The P20i and Life P3i, both made by Soundcore, are budget stemmed TWS earbuds that are mostly similar. The P20i is a newer product, but the Life P3i is still quite popular and has some extra features that the P20i does not have.
Soundcore P20i vs Life P3i Side by Side at a Glance
Soundcore P20i vs Life P3i Specs and Features Comparison
| Spec | P20i | Life P3i |
|---|---|---|
| release date | May 2023 | Nov 2021 |
| price-tier ⓘbudget: around $30 or less value: around $30-$60 performance: around $60-$100 premium: around $100-$200 elite: more than $200 |
budget | value |
| housing style | stemmed ovoid | stemmed ovoid |
| design/driver style | 10mm single dynamic | 10mm single dynamic |
| earbuds battery life | 10h | 9h |
| total + case battery life | 40h | 36h |
| weatherproofing | IPX5 | IPX5 |
| onboard controls | touch based | pressable buttons |
| warranty | 18 months | 18 months |
| active noise cancellation | no | yes |
| transparency mode | no | yes |
| Bluetooth version | 5.3 | 5.2 |
| EQ app compatibility | yes (pre-sets only) | yes |
The only significant differences between the two design wise is that the P20i is touch based and the Life P3i has buttons, and the Life P3i has more EQ customizability in the Soundcore App.
Does the Soundcore P20i or Life p3i Have Better Noise Attenuation?
The Life P3i definitely has better overall noise attenuation than the P20i does. The natural isolation of the Life P3i is relatively decent for a stemmed ovoid earbud, and with it also having ANC on top of that its overall noise attenuation for the price is excellent. The Life P20i, on the other hand, has noise attenuation that is OK but not particularly great.
Winner: Soundcore Life P3i
Does the Soundcore P20i or Life P3i Have a Better Case?
The cases are very similar, but I’d say the Life P3i case is slightly better – it’s a little more sturdy with a less flimsy lid hinge, and it also has the ridge to make popping it open with your thumb easier.
Winner: Soundcore Life P3i
Does the Soundcore P20i or Life P3i Have Better Usability?
The button based controls of the Life P3i are reliable – as buttons generally tend to be – and have a good feel. On the other hand, the touch controls of the P20i are somewhat less reliable and finnicky – you really have to find the right spot on the back to execute a command correctly. Both these earbuds (and recent Soundcore earbuds in general) have a somewhat silly default control schematic, but, you can change and customize the controls for both of these in the Soundcore app. All in all I’d say the Life P3i has somewhat better usability than the P20i does.
Winner: Soundcore Life P3i
Does the Soundcore P20i or Life P3i Have Better Fit and Comfort?
I was able to achieve a secure and comfortable fit with no seal breaking issues with both the P20i and Life P3i. The P20i sits a little lighter and shallower while the Life P3i is a little deeper and firmer, and while I tend to prefer the latter style, a lot of people alternatively prefer a lighter and more casual feeling fit, so I’d say it comes down to personal preference here.
Winner: draw
A note before the next section: this page describes how I evaluate the sound quality of headphones and earbuds.Does the Soundcore P20i or Life P3i Sound Better?
One of the significant differences between the P20i and Life P3i is that you can create a customized EQ curve with the Life P3i in the Soundcore App, while with the P20i you can only choose one of the pre-sets. Why can you do custom EQ with some Soundcore earbuds but not others? I really don’t know, but it is what it is. And while the app does have many pre-sets to choose from, you’re rarely going to be able to get better EQ with a pre-set than you can with being able to customize it yourself.
The Life P3i has somewhat better overall sound than the P20i does out of the box, mainly because the tone and accuracy is a little better, but with subsequent EQ adjusting the Life P3i pulls away even more – the clarity, detail, and separation is noticeably better while the P20i sounds a little fuzzy, narrow, and removed in comparison.
Winner: Soundcore Life P3i
Which Should You Choose Between the Soundcore P20i or Life P3i?
Overall I’d say the the Life P3i is a superior product with better potential sound and more features, and this isn’t surprising since it’s in a slightly higher price-tier than the P20i is. But, as I said in my full review, you really want to download and use the Soundcore app to customize the controls and EQ of the Life P3i because the out of the box settings aren’t particularly great.
If you’d rather spend less money and fuss on a pair of earbuds that you can just choose an EQ pre-set for, or you prefer a lighter and more casual fit, or you don’t need ANC/transparency and want a little extra battery life, the P20i might actually be the preferable choice. Soundcore is a solid company that makes good products that, in my experience, are of overall decent quality.
Get the P20i wireless earbuds on Amazon (affiliate link)
Get the Life P3i earbuds on Amazon (affiliate link)
Relevant Articles
• Full Soundcore P20i review
• Full Soundcore Life P3i review
• Is Soundcore a good audio brand?
• Our current picks for the overall best budget true wireless earbuds
