Head to head
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e vs AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e leads 2 to 1 on the 3 rankable specs, but AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation costs $220 less. Most of the 14 attributes tracked here are descriptive rather than numeric.
Catalog as of September 1, 2026
Why, in numbers
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Compare a different headphone
Anker Soundcore Space One Pro$199AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)$249Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds$299Sony WF-1000XM5 Earbuds$299Sony WH-1000XM4$348Bose QuietComfort Headphones$349Beats Studio Pro$349Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless$379Sony WH-1000XM5$399Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones$429Sonos Ace$449Apple AirPods Max (USB-C)$549Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless$699Buying for
Your devices
Straight answer
Overall: 2 to 1
Buy the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e.
- Leads 2 of 3 rankable overall specs; AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation takes 1.
- Battery life: 30 hours vs 4 hours listening time on single charge with…
- Warranty: 2 years vs 1 year manufacturer warranty
- AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation is $220 cheaper. Pay the difference only if battery life matters to you.
Deal-breakers
tick what would make you walk away
- Trips:Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e · No (swivel earcups)Trips:AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation · No (pocket-sized charging case)
- Clear:Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e · aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, aptX, AAC, SBCTrips:AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation · AAC, SBC
- Trips:Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e · 307 g (10.8 oz)Clear:AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation · 8.6 g (0.30 oz) earbuds total (4.3 g ea…
- Clear:Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e · 30 hoursTrips:AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation · 4 hours listening time on single charge…
- Trips:Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e · No official IP ratingClear:AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation · IP54 dust, sweat, and water resistant
At a glance
The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.
Weight
Bowers & Wilkins
307 g (10.8 oz)
Apple
8.6 g (0.30 oz) earbuds total (4.3 g each) / 34.7 g charging case
Active Noise Cancelling≠
Bowers & Wilkins
Yes (Hybrid Noise Cancellation with 6 microphones)
Apple
Yes (Active Noise Cancellation with Adaptive Audio and Transparency Mode)
Battery life
Bowers & Wilkins
30 hours (ANC on)
Apple
4 hours listening time on single charge with ANC on (5 hours ANC off) / up to 20 hours with charging case (ANC on)
The 90-Day Owner Regret Check
Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.
Bowers & Wilkins: What to watch for
- Maintenance
Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.
Apple: What to watch for
- Maintenance
Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.
Design
leads 1-0| Type | Over-ear, closed-back | Open-ear true wireless earbuds |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 307 g (10.8 oz) | 8.6 g (0.30 oz) earbuds total (4.3 g each) / 34.7 g charging case (wins this row: lower) |
| Foldable | No (swivel earcups) | No (pocket-sized charging case) |
| Carrying case | Slim fabric hard-shell travel case included | Wireless charging case with built-in Find My speaker and USB-C port |
| IP rating | No official IP rating | IP54 dust, sweat, and water resistant (earbuds and case) |
Audio
5 differences| Driver | 40 mm dynamic full-range bio-cellulose drivers (angled) | Custom high-excursion Apple driver with custom high dynamic range amplifier |
|---|---|---|
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes (Hybrid Noise Cancellation with 6 microphones) | Yes (Active Noise Cancellation with Adaptive Audio and Transparency Mode) |
| Transparency mode | Yes (Ambient Pass-Through) | Yes (Transparency Mode & Conversation Awareness) |
| Supported codecs | aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, aptX, AAC, SBC | AAC, SBC |
| Microphones | 4 mics for ANC + 2 mics for telephony | Dual beamforming microphones + inward-facing microphone with Voice Isolation |
Connectivity & Battery
leads 1-0| Multipoint Bluetooth | Yes (Bluetooth 5.2 multipoint) | Yes (automatic seamless device switching across Apple devices) |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 30 hours (ANC on) (wins this row: higher) | 4 hours listening time on single charge with ANC on (5 hours ANC off) / up to 20 hours with charging case (ANC on) |
| Charging time | 2 hours (15 min quick charge gives 7 hours) | 5 minutes in the case provides around 1 hour of listening time; USB-C, Apple Watch charger, or Qi wireless charging |
Ownership
leads 1-0| Warranty | 2 years (wins this row: higher) | 1 year manufacturer warranty |
|---|
Which one should you buy
Pick this one if
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e
Evolved wireless headphones with 24-bit DSP engine, custom 40mm bio-cellulose drivers, and luxe metal detailing.
- Exquisite musical detail, separation, and stereo imaging
- High-end construction with memory foam earcups and metal arms
- Direct 24-bit streaming support from Bowers & Wilkins Music App
What you give up
- ANC is good but not on par with class leaders Bose/Sony
- Microphone wind reduction in outdoor calls is average
Pick this one if
AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
Open-ear wireless earbuds with H2 headphone chip, Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Audio, and wireless charging case with speaker.
- Active Noise Cancellation and Adaptive Audio in an open-ear, tip-less fit
- Apple H2 chip with Personalized Spatial Audio and head tracking
- Smallest wireless charging case with built-in Find My speaker and USB-C
What you give up
- Open-ear ANC is naturally less isolating than in-ear silicone tip earbuds like AirPods Pro
- Battery life drops to 4 hours per charge with ANC enabled (20 hours total with case)
Best for each use
Flights & commutes
Tied on flights & commutes. AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation is cheaper.
Calls & work
Too close to call on calls & work from the spec sheets. Only battery life is rankable here.
Sound quality
Too close to call on sound quality from the spec sheets. Only weight is rankable here.
Done deciding?
Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.
Manufacturer pages: Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e ↗ · AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation ↗
Common questions
Which is cheaper, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e or the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation?
AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation costs $220 less at list price.
What is the biggest catch with the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e or AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation?
Both has this deal-breaker: does not fold. Takes a bigger slot in a carry-on.
Which is better for flights & commutes, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e or the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation?
Tied on flights & commutes. AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation is cheaper. The 2 rankable flights & commutes specs split 1 to 1. Saves $220 at list price.
What cannot be compared from spec sheets?
Of the 14 specs tracked here, 11 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.