Updated September 30, 2026 · GizmoCue Editorial Team
Bowers & Wilkins vs ULTIMEA
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Bowers & Wilkins | ULTIMEA ReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $249 | $65.97Lower |
| Noise cancelling | YesHas it | No |
| Battery life | 30 hoursHigher | 16 hours |
| Warranty | 2 years | 1 to 2 years |
| IP rating | IP54 | IPX4 |
| Markets | US, CA, AU, CN, JP, GB, BE, FR, DE, AT, NL | US, CA, MX, BR, DE, GB, FR, IT, ES, SE, NL, IE, PL, RO, AT, AU, AE, SA, MY, TH, IN, PH, JP |
| Multi-room | Yes | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- Price from is lower at ULTIMEA: $65.97 vs $249.
- Noise cancelling: only Bowers & Wilkins.
- Battery life is higher at Bowers & Wilkins: 30 hours vs 16 hours.
- Support channels: only Bowers & Wilkins offers Phone, Chat.
- Support channels: only ULTIMEA offers Email, Community.
- Products: only Bowers & Wilkins offers Headphones, Earbuds, Hi fi.
- Markets: only Bowers & Wilkins offers CN, BE.
- Markets: only ULTIMEA offers MX, BR, IT.
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.
ULTIMEA
ULTIMEA is the low cost way into soundbars, speakers and portable speakers, and it suits buyers who want a cheap entry point and a returns window of 15 to 50 days to test a box at home. Soundbars start at $65.97, and battery life is the part of the package to read closely.
Score breakdown
| Area | Bowers & Wilkins | ULTIMEA |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.3Entry sits at $249 with a warranty of 2 years, and price from ranks 57 of 64. | 9.2HigherSoundbars start at $65.97 and the brand ranks 35 of 64 on price from. |
| Offer | 9.2HigherNoise cancelling and multiroom both land, and the range covers headphones, earbuds and speakers with support on help centre, phone and chat. | 8.5The range covers soundbars, speakers and portable speakers, with returns of 15 to 50 days and free delivery from $25. |
| Trust | Not confirmed | 8.4Warranty runs 1 to 2 years with an extended warranty sold, and support runs on email, help centre and community only. |
A third option
AGM Mobile has price from at $59.29, against $249 for Bowers & Wilkins and $65.97 for ULTIMEA.
AGM Mobile reviewHow they place
| Ranking | Bowers & Wilkins | ULTIMEA |
|---|---|---|
| Speakers and soundbars | 14 of 81 | 4 of 81 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Bowers & Wilkins | ULTIMEA |
|---|---|---|
| Products | Headphones, Earbuds, Speakers, Portable speakers, Soundbars, Hi fiCovers more | Soundbars, Speakers, Portable speakers |
| Bluetooth codecs | Aac, Aptx, Aptx adaptive | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | B&W Group Ltd. | Not confirmed |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Not confirmed |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2015 |
| Support channels | Help centre, Phone, Chat | Email, Help centre, Community |
Electronics stores
| Fact | Bowers & Wilkins | ULTIMEA |
|---|---|---|
| Departments | Not confirmed | Audio, Tv, Refurbished |
| Free delivery threshold | Not confirmed | $25 |
| Return window | Not confirmed | 15 to 50 days |
| Extended warranty | Not confirmed | Yes |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Bowers & Wilkins | ULTIMEA | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | $249highest quarter | $65.97at the median | $65.97 |
| Battery life | 30 hoursbelow the median | 16 hourslowest quarter | 45.5 hours |
| Warranty | 2 yearsat the median | 1 to 2 yearsat the median | 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.
ULTIMEA
Pros
- Soundbars start at $65.97, and the brand ranks 35 of 64 on entry price.
- The catalogue covers soundbars, speakers and portable speakers, so a soundbar and a portable speaker come from the same seller under the same 1 to 2 years cover.
- Returns run 15 to 50 days, so a soundbar can be tried at home before you keep it.
Cons
- Noise cancelling is not part of the range, so a ULTIMEA soundbar plays rather than quiets a room.
- Support runs on email, help centre and community only, so a fault on a portable speaker has to be reported in writing.
- Battery life of 16 hours on the party speaker ranks 54 of 61, the weaker part of the package.
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.
ULTIMEA
Who it suits
- New buyers who want soundbars, speakers and portable speakers from one seller, with a returns window of 15 to 50 days to try a set at home.
- Shoppers on a budget who would rather order now and listen than compare battery figures, since soundbars start at $65.97.
- Anyone keeping a speaker for a long time who wants the option of an extended warranty on top of 1 to 2 years.
Who should look elsewhere
- Headphone and earbud buyers, because Skullcandy lists headphones, earbuds and speakers and ULTIMEA's range is soundbars, speakers and portable speakers.
- Turntable and hi-fi shoppers, because JBL lists headphones, earbuds and speakers and Edifier lists headphones, earbuds and speakers while ULTIMEA stays with soundbars, speakers and portable speakers.
- Noise cancelling buyers, because the range does not offer it and JBL spans headphones, earbuds and speakers instead.
Current offers
ULTIMEA
Current offer
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Source, checked September 30, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Bowers & Wilkins | ULTIMEA |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Yes | No |
| Austria | Yes | No |
| Belgium | Yes | No |
| Canada | Yes | No |
| China | Yes | No |
| France | Yes | No |
| Germany | Yes | No |
| Japan | Yes | No |
8 of 11 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.
ULTIMEA
How much does a ULTIMEA soundbar cost?+
Soundbars start at $65.97, and the brand places 35 of 64 on entry price in this group. That is the figure you meet first in the soundbars range, before any extended warranty or added accessory.
Can I return a ULTIMEA speaker if I do not like it?+
Returns run 15 to 50 days, so the window depends on the product and the reason. Soundbars, speakers and portable speakers all sit in soundbars, speakers and portable speakers, and each purchase is handled under the same published return and refund terms.