At just $10 more, the Soundcore Q20i offers better value than the Q20
Soundcore’s Q20 and Q20i are two of the company’s most affordable over-ear wireless headphones, offering quality performance at under $70. But if you’re on the fence about which one to buy, and want to see how they compare – we’ll be covering everything that separates them and help you to identify which is the better purchase for you.
Key Takeaways:
- The Q20 and Q20i are nearly identical.
- The Q20i’s app support allows for EQ adjustments that the Q20 doesn’t have.
- Transparency mode is only available on the Q20i.
- Both headphones have outstanding battery performance.
Our Winner
Soundcore Q20 vs Q20i Specs
| Model: | Q20 | Q20i |
| Release Date: | Mar 2019 | Apr 2023 |
| Noise Control: | Hybrid ANC | Hybrid ANC |
| Bluetooth Version: | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Battery Life: | Up to 40 hours | Up to 40 hours |
| Frequency Response: | 20Hz – 20kHz | 20Hz – 20kHz |
| Driver Size: | 40mm | 40mm |
| EQ: | No | Yes |
| Charging Port: | Micro-USB | USB-C |
| App Support: | No | Yes |
| Weight: | 9.3 oz | 9.1 oz |
| Price: | Check Price | Check Price |
Design, Comfort, & Durability
Summary: The Soundcore Q20 and Q20i have little to no differences in their overall design and build, with both headphones featuring durable plastic and reliable construction. The padding isn’t the most plush, but both offer broad comfort for varying head shapes and sizes.
Soundcore Q20
Soundcore Q20i
Durability
Winner: Tied
Both headphones provide the same level of durability, made from similar materials with little difference in their overall design. They are mostly made from plastic, but the plastic is durable, meaning you can put them in your backpack without much risk of damaging them. The headband is made from plastic, but features a metal plate that gives reinforcement. The hinges don’t exactly feel premium, but also don’t feel particularly prone to damage either.
Waterproofing
Winner: Tied
Neither the Q20 or Q20i are waterproof, and they don’t come with a sweat protection rating either. However, a lot of people use them for gym and it’s rare to encounter any instances of damage from doing so. However, excess sweat can cause the earcups to move around a bit during rigorous exercise.
Comfort
Winner: Tied
Both models have a similar fit to them, with light to moderately padded earcups which aren’t particularly plush. However, because they have a gentle, but well-balanced clamping force to them, the limited padding doesn’t add discomfort.
In terms of head compatibility and sizing, the Soundcore Q20 and Q20i are both somewhat small and those with large heads may find the clamping force is increased slightly.
The headband is also the same on both models, resting somewhat gently on the top of the head, but still effectively reducing movement during mild to moderate workouts.
Portability
Winner: Tied
If you’re someone who frequently travels with their headphones, portability is important. The portability is the same with both the Q20 and Q20i, as they both feature the same folding mechanism that allows them to fold up and be stored in a carry bag or backpack. However, compared to other models that allow the earcups to both fold inward, these headphones don’t get quite as compact when folded up.
They are both lightweight, but the Q20i has a slight reduction in weight over the Q20 (9.1 vs 9.3oz respectively).
Controls, Connectivity & App Support
Summary: While there isn’t much difference in controls and connectivity, the Q20i has the advantage of mobile app support and both the preset and custom EQ features that come with it, while the Q20 doesn’t.
Soundcore Q20
Soundcore Q20i
Wired Connections
Winner: Tied
The Q20 and Q20i both support a wired connection, using a standard 1/8″ cable, which is provided by the manufacturer. There’s no difference in how these headphones operate in wired mode, but there are details you should know about how battery usage works in wired and wireless modes. I discuss this more below, under the topic of battery life.
Bluetooth
Winner: Tied
Both headphones support Bluetooth 5.0, which is a little surprising given the Q20i was released 4 years later. Still, 5.0 is a reliable version that provides a stable wireless connection. With a range of up to 10 meters, it’s possible to walk around and listen to music with your phone on the opposite side of the room, but connection quality may drop if you have walls in the way.
Controls
Winner: Tied
Controls are mostly the same on both headphone models, and are intuitive. They’re located on each earcup, with one side hosting the playback controls while the other has buttons for additional features and functionality, like ANC. One difference between them is that the Q20i has an additional ANC setting (transparency) that isn’t offered by the Q20.
Left Earcup Controls
- Power
- ANC On/Off/Transparent
Right Earcup Controls
- Multifunction Button (BassUp, Call Assistant, etc)
- Volume Up (Doubles as track skip forward)
- Volume Down (Doubles as track skip backward)
App Support
Winner: Soundcore Q20i
One of the most significant differences between the Soundcore Q20 and Q20i is that the Q20i is supported by the Soundcore app on both Apple and Android devices. Through the app, one has more control over how the headphones sound, adding a lot of value and enabling both preset and custom EQ abilities.
