Home Wireless Earbuds Beats Studio Buds Vs. Bowers & Wilkins Pi7

Beats Studio Buds Vs. Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 Review

Last updated on May 18, 2023   8 minute read
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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
VS
Beats Studio Buds

Beats Studio Buds

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Reasons why you might like the Beats Studio Buds

Overall Score 6.2 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IPX4
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 8 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 6 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode

Beats Studio Buds Vs. Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 Review In Summary

Category Features Bowers & Wilkins PI7 Beats Studio Buds
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating IP54 IPX4
weight 50g 5.1g
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 9.2mm 8.2mm
lowest frequency 10Hz 20Hz
highest frequency 20,000Hz 20,000Hz
sound pressure level 100.5dB/mW
POWER battery life 4.5hours 8hours
battery life of charging case 18hours 16hours
charge time 3hours 1.5hours
has wireless charging
has a battery level indicator
CONNECTIVITY has usb type-c
bluetooth version v5 v5.2
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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Beats Studio Buds Vs. Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 Review In Detail

Design

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 IP54
Beats Studio Buds IPX4

Ingress protection ratings refer to the rank of protection offered by a casing, against dust and liquids. In the format of IPXX, 'X' represents a number The first value of the IP rating refers to protection against solids say dust, while the second refers to protection against liquids (water).

Scoring IPX4, the Beats Studio Buds's rating is read as, the first number 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.

Compared to the Beats Studio Buds, 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

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 50g
Beats Studio Buds 5.1g

The Beats Studio Buds have a weight of 5.1g . We prefer a lower weight best because lighter devices are more comfortable to transport.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7, at 50g weigh more than the Beats Studio Buds by of 44.9g

Has No Wires Or Cables

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Beats Studio Buds

True wireless devices have no cables connecting any part of the device together, Beats Studio Buds are true wireless for this case since they don't have cables. This is a major difference since wireless earbuds have wires connecting the 2 earbuds .

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

Sweat Resistance

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Beats Studio Buds

Beats Studio Buds are resistant to sweat

Has Stereo Speakers

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Beats Studio Buds

Beats Studio Buds have stereo speakers, what this means is that Beats Studio Buds's speakers deliver sound from independent channels on both left and right sides, creating a richer sound and a better listening experience.

Both Bowers & Wilkins PI7 and Beats Studio Buds have stereo speakers

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
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Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Beats Studio Buds

ANC uses more advanced technology to actively counter noise. ANC works when, it studies the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and after generates a mirror signal to cancel it out. In simple terms, it's like taking +1 (sound from your surrounding) then adding -1 (counter sound by the device) giving 0 which results in a reduced level of noise.

Beats Studio Buds have ANC enabling you to listen at lower volume levels, causing less ear fatigue since you don't have to crank up the earbuds volume to outcompete background sounds.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have Active Noise Cancellation which makes both earbuds ideal for plane rides and morning travels. Each work with different noise cancellation modes, pick the mode that you prefer for travel or that suites your relaxation time.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Beats Studio Buds

Beats Studio Buds sit tightly in place, this creates a sound seal that reduces your environment sounds well as preventing the device sound from leaking out at the same.

Both of these devices have passive noise reduction which means that they tone down ambient noise without using technology to cancel it out.

Driver Unit Size

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 9.2mm
Beats Studio Buds 8.2mm

The Beats Studio Buds driver unit is 8.2mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful, and can produce better bass. A driver unit is basically a mini speaker that produces sound in the device, the unit size dictates the loudness of the device.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 driver unit is 9.2mm in diameter, making them have a larger driver unit than that of Beats Studio Buds by 1mm , as many tend to believe that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.

However, large drivers usually have difficulty producing high frequencies so yeah, larger drivers are capable of generating louder sound, but this does not imply that they deliver better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 10Hz
Beats Studio Buds 20Hz

Beats Studio Buds's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well an audio component produces low audible frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal on its way through.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7's lowest frequency is at 10Hz, this means that Bowers & Wilkins PI7 can produce a juicier bass than the Beats Studio Buds

Highest Frequency

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 20,000Hz
Beats Studio Buds 20,000Hz

The Beats Studio Buds's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response measures if and how well a particular audio device makes high human frequencies and if it changes to the signal while at it.

