What you can expect from the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 day to day
Battery life with noise cancelling6.5 h
Weight7 g
Our score9.0
Ratings4.3 18 reviews
Bowers & Wilkins Pi8
Not sold at any store we monitor today, so not in our ranking.
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Who it suits
Good for
- Sport and running: rated IP54 against sweat and rain
- Calls: 6 microphones for your voice
- Traffic and voices: a transparency mode lets sound in
- A phone and a laptop together: connects to two devices at once
From the facts the maker states, by the rules of our advisor.
Before you buy, compare it with 2 recommended alternatives
No store here sells this model today, so beside it the highest-scored model of the same type that one does, and the cheapest of the top 10.
Green is the best of these 3, also when they share the lead.
| This model Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 Best on 1 fact | Cheapest of the top 10 Soundcore P40i Best on 3 facts | Highest score here Soundcore Liberty 4 NC Best on 2 facts | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most important facts | |||
| The lowest price today at a store that ships to you, shipping included. A price with an asterisk comes from a store abroad, and its shipping cost is our own estimate. Lowest price | – | $79Soundcore (brand store) best | $99Soundcore (brand store) |
| Our own score out of 10: 60% the maker’s facts and 40% store ratings. Price does not count. Score | best | ||
| The average of the stars buyers give at the stores, with the number of reviews behind it. We only compare it from 20 reviews. Customer rating | – | – | ★ 4.3 · 217 reviews |
| How the headphones cancel outside noise with microphones. Hybrid uses microphones outside and inside the cup, adaptive also adjusts to the sound around you. When it matters
When it matters less
Source
| – | Adaptive | Adaptive |
| How long the headphones or the earbuds play on one charge with noise cancelling on, as the maker states it. In this comparisonWhen it matters
When it matters less
Source
| 6.5 h | 10 h best | 8 h |
| What the headphones or one earbud weigh. Lighter is more comfortable for hours at a time. In this comparisonWhen it matters
When it matters less
Source
| 7 g | – | 5.2 g best |
| The Bluetooth version. A newer one connects more steadily and uses less power, if the phone has it too. In this comparisonSource
| 5.4 best | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| How well they resist water and dust, as the IP code states. IPX4 survives sweat and rain, IPX7 a short dip in water. When it matters
When it matters less
Source
| IP54 | IPX5 best | IPX4 |
| How the sound is packed for Bluetooth. AAC suits iPhones, aptX and LDAC carry more detail from Android phones that support them. When it matters
When it matters less
Source
| SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless | – | LDAC |
| Connected to two devices at once, such as a phone and a laptop, and switching by itself to the one that plays. When it matters
When it matters less
Source
| yes | yes | yes |
Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 specifications
The numbers that matter first, then every fact by group. As published by the maker or the store we read it from.
Product on the market since August 2024
Build and fit 12 facts
- Form factor
How the headphones sit: over the ear, on the ear, in the ear canal, in the outer ear, beside the ear or on the cheekbone.
Source: bowerswilkins.com · checked on Nov 1
- In-ear
- True wireless
Two separate earbuds with no wire between them, charged in a case.
96 of the 184 models we track have this.
Source: bowerswilkins.com · checked on Nov 1
- yes
- Wireless
They play over Bluetooth, without a cable to the phone.
153 of the 184 models we track have this.
Source: bowerswilkins.com · checked on Nov 1
- yes
- Wired connection
The plug for a cable, so you can also listen wired, for instance on a plane or with a battery that has run out.
Source: derived, no source of its own · checked on Nov 1
- None
- Driver size
The diameter of the speaker inside. A bigger driver does not by itself mean better sound.
Among the models we track
12 mm on this model
Lowest
4.7 mm Highest
56 mm Middle
12 mmLower than 52 of the 107 models we track.
Source: bowerswilkins.com · checked on Nov 1
- 12 mm
- Ear tip sizes in the box
How many sizes of ear tips come in the box. More sizes make it likelier that one seals your ear, which decides both comfort and how much noise is kept out.
Among the models we track
4 on this model
Lowest
3 Highest
7 Middle
4Higher than 10 of the 26 models we track.
When it matters
- Ears that most tips do not fit, very small or very large.
- Noise cancelling, which only works well once the tip seals.