Noise Canceling & Microphone Quality
Summary: Both headphones have very good noise cancelation and built-in microphones, but the Soundcore Q20i has the benefit of a transparency mode that ensures additional safety for runners.
Noise Canceling
Winner: Soundcore Q20i
The Q20i is the winner when it comes to noise cancelation, owed primarily to its inclusion of transparency mode, which isn’t found on the Q20. Transparency mode works in the opposite way to ANC, instead allowing ambient noise to be easily heard when wearing the headphones. This feature is excellent for those wanting to remain aware of their surroundings or hear what someone is saying with the headphones on.
Using the noise canceling mode, there isn’t much difference between the Q20 and Q20i, both offer effective noise cancellation that reduces environmental noise. It does an excellent job at reducing low frequencies, but higher pitched hums are not as effectively blocked out. Still, the performance is very good and allows the user to focus more on the music being played.
Microphone Quality
Winner: Tied
Both headphones have built-in microphones, along with noise reduction to improve the clarity of your phone calls and recordings. There’s no clear winner here as both headphones perform well, blocking out most nearby noise, producing a satisfyingly clear mic.
Audio Performance
Summary: Both headphones have similar sound, but the Q20i sounds a bit better overall, especially because of the custom EQ. They both have an inherently bass-heavy sound with bright highs and impressive clarity, but when the BassUp feature is implemented, some users may find that the bass becomes a bit too muddy.
Frequency Response / Sound Signature
Winner: Tied
Directly comparing the sound quality between these two headphones, there isn’t much difference in how they sound out of the box.
Both headphones feature what’s commonly referred to as a V-shape sound signature, meaning it has strong bass along with emphasized highs. This type of sound is vibrant and lively, and unlike a balanced sound which aims to give the listener an experience as close to the production as possible, these are designed primarily to sound fun.
The lows are powerful and thumping, which makes electronic music sound especially good. Although they’re already quite bass-heavy out of the box, the BassUp feature really cranks up the bass even further – for the most dedicated of bassheads. I found that with the BassUp feature enabled, they could get a little muddy without some EQ to iron things out in the deep lows.
What separates the Q20 from the Q20i in terms of audio performance is its EQ support. This means you can adjust how it sounds and find the setting that works best for you. After all, a lot of what is considered objective in audio performance, is a matter of preference.
Soundstage
Winner: Tied
Since both the Q20 and Q20i are closed-back, they are limited in their soundstage performance, where open-back headphones perform better. The sound is rather intimate and narrow, rather than broad and encompassing. For most customers, this isn’t a concern – but if you’re particularly looking for a pair of headphones with immersive soundstage, they may disappoint. Still, their performance is on par with most closed-back alternatives.
Volume
Winner: Soundcore Q20i
Volume limits aren’t a problem with the Q20 or Q20i, with both headphones able to reach high volume levels. This is in part because they are easy to drive, with low-impedance. No matter what device you’re using them with, you won’t have to deal with soft sound.
The Q20i is the better choice here though, as using the custom EQ will allow you to increase the volume level even more than with the Q20.
Battery & Charging
Winner: Soundcore Q20i
There aren’t any differences in how much playtime you’re going to get. Both headphones are rated by Soundcore to last up to 60 hours with ANC disabled, and 40 hours with ANC on. In reality, they last around 30 hours with ANC active, and a bit less if BassUp is also being used.
Still, this is an outstanding amount of battery life from a single charge, meaning you may only need to charge them once every week or two.
Charging is done via USB cable, but the Q20i has the benefit of USB-C, instead of the micro-USB port found on the Q20. However, this change is more relevant to ease of use than performance, as both the Q20 and Q20i are extremely fast-charging and can fully charge in between 2 and 2.5 hours.
An important discussion around battery life that’s often omitted, is the fact that using the wired connection port can still drain your battery. Basically, there’s two ways to use these headphones when plugged in. The first is in the off mode, where you won’t have access to the EQ or certain features like BassUp. When using them in this mode you won’t drain battery, but if you turn them on and wish to use BassUp or EQ, this will impact the battery performance.
Price & Value
Despite the Soundcore Q20i being a much newer release, there is only a $10 difference in the retail price between the two models. The Q20 retails for $59.95 while the Q20i retails for $69.95. It’s not uncommon to see both models marked down to below $40 though, which is an outstanding price for the quality.
I can’t think of any reason to recommend the Q20 over the Q20i, but if you have the Q20 and you’re considering upgrading – I’d suggest going for the Q30 instead, which retails for just $79.95. The Q30 will give you superior noise canceling, and slightly better sound.
Conclusion
Although both the Soundcore Q20 and Q20i have a lot to offer, with little separating them – the Q20i’s inclusion of mobile app support, custom EQ and transparency mode makes it the better choice, especially at just a $10 difference. It’s performance across all areas exceeds its price point and offers a safe buy for most consumers.
Our Winner
