Head to head
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e vs AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e leads 2 to 1 on the 3 rankable specs, but AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) costs $150 less. Most of the 14 attributes tracked here are descriptive rather than numeric.
Catalog as of September 1, 2026
Why, in numbers
Swap
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Compare a different headphone
AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation$179Anker Soundcore Space One Pro$199Bose 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 Pro 2 (USB-C) takes 1.
- Battery life: 30 hours vs 6 hours listening time on single charge
- Warranty: 2 years vs 1 year manufacturer warranty
- AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) is $150 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 Pro 2 (USB-C) · No (pocket-sized charging case)
- Clear:Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e · aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, aptX, AAC, SBCTrips:AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) · AAC, SBC, Lossless Audio via Apple Visi…
- Trips:Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e · 307 g (10.8 oz)Clear:AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) · 10.6 g
- Clear:Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e · 30 hoursTrips:AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) · 6 hours listening time on single charge
- Trips:Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e · No official IP ratingClear:AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) · 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
10.6 g (0.38 oz) earbuds total (5.3 g each) / 50.8 g charging case
Active Noise Cancelling≠
Bowers & Wilkins
Yes (Hybrid Noise Cancellation with 6 microphones)
Apple
Yes (Pro-level Active Noise Cancellation with up to 2x more noise reduction)
Battery life
Bowers & Wilkins
30 hours (ANC on)
Apple
6 hours listening time on single charge (ANC on) / up to 30 hours with MagSafe Charging Case
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 | In-ear true wireless earbuds with silicone ear tips |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 307 g (10.8 oz) | 10.6 g (0.38 oz) earbuds total (5.3 g each) / 50.8 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 | MagSafe Charging Case (USB-C) with built-in U1 chip, Find My speaker, and lanyard loop |
| 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 (Pro-level Active Noise Cancellation with up to 2x more noise reduction) |
| Transparency mode | Yes (Ambient Pass-Through) | Yes (Adaptive Audio, Transparency Mode, and Conversation Awareness) |
| Supported codecs | aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, aptX, AAC, SBC | AAC, SBC, Lossless Audio via Apple Vision Pro (24-bit/48kHz low latency) |
| 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) | 6 hours listening time on single charge (ANC on) / up to 30 hours with MagSafe Charging Case |
| Charging time | 2 hours (15 min quick charge gives 7 hours) | 5 minutes in case provides around 1 hour listening time; MagSafe, Apple Watch, Qi, or USB-C 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 Pro 2 (USB-C)
Flagship wireless in-ear earbuds with Apple H2 chip, Pro-level Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, and clinical-grade Hearing Aid capability.
- Pro-level Active Noise Cancellation and transparent Adaptive Audio
- Clinical-grade Hearing Aid and Hearing Test features (FDA-authorized)
- MagSafe USB-C case with Precision Finding speaker and lanyard loop
What you give up
- Touch volume swipes on the stem can require a steady hand
- Advanced features (Hearing Health, Spatial Audio) require Apple device ecosystem
Best for each use
Flights & commutes
Tied on flights & commutes. AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) 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 Pro 2 (USB-C) ↗
Common questions
Which is cheaper, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e or the AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)?
AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) costs $150 less at list price.
What is the biggest catch with the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e or AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)?
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 Pro 2 (USB-C)?
Tied on flights & commutes. AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) is cheaper. The 2 rankable flights & commutes specs split 1 to 1. Saves $150 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.