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Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 Review | 93 Data compared

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  • Avg. price in UK: ~£130
  • Avg. price in US: ~$150
  • Form factor: on-ear
  • Connectivity: wired
  • Battery life: N/A hours
  • Active noise cancellation (ANC): no

Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 review. Compare 93 technical specifications and user reviews to see how it ranks among headphones and if it is worth buying.

4.7

Overall score

What it is: An overall evaluation of the headphones' quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.

When it matters: When you need a quick reference to identify the best headphones on the market.

Score components:

80.0%

4.7

Technical Score

20.0%

?

User score

Poor
4.7

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of the headphones' technical performance, covering key areas such as sound quality, noise cancelling, microphone performance, battery life, comfort, connectivity, features, and build quality.

When it matters: When you want to compare headphones based on technical performance and available features.

Score components:

52.0%

5.0

Sound

20.0%

4.1

Features

10.0%

8.4

Design

8.0%

2.9

Connectivity

6.0%

1.0

Battery

4.0%

4.5

Calls & Controls

Poor
?

User score

What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the headphones.

When it matters: When you want to understand how headphones perform in real listening and how reliable they are in terms of comfort, audio quality, battery life, and long-term use.

Score components:

70.0%

?

User reviews

30.0%

?

Popularity

  • 2.1
    Gaming

    Score components:

    35.0%

    0.0

    Audio latency

    25.0%

    0.0

    Low-latency game mode

    20.0%

    10

    Can be used as a headset

    12.0%

    1.0

    Noise-canceling microphone

    8.0%

    0.0

    Battery life

  • 1.6
    Travel

    Score components:

    28.0%

    1.0

    Active noise cancellation (ANC)

    24.0%

    0.0

    Battery life

    18.0%

    7.3

    Weight

    16.0%

    0.0

    Multipoint support

    14.0%

    0.0

    Ambient sound mode

  • 2.7
    Calls

    Score components:

    28.0%

    1.0

    Noise-canceling microphone

    24.0%

    10

    Can be used as a headset

    18.0%

    0.0

    Multipoint support

    16.0%

    0.0

    Battery life

    14.0%

    0.0

    Companion app

  • 4.3
    Workout

    Score components:

    28.0%

    7.3

    Weight

    24.0%

    1.0

    Water resistance

    20.0%

    4.0

    IP rating

    16.0%

    0.0

    Battery life

    12.0%

    10

    Can be used as a headset

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Best prices in UK

    N/A~ £130

Best rankings

?

Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).
All: ranking among all products in the database.

Verdict

The Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 is a lightweight on-ear headphone weighing just 130g, featuring custom 30mm dynamic drivers with Mylar-damped laminate diaphragms and a frequency response of 10Hz to 20kHz. It is characterized by its premium sheepskin leather finish, high-quality aluminum construction, and a convenient folding mechanism that collapses for travel. Main pros include a refined audio profile with improved treble detail and rich bass compared to the original model, an impedance of 34 ohms for easy driving by mobile devices, and a detachable cable system with an inline remote for iOS. However, notable cons include potential discomfort during long sessions due to a high clamping force, particularly for users with glasses, and poor ambient noise isolation typical of its on-ear design.

Technical Specifications of Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of the headphones' technical performance, covering key areas such as sound quality, noise cancelling, microphone performance, battery life, comfort, connectivity, features, and build quality.

When it matters: When you want to compare headphones based on technical performance and available features.

Score components:

52.0%

?

Sound

20.0%

?

Features

10.0%

?

Design

8.0%

?

Connectivity

6.0%

?

Battery

4.0%

?

Calls & Controls

4.7
Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 has a technical score of 4.73 points, which is lower than that of 59% of products in this category.
User score

What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the headphones.

When it matters: When you want to understand how headphones perform in real listening and how reliable they are in terms of comfort, audio quality, battery life, and long-term use.

Score components:

70.0%

0.0

User reviews

30.0%

1.0

Popularity

?
Popularity
What it is: An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the headphones.
When it matters: When you prefer headphones that have already been chosen and reviewed by many other users.
1.0
Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 has a popularity of 1 points, which is lower than 72.7% of products in this category.
Ratio quality/price

What it is: An indicator that combines the headphones' overall rating with their cost.