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

Sound Pressure Level

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Beats Studio Buds 100.5dB/mW

The sound pressure level, is the level of pressure of sound, in decibels, dB, Beats Studio Buds's measurement is 100.5dB/mW. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source.

Power

Battery Life

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 4.5hours
Beats Studio Buds 8hours

Beats Studio Buds's battery life is 8 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 Beats Studio Buds by 3.5 hours . Every time you recharge your device, they get a little less listening time. The effect is barely noticeable at first, but over a few years, your wireless earbuds will have shorter listening time.

Battery Life Of Charging Case

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 18hours
Beats Studio Buds 16hours

The battery life of the charging case is given by the vendor, and Beats Studio Buds's case is said to have a charge of 16 hours. A charging case with a longer battery life allows 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, more than that of Beats Studio Buds by 2 hours

Charge Time

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 3hours
Beats Studio Buds 1.5hours

It takes 1.5 hours to fully charge the Beats Studio Buds'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 Beats Studio Buds by 1.5 hours

Has Wireless Charging

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Beats Studio Buds

Bowers & Wilkins PI7, the device supports wireless charging. To charge the device, you simply put down on a compatible charging pad.

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Beats Studio Buds

Beats Studio Buds have a battery level indicator, an indicator notifies you when the device has a low battery. Its lights show the charging status of your earbuds and charging case.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a battery level indicator, these enable you tell the charging state of your earbuds, if charged fully, or the battery is running low.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
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Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Beats Studio Buds

Beats Studio Buds have USB TYPE-C, a standard connector for transmitting both data and power in a single cable.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug is part and parcel of most current electronics.

Bluetooth Version

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 v5
Beats Studio Buds v5.2

Beats Studio Buds have Bluetooth version of 5.2, 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, older than that of Beats Studio Buds . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 10meters
Beats Studio Buds 10meters

Beats Studio Buds have a 10meters distance to connect via Bluetooth.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the Beats Studio Buds

Has Aac

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Beats Studio Buds

Beats Studio Buds 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.

Since its the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Beats Studio Buds 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

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Beats Studio Buds

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

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Beats Studio Buds

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

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 6only
Beats Studio Buds 6only

The Beats Studio Buds have 6 microphones.

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 microphones are 6, equal to that of the Beats Studio Buds . More microphones record better sound quality and help the earbuds to filter out noise.

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Beats Studio Buds

The Beats Studio Buds use a noise-canceling type of microphone, these microphones are intended to filter out background sounds from the earbuds' sound.

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too use a noise-canceling type of microphone. This is useful in noisy areas.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
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Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Beats Studio Buds

The Beats Studio Buds support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient noises to still be heard even while wearing the earbuds

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support ambient sound mode as well, helpful when you want to listen to music but also be aware of what’s happening around you, for example when you’re having a jog but would still want to hear traffic.

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Beats Studio Buds

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the device can detect when removed from your ears .

Has Find Earbuds Feature

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Beats Studio Buds

When misplaced in a room, or can't be found in your bag, Beats Studio Buds have a find earbuds feature.

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have the find earbuds feature. You can use the device app on your phone to play an alarm from your earbuds to find them.

Supports Fast Charging

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Beats Studio Buds

The Beats Studio Buds support fast charging. Most often, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to reduce the time it takes to fully charge the earbuds.

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 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 thirty minutes.

Multipoint Count

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Beats Studio Buds 2only

Beats Studio Buds support multipoint of 2 connections, the multipoint feature allows you connect to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. For example, you can easily switch calls from one device to another without having to manually disconnect and reconnect.

Has A Mute Function

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Beats Studio Buds

Beats Studio Buds have a mute function, they support the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the earbuds.

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have this function. The mute function means that you are in position turn off the device's microphone, but you can still hear the other party talk.

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Beats Studio Buds

The Beats Studio Buds, so you can easily access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever features are supported on the device.

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a control panel on them.

Has Voice Prompts

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Beats Studio Buds

Beats Studio Buds have voice prompts. Automatically receive information via audio messages, say if there is a problem with the connection.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have voice prompts .i.e the earbuds will notify you when the battery is running low, and you need to recharge the device.

Travel Bag Is Included

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Beats Studio Buds

Beats Studio Buds come with a special pouch. Carrying earphones openly, or placing them in your bag without a casing can easily damage them.

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

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