EarFun Free Pro Review
EarFun's latest budget earbuds are its best yet
Verdict
If you’re looking for an affordable pair of true wireless noise cancelling earbuds you really can’t go wrong with the EarFun Free Pro. While I faced a few minor issues with the charging case and ambient sound mode, neither was enough to undermine EarFun’s achievements.
Pros
- Secure fit
- ANC is a welcome addition
- Longer battery life than advertised
Cons
- The earbuds don’t always sit right in the case
- Cheap-looking design
- Ambient sound mode is weak
Availability
- UKRRP: £59.99
- USARRP: $59.99
- EuropeRRP: €59.99
Key Features
- Noise cancellingFeed-forward ANC up to 28dB
- Low latency modeFor videos and gaming
- Water and sweat resistantIPX5
- Secure fitThree attachable ear hooks
- Battery life7 hours per earbud
Introduction
EarFun is still relatively new on the audio scene, but the company has wasted no time in populating its true wireless family with earbud after earbud.
The EarFun Free Pro are the latest pair to join its line-up, coming in just above the ultra-affordable EarFun Free and below the EarFun Air, which came with the benefit of noise cancelling call technology.
While the Free Pro originally had an RRP of $79.99, they’ve since been reduced to a price that puts them in line with the EarFun Air. So, what makes them stand out from the other budget earbuds out there?
Design
- Small and lightweight
- Ear hooks offer a more secure fit
- They sometimes sit awkwardly in the case
The EarFun Free Pro are incredibly small and lightweight pair. They’re smaller than both the EarFun Free and the EarFun Air and, compared to their siblings, take on a different shape altogether.
While the Free Pro look more like the Free than the AirPod-esque Air, they’re less round than the regular Frees. The part that sits in the ear appears mostly unchanged, but the outer design looks more discreet in the ear.
I say mostly unchanged because EarFun have included a selection of ear hooks. The silicone hooks come in large, medium and small sizes, with the latter a plain band with no wing so you can ditch it if you find it uncomfortable. I liked the addition of the ear hook, which offered a more secure fit and a tighter seal.
The Free Pro also comes with four ear tips to choose from in sizes extra small, small, medium and large. The fit they offer is snug and I found the earbuds remained in place during exercise which, combined with their IPX5 waterproof rating, makes them a decent choice for the gym.
The earbuds come in a matching matte black case that’s small enough to slip into most pockets with no issue. Unfortunately, the case doesn’t always play nice with the earbuds when it comes to putting them the earbuds in. The ear hooks seem to get in the way, causing the earbuds to continue to play music. This isn’t an issue I had every time, but it happened often enough to frustrate.
Features
- ANC is very good but ambient sound could be stronger
- There’s a low latency mode to reduce lag while gaming
- Battery outlasts EarFun’s claims
The Free Pro are the most feature packed EarFun earbuds I’ve reviewed thus far, with active noise cancellation being the most obvious upgrade.
Triple tap on the left earbud and you’ll be met with three noise cancellation settings: ANC on, ANC off and ambient sound. The ANC does a good job of suppressing unwanted noise and doesn’t affect the way music sounds either.
The ambient sound mode is less impressive, though. While it did amplify my own voice and sounds around me, it could have boosted them more, as it wasn’t quite enough for me to hold a conversation without lowering the volume or taking the earbuds out entirely.
A hold the left earbud for two seconds activates the low latency mode. According to EarFun, this setting causes system-wide optimisations that eliminate delay, lag and incompatibility while gaming or streaming videos. I tested out the feature with the Netflix app on my phone and did notice slightly less of a delay with it switched on.
The Free Pro feature a variety of other touch controls including ones to wake up your phone’s voice assistant, volume adjustment, playback, answering and rejecting calls as well as transferring them. However, there’s no track skipping backwards, so if you decide you want to listen to a song again, you’ll need to pull your phone out or call upon Siri or Google Assistant.
EarFun says the Free Pro hold a respectable seven hours of battery, and 32 hours total with the charging case. However, I found the earbuds outlasted this by over an hour.
The case also supports wireless charging and fast charging, offering two hours of playtime from a 10-minute charge.
Sound quality
- Good tonal balance
- The sound is dynamic and the stereo image distinct
The dual composite dynamic drivers in the EarFun Free Pro offer a well-rounded sound capable of competing with pricier true wireless earbuds.
When faced with Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain, the Free Pro present a decent amount of bass, with equally powerful highs and mids. The stereo image is clear too, making it easy to pick out the guitar from the drums from the vocals in the room.
However, I did notice the soundstage felt a little cramped at times and during the chorus, in particular. That said, the earbuds offer plenty of dynamism, which was particularly noticeable during the bridge of this track.
Wes Montgomery’s Days of Wine and Roses is an equally dynamic performance through the Free Pro. The jazz number offers up a distinct stereo image and the highs and lows are incredibly well-balanced. The EarFun Free Pro address the biggest issue I had with both the Free and the Air’s sound, which was their underwhelming bass.
EarFun hasn’t presented a bad sound so far, but the Free Pro is its best yet.
Should you buy it?
You want great value for money: The EarFun Free Pro offer a balanced and dynamic audio performance, decent ANC and a snug fit for less than £60.
You want to have conversations without taking your earbuds out: While the EarFun Free Pro do include an ambient sound mode it certainly isn’t the strongest I’ve seen.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for an affordable pair of true wireless noise cancelling earbuds you really can’t go wrong with the EarFun Free Pro. While I faced a few minor issues with the charging case and ambient sound mode, neither was enough to undermine EarFun’s achievements.
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FAQs
Yes, the EarFun Free Pro have active noise cancellation (ANC).
Yes, the earbuds support both fast and wireless charging, as well as charging via USB-C.
Yes, the earbuds feature touch controls.
Specs
Jargon buster
ANC
ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) uses an array of microphones in a headphone to detect the frequency of the sound coming at the listener, with the ANC chip creating an inverse wave (i.e. opposing sound) to suppress any unwanted external noises.IP rating
An abbreviation for ‘Ingress Protection Code’, which lets you know to what extent a device might be waterproof or dustproof.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