When it matters: When you are looking for headphones that offer a strong balance of performance, features, and price.

Score components:

60.0%

4.7

Overall score

40.0%

9.8

Price

6.3
Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 has a quality-to-price ratio of 6.3 points, which is lower than 70.8% of products in this category.
Active noise cancellation (ANC)
What it is: Reduces background noise using active technology
When it matters: When blocking office, travel, or aircraft noise is a priority.

Importance: HIGH

no
Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 does not support active noise cancellation. 27.4% of headphones support active noise cancellation.
Driver type
What it is: Type of speaker driver technology used
When it matters: When the underlying sound character and driver technology matter to you.

Importance: MEDIUM

dynamic
Driver size
What it is: Diameter of the speaker driver unit
When it matters: When you want extra hardware context behind how the headphones may handle bass weight, scale, or overall presentation.

Importance: MEDIUM

30 mm
Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 uses a driver size of 30 mm, smaller driver size than 77.7% of headphones and equal to 4.1% of headphones.
Number of drivers
What it is: Total number of speaker drivers per earcup
When it matters: When multi-driver designs are part of your buying criteria.

Importance: LOW

1
Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 uses 1 drivers, equal to 96% of headphones.
Lowest frequency
What it is: Lowest audio frequency the headphones can reproduce
When it matters: When deeper bass extension matters for your music or movie listening.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: <=10 Hz

10 Hz
Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 reaches a lowest frequency of 10 Hz, lower lowest frequency than 67.3% of headphones and equal to 12.5% of headphones.
Show more
Noise-canceling microphone
What it is: Built-in microphone reduces background noise during calls
When it matters: When you take calls in busy spaces and want your voice to stay clearer.

Importance: MEDIUM

no
Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 does not support a noise-canceling microphone. 45.6% of headphones support noise-canceling microphones.
Can be used as a headset
What it is: Shows whether the headphones can handle voice chat and calls in addition to normal audio playback.
When it matters: When one pair needs to cover music, calls, meetings, and gaming chat.

Importance: MEDIUM

yes
Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 is headset-ready, 84.7% is not. 15.3% of headphones can be used as headsets.
Number of microphones
What it is: Total number of built-in microphones
When it matters: When call pickup quality and beamforming support matter to you.

Importance: LOW

Good value: >=2

1
Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 has 1 microphones, more microphones than 25.9% of headphones and equal to 52.2% of headphones.
Boom microphone
What it is: Includes detachable boom microphone for voice clarity
When it matters: When you need stronger voice clarity for gaming, streaming, or work calls.

Importance: LOW

no
Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 does not include a boom microphone. 15.6% of headphones have a boom microphone.
Microphone SNR
What it is: Signal-to-noise ratio of the microphone
When it matters: When call clarity matters and you want your voice picked up more cleanly instead of buried in background hiss.

Importance: LOW

Good value: >80 dB

?
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Connectivity
What it is: Available connection methods (wired, wireless, Bluetooth, etc.)
When it matters: When the headphones need to match how you listen across wired and wireless devices.

Importance: HIGH

wired
Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 supports wired connectivity, equal to 52.6% of headphones.
Bluetooth version
What it is: Version of Bluetooth technology supported
When it matters: When wireless stability, efficiency, and feature support matter more than treating Bluetooth as a box-check spec.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: >=5.0

N/A
Maximum Bluetooth range
What it is: Maximum wireless operating distance from source device
When it matters: When you move around rooms and want fewer dropouts from your source device.

Importance: LOW

Good value: >=10 m

N/A
Audio latency
What it is: Delay between audio and video in wireless mode
When it matters: When you watch video or play games and need sound to stay in sync.

Importance: HIGH

Good value: <60 ms

N/A
Multipoint support
What it is: Supports simultaneous connections to multiple devices
When it matters: When you switch often between a phone and a laptop during the day.

Importance: MEDIUM

N/A
Show more
Ambient sound mode
What it is: Allows external sounds to pass through for awareness
When it matters: When you need to stay aware of traffic, voices, or announcements.

Importance: MEDIUM

N/A
EQ support
What it is: Allows customization of sound profile via equalizer
When it matters: When the stock tuning is not enough and you want to shape bass, mids, or treble to match your taste.

