Ingress protection ratings is the rank of protection offered by a casing, against solids and water. The letters 'IP' are followed by two values The first value of the IP rating means protection against solids say dust, followed by the one that refers to protection against liquids (sweat).
Having a value of 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 consider a lower weight better because lighter devices are more comfortable to move with.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7, at 50g
weigh more 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 cables. This is an important distinction since wireless earbuds have cables connecting the two earbuds together. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also is true wireless since it has no wires linking the 2 earbuds .
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have sweat resistance
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have stereo speakers, devices with stereo 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 makes use of advanced kind of tech to reduce ambient sounds. How it works, it studies the sound pattern of incoming noise and then generates a mirror signal to cancel it out. Simply put, it's like having +1 (noise) and producing -1 (inverted noise) giving 0 resulting in a reduced level of noise.
The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have Active Noise Cancellation enabling you to listen at lower volume levels, causing less ear fatigue since you don't have to crank up the earbuds volume to overcome background sounds. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have Active Noise Cancellation which makes both devices ideal for plane rides and rush hour commutes. The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) and Bowers & Wilkins PI7 work with different noise cancellation settings, pick the setting that suits your commute or that suites your relaxation time.
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) stay well in place, creating a sound covering that reduces background noise and also prevents the device sound from leaking out .
Both of these devices have passive noise reduction which means that both tone down ambient noise without using technology to cancel it out. The 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, the unit size dictates the loudness of the earbuds.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 driver unit is 9.2mm in diameter,
which means that they have a smaller driver unit than that of Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) by 1.8mm
, as many tend to believe that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.
However, large drivers find it difficult to produce 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 a particular audio component generates low frequencies that can be heard, and if it alters the signal on its way through.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7's lowest frequency is at 10Hz, this means that
both devices can produce equal bass
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)'s highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response tells how well an audio component generates high audible frequencies and if it changes to the signal on its way through. Bowers & Wilkins PI7's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, this means that
both devices produce equal treble
The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)'s battery life is 6 hours, these last longer than 5 hours of listening which is considered average for a single charge. A device's battery life is usually given by the manufacturer, and with more battery hours, 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
. Each time you recharge your earbuds, they get a little less playing time. The effect is not noticeable at first, but over a few years, your wireless earbuds will have shorter listening time. The battery life of the charging case is given by the vendor, and Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)'s case has a charge of 30 hours.
A charging case with more battery hours enables you to recharge your earbuds on the go many times before recharging 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 takes 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 simply put down on a supported charging pad. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also support wireless charging, always look out for the charging standard of a device.
The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have a battery level indicator, an indicator shows you when the earbuds has a low battery. Its lights show the charging state of your device and charging case. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a battery level indicator, these allow you tell the charging state of your device, whether fully charged, or having a low battery.
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have Bluetooth version of 5, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that enables data transfers between devices placed in range, 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 connecting 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. Because it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it can provide better results than other codecs at a similar bit rate.
Being the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) will work well with your iPhone. If you are planning on using these with Android , 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. The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have 6 microphones. While the 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 device to filter out noise.
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) use a noise-canceling microphone, these microphones are designed to reduce noise from the earbuds' sound. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a noise-canceling type of microphone. This is useful in noisy environments.
The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) support in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the earbuds can detect when they are removed from your ears so that the music is paused. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support in/on-ear detection, automatically pauses your music, or audiobook when you remove earbuds from your ears saving battery life. When misplaced in a room, or can't easily find them in your bag, Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) support the find earbuds feature.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have the find earbuds feature. Simply use the earbuds app on your phone to play a sound from your earbuds to find them. Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) support fast charging.
Commonly, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to lower the time it takes to charge the earbuds. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too support fast charging. It's very similar to regular charging, only that the battery fills up much faster.
For example, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery can be charged to 50% in just thirty minutes. Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have a multipoint of 2 connections, this feature allows you connect to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. For example, you can switch calls from one device to another without manually disconnect and reconnect.
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 too support the mute function. It means that you unilaterally turn off the device's microphone, but still hear the other party's voice.
The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen), so you can access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever features are supported on the earbuds. 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. Automatically receive information via audio messages, like if there is a problem with the connection. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also support voice prompts .i.e the device notifies you if the battery is low, and you need to recharge the earbuds.
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) come with a special pouch. Carrying earbuds without a case, or placing them inside your pockets without a casing may easily put them at risk of getting damaged. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a travel bag included, which offers safe transportation.
