Home Wireless Earbuds Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro Vs. Bowers & Wilkins Pi7

A Review By Comparison of the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro Vs. Bowers & Wilkins Pi7

Last updated on Mar 14, 2023   8 min read
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Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro

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Reasons why you might like the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro

Overall Score 6.8 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IP54
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 9 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • 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 Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro Bowers & Wilkins PI7
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating IP54 IP54
weight 10g 50g
has no wires or cables
sweat resistance
is dust proof and water-resistant
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 40000Hz 20000Hz
POWER battery life 9hours 4.5hours
battery life of charging case 29hours 18hours
charge time 1hours 3hours
battery power 53mAh
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 ldac
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

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro IP54
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 IP54

IP ratings refer to the rank of protection offered by an enclosure, 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, while the second refers to protection against liquids (sweat).

Scoring IP54, the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro's rating is read as, the first value of 5 denotes 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 the second value 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 Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro, Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a rating of IP54 meaning that they both have the same rating against dust and that of liquids is that, they both have the same rating against liquids

Weight

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro 10g
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 50g

The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro have a weight of 10g . We take in account a lower weight best for the reason that lighter devices are easier to move with.

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7, at 50g are heavier than the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro by of 40g

Has No Wires Or Cables

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

True wireless devices have no wires linking any part of the device together, Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro are true wireless for this case since they have no wires. This is a key difference since wireless earbuds have wires linking the pair of earbuds together.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also is true wireless since it has no wires connecting the 2 earbuds .

Sweat Resistance

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro have sweat resistance

Is Dust Proof And Water-Resistant

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro are both dustproof and water-resistant.

Has Stereo Speakers

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro have stereo speakers, what this means is that Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro'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

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
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Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

ANC utilises more advanced kind of tech to actively cancel noise. How it works, it studies the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and after inverts the soundwaves to counter it. Simply put, it's like taking +1 (noise) and adding -1 (counter sound by the device) to make 0 resulting in a reduced level of noise.

The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro have Active Noise Cancellation allowing you to listen at lower volume levels, good for your ears as you don't have to crank up the earbuds volume to outcompete background sounds.

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have Active Noise Cancellation which makes both earbuds ideal for flights and morning travels. The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro and Bowers & Wilkins PI7 work with different noise cancellation modes, pick the setting that you prefer for commute or that suites your relaxation time.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro stay tightly in place, this creates an acoustic covering that reduces background noise while preventing the earbuds music from leaking out at the same.

Both Bowers & Wilkins PI7, and Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro have passive noise reduction this implies that both limit ambient noise instead of actively using technology to cancel it out.

Driver Unit Size

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro 11mm
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 9.2mm

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro have a unit size of 11mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful, therefor producing better bass. A driver unit is the component that produces sound in the device, the unit size determines the sound produced by the earbuds.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 driver unit is 9.2mm in diameter, which implies that they have a smaller driver unit than that of Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro by 1.8mm , many people have a misconception 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 indicate that they produce better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro 20Hz
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 10Hz

The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well an audio component generates low frequencies that can be heard, and if it makes any changes to the signal while at it.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7's lowest frequency is at 10Hz, this means that Bowers & Wilkins PI7 can produce a juicier bass than the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro

Highest Frequency

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro 40000Hz
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 20000Hz

The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro's highest frequency is at 40000Hz, high-frequency response measures if and how well an audio component generates high recognizable frequencies and if it changes to the signal on its way through.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7's highest frequency is at 20000Hz, this means that Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro can generate a clearer and crispier treble than the Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Power

Battery Life

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro 9hours
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 4.5hours

The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro's battery life is 9 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 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 Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro by 4.5 hours . Every time you recharge your device, they get a little less listening time. The effect is not noticeable at first, but over a few years, your wireless earbuds will no longer play for long like they used to.

Battery Life Of Charging Case

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro 29hours
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 18hours

This is given by the vendor, and the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro's case has a full charge of 29 hours. A charging case with more battery hours allows you to recharge your earbuds on the go multiple times before recharging the case itself.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7's charging case has a battery life of 18 hours, less than that of Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro by 11 hours

Charge Time

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro 1hours
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 3hours

It takes 1 hours to fully charge the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro'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 Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro by 2 hours

Battery Power

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro 53mAh
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro's battery capacity is 53mAh, battery power, represents the amount of electrical energy that a battery can store.

Has Wireless Charging

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Bowers & Wilkins PI7, the device supports wireless charging. To charge the earbuds, you just place down on a supported charging pad.

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro have a battery level indicator, an indicator alerts you when the earbuds has a low battery. Its lights show the charging state of your device and case.

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

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
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Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro use USB TYPE-C, an industry-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 laptops, phones, and tablets.

Bluetooth Version

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro v5.3
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 v5

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro have Bluetooth version of 5.3, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that enables 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 Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro 10meters
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 10meters

The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro have a 10meters distance to connect via Bluetooth.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro

Has Aac

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro support AAC, a codec that is used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Since 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 Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro will work fine with your iPhone. If you are planning 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 Ldac

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro support LDAC, a codec developed by Sony which allows streaming high-resolution audio over Bluetooth connections at up to 990 kbps at 32 bit/96 kHz. It can reach a high bitrate of 990kbps, providing high-resolution audio.

Has Aptx Adaptive

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The 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

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
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

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro 6only
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 6only

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro have 6 microphones.

While the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 microphones are 6, equal to that of the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro . More microphones record better sound quality and help the earbuds to filter out background sounds.

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro have a noise-canceling microphone, these microphones are designed to filter out noise from the earbuds' sound.

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

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
See price on Amazon

Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to channel ambient sound to still be heard even when wearing them

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

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro 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 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

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

If misplaced in a room, or can't be found in your bag, Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro support the find earbuds feature.

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have the find earbuds feature. Simply use the earbuds app on your phone to play a sound from your device to find them.

Supports Fast Charging

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro support fast charging. Usually, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to lower the time it takes to fully charge a device.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too support fast charging. It's very similar to regular charging, just that the battery fills up much faster. For example, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery is charged to 50% in thirty minutes.

Multipoint Count

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro 2only
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro have a 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 manually disconnect and reconnect.

Has A Mute Function

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro have a mute function, they support the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device.

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

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro, so you can 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

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro have voice prompts. Automatically receive information through audio messages, say if there is a problem with the connection.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also support voice prompts meaning the device notifies you if the battery is low, and it's time to recharge the earbuds.

Travel Bag Is Included

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro come with a special pouch. Carrying earbuds without a case, or putting them inside your bag without a casing 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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