Updated September 30, 2026 · GizmoCue Editorial Team
Bowers & Wilkins vs soundcore
Where Bowers & Wilkins and soundcore differ
| Compare |  Bowers & Wilkins |  soundcore |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $249 | $99.99Lower |
| Battery life | 30 hoursHigher | 28 hours |
| IP rating | IP54 | IPX7 |
| Markets | US, CA, AU, CN, JP, GB, BE, FR, DE, AT, NL | US, GB, DE, CA, FR, ES, IT, AU, VN, FI, NO, SE, IS, AE, DK |
| Warranty | 2 years | Not confirmed |
| Multi-room | Yes | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Noise cancelling (Yes).
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Key differences
- soundcore scores higher overall: 8.9 vs 8.7.
- Price from is lower at soundcore: $99.99 vs $249.
- Battery life is higher at Bowers & Wilkins: 30 hours vs 28 hours.
- Support channels: only soundcore offers Email.
- soundcore is available in 4 more countries.
- Products: only Bowers & Wilkins offers Soundbars, Hi fi.
- Bluetooth codecs: only Bowers & Wilkins offers Aptx, Aptx adaptive.
- Bluetooth codecs: only soundcore offers Ldac.
- Markets: only Bowers & Wilkins offers CN, JP, BE.
- Markets: only soundcore offers ES, IT, VN.
Our verdict on each
Bowers & Wilkins
Bowers & Wilkins sells across headphones, earbuds, speakers, portable speakers, soundbars and hi-fi, so it suits buyers building a full setup rather than a single product. Entry pricing sits at $249, and the warranty of 2 years lands near the top of the brands compared.
soundcore
soundcore suits commuters and everyday listeners who want noise cancelling earbuds, headphones and portable speakers from one brand, without the wider hi-fi range JBL carries. Battery life of 28 hours is the trade-off, and the 30 day return window keeps a first buy low risk.
Score breakdown
| Area | Bowers & Wilkins | soundcore |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.3Entry sits at $249 with a warranty of 2 years, and price from ranks 57 of 64. | 8.7HigherEntry price of $99.99 ranks 46 of 64 brands, putting soundcore mid-table on cost. |
| Offer | 9.2Noise cancelling and multiroom both land, and the range covers headphones, earbuds and speakers with support on help centre, phone and chat. | 9.2Product types cover headphones, earbuds and speakers, and the store's categories are audio and refurbished. |
| Trust | Not confirmed | 8.6Returns run 30 days with email, phone and chat, under Fantasia Trading LLC in HK. |
How the counts compare
| Fact | Bowers & Wilkins | soundcore |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $249 | $99.99 |
| Battery life | 30 hours | 28 hours |
Where these facts come from
Bowers & Wilkins
- bowerswilkins.com: 12 facts, checked September 30, 2026
soundcore
- soundcore.com: 11 facts, checked September 30, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Bowers & Wilkins | soundcore |
|---|---|---|
| Headphones and earbuds | 17 of 117 | 16 of 117 |
| Speakers and soundbars | 14 of 81 | 12 of 81 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Bowers & Wilkins | soundcore |
|---|---|---|
| Products | Headphones, Earbuds, Speakers, Portable speakers, Soundbars, Hi fiCovers more | Headphones, Earbuds, Speakers, Portable speakers |
| Bluetooth codecs | Aac, Aptx, Aptx adaptive | Aac, Ldac |
| Legal entity | B&W Group Ltd. | Fantasia Trading LLC |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Hong Kong |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2011 |
| Support channels | Help centre, Phone, Chat | Email, Phone, Chat, Help centreCovers more |
Electronics stores
| Fact | Bowers & Wilkins | soundcore |
|---|---|---|
| Departments | Not confirmed | Audio, Refurbished |
| Free delivery threshold | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Return window | Not confirmed | 30 days |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Bowers & Wilkins | soundcore | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | $249highest quarter | $99.99above the median | $65.97 |
| Battery life | 30 hoursbelow the median | 28 hoursbelow the median | 45.5 hours |
| Warranty | 2 yearsat the median | Not confirmed | 2 years |
Median across 64 listed brands.
Pros and cons
Bowers & Wilkins
Pros
- Product types run to headphones, earbuds and speakers, so a single maker covers travel and home listening.
