Bowers & Wilkins Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 True Wireless Noise-Canceling Review

The Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 are true wireless earbuds for audiophiles who need aptX Lossless support. Sound quality is detailed and balanced, but overall performance scores are mid-pack. The microphone is notably weak for calls. With prices ranging from $345 to $499, they're a tough sell unless lossless wireless audio is your non-negotiable feature. For most people, better all-around options exist.

Let's talk about the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8. These are true wireless earbuds that try to bring the sound quality of a high-end over-ear headphone into a tiny case. They're built around 12mm Carbon Cone drivers, which is tech borrowed from their much pricier Px8 headphones. The idea is clear: this is for the listener who wants audiophile-grade detail on the go, and is willing to pay a premium for it.

Who are these for? Honestly, they're for the music purist who's been waiting for wireless earbuds to finally get the sound right. If your main priority is call quality or having the absolute strongest noise cancellation, you might want to look elsewhere. But if you've got a library of high-res audio files and a phone that supports aptX Lossless, the Pi8 is waving at you from across the room.

What makes them interesting is that ambition. They're not trying to be the jack-of-all-trades. They're leaning hard into sound quality first, with features like aptX Lossless 24-bit/96kHz audio and a high-performance DSP with a 5-band EQ. It's a focused play in a market full of generalists.

Our database puts the Pi8's sound quality in the 40th percentile. Now, that number might seem low, but context is everything. In the high-end earbud category, the competition is fierce, and a score like this often means very good, but not class-leading, audio. The aptX Lossless support is the real headline here. If your source device supports it, you're getting a true wireless, CD-quality (or better) signal. That's a big deal for a specific group of users. In real-world listening, expect detailed, balanced sound with a slight emphasis on clarity over booming bass.

The other scores tell a more nuanced story. Active noise cancellation sits in the 39th percentile, which is decent but not groundbreaking. It'll handle a commute or a coffee shop, but don't expect it to completely erase the roar of an airplane engine. The microphone quality, at the 36th percentile, is the clear weak spot. Our data shows it's a step behind the best for voice calls, which aligns with the low 'calls' score of 7.8 out of 100. These are tuned for music playback, not conference calls.

This is where the Pi8 gets tricky. The price swings wildly from $345 to $499 depending on the vendor. That's a $154 spread, so shopping around is mandatory. At the low end of that range, you're paying a lot for a specialized audio tool. At the high end, you're entering 'are you serious?' territory.

The value proposition hinges entirely on how much you care about aptX Lossless audio. If that's a must-have feature, your options are limited, and the Pi8 becomes a contender. For everyone else, the math is hard to justify. You're getting mid-pack ANC, below-average call quality, and good-but-not-great sound scores for a price that buys you the absolute best in other categories.

Stacked against the competition, the Pi8's focus becomes even clearer. The Sony WF-1000XM5 is the all-around champion. It will almost certainly beat the Pi8 on noise cancellation, call quality, and often on price. What it won't have is aptX Lossless support. The Sony is for the person who wants the best overall experience.

The Technics EAH-AZ100 is another audiophile-focused competitor. It likely goes toe-to-toe with the Pi8 on sound quality and may have better connectivity. The Nothing Ear (a) and Google Pixel Buds Pro represent the value side of the equation. They offer very competent performance at a much lower price point, sacrificing that last bit of audio purity for smart features and wider appeal. The Pi8 sits in a narrow lane between the Technics and the Sony, offering Bowers & Wilkins' specific sound signature as its main draw.

Skip the Pi8 if you take a lot of voice or video calls. The microphone performance is simply not up to par for a premium product, and you'll be doing a disservice to everyone on the line. Also, give these a pass if your main goal is the absolute strongest active noise cancellation for flights or loud commutes. There are better, and often cheaper, tools for that job.

If you're on a budget or just want a great all-around pair of wireless earbuds, the Pi8's laser focus on a specific type of audio quality comes at too high a cost. You should look at the Sony WF-1000XM5 for top-tier ANC and sound, the Google Pixel Buds Pro for great integration with Android, or the Nothing Ear (a) for impressive performance at a much more accessible price point.

Buy the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 if you are a dedicated music listener with a high-res audio library and a compatible phone, and your absolute top priority is wireless sound quality over all other features. Treat the excellent battery life and decent comfort as nice bonuses, and accept the mediocre call quality and ANC as the trade-off for that audio focus.

For everyone else, it's a harder sell. If you take a lot of calls, skip these. If you need top-tier noise cancellation for flights, look at Sony or Bose. If you want the best balance of features and value, the competition from Technics, Google, and Nothing offers a more compelling package for most people. The Pi8 is a specialist's tool, not a daily driver for the masses.