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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the Beats Solo 3 and Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 depends on what features are most important to you. If price is a major concern and you want a set of over-ear headphones with decent overall sound quality, long battery life, and the flexibility of a wired connection, the Beats Solo 3 may suit you. However, if you're looking for earbuds with superior sound quality, better comfort, noise isolation, and modern features like wireless charging and active noise cancelling, the Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 are the better choice, though they come at a higher price. Keep in mind that the Pi7 S2 also offers advanced codecs for high-quality audio streaming, which the Beats lack. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Beats Solo 3
- The Beats Solo 3 has no clear advantages over the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2.
Advantages of the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2
- Good for music
Key differences
Music
6.3
7.5
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 is good for music, while the Beats Solo 3 is only fair.
Phone Calls
4.7
5.2
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 and Beats Solo 3 are both poor for phone calls, though the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 is somewhat better.
Noise Reduction
5.3
8.3
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 is very good for noise reduction, while the Beats Solo 3 is poor.
Battery
41.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Beats Solo 3 has 41.5 hours of battery life. The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 has 5 hours of battery life.
Build Quality
8.0
8.9
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 and Beats Solo 3 both have very good build quality, though the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 has somewhat better build quality.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.3
5.3
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 and Beats Solo 3 are both poor for gaming.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.8
5.6
The Beats Solo 3 and Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 are both poor for podcasts and audiobooks.
TV and Video
5.6
6.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 to be only fair for TV and video, while the Beats Solo 3 is poor.
Cost
$117
$127
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Beats Solo 3 has a price of $117 and the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 costs $127.
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How the Beats Solo 3 and the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Beats Solo 3 | Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$117 | $127 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Beats | Bowers and Wilkins | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2016 | January 1, 2023 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.3/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 4.7/10 | 5.2/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.3/10 | 5.4/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.6/10 | 6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 5.9/10 | 6.3/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 41.5 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 0.75 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 4.2 | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 13 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 5.3/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 5.4/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 5.7/10 | 8/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 213.1 Grams | 7 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Beats Solo 3
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Lily Katz | May 2023
"The Beats Solo3 Wireless is an old set of headphones but still works reliably well with iPhones, due to W1 chip integration and AAC support. The Beats Solo3 Wireless holds up well today with just a few features showing its age."
Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2
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Engadget
Billy Steele | March 2023
"While the overall sound quality is great, these earbuds fall short in terms of battery life, customization and ANC performance. Bowers & Wilkins’ ability to consistently deliver pristine sound isn’t enough to make up for what the Pi7 S2 lacks, which is unfortunately quite a bit."
Get a great deal on the Beats Solo 3 or the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2
About Beats
Beats is an American, consumer-focused, audio products manufacturer. Founded originally by American rapper and producer Dr Dre, the company is now a subsidiary of Apple. Beats sells a wide range of audio products, including several models of headphones, earbuds and speakers as well as full car audio systems.
About Bowers and Wilkins
Bowers and Wilkins is a British audio equipment manufacturer with a focus on innovation and product development. It was founded by a couple of real-life James Bonds, the co-founders John Bowers and Roy Wilkins, who met while working for MI6 during World War II. The company keeps being favored by enthusiasts due to their sound quality, craftsmanship and signature aesthetics.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Earbuds and Headphones Expert
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