Home Wireless Earbuds Apple Airpods Pro (2Nd Gen) Vs. Bowers & Wilkins Pi7

A Review By Comparison of the Apple Airpods Pro (2Nd Gen) Vs. Bowers & Wilkins Pi7

Last updated on Apr 12, 2023   8 minute read
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Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

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Reasons why you might like the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Overall Score 6.4 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IPX4
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 6 hours
  • Number Of Microphones of 6 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode
VS
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Bowers & Wilkins PI7

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Reasons why you might like the Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Overall Score 6.4 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IP54
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 4.5 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 6 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode

A summary of the review by feature comparison

Category Features Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) Bowers & Wilkins PI7
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating ipX4 ip54
weight 10.6g 50g
has no wires or cables
sweat resistance
has stereo speakers
SOUND QUALITY has active noise cancellation (noise control)
has passive noise reduction
driver unit size 11mm 9.2mm
lowest frequency 20hz 10hz
highest frequency 20,000hz 20,000hz
POWER battery life 6hours 4.5hours
battery life of charging case 24hours 18hours
charge time 1hours 3hours
battery power 49.7mah
has wireless charging
has a battery level indicator
CONNECTIVITY has usb type-c
bluetooth version v5.3 v5
maximum bluetooth range 10meters 10meters
has aac
has aptx adaptive
has aptx hd
MICROPHONE number of microphones 6only 6only
has a noise-canceling microphone
EXTRAS has ambient sound mode
has in/on-ear detection
has find earbuds feature
supports fast charging
multipoint count 2only
has a mute function
control panel placed on a device
has voice prompts
travel bag is included
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A breakdown of the review per specifications

Design

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) ipX4
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 ip54

IP ratings refer to the level of protection given by an enclosure, against dust and water. The letters 'IP' are followed by two values The first value represents protection against solids such as dust, followed by the one that refers to resistance against liquids (water).

Scoring IPX4, the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s rating is read as, the first number of X denotes that no data available to specify a protection rating, and the second number of 4 means that they can withstand low pressure spray similar to that of a shower head when tilted at 180° for 10 minutes.

Compared to the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd 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

Weight

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 10.6g
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 50g

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a weight of 10.6g . We take in account a lower weight best because lighter devices are more comfortable to carry.

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7, at 50g weigh more than the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) by of 39.4g

Has No Wires Or Cables

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

For a device to be true wireless it must have no wires linking any part of the device together, Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) are true wireless for this matter since they have no cables. This is a key difference as some wireless earbuds have cables connecting the two earbuds together.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also is true wireless since it doesn't have wires linking the 2 earbuds together.

Sweat Resistance

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have sweat resistance

Has Stereo Speakers

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have stereo speakers, what this means is that Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s speakers deliver sound from separate channels on both left and right sides, creating a richer sound and a better listening experience.

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have stereo speakers

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
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Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

ANC uses more advanced technology to reduce ambient sounds. How it works, it listens to the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and then inverts the soundwaves to counter it. Simply put, it's like taking +1 (sound from your surrounding) and adding -1 (counter sound by the device) giving zero resulting in a reduced level of noise.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have ANC allowing you to listen at lower levels of volume, good for your ears since you don't need to crank up the earbuds volume to outcompete background noise.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have Active Noise Cancellation which makes both earbuds ideal for flights and rush hour travels. Each operate with different noise cancellation modes, pick the setting that you prefer for commute or that suites your relaxation time.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) sit well in place, creating a sound seal that tones down background sounds while preventing the device music from leaking out at the same.

Both Bowers & Wilkins PI7, and Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have passive noise reduction this implies that they tone down ambient noise without using technology to cancel it out.

Driver Unit Size

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 11mm
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 9.2mm

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) driver unit is 11mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful, therefor producing better bass. The driver unit is the component that produces sound in the device, the unit size determines the sound made by the device.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 driver unit is 9.2mm in diameter, which means that they have a smaller driver unit than that of Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) by 1.8mm , a common assumption that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.

