Anker debuts Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro earbuds with its Thus AI chip

Source: Engadget

Introduction

Following the initial tease of its Thus AI chip, Anker announced the first earbuds with the component during its Anker Day event. The Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro and Liberty 5 Pro Max both utilize the chip for what the company calls Whisper Clear voice performance. Standard earbud features such as active noise cancellation (ANC), voice controls, and personalized sound are present, alongside unique tools like an AI Note‑Taker on the Liberty 5 Pro Max and touchscreen charging cases for both models.

Thus AI Chip

The Thus chip works with eight microphones and two bone‑conduction sensors to deliver optimal voice performance in noisy environments. An AI model separates the speaker’s voice from background noise, ensuring clear calls. Bone‑conduction sensors capture the user’s voice at lower volumes in “moderately quieter settings.” The chip also powers voice commands, offering 20 options with a response time of under a second.

Adaptive ANC 4.0

Both the Liberty 5 Pro and Liberty 5 Pro Max feature Soundcore’s Adaptive ANC 4.0, which processes audio data at up to 384,000 times per second using the eight microphones. The system continuously monitors external noise and sounds entering the ear canal, adjusting ANC in real time. Anker claims the ANC is up to 2× more effective than that of the Liberty 4 Pro.

Personalized Sound

Both earbuds include HearID 5.0, which creates a personalized EQ after a brief hearing test. Coupled with AI Sound Enhancement, the earbuds can restore up to 65 % of audio quality typically lost to Bluetooth compression.

Battery Life and Connectivity

• Battery life: Up to 6.5 hours with ANC enabled; total of 28 hours including the charging case.
• Connectivity: Multipoint Bluetooth, Bluetooth 6.1, Apple Find My, Google Fast Pair.
• Durability: IP55 rating for dust and water resistance.

Smart Cases and AI Note‑Taker

• Liberty 5 Pro case: Features a 0.96‑inch TFT touchscreen on the front edge.
• Liberty 5 Pro Max case: Sports a larger 1.78‑inch AMOLED display and includes an AI Note‑Taker that generates transcripts, identifies speakers, and extracts action items after meetings in the Soundcore app.

Both models support AI‑based translation. Translation is available on the earbuds of the Liberty 5 Pro, while the Liberty 5 Pro Max offers translation on both the earbuds and the case.

Pricing and Availability

• Liberty 5 Pro: $170, available in black, blue, pink, and white.
• Liberty 5 Pro Max: $230, available in black or gold.

Both models are available today.