The Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 ANC Earbuds Are Over $100 Right Now

Premium noise-cancelling wireless headphones don’t come cheap, and the Bowers & Wilkins headphones (a brand owned by Samsung) are definitely at the top of this category. But in a market full of ANC headphones that do little more than meet the bare minimum, these justify their price by relying on thoughtful features, sound quality, and construction that goes beyond the basics. Right now, a brand new pair of Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 headphones are going for $279.99 (originally $399) on Woot, their lowest price ever.

Compared to the Pi7, the Pi8 features improved noise cancellation, higher quality 12mm drivers with Carbon Cone technology and an improved digital-to-analog converter as well as an updated digital signal processor. Its charging case also functions as a Bluetooth transceiver, making it perfectly functional with in-flight entertainment when you’re on the go. CNET, in a glowing review, dubbed them “easily among the best headphones on the market,” and they also have a more secure and comfortable fit than their predecessors, making them more ergonomic. The review says they don’t have a 3.5mm headphone port, but do include a USB-C to 3.5mm cable adapter.

The Pi8 headphones feature the latest Bluetooth 5.4 with support for aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless for premium wireless streaming, as well as an IP54 dust and sweat rating. The case provides approximately 6.5 hours per charge with ANC enabled, going up to 13.5 hours with the charging case and a 15-minute fast charge that gives you 2 hours of playback. While 6.5 hours is decent, it’s not best-in-class compared to competitors that hit the eight to 10 hour mark. And while it has three built-in mics for calls, users also note that background noise can sometimes leak out.

Ultimately, if premium sound quality, musical fidelity, and rare features like wired streaming are at the top of your priority list, the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 headphones are a comfortable, travel-friendly option with competitive ANC. However, if your main priorities are maximum noise cancellation and battery life, you may want to consider the (cheaper) Bose QuietComfort headphones instead.