting there as a bulge. Huawei did add a flat little patch on the bottom so it can stand upright on a desk, which is a nice touch.

Everything else about the case is standard FreeClip stuff: logo on top, a notch to pop the lid open, a status LED, USB-C on the back, and a tiny recessed pairing button hidden near the hinge.

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The Earbuds Themselves Haven’t Changed Much

Open the case and the buds look identical to the FreeClip 2 — same shape, same size. One feature worth calling out because people miss it: there’s no dedicated left or right earbud. Either one works in either ear, and it auto-detects which side it’s on to keep the stereo sound correct. Small thing, but genuinely useful.

The only real change on the buds is the ear-hook material. The FreeClip 2 used a ribbed, textured silicone that felt premium in hand. The 2S swaps it for a smoother liquid silicone. Grip in the ear is just as good — you won’t feel a difference once they’re on — but to the touch, it’s a little tackier, a bit less refined.

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Comfort

This is still where FreeClip earns its reputation. The open-ear hook design rests on your ear instead of plugging into the canal, so it stays comfortable for hours — working out, walking around, sitting at a desk all day.

Because nothing is sealing your ear canal, sound from the room still gets through. No noise cancellation here, and honestly, that’s the point of this design. You trade isolation for all-day comfort and situational awareness. An infrared sensor pauses your music the moment you take a bud out and resumes it when you put it back — carried straight over from the FreeClip 2.

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Connectivity and the App

Bluetooth 6.0, standard codec support, plus Huawei’s own L2HC codec if you’re on a Huawei phone — up to around 960kbps. Nice bonus for Huawei users, though most people won’t push it that far given the earbud style.

Setup runs through the Huawei Audio Connect app. iOS users get it straight from the App Store; Android users need to sideload it through Huawei’s AppGallery, which is a minor extra step but worth knowing before you buy.

The app itself is genuinely well built. Multipoint pairing lets you jump between devices with one tap.

There’s an EQ with a few sound profiles, fully customizable touch gestures, a head-nod feature for answering or declining calls, and an experimental adaptive volume mode that learns your habits based on location.

Spatial audio is in there too, though it feels a little artificial and isn’t something you’ll likely use daily.

Tested with a Pixel 10 Pro, connection was rock solid — no dropouts, and latency held up well even for gaming, which is often a weak spot for open-ear buds.

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Microphones

This is one of the FreeClip line’s biggest strengths, and it hasn’t changed. Voice pickup is clear both indoors — even with AC and a fan running nearby — and outdoors with a bit of wind.

Combined with how comfortable these are for long wear, they’re an easy recommendation specifically for calls.

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Sound

Same 10.8mm dual-diaphragm driver as the FreeClip 2, and it sounds exactly the same.

Bass has real punch for an open design, mids are clear and forward, and it avoids that thin, leaky sound a lot of open-ear buds suffer from. It won’t match sealed earbuds for bass weight, but among open-ear competitors, it’s near the top.

If you liked how the FreeClip 2 sounded, you’ll like this. Huawei hasn’t retuned a thing.

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Battery

Nothing changed here either, which is fine, because the numbers were already good. Each earbud has a 60mAh battery, the case holds 537mAh, and realistically you’re looking at around nine hours of listening at moderate volume. No ANC means less battery drain too.

Binaural mode is supported, so you can use one earbud solo while the other sits charging.

Charging itself works over USB-C or wirelessly through the base of the case — nothing was cut to make room for the new design, which honestly isn’t always guaranteed with a redesign like this.

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Should You Buy It?

If you already own or were considering the FreeClip 2 and liked its matte, low-key case, there’s no real reason to pay more for the 2S. It’s the same earbuds in a shinier shell.

But if that glossy, more attention-grabbing look is what you’ve been waiting for, everything that made the FreeClip 2 good is still here — the comfort, the mic quality, the sound, the battery life. You’re just paying for a different personality on the outside.