However, large drivers find it difficult to produce high frequencies so yeah, larger drivers are capable of generating louder sound, but this does not mean that they deliver better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 20hz
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 10hz

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response measures if and how well an audio component produces 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 implies that Bowers & Wilkins PI7 make sound with a juicier bass than the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Highest Frequency

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 20,000hz
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 20,000hz

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response tells how well a particular audio device makes high audible frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal while at it.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, this means that both devices produce equal treble

Power

Battery Life

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 6hours
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 4.5hours

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd 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 given by the manufacturer, and with more battery hours, you get to use it for longer and have to charge the device less often.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7's battery life is less than that of Apple AirPods Pro (2nd 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 time, your wireless earbuds will have shorter listening time.

Battery Life Of Charging Case

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 24hours
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 18hours

The battery life of the charging case is given by the vendor, and the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s case is said to have a full charge of 24 hours. A charging case with a longer battery life allows you to recharge your earbuds on the go several 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 Pro (2nd Gen) by 6 hours

Charge Time

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 1hours
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 3hours

It requires 1 hours to fully charge the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s battery. It is highly adivsable to fully charge 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 Pro (2nd Gen) by 2 hours

Battery Power

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 49.7mah
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s battery capacity is 49.7mAh, battery capacity, shows the amount of electrical energy that a battery can keep.

Has Wireless Charging

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), the device supports wireless charging. To charge the earbuds, you just place down on a compatible charging pad.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also support wireless charging, always look out for the charging standard of a device.

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a battery level indicator, an indicator shows you when the device has a low battery. The battery indicator lights indicate the charging status of your earbuds and charging case.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a battery level indicator, these enable you determine the charging state of your earbuds, whether fully charged, or having a low battery.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
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Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 use USB TYPE-C, a standard connector for transmitting both data and power through a single cable.

Bluetooth Version

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) v5.3
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 v5

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have Bluetooth version of 5.3, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that enables data movement between devices placed in range, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 has a Bluetooth version of 5, older than that of Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 10meters
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 10meters

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a 10meters distance connecting via Bluetooth.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Has Aac

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support AAC, a codec used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Because it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it provides better results than other codecs at the same bit rate.

Since its the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) will work fine with your iPad. 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.

Has Aptx Adaptive

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support APTX Adaptive, an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that are developed by Qualcomm. It has a variable bit rate (between 279kbps and 420kbps).

Has Aptx Hd

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support APTX HD, an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that are developed by Qualcomm. It supports high-quality 24-bit audio (at a bit rate of 576kbps).

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 6only
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 6only

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have 6 microphones.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 microphones are 6, equal to that of the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) . More microphones result in better sound quality and help the earbuds to filter out background sounds.

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a noise-canceling microphone, these microphones are made to reduce background sounds from the desired sound.

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a noise-canceling microphone. Especially useful in noisy areas.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
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Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to channel ambient noises so that they can still be heard even while wearing the earbuds

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support ambient sound mode as well, it’s useful when you want to listen to music while being aware of what’s happening around you, say you’re having a run but still want to hear traffic.

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd 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.

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too support in/on-ear detection, automatically pauses your music, or audiobook when you remove earbuds from your ears saving battery life.

Has Find Earbuds Feature

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

When lost in a room, or can't easily find them in your bag, Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support the find earbuds feature.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have the find earbuds feature. Use the earbuds app on your phone to play an alarm from your earbuds to help you locate them.

Supports Fast Charging

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support fast charging. Usually, technologies like Qualcomm’s Quick Charge, are used to lower the time it takes to charge a device.

The 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 can be charged to 50% in 30 minutes.

Multipoint Count

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 2only
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support multipoint of 2 connections, the multipoint feature allows you to link to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. For example, you can seemlessly switch calls from one device to another without manually disconnect and reconnect.

Has A Mute Function

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a mute function, they have the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the earbuds.

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have the mute function. The mute function means that you can turn off the earbuds' microphone, but you can still hear the other party's voice.

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), so you can easily access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever functions are supported on the device.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have a control panel on them.

Has Voice Prompts

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have voice prompts. With voice prompts, you receive information via audio messages, say if there is a problem with the connection.

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too support voice prompts .i.e the earbuds notifies you if the battery is low, and it's time to recharge the earbuds.

Travel Bag Is Included

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) come with their own special case. Carrying earbuds without a case, or placing them in your bag without a cover can easily put them at risk of getting damaged.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a travel bag included, which is useful for safe transportation.

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