Always bringing a feel of sophistication and style to the headphone space is Bowers & Wilkins. There is an expectation of quality and detail put into their products and continues with the Px7 S3. This is the latest iteration in the Px7 lineup and B&W seems to always craft something new over its predecessor. But how good are they?
Style
Upon release the Px7 S3 comes in three colors of Canvas White, Anthracite Black, and Indigo Blue. Each one stands out on its own, but the Indigo Blue caught my eye heavily. Mostly because depending on how you match it up it can look blue or even other cases closer to purple. The first thing you will notice is the ballistic nylon on the outer portion of the earcups as well as on top of the headband. It feels nice to touch and provides a nice grip on each portion. Earcups are still plushy soft and feel nice around the ear, but Bowers & Wilkins has managed to slim down the whole headset including the earcups. Making it feeling lighter in the process. It is also supposed to make noise cancelling better too.
Button placement has switched up a bit from the Px7 S2 which I have been trying to get adjusted to. Previously the buttons were just above the metallic trim on the earcups but have now been moved up further to where the hinges are. On the left side there is the Power Button which doubles as Bluetooth and above that is the Environmental Button. At the bottom is the USB-C port for charging. Move over to the right side and you are getting your various controls for Play/Pause and Volume Up/Down.
Included with the Bowers & Wilkin Px7 S3 is a solid zippered carrying case with the same nylon material on the headphones. Inside that is a magnetic compartment that opens for your USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to 3.5mm cables.
Unboxing of the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 on Instagram , Tiktok , YouTube
Features
B&W has been good with supplying their headphones with aptX support and now have added aptX Lossless. This is thanks in part to a new discrete headphone amp. So now you get AAC, SBC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive alongside that Lossless codec. There is Auracast compatibility available, and LE Audio will be rolled out eventually on the Px7 S3 in a future update. Bluetooth is utilizing 5.3. Mics have upped from six to eight with four in each earcup.
In the B&W app there is access to Environmental Controls to change ANC, Ambient or just turn off. Advanced EQ is adjustable if you want to make your own presets or leave it on True Sound. It does have multiple pairings as I have it usually connected to my iPhone 16 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and Google Pixel 9 Pro (supports more codecs). Wear Sensors has improved on these at least better than prior iterations anyway. I have always found it to be too sensitive no matter what level I had it on.
These headphones have 30 hours of battery life and can get 7 hours on a 15-minute charge.
Sound
On the Px7 S3 you are getting redesigned 40mm biocellulose drivers that have their chassis, voice coil, suspension, and magnet all improved. They are still angled in to give you the best sound possible. As mentioned earlier, with that headphone amplifier it brings more detail than ever to your ears.
Listening to the classic Sade “Kiss of Life” you can hear the various instruments played while leader Sade Adu vocals fill your ears with wonderful soulful bliss. Martin Garrix / Zedd “Follow” doesn’t lose a beat as this EDM track thumps continuously. Billy Joel “NY State of Mind” is a blast from the mid-seventies, and you get every detail of his voice as it flows over that piano playing. Even at high levels I dont come across any distortion with these headphones
If you want to maximize the highest sound quality you must use a music app such as Tidal, Qobuz, or Apple Music. Apple Music supports up to Hi-Res Lossless which is 24-bit/192 kHz. I have been using the Px7 S3 wired with the Pixel 9 Pro to get some crisp detailed audio quality. It’s not for everyone but a nice option to have.
Experience
I have been using the Px7 S3 over the past couple of months now and like usual with B&W headphones have lived up to their name. Soon as I take them out, they catch people’s eyes from the design and the distinct coloring for headphones. Battery has been good if I remember to turn them off. They don’t seem to go to sleep and always look like they are on and connected to my phone(s). With slimmer earcups ANC has been better than previous models. I been able to block a good amount of noise out on my noisy daily train commutes. I don’t feel they might be the best, but they are up there. With them being light and the cups being as plushy as they are, the Px7 S3 is comfortable. They could feel a bit tighter than other headphones but that also is thanks to their superb build quality.
Verdict
The Px7 line hits another homerun with the S3. Its slightly updated design is a nice refresher and has made them lighter and more comfortable. Not the biggest fan of the button layout change. Audio is top notch and will give you such detail in tracks you are listening to. They can be considered one of the best headphones in their price category.
