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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize comfort and longer battery life for extended listening sessions, the Sony WH-CH520 headphones would be better, plus they offer a fuller sound and are better for gaming due to lower latency. However, the Soundcore P20i earbuds have advantages in portability, and they are more suited for use during exercise as they are sweatproof and lighter. The Soundcore also has a stem design, which some users prefer for calls, and it supports wireless charging. The Sonys tend to be better for home or quiet environments, while the Soundcore is more versatile for active use but may fall short in sound quality. 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 Sony WH-CH520
- Good for music
- Very good for gaming
- Very good for TV and video
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Soundcore P20i
- The Soundcore P20i has no clear advantages over the Sony WH-CH520.
Key differences
Music
7.6
6.4
The Sony WH-CH520 is good for music, while the Soundcore P20i is only fair.
Gaming
8.8
7.3
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for gaming, while the Soundcore P20i is good.
Phone Calls
6.7
5.0
The Sony WH-CH520 is only fair for phone calls, while the Soundcore P20i is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.0
4.7
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Soundcore P20i is poor.
TV and Video
8.2
7.0
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for TV and video, while the Soundcore P20i is good.
Noise Reduction
4.6
6.5
The Soundcore P20i is only fair for noise reduction, while the Sony WH-CH520 is poor.
Battery
52.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Sony WH-CH520 has 52 hours of battery life. The Soundcore P20i has 9 hours of battery life.
Cost
$40
$30
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
The Sony WH-CH520 has a price of $40 and the Soundcore P20i costs $30.
Build Quality
7.0
9.0
The Soundcore P20i has excellent build quality, while the Sony WH-CH520 has good build quality.
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How the Sony WH-CH520 and the Soundcore P20i compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Sony WH-CH520 | Soundcore P20i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$40 | $30 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Sony | Soundcore | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 6.8/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.2/10 | 7/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.4/10 | 6.3/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 52 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.9 Hours | 2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5.3 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 20 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 4.6/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 7/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 147.41 Grams | 4.5 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Sony WH-CH520
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Sound Guys
Christian Thomas | September 2023
"If you’re looking for headphones that simply do what you ask them to: the Sony WH-CH520 is a decent option, even if it isn’t very exciting. Sony’s WH-CHXXX line fits this role quite well, and the WH-CH520 offers a decent raft of quality-of-life updates over its predecessor that should keep listeners happy. If the Sony WH-CH520 were a car, it’d be the boring-but-safe commuter compact."
Soundcore P20i
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Critic Reviewer
Ranbir Sen | May 2023
"I would recommend the Soundcore P20i Earbuds to everyone who loves music and would like to own comfortable pair of earbuds with a great range of sound quality. I would recommend users who buy this device use the right comfortable ear tips as per your ear design."
Get a great deal on the Sony WH-CH520 or the Soundcore P20i
About Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
About Soundcore
Soundcore is a sub-brand belonging to Anker Innovations. Starting in 2014, initially marketing wireless, Bluetooth, speakers, Anker now offers an array of, budget-friendly, wireless earbuds and headphones that directly compete, especially in the Active Noise Canceling field, with other brands several times as expensive.
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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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