- A warranty of 2 years compares with a site median of 1 years.
- Noise cancelling and multiroom are both supported, so commuting and whole-home playback share the same app.
Cons
- Entry price of $249 places the brand at 57 of 64 on price from, and the earbuds are the cheapest way in.
- Battery life of 30 hours falls short of the site median of 40 hours, ranking 36 of 61.
- Support runs on help centre, phone and chat, and email is not among them, so buyers who prefer writing need another route.
soundcore
Pros
- Noise cancelling is a yes on the earbuds soundcore puts at the front of the range, so the feature that does most work on a commute does not wait for a pricier model.
- An ingress rating of IPX7 on those earbuds covers rain, sweat and everyday commuting mishaps.
- A battery figure of 28 hours covers a working day of calls and music on a single charge.
Cons
- A battery figure of 28 hours ranks 42 of 61 brands, under the 48.5 typical of the headphones and earbuds list, so long journeys need a top-up.
- The catalogue stops at headphones, earbuds and speakers, where JBL's headphones, earbuds and speakers adds soundbars, hi-fi and turntables for home listening.
- Entry at $99.99 is mid-table at 46 of 64, so the cheapest route into noise cancelling audio sits with another brand.
Who each suits
Bowers & Wilkins
Who it suits
- Buyers who want earbuds, speakers, soundbars and hi-fi from a single maker rather than mixing brands.
- Households planning multiroom listening, since multiroom is supported alongside noise cancelling.
- Long-warranty shoppers: 2 years against a site median of 1 years.
Who should look elsewhere
- Headphone-only buyers: HyperX covers headphones and earbuds and CORSAIR covers headphones, and neither needs the wider shelf.
- Turntable shoppers: JBL lists headphones, earbuds and speakers, and turntables sit outside the range here.
- Long-trip listeners: 30 hours of battery trails the site median of 40 hours.
soundcore
Who it suits
- Commuters who want noise cancelling earbuds, headphones and portable speakers in one catalogue instead of the soundbar and turntable spread JBL carries.
- Shoppers who want a return window and phone support close by rather than a headset only shop such as CORSAIR, whose range is headphones.
- Buyers in the listed US, GB and DE markets who want water-resistant earbuds at IPX7 rather than the narrower headphones and earbuds line from HyperX.
Who should look elsewhere
- Home cinema and vinyl buyers: JBL's headphones, earbuds and speakers covers soundbars, hi-fi and turntables, none of which appear in soundcore's headphones, earbuds and speakers.
- Gaming headset shoppers: CORSAIR lists headphones, a narrower lane than soundcore's headphones, earbuds and speakers.
- Long-haul listeners who need more than 28 hours, since the headphones and earbuds list runs up to 70.
Country by country
| Country | Bowers & Wilkins | soundcore |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | Yes | No |
| Belgium | Yes | No |
| China | Yes | No |
| Denmark | No | Yes |
| Finland | No | Yes |
| Iceland | No | Yes |
| Italy | No | Yes |
| Japan | Yes | No |
8 of 20 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
Bowers & Wilkins
What does Bowers & Wilkins cost to get started?+
Earbuds start at $249, the lowest entry price across the range. On the ranking that puts the brand at 57 of 64 on price from, so the cheapest product sits well above the floor of the list. Headphones, speakers, soundbars and hi-fi all start higher.
How long is the warranty?+
Warranty runs 2 years, ahead of the site median of 1 years, and it ranks at 4 of 56 brands on warranty years. The same term applies across the range, so anything added to the setup later carries the same cover as what you already own.
soundcore
What does soundcore equipment cost?+
The entry price is $99.99, and it buys any of the products in headphones, earbuds and speakers. Payment is made once, in the store, so the outlay is straightforward to plan. On the price ranking soundcore sits at 46 of 64, which is mid-table: neither the cheapest ticket in the group nor the most expensive.
Is there a renewal charge after buying soundcore gear?+
soundcore sets a price per product rather than per period, so $99.99 is what a buyer pays at the checkout and no second amount follows later. The store also lists refurbished audio alongside new stock under audio and refurbished, which is the practical way to spend less than the entry price. A 30 day return window covers a change of mind.