Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro and Pro Max review: AI note-taking, smart displays, and record-breaking calls
The Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro series attempts to turn your earbuds into a productivity tool by adding smart displays and AI utility directly to the charging case. Picture: Noel Campion
Lately, I’ve noticed a trend in the earbud market where companies are no longer just competing on sound quality, but on how much smart tech they can cram into the hardware. AI note-taking and transcription features are increasingly common as brands try to turn audio accessories into productivity tools. Soundcore is leaning heavily into this with their new Liberty 5 Pro and Pro Max. What sets these apart, however, isn't just the software, but the displays on the charging cases.
The Liberty 5 Pro series has a unique charging case, but the Max has a more premium display. Both models use a sliding top mechanism that is quite refreshing to use. If you open the lid, the display lights up, showing exactly how much battery remains in each bud and in the case. This is incredibly handy, as you never have to check your phone just to see if your buds are running low.
The real divide between the two models lies in that screen. The Pro Max version features a stunning 1.78-inch AMOLED display on top of the case. This allows you to do things like manage your ANC or even use the AI recorder without ever touching your phone. If you keep your phone tucked away in a backpack during a lecture or a long meeting, this is a massive advantage. The standard Pro model has a much smaller, simpler front screen for basic stats.
However, I found the build quality of the standard Pro to be slightly concerning. When I pressed down on the top of the lid, it felt thin and had a noticeable flex. The Pro Max feels significantly more substantial and sturdy. One small annoyance I encountered was the earbuds' orientation. Because they lie flat in the case rather than standing upright like most other earbuds, I often found myself trying to click them into place the wrong way. It took a few days of trial and error before the magnetic alignment became second nature.
The earbuds come with standard tips and fins, but they also include extra sizes for both. I really liked the fins because they feature a small silicone flap on top. This extra bit of material acts like a lock against your ear cartilage.
In my testing, even when I was munching or moving quickly, they stayed firmly in place. This is a significant upgrade over the standard stem-style buds, which I have found tend to wobble out of my ears quite easily when I am active.
At just 5.5g, these earbuds are notably smaller than earlier models. During my testing, they were light enough that I often forgot I had them in my ears, even during longer listening sessions.
The Pro Max model is essentially a tiny AI assistant. The main feature for me was the AI Note-Taker. By double-tapping a button on the case, you can record a conversation happening around you. The case then syncs this to the app to provide a transcript and even an AI summary of the key points. I used this during briefings and interviews, and being able to review the action items without scribbling notes was brilliant.
The Pro Max also handles real-time translation for over 100 languages. While it shows the results on the case screen, I found it a bit of a letdown: you still need to have the Soundcore app open and connected for it to work properly. It would have been much more impressive if the case could handle the heavy lifting independently.
The Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is also highly customisable. Instead of just an on-or-off switch, you can choose from five levels. While the ANC performance is excellent, it’s not quite as strong as the AirPods Pro 3.
There is also an Easy Chat mode that uses sensors to detect when you are speaking and automatically switches to transparency mode.
The 20 built-in offline voice commands are a nice touch too. Being able to skip a track or adjust volume with just a spoken command, without needing an internet connection, felt very smooth and responsive.
Both models share the same 9.2mm wool-paper diaphragm drivers. They run on Bluetooth 6.1 and carry an IP55 rating for dust and water resistance.
The battery life is decent, providing about 6.5 hours of playback with ANC on, though it drops significantly when using all the heavy AI features at once. A quick five-minute charge can give you up to four hours of playback.
Both earbuds offer the same Hi-Res, Hi-Fi sound and support Dolby Atmos with head tracking. In my testing, the soundstage felt much wider than your typical budget earbud, but I’ve never been a fan of spatial audio for music. However, it can be impressive for certain video content and even the odd live concert.
I also tried the HearID 5.0 feature, which tests your hearing and creates a custom EQ profile. This made a noticeable difference to my listening experience and helped bring back a certain sparkle in the tiny details. When I played tracks with complex sections, the clarity was excellent. If you prefer more bass, the app allows for deep adjustment, but even stock settings deliver a punchy, well-balanced sound from the 9.2mm drivers that does not feel muddy.
I put the Liberty Pro and Pro Max through a real-world test with everything from a hairdryer to a chop saw, and while drilling through a concrete wall, the results were impressive. Typically, such loud noise would make conversation almost impossible, but the Liberty 5 Pro managed to dampen it while allowing the person on the other end to hear me clearly.
This is largely thanks to a ten-sensor matrix and the THUS AI chip, which uses a neural-net model to separate my voice from the surrounding chaos. There’s even a bone-conduction microphone that picks up vibrations directly from your vocal cords. This helps maintain clarity even if you’re speaking at a lower volume in quieter settings. It may sound like an exaggerated claim, but having officially secured a Guinness World Record for the clearest earbuds for calls, the technology actually delivers on its promise.
The standard Pro is an excellent, high-quality choice for most people. However, if you frequently attend meetings or travel and need that extra AI utility, the Pro Max is worth the investment. I love the Pro Max for the stunning display alone.
Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max €249 Harvey Norman
Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro €180 amazon.ie
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