Importance: MEDIUM

no
Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 does not support EQ customization. 23.3% of headphones support EQ.
Companion app
What it is: Dedicated mobile app for customization and updates
When it matters: When software customization, updates, and extra controls matter.

Importance: MEDIUM

N/A
Adjustable ANC levels
What it is: Allows adjustment of noise cancellation intensity levels
When it matters: When you move between quiet rooms, offices, streets, and public transport and do not want one ANC setting for every situation.

Importance: LOW

Good value: >=4

N/A
Voice assistant support
What it is: Compatible with voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant
When it matters: When hands-free control is part of your daily routine.

Importance: LOW

yes
Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 supports voice assistants. 39.2% of headphones support voice assistants.
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Battery life
What it is: Playback time on a single charge
When it matters: When you commute, travel, or work long shifts and do not want charging breaks to interrupt listening.

Importance: HIGH

Good value: >45 hours

N/A
Battery life with ANC
What it is: Playback time with active noise cancellation enabled
When it matters: When you plan to keep noise cancellation on for most of the day.

Importance: HIGH

Good value: >40 hours

N/A
Charging time
What it is: Time required for a full battery charge
When it matters: When you often need the headphones ready again after short breaks.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: <=2 hours

N/A
Quick charge
What it is: Provides quick playback time with short charging period
When it matters: When a short top-up needs to deliver useful playback before you leave.

Importance: MEDIUM

N/A
Battery capacity
What it is: Total energy storage of the internal battery
When it matters: When you are estimating how much battery headroom the design may have before relying only on the official runtime claim.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: >=720 mAh

N/A
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Brand name
What it is: The manufacturer or brand of the product.
When it matters: When you prefer a specific ecosystem, support network, or design philosophy.

Importance: MEDIUM

Bowers & Wilkins
Form factor
What it is: Overall design type of the headphones (over-ear, on-ear, in-ear, etc.)
When it matters: When comfort, portability, and isolation depend on the overall headphone style.

Importance: HIGH

on-ear
Weight
What it is: Total weight of the headphones
When it matters: When long listening sessions make wearing comfort more important.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: <150 g

130 g
Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 weighs 130 g, lighter than 74.1% of headphones and equal to 0.7% of headphones.
Acoustic design
What it is: Type of acoustic design (open-back, closed-back, semi-open)
When it matters: When you need the right balance of isolation, leakage, and soundstage.

Importance: HIGH

closed-back
Clamp force
What it is: Amount of clamping pressure applied to the head
When it matters: When comfort and fit security matter during long sessions.

Importance: MEDIUM

?
Show more

Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 vs the average headphone

  • 9 dB/mW higher sensitivity
    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 has a higher sensitivity than the average headphone (111 dB/mW vs 102 dB/mW). The average headphones have sensitivity of 102 dB/mW.
    What it is: Sound pressure output level per unit of input power
    When it matters: When you plan to use weaker sources like phones, handhelds, or entry-level dongles and still want enough volume.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    Good value: >=106 dB/mW

    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 has a higher sensitivity than the average headphone (111 dB/mW vs 102 dB/mW). The average headphones have sensitivity of 102 dB/mW.111 dB/mW vs 102 dB/mW
  • 40.4% lower weight
    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 is lighter than the average headphone (130 g vs 218 g). The average pair of headphones weighs 218 g.
    What it is: Total weight of the headphones
    When it matters: When long listening sessions make wearing comfort more important.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    Good value: <150 g

    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 is lighter than the average headphone (130 g vs 218 g). The average pair of headphones weighs 218 g.130 g vs 218 g
  • 8 Hz lower bass extension
    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 has a lower lowest frequency than the average headphone (10 Hz vs 18 Hz). The average headphones reach a lowest frequency of 18 Hz.
    What it is: Lowest audio frequency the headphones can reproduce
    When it matters: When deeper bass extension matters for your music or movie listening.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    Good value: <=10 Hz

    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 has a lower lowest frequency than the average headphone (10 Hz vs 18 Hz). The average headphones reach a lowest frequency of 18 Hz.10 Hz vs 18 Hz
  • In-line controls
    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 includes in-line controls, the average headphone does not. 36.4% of headphones support in-line controls.
    What it is: Controls available on in-line remote of wired cable
    When it matters: When your wired setup depends on cable-mounted buttons or call controls.

