I tested Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2 and PX7 S3: Which headphones are best?

When it comes to the best headphones, my personal favourite of 2025 is the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3 – which I've been using for many months.

But then came along a conundrum: Bowers & Wilkins' PX8 S2, the company's higher-end model, has just arrived. As per my review, it's also a 5-star product, but it's also a lot pricier.

I've put both headphones through their paces, though, testing the PX8 S2 for many hours in-flight for noise-cancelling assessment, having also done 10-hour testing in the air with the PX7 S3 prior.

Now that I've side-by-side tested both of these over-ears, I can confidently say which is best for whom – and why. So what is it: Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2 or PX7 S3?

Price difference

There's no avoiding it, though, sometimes price point is going to be the primary driver of a purchase decision. And it's here where the PX7 S3, the step-down model from the PX8 S2, are the more affordable option.

The PX7 S3 will cost you £399 / $479 / AU$699, while the PX8 S2 is priced at £629 / $799 / AU$TBC. So the price jump is clear – which comes down to various design, materials and sound enhancements in the PX8 model.

Design differences

At first glance you might not see a huge difference between the two headphones, but look closer and their differences are more apparent.

The PX7 S3's earcups I find more comfortable to position – and, for me, they're better at delivering audio consistently. The PX8, meanwhile, are similar in their earcup positions – but I find they move around a little more, so positioning is more critical.

It's the materials where the PX8 S2 steps up, though, with Nappa leather coating the memory foam earcups and headband, aluminium arms for rigidity, and exposed wire detailing.

The PX7 S3 doesn't look plasticky by comparison, but its finish isn't quite as high-end. I don't think you can tell that from afar as much as you can from up close – and when wearing either pair the comfort and quality feels second to none.

If you don't want proper leather, however, then the PX8 won't be for you – whereas the PX7 doesn't use such material.

Sound differences

I'll start this by saying that both these headphones sound immense. Technically, however, it's the PX8 S2 that offer a higher grade of sound.

Why? It's down to the types of drivers used. They're 40mm in both pairs, but while the PX7 S3 uses biocellulose for this structure, the PX8 S2 uses carbon. The latter is stiffer, snappier – and that delivers a tighter response.

However, I find the PX7's fit, seal and general increased loudness – it's noticeable when switching between pairs – to be my personal preference. That said, the PX8 has a wider soundstage; it has a slighly broader, more 'airy' feel of three-dimensionality somehow.

Both headphones offer USB-C wired listening with compatibility for high-resolution files up to 24-bit/92kHz, so if you've got the facilities then there's no ramp up in compatibility between one or other pair.

Between the two, I'd stick with the PX8 S2 for at-home listening, but use my PX7 S3 for on-the-go listening, when out and about, as for me the fit is the preferred of the two. Note: I'm a glasses wearer, so this may differ for others.

Noise-cancelling differences

Far as I understand, there's no difference in the active noise-cancelling (ANC) deployment in both these headphones. Both utilise Qualcomm's QCC3084 audio chipset, both feature 8 microphones – 6 of which are used in the ANC process.

That said, the position, seal, volume, and so forth, will all have an impact on the quality of ANC that you acquire. I've been flipping between both headphones for 15-second listening sessions and, for me, I find the PX7 S3 actually deliver a slightly stronger performance.

Also of note: this ANC isn't the very strongest that you'll find in the market, if you're seeking total world-blocking, vacuum-like delivery akin to the Sony WH-1000XM6 or Bose QC Ultra Headphones.

But for effectively removing high frequencies – the hiss of a plane, background TV noise, and so on – the Bowers & Wilkins headphones are adept. There's also a certain musicality delivered in this type of ANC – it's not so strong that it completely alters a track's intent or feel.

So which wins – PX8 S2 or PX7 S3?

Well, this is a tricky one. I'm fortunate, as I possess both these headphones and, therefore, I'll be using the PX8 S2 for at-home listening and the PX7 S3 for on-the-go experiences.

I just find the PX7's fit and seal works better for me, giving greater active noise-cancelling results (despite these systems not being technically any different).

That fit sees the PX7 S3 give default louder, more direct-to-the-ears sound; while the PX8 S2 have a broader sensibility to their sound-field and a tauter delivery that's technically better for those laid-back listening sessions.

Whether you're willing to fork out the significant leap in cash to obtain the nicer-looking and leather-finished PX8 S2 is, of course, a matter of personal preference. They are the more luxury looking and feeling option of the two – but won't be what everyone wants.

So while my pick just suits me better, both these headphones are out-and-out 5-star products, with some notable differences and better applied use-cases for each.