Anker Soundcore Life Q30 vs. Q20 vs. Q20i – Which of the three models is best?

Just when you think the market for wireless headphones couldn’t be broader, you’re surprised again. That’s what I remember thinking when we discovered Soundcore headphones, Anker’s audio technology brand. Furthermore, the surprise was even greater when we saw the price of their models, even those that have active noise cancellation. For this reason, we have prepared a comparison between three of the most popular wireless headphones of this brand: Anker Soundcore Life Q30, Q20 and Q20i, which is the plus version. 

One of the differences that has caught our attention the most between them is that, while the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 and Q20i have both noise cancellation and transparency mode, the Q20 does not have the latter. None of them have spatial audio, but they do have the ability to adjust the equalizer. In the case of the Anker Soundcore Q20, this can only be done using the buttons located on the headphones, since it is the only one of the three that does not sync with the app. 

Another difference is the compatibility with NFC wireless technology, something that is only possible on the Anker Soundcore Life Q30. On the other hand, although the variation is not much, it is acceptable to recognize that not everyone has the same Bluetooth range. And, when it comes to microphones, you will be interested to know that the Soundcore Life Q30 has two microphones, while its two rivals have a single microphone.

Beyond the differences, it is worth highlighting the similarities between the three wireless headphones, such as autonomy, the fast charging option or button controls. If you want to know more, we encourage you to continue reading!

Anker Soundcore Life Q30 vs Q20 vs Q20i – Comparison Table

Do you want to know which of these three wireless headphones are worth the most? To do this, think about what your most pressing needs are and take a look at our following table:

(Swipe the table to see all the content)

Same design line

It cannot be denied that the three headphones that feature in this review are from the same brand, since their design is very similar. Above all, between the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 and Q20i, which are two different versions of the same product. If we look at the Q30, we see some more differences (although superficial), such as the fact that the logo is in gold, or that the headband has a slightly different shape.

For the rest, and given that all three are circumaural headphones, there are no major variations. Of course, each one can be purchased in different colors. Ah! And, in this case, the version that we have tested of the Q20i did not come with a carrying case, but you can opt for the one that does include it.

Noise cancellation, and transparency mode?

Normally, we are used to the fact that when a brand incorporates active noise cancellation in its headphones, it also does the same with transparency mode. However, this is not true of all Anker Soundcore . The Q30 and Q20i do have both functionalities. In fact, according to the brand itself, the user can choose between several different modes within the big three, which are ANC, Normal and Transparency mode.

However, the Anker Soundcore Q20 does not have transparency mode, but simply has noise cancellation. Instead, this model has a feature called BassUp Technology, with which you can adjust the frequencies in bass sounds. Now this is just the theory; We have to say that we have not been completely convinced by this option, we miss the transparency mode.

On the other hand, none of the three have the spatial audio system, but it is possible to adjust the equalization in all of them.

Are there differences in the microphones?

Yes. According to the brand itself, the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 and Q20i have two microphones combined with a noise reduction algorithm. On the other hand, the Anker Soundcore Q20 have a single microphone. In theory, the difference should be much larger than it actually is. The Q30s sound a little better, but in neither case would we say that the microphone is a great strength.

Few changes in autonomy

Theoretically, the Anker Soundcore Q20i have a slightly larger battery than the Q30 and Q20, but it is a difference that is not noticeable in practice. In fact, all three headphones have the same maximum autonomy, which can be up to 40 hours with the ANC function activated, and up to 60 hours without it. It should also be taken into account that the Q20 is charged with a micro-USB port, while the Q30 and Q20i have a USB-C port, and take a little longer to fully charge. Likewise, all three have the fast charging option, to recover up to 4 hours of playback in 5 minutes.

Multipoint connection and Bluetooth range

We are now talking about another difference that, for some users, is quite important. We assume that all three headphones are compatible with Bluetooth version 5, but not all have the same range radius. The Anker Soundcore Life Q30 and Q20 have a radius of up to approximately 15 meters, but the Q20i stay at a transmission of up to 10 meters. This is not exact, and may vary from place to place, but the idea is to tell you that the Anker Soundcore Q20i has a little less range than its rivals.

On the other hand, we must review the multipoint connection, which means that it can be switched between several devices interchangeably. This function, which we do see in the Q30 and Q20i, is not in the Q20. That is, these headphones can be paired with other devices via Bluetooth, but you won’t be able to switch between them automatically.

App and NFC

We admit that we were surprised to see that the Anker Soundcore Q20 cannot be synchronized with the mobile app with which the Q30 and Q20i can connect. At this point, we assume that all headphones connect to a smartphone through an app, but in this case that is not the case.

On the one hand, it is even more comfortable, since control is only done through the headphones. However, if we are on the subway, the bus or are anywhere else, the truth is that managing them through our mobile phone is also practical. Regarding compatibility with NFC wireless technology, only the Q30 has it.

Which Anker Soundcore wireless headphones do we choose?

At this point, we only have to decide which headphones we would choose, although our conclusion is quite clear. To contextualize, we will tell you that all of them are very economical headphones, and they are comfortably under 100 euros. Therefore, does it really make much difference to spend 20 euros more or less? It seems not  to us , and that is the main reason that would lead us to choose the Anker Soundcore Life Q30.

They are the ones with the most technological features (including NFC), and the quality of noise cancellation is somewhat better thanks to the dual microphone. The rest of the features, to be honest, are very similar to those of the Q20i. What’s more, there are more differences between the Q20 and Q20i models than between the Q20i and Q30.

Therefore, think about what your search priorities are, and if you have a financial limitation that prevents you from opting for the most advanced model of the three. As a summary, they are not the highest quality wireless headphones on the market, but, for the price they have, they are quite good for “battle” use.