IP ratings refer to the rating of protection given by an enclosure, against dust and water. The letters 'IP' are followed by two values The first value of the IP rating represents protection against solids say dust, followed by the one that refers to resistance against liquids (water).
Scoring IPX4, the Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)'s rating is read as, the first value of X denotes that no data available to specify a protection rating, and of liquids that they can withstand low pressure spray similar to that of a shower head when tilted at 180° for 10 minutes. In comparison to the Apple AirPods (3rd Gen), Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a rating of IP54 meaning that
ingress of dust is not totally prevented but dust does not enter in harmful quantities to interfere with the correct operation or impair safety
and that of liquids is that,
they both have the same rating against liquids
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have a weight of 8.56g . We prefer a lower weight better because lighter devices are more comfortable to transport.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7, at 50g
are heavier than the Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) by of 41.44g
For a device to be true wireless it must have no wires connecting any part of the device together, Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) are true wireless for this case since they don't have wires. This is an important distinction as some wireless earbuds have cables linking the pair of earbuds .
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also is true wireless since it has no cables linking the two earbuds together. Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have sweat resistance
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have stereo speakers, what this means is that Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)'s speakers deliver sound from independent channels on both left and right sides, this creates a richer sound and a better listening experience.
Both Bowers & Wilkins PI7 and Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have stereo speakers
ANC utilises advanced kind of tech to reduce unwanted ambient sounds. ANC works when, it listens to the sound pattern of incoming noise and then generates a mirror signal to counter it. In simple terms, it's like having +1 (noise) then producing -1 (inverted noise) to make zero therefore "diluting" the noise.
The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have Active Noise Cancellation allowing you to listen at lower volume levels, good for your ears since you don't have to crank up the earbuds volume to overcome background sounds. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have Active Noise Cancellation making both devices ideal for flights and rush hour commutes. The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) and Bowers & Wilkins PI7 operate with different noise cancellation modes, pick the mode that you prefer for commute or that suites your relaxation time.
The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) stay tightly in place, this creates an acoustic covering that reduces background sounds and also prevents the device voice audio from leaking out at the same. Both Bowers & Wilkins PI7, and Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have passive noise reduction this means that they reduce ambient noise instead of actively using ANC to cancel it out. Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) driver unit is 11mm in diameter, the bigger the unit the more powerful, and can produce better bass.
The driver unit is the component that produces sound in the earbuds, its size corellates with the loudness of the device. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 driver unit is 9.2mm in diameter,
which implies that they have a smaller driver unit than that of Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) by 1.8mm
, a common assumption that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.
However, large drivers usually have difficulty producing high frequencies so it's true that, larger drivers can generate louder sound, but this does not indicate that they deliver better quality sound.
The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)'s lowest frequency is at 10Hz, low-frequency response measures if and how well an audio device generates low recognizable frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal on its way through. Bowers & Wilkins PI7's lowest frequency is at 10Hz, this implies that
both devices can produce equal bass
The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)'s highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response measures if and how well a particular audio device generates high human frequencies and if it adjustments to the signal on its way through. Bowers & Wilkins PI7's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, this means that
both devices can produce equal treble
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)'s battery life is 6 hours, these last longer than 5 hours of listening which is considered average before recharge.
A device's battery life is given by the manufacturer, and with longer battery life, you get to use it for longer and requires fewer chargings. Bowers & Wilkins PI7's battery life is
less than that of Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) by 1.5 hours
. Every time you recharge your earbuds, they get a little less listening time. The effect is not noticeable at first, but over time, your wireless earbuds will have shorter listening time.
The battery life of the charging case is given by the manufacturer, and Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)'s case is said to have a full charge of 30 hours. A charging case with a longer battery life enables you to recharge your earbuds on the go several times before having to recharge the case itself. Bowers & Wilkins PI7's charging case has a battery life of 18 hours,
less than that of Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) by 12 hours
It requires 0.3 hours to fully charge the Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)'s battery.
It is recommended to charge fully the battery before using the earbuds for the first time. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 takes 3 hours to fully charge the battery,
more than that of Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) by 2.7 hours
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen), the device supports wireless charging. To charge the earbuds, you just put down on a supported charging pad.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also support wireless charging, always look out for the charging standard of the earbuds. Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have a battery level indicator, an indicator shows you when the device has a low battery. Its lights display the charging status of your device and charging case.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a battery level indicator, these allow you determine the charging state of your earbuds, whether fully charged, or the battery is running low. Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have Bluetooth version of 5, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that allows data transfers between devices placed in close proximity, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 has a Bluetooth version of 5,
equal to that of the Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)
. Newer versions provide faster data transfers.
The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have a 10meters distance to connect via Bluetooth. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a maximum range of 10meters,
equal to that of the Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) support AAC, a codec used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps.
Since it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it can provide better results than other codecs at the same bit rate.
Being the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) will work fine with your MacBook. If you intend on using these with Android you need to pay even closer attention to codec support for if they only have AAC they won't provide the best audio quality possible, ensure that they also support aptX HD, LDAC, or LHDC as well.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support AAC as well. Designed to be the successor of the MP3 format, AAC generally achieves higher sound quality than MP3 encoders at the same bit rate. Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have 6 microphones.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 microphones are 6,
equal to that of the Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)
. More microphones result in better sound quality and help the earbuds to filter out background sounds. Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) use a noise-canceling microphone, these microphones are made to reduce noise from the earbuds' sound. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a noise-canceling type of microphone.
Especially useful in noisy environments. Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) support in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the device can detect when they are removed from your ears so that the music is paused. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too support in/on-ear detection, automatically pauses your music, or audiobook when you remove earbuds from your ears improving your listening experience.
When misplaced in a room, or can't be found in your bag, Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have a find earbuds feature. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have the find earbuds feature. You can use the device app on your smartphone to play an alarm from your device to help you find them.
The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) support fast charging. Commonly, technologies like Qualcomm’s Quick Charge, are used to lower the amount of time it takes to fully charge the earbuds. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support fast charging.
It's very similar to regular charging, just that the battery is filling up much faster. Say, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery is charged to 50% in just thirty minutes. Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) support multipoint of 2 connections, this feature allows you connect to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them.
Say, you can seemlessly switch calls from one device to another without having to manually disconnect and reconnect. The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have a mute function, they have the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have this function.
The mute function means that you unilaterally turn off the earbuds' microphone, but you can still hear the other party's voice. With the Apple AirPods (3rd Gen), so you can access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever functions are supported on the earbuds. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have a control panel on them.
The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have a warranty period of 1 Years, the period of time that warrant free repair and adjustment services in case of a malfunction occurring under normal use that has followed instruction manuals. The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) support voice prompts. With voice prompts, you receive information through audio messages, like if there is an issue with the connection.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too support voice prompts meaning the earbuds will notify you if the battery is running low, and you need to recharge them. Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) come with their own special pouch. Carrying earbuds without a case, or putting them inside your bag without a cover may easily damage them.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have a case included, which is useful for safe transportation.