When it matters less
- Over-ear headphones, which have no tips.
Source: bowerswilkins.com · checked on Nov 1
- 4
- Weight
What the headphones or one earbud weigh. Lighter is more comfortable for hours at a time.
Among the models we track
7 g on this model
Lowest
3.1 g Highest
451 g Middle
8.6 gLower than 89 of the 168 models we track.
When it matters
- Wearing them for hours at a desk or on a flight.
- Running or the gym, where a heavy earbud works loose.
When it matters less
- Short listens, where comfort hardly has time to matter.
Source: bowerswilkins.com · checked on Nov 1
- 7 g
- Case weight
What the charging case weighs, without the earbuds.
Among the models we track
46 g on this model
Lowest
22 g Highest
134.5 g Middle
46 gLower than 38 of the 78 models we track.
Source: bowerswilkins.com · checked on Nov 1
- 46 g
- Water and dust resistance
How well they resist water and dust, as the IP code states. IPX4 survives sweat and rain, IPX7 a short dip in water.
When it matters
- Running and the gym, where sweat gets in.
- Cycling or walking in the rain.
When it matters less
- Listening indoors only.
Source: bowerswilkins.com · checked on Nov 1
- IP54
- Controls
How you play, pause and change the volume on the headphones themselves.
Source: Manual · checked on Nov 1
- Buttons
- Remappable controls
Whether the app lets you choose what each button, tap or swipe does. With some controls, only part of them can be changed.
When it matters
- Touch controls you keep setting off by accident.
- Using the controls for the voice assistant or noise cancelling instead of the volume.
When it matters less
- If you control everything from your phone, it hardly matters.
Source: tomsguide.com · checked on Nov 2
- Some controls
- Microphones
How many microphones the maker counts, for calls and noise cancelling together.
Among the models we track
6 on this model
Lowest
0 Highest
10 Middle
6Higher than 39 of the 90 models we track.
Source: bowerswilkins.com · checked on Nov 1
- 6
Sound 2 facts
- Equaliser in the app
You can adjust bass and treble in the maker’s app.
105 of the 106 models we track have this.
Source: bowerswilkins.com · checked on Nov 1
- yes
- Equaliser bands
How many frequency bands the app’s equaliser lets you adjust.
Among the models we track
5 on this model
Lowest
2 Highest
12 Middle
5Lower than 13 of the 32 models we track.
Source: bowerswilkins.com · checked on Nov 1
- 5
Noise cancelling 2 facts
- Noise cancelling control
How much say you have over noise cancelling: only on or off, a few set levels, a slider, or left to the headphones alone.
When it matters
- Outside, where you want to hear some traffic but not all of it.
- Feeling pressure in your ears with full noise cancelling.
When it matters less
- If you always leave it at full, it decides nothing.
Source: whathifi.com · checked on Nov 2
- On or off
- Transparency mode
Lets outside sound through on purpose, so you hear traffic or a colleague without taking them off.
109 of the 119 models we track have this.
Source: Manual · checked on Nov 1
- yes
Wireless 4 facts
- Bluetooth version
The Bluetooth version. A newer one connects more steadily and uses less power, if the phone has it too.
Among the models we track
5.4 on this model
Lowest
5 Highest
6.1 Middle
5.3Higher than 98 of the 141 models we track.
Source: bowerswilkins.com · checked on Nov 1
- 5.4
- Bluetooth codecs
How the sound is packed for Bluetooth. AAC suits iPhones, aptX and LDAC carry more detail from Android phones that support them.
When it matters
- Lossless or high-resolution music from an Android phone that supports aptX or LDAC.
- An iPhone, where AAC is the codec that counts.
When it matters less
- Podcasts, calls and streaming at normal quality.
Source: bowerswilkins.com · checked on Nov 1
- SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless
- Multipoint
Connected to two devices at once, such as a phone and a laptop, and switching by itself to the one that plays.
115 of the 117 models we track have this.
When it matters
- Switching between a laptop for calls and a phone for music.
- Working from home with two devices on the desk.
When it matters less
- Using them with one phone only.
Source: Manual · checked on Nov 1
- yes
- Devices connected at once
How many devices they stay connected to at once.
Among the models we track
2 on this model
Lowest
2 Highest
3 Middle
2Lower than 5 of the 64 models we track.
