Home Wireless Earbuds Samsung Galaxy Buds Live Vs. Bowers & Wilkins Pi7

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live Vs. Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 Review

Last updated on Mar 15, 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
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

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Reasons why you might like the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

Overall Score 6.2 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IPX2
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 6 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 6 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live Vs. Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 Review In Summary

Category Features Bowers & Wilkins PI7 Samsung Galaxy Buds Live
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating IP54 IPX2
weight 50g 11.2g
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 12mm
lowest frequency 10Hz 20Hz
highest frequency 20,000Hz 20,000Hz
POWER battery life 4.5hours 6hours
battery life of charging case 18hours 15hours
charge time 3hours 0.6hours
battery power 60mAh
has wireless charging
has a battery level indicator
CONNECTIVITY has usb type-c
bluetooth version v5 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
has a mute function
control panel placed on a device
has voice prompts
travel bag is included
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Samsung Galaxy Buds Live Vs. Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 Review In Detail

Design

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 IP54
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live IPX2

Ingress protection ratings is the level of protection given by a casing, against solids and liquids. In the format of IPXX, 'X' represents a number The first value of the IP rating represents protection against solids such as dust, followed by the one that refers to resistance against liquids (water).

Scoring IPX2, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live's rating for solids indicates that no data available to specify a protection rating, and the second number of 2 means that they are protected against drops falling when tilted at 15° in 4 fixed positions.

In comparison to the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, 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, Bowers & Wilkins PI7 has a higher liquid rating than Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

Weight

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 50g
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live 11.2g

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live have a weight of 11.2g . We consider a lower weight best because lighter devices are easier to carry.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7, at 50g weigh more than the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live with a difference of 38.8g

Has No Wires Or Cables

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

For a device to be true wireless it must have no cables connecting any part of the device together, Samsung Galaxy Buds Live are true wireless for this case since they don't have cables. This is a major distinction as some wireless earbuds have wires linking the pair of earbuds together.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also is true wireless because it has no wires linking the two earbuds .

Sweat Resistance

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live are resistant to sweat

Has Stereo Speakers

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live have stereo speakers, what this means is that Samsung Galaxy Buds Live'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

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
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Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

Active noise cancellation utilises advanced kind of tech to reduce ambient sounds. How it works, it studies the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and then generates a mirror signal to cancel it out. Simply put, it's like having +1 (noise) and producing -1 (counter sound by the device) giving 0 therefore "diluting" the noise.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live have ANC allowing you to listen at lower volume levels, good for your ears since you don't have to crank up the device volume to overcome background noise.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have ANC making either of the devices ideal for flights and rush hour travels. Each work with different noise cancellation modes, pick the noise cancellation type that you prefer for travel or that suites your relaxation time.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 sit tightly in place, this creates a sound covering that tones down your environment sounds well as preventing the earbuds voice audio from leaking out at the same.

Driver Unit Size

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 9.2mm
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live 12mm

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live have a unit size of 12mm in diameter, the bigger the unit the more powerful, therefor producing better bass. A driver unit is basically a mini speaker 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 means that they have a smaller driver unit than that of Samsung Galaxy Buds Live by 2.8mm , 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 it's true that, larger drivers can generate louder sound, but this does not mean that they produce better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 10Hz
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live 20Hz

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response measures if and how well a particular audio component produces low recognizable frequencies and if it alters the signal while at it.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7's lowest frequency is at 10Hz, this implies that Bowers & Wilkins PI7 can produce a juicier bass than the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

Highest Frequency

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 20,000Hz
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live 20,000Hz

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response shows how well a particular audio device makes high audible 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 can produce equal treble

Power

Battery Life

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 4.5hours
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live 6hours

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live'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 commonly 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 Samsung Galaxy Buds Live by 1.5 hours . Each time you recharge your earbuds, they get a little less listening time. The effect is not 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
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live 15hours

The battery life of the charging case is given by the vendor, and Samsung Galaxy Buds Live's case is said to have a charge of 15 hours. A charging case with a longer battery life allows you to recharge your earbuds on the go multiple times before having to recharge the case itself.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7's charging case has a battery life of 18 hours, more than that of Samsung Galaxy Buds Live by 3 hours

Charge Time

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 3hours
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live 0.6hours

It takes 0.6 hours to fully charge the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live's battery. It is recommended to charge fully the battery before using the earbuds when they have been in storage for extended periods.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 takes 3 hours to fully charge the battery, more than that of Samsung Galaxy Buds Live by 2.4 hours

Battery Power

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live 60mAh

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live's battery capacity is 60mAh, battery power, represents the amount of electrical energy that a battery can keep.

Has Wireless Charging

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, the device supports wireless charging. To charge the device, 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.

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live have a battery level indicator, an indicator alerts you when the earbuds has a low battery. The battery indicator lights show the charging status of your earbuds and charging case.

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

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
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Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live support USB TYPE-C, a standard connector for transmitting both data and power through a single cable.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too support USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug comes along with most current electronics.

Bluetooth Version

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 v5
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live v5

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live have Bluetooth version of 5, 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, equal to that of the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 10meters
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live 10meters

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live have a 10meters distance to connect via Bluetooth.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

Has Aac

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live 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.

Being the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live 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.

Has Aptx Adaptive

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

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
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

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
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live 6only

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live have 6 microphones.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 microphones are 6, equal to that of the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live . More microphones record better sound quality and enable the earbuds to filter out background sounds.

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live use a noise-canceling microphone, these microphones are designed to reduce noise from the earbuds' sound.

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too use a noise-canceling type of microphone. Especially useful in noisy environments.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
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Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to channel ambient noises so that they can still be heard even when wearing them

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support ambient sound mode as well, it’s useful when you want to listen to music but also be aware of your surrounding, say you’re having a run but would still want to hear traffic.

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live support in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the earbuds can detect when they are removed from your ears .

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 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

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

When misplaced in a room, or can't easily find them in your bag, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live have a find earbuds feature.

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have the find earbuds feature. Simply use the earbuds app on your smartphone to play an alarm from your device to help you find them.

Supports Fast Charging

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live support fast charging. Most often, technologies like Qualcomm’s Quick Charge, are used to lower the amount of time it takes to fully charge a device.

Also the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support fast charging. This kind is similar to regular charging, only that the battery fills up much faster. Say, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery is charged to 50% in 30 minutes.

Has A Mute Function

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live have a mute function, they have the feature to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the earbuds.

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

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, so you can access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever features are supported on the earbuds.

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

Has Voice Prompts

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live support voice prompts. With voice prompts, you receive information via audio messages, like if there is a problem with the connection.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too support voice prompts meaning the device will notify you when the battery is low, and you need to recharge the earbuds.

Travel Bag Is Included

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live come with a special case. Carrying earbuds openly, or putting them inside your pockets without a cover may easily put them at risk of getting damaged.

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

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