    Importance: LOW

    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 includes in-line controls, the average headphone does not. 36.4% of headphones support in-line controls.
  • Foldable design
    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 has a foldable design, the average headphone does not. 61% of headphones are foldable.
    What it is: Earcups or headband can fold for compact storage
    When it matters: When you travel often and want easier storage in a bag.

    Importance: LOW

    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 has a foldable design, the average headphone does not. 61% of headphones are foldable.
  • 40.4% lower weight
    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 is lighter than the average headphone (130 g vs 218 g). The average pair of headphones weighs 218 g.
  • Foldable design
    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 has a foldable design, the average headphone does not. 61% of headphones are foldable.
  • 9 dB/mW higher sensitivity
    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 has a higher sensitivity than the average headphone (111 dB/mW vs 102 dB/mW). The average headphones have sensitivity of 102 dB/mW.
  • 8 Hz lower bass extension
    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 has a lower lowest frequency than the average headphone (10 Hz vs 18 Hz). The average headphones reach a lowest frequency of 18 Hz.
  • In-line controls
    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 includes in-line controls, the average headphone does not. 36.4% of headphones support in-line controls.

Total
Design
Sound
Calls & Controls
  • 10 mm smaller driver size
    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 has smaller driver size than the average headphone (30 mm vs 40 mm). The average headphones use a driver size of 40 mm.
  • 0.2 % higher distortion
    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 has a higher total harmonic distortion than the average headphone (0.5 % vs 0.3 %). The average headphones have total harmonic distortion of 0.3 %.
  • 10 mm smaller driver size
    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 has smaller driver size than the average headphone (30 mm vs 40 mm). The average headphones use a driver size of 40 mm.
    What it is: Diameter of the speaker driver unit
    When it matters: When you want extra hardware context behind how the headphones may handle bass weight, scale, or overall presentation.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 has smaller driver size than the average headphone (30 mm vs 40 mm). The average headphones use a driver size of 40 mm.30 mm vs 40 mm
  • 4.65x less popular
    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 is less popular than the average headphone (1.00 vs 4.646).
    What it is: An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the headphones.
    When it matters: When you prefer headphones that have already been chosen and reviewed by many other users.
    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 is less popular than the average headphone (1.00 vs 4.646).1 vs 4.65
  • 0.2 % higher distortion
    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 has a higher total harmonic distortion than the average headphone (0.5 % vs 0.3 %). The average headphones have total harmonic distortion of 0.3 %.
    What it is: Percentage of harmonic distortion in audio output
    When it matters: When cleaner sound reproduction matters at louder volumes.

    Importance: LOW

    Good value: <=1%

    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 has a higher total harmonic distortion than the average headphone (0.5 % vs 0.3 %). The average headphones have total harmonic distortion of 0.3 %.0.5 % vs 0.3 %
  • 7.6% worse value for money
    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 has worse value for money than the average headphone (6.26 vs 6.736).
    What it is: An indicator that combines the headphones' overall rating with their cost.
    When it matters: When you are looking for headphones that offer a strong balance of performance, features, and price.
    Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 has worse value for money than the average headphone (6.26 vs 6.736).6.26 vs 6.74
Total
Overall
Sound

Graphic comparison of Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2 and

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Third-party reviews

What customers like about Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2?

  • Premium design with luxurious sheepskin leather upgrades
  • Extremely lightweight, compact, and foldable for easy transport
  • Warm, smooth, and easygoing sound signature
  • Rich, punchy bass and well-defined high-frequency presence
  • Comes with a sturdy, high-quality hard shell carrying case
  • Detachable and easily swappable cables via magnetic earpads
  • Lower introductory price point compared to the first-generation model

What customers dislike about Bowers & Wilkins P3 Series 2?

  • On-ear design can cause uncomfortable pressure during long listening sessions
  • Lacks the balance and soundstage openness of the original version
  • Earpads must be completely removed to detach or swap the cable
  • Limited audio control functionality when used with Android devices
  • Passive noise isolation is modest and ineffective against heavy ambient drone
  • Adjusting mechanism lacks predefined click-steps and slips easily when folded
  • The thin, bundled cables are prone to retaining packaging kinks

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