Source: Manual · checked on Nov 1
- 2
Battery 7 facts
- Battery life with noise cancelling
How long the headphones or the earbuds play on one charge with noise cancelling on, as the maker states it.
Among the models we track
6.5 h on this model
Lowest
4 h Highest
75 h Middle
8 hLower than 75 of the 108 models we track.
When it matters
- Long flights or a full working day.
- Traveling where you cannot charge.
When it matters less
- An hour of listening a day, which any model manages for a week.
Source: bowerswilkins.com · checked on Nov 1
- 6.5 h
- Battery life with the case
How long the earbuds play in total with the charges stored in their case.
Among the models we track
20 h on this model
Lowest
18 h Highest
60 h Middle
36 hLower than 82 of the 86 models we track.
Source: Manual · checked on Nov 1
- 20 h
- Fast charge time
How many minutes of charging give the playback below.
Among the models we track
15 min on this model
Lowest
3 min Highest
20 min Middle
10 minHigher than 104 of the 132 models we track.
Source: bowerswilkins.com · checked on Nov 1
- 15 min
- Playback from a fast charge
How many hours of playback a short fast charge gives.
Among the models we track
2 h on this model
Lowest
1 h Highest
15 h Middle
3 hLower than 74 of the 132 models we track.
Source: bowerswilkins.com · checked on Nov 1
- 2 h
- Full charge time
How long a full charge takes.
Among the models we track
180 min on this model
Lowest
40 min Highest
210 min Middle
120 minHigher than 75 of the 95 models we track.
Source: Manual · checked on Nov 1
- 180 min
- Wireless charging
The case or the headphones charge on a Qi pad, without a cable.
55 of the 64 models we track have this.
Source: bowerswilkins.com · checked on Nov 1
- yes
- Charging port
The plug the headphones or their case charge through.
Source: bowerswilkins.com · checked on Nov 1
- USB-C
Sources: bowerswilkins.com · Manual · tomsguide.com · whathifi.com
Our score
Confidence: medium. Fewer than 300 owners’ ratings at the stores. The highest score today is 9.9.
-
Owners’ ratings 40%–
Owners’ ratings, 40%: none yet at the stores that ship to the United States, so this part is left out and the score is the features part alone.
-
Features 60%9.0
64 of 71 points for the maker’s facts, the other 29 counted at the market’s average share of 91%.
- Price never countsA sale can’t lift a model. Today’s lowest price sits beside the score, checked every morning.
- Too few facts, no rankOnly headphones whose type and enough of whose facts are known are ranked. The rest get a provisional score.
- Reviewers beside, not insideReviewers’ picks are shown next to the score and do not count in it.
Frequently asked questions about the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8
What has the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 cost?
In our other editions it costs today: Netherlands € 419 at Coolblue.
How do buyers rate the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8?
Buyers rate the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 4.3 out of 5, from 18 reviews at Coolblue (NL). We read the ratings on November 13, 2026.
How long does the battery of the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 last?
The maker states up to 6.5 hours of play on a charge. With the charging case, that comes to 20 hours in all. A 15-minute charge gives 2 hours of play.
Can the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 connect to two devices at once?
Yes, it can stay connected to 2 devices at a time, such as a phone and a laptop.
Which Bluetooth codecs does the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 support?
It supports SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless. With a phone that also supports aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless, it can play in more detail than over AAC or SBC.
Is the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 water resistant?
It is rated IP54. That protects it against splashing water from any direction, such as rain and sweat.
The maker
Bowers & Wilkins
- Reviews on Trustpilot
- Headquarters: United Kingdom
- Founded in 1966
- Owned by HARMAN International, United States
Bowers & Wilkins is a British audio brand whose company, B&W Group Ltd, has its registered office in Worthing, West Sussex. The company was incorporated in June 1966 as B & W Loudspeakers Limited, according to Companies House, and it names John Bowers as its founder. It makes loudspeakers, wireless speakers and headphones, with a manufacturing site in Worthing and an engineering site in Southwater. Since September 2025 the brand has belonged to HARMAN, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, as part of the Sound United business. Its headphones include the Px8 S2 and Px7 S3 over-ear models and the Pi8 earbuds.
