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Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Bowers and Wilkins PI7 offers better soundstage and mic quality, which is great for an immersive audio experience and clear calls but comes with a premium price tag. In contrast, the Sennheiser 450BT, while being more affordable, boasts longer battery life and active noise cancelling for focused listening, making them suitable for travel and noisy environments. The over-ear design of the 450BT generally provides more comfort for extended periods, whereas the PI7's earbuds are more portable. If low latency is important for you, such as for gaming or watching TV, the PI7 offer this feature. Choose the PI7 for premium sound and mic quality with extra features, or the 450BT for cost savings and better noise isolation. 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 Bowers and Wilkins PI7
- The Bowers and Wilkins PI7 has no clear advantages over the Sennheiser 450BT.
Advantages of the Sennheiser 450BT
- Very good for TV and video
- Excellent for air travel
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
6.8
6.2
The Bowers and Wilkins PI7 and Sennheiser 450BT are both only fair for music, though the Bowers and Wilkins PI7 is somewhat better.
Gaming
8.1
8.8
The Sennheiser 450BT and Bowers and Wilkins PI7 are both very good for gaming, though the Sennheiser 450BT is somewhat better.
Phone Calls
5.1
6.9
The Sennheiser 450BT is only fair for phone calls, while the Bowers and Wilkins PI7 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
4.8
7.9
The Sennheiser 450BT is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Bowers and Wilkins PI7 is poor.
TV and Video
6.8
8.1
The Sennheiser 450BT is very good for TV and video, while the Bowers and Wilkins PI7 is only fair.
Noise Reduction
8.3
9.1
The Sennheiser 450BT is excellent for noise reduction, while the Bowers and Wilkins PI7 is very good.
Battery
3.0 Hours
27.5 Hours
The Bowers and Wilkins PI7 has 3 hours of battery life. The Sennheiser 450BT has 27.5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$399
$139
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Bowers and Wilkins PI7 has a price of $399 and the Sennheiser 450BT costs $139.
Build Quality
8.9
8.0
The Bowers and Wilkins PI7 and Sennheiser 450BT both have very good build quality, though the Bowers and Wilkins PI7 has somewhat better build quality.
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How the Bowers and Wilkins PI7 and the Sennheiser 450BT compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bowers and Wilkins PI7 | Sennheiser 450BT |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$399 | $139 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bowers and Wilkins | Sennheiser | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2021 | February 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.9/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.2/10 | 7/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.2/10 | 8.9/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 6.9/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 5.8/10 | 6.1/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 3 Hours | 27.5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 0.7 Hours | 2.3 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 20 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 8.4/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.9/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 7 Grams | 240.4 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Bowers and Wilkins PI7
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Chase Bernath | April 2022
"The primary selling point of the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 is the charging case that can transmit audio from any analog source to the earbuds. If you have a very specific and clear need for that feature, then the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 is for you."
Sennheiser 450BT
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Lily Katz | March 2022
"The Sennheiser HD 450BT is a very good pair of headphones for the price, noise canceling is good and sound quality is great—quite rare at this price point. Like any product, this headset isn’t without its faults."
Get a great deal on the Bowers and Wilkins PI7 or the Sennheiser 450BT
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.
About Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
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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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