Huawei FreeBuds SE 2 Review: The Best Budget ANC Earbuds Under £40 in 2026?

If you’re looking for a pair of wireless earbuds that don’t cost Apple money but still deliver solid sound, comfort and all-day battery life, the Huawei FreeBuds SE 2 are one of the most compelling budget picks I’ve tested recently.

I’ve used these daily for calls, workouts and general listening — and honestly, for under £40, they punch way above their price. But they’re not perfect, and they won’t suit everyone.

Here’s my honest, everyday-user breakdown 👇

Quick Verdict

The Huawei FreeBuds SE 2 offer impressive value for money with lightweight comfort, clear sound, and Active Noise Cancellation that genuinely makes a difference for the price. If you want budget-friendly earbuds with ANC that actually works for commuting, working, or daily listening — these are a standout pick.

✔️ Best for: commuters, students, office workers, everyday listening
❌ Not for: audiophiles or people needing premium ANC performance (this is entry-level ANC)

👉 Overall rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
👉 One of the best budget ANC earbuds available

Pros & Cons 

Pros

• Active Noise Cancellation (genuinely good for the price)

• Lightweight and super comfortable

• Clear, balanced sound

• Excellent battery life

• Strong connection stability

• Great fit for long calls

• Very affordable

Cons

• ANC is good, but not “premium-grade”

• Case feels budget

• Bass is decent but not powerful

Design:

The Huawei Freebuds SE 2 Earbuds have a similar design to the Apple AirPods but the case is a bit more square. The buds come in two colours ceramic white (which is the one I have) and Isle Blue. The case is light and compact so perfect for picking up and popping in your pocket or bag.

The earbuds themselves are slightly longer than my AirPod Pro’s but only slightly. The main difference is that the Huawei Freebuds SE 2 do not have silicone tips that cover the end of the earbud. The Earbuds are IP54 Dust and Splash Resistant so you don’t need to worry about wearing them out in the rain.

Key Design Notes

• Minimal, clean aesthetic

• Lightweight enough for long wear

• Compact case fits easily in pockets

• Well-balanced size for small–medium ears

Build Quality:

The build quality is surprisingly good for the price. The case feels solid, the hinge opens smoothly, and the earbuds feel sturdy enough for everyday use. They don’t feel “cheap,” which is great for something in this price range.

Build Quality Highlights

• Durable case that opens and closes smoothly

• Strong magnets hold the earbuds securely

• Gloss finish gives a premium look

• Stands up well to daily use and bags/pockets

Battery Life & Charging:

The battery life on the Huawei Freebuds SE is really good for what you would consider to be a budget pair of earbuds. You can get up to 40 hours with multiple charges in the case. With one full charge, you will get 9hrs which I found perfect for when I was in the office and on multiple conference calls throughout the day.

And if you do find that you are running low on juice you get 3hrs hours of one 10min charge. Again this is great for those who use earbuds for work. What I would say about the charging is that you are not going to get wireless charging with these earbuds. You will need to use a wired USB-C charging cable, this is a bit annoying but for the price, I wasn’t expecting it to be wireless.

Battery Highlights

• Up to 9 hours playback on one charge

• 40+ hours with the charging case

• USB-C fast charging

• Excellent longevity for workdays & commuting

Comfort:

I was not expecting these to be the most comfortable of earbuds but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I thought because they lacked the silicon tips that the plastic would rub in my ear but I found that they didn’t. I was quite happy to have these in for long periods of time without feeling any discomfort.

Audio Quality  & ANC:

I am not an Audiophile but in my opinion, the audio is not as good as the AirPods I have found that the sound is still pretty good. For listening to music or podcasts on the go they are more than good enough.

The sound quality on calls is good and the microphone is pretty good as well, I have no complaints from others on the calls to say that they could hear me. They do come with Active Noise Cancellation which is impressive for the price, they do block out noise but you can still hear the background noise quite a bit from what I have experienced.

Sound Quality Snapshot

• Balanced tuning suitable for most listeners

• Clear vocals for podcasts & YouTube

• Decent bass for the price

• Good overall clarity and volume

Controls:

The Huawei Freebud SE 2 have most of the controls that you would want to have by just tapping the earbuds. So what can you do:

• Play & Pause Music
• Answer & End Calls
• Skips tracks

You will just need to tap/double tap either the left or right earbud based on what you are looking to do.

You can customise your earbuds more by downloading the Huawei AI Life. This will allow you to track your battery life, create customer gestures, adjust the EQ levels as well as a find your earbuds feature. I haven’t used the app that much as I don’t find that I need to as I can do what I need to without using the app.

Connectivity:

The process of pairing the earbuds was very simple. To pair you need to hold the left and right side of the top of the earbuds (they refer to as the touch control area) for 3 secs. You should then see the LED light flash white which lets you know that it’s in Bluetooth pairing mode.

You can then go into your Bluetooth Device on your phone and you will see your earbuds in the list, tap on the name and they will connect and the light will turn green.

Connectivity Takeaways

• Quick Bluetooth pairing

• Stable connection with iPhone & Android

• Works well with laptops for Zoom/Teams

• Touch controls responsive but can be sensitive at times

Who Are the Huawei FreeBuds SE 2 For?

These are a great choice if you:

• Want affordable earbuds with ANC

• Work in cafés, offices, or busy environments

• Prefer a lightweight in-ear design for long sessions

• Listen to podcasts and music during commutes

• Don’t want to spend £100+ on AirPods or Galaxy Buds

Not ideal if you:

• Want premium-level ANC (these do well, but they aren’t Bose/Sony quality)

• Prefer heavy bass

Final Thoughts:

I expected very little from these given the price — but honestly, they’re a genuinely impressive pair of budget earbuds. You won’t get premium ANC or perfect audio, but for everyday use, calls, commuting and general listening, they’re excellent value.

If you need lightweight earbuds that sound good, are comfortable, and include ANC without spending Apple-level money, the Huawei FreeBuds SE 2 are an easy recommendation.

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