If you want over-ear headphones with 30-hour playback for fishing, choose Bowers & Wilkins Px7; if you need compact earbuds with an IP55 water-resistance rating and a wireless charging case, choose SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds. The Px7 leans toward music listening, noise cancellation, and long stretches between charges. The GameBuds bring a more portable design, gaming-focused wireless options, and a stated water-resistance rating.
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 vs SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds at a Glance
• Bowers & Wilkins Px7 strength: Over-ear listening with active noise cancellation, transparency mode, and up to 30 hours of playback. Trade-off: Its over-ear design is bulkier than an earbud, and no water-resistance rating is listed.
• SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds strength: In-ear design, IP55 water resistance, and a Qi charging case that extends stated total use to up to 40 hours. Trade-off: The earbuds provide up to 10 hours per charge, and their feature set is more gaming-oriented.
• Choose the Px7 if you want over-ear headphones for music, calls, and extended listening.
• Choose the GameBuds if you want compact earbuds for gaming and mobile use, with a stated water-resistance rating that may suit some outdoor routines.
The Px7 S2e is an over-ear Bluetooth headphone built around music listening. Its 40 mm angled drivers, 24-bit DSP, and Qualcomm aptX Adaptive support a sound-focused feature set. Active noise cancellation and a transparency mode give you options for reducing outside sound or letting more of your surroundings in. Six microphones are specified for calls and noise cancellation, while plush foam earpads are intended to support comfortable listening.
How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-19 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
For fishing, I would be cautious about choosing the Px7 if exposure to moisture is part of the plan: the listed specifications do not provide a water-resistance rating. It may suit a dry, calm outing where over-ear comfort and music are the priority, but its size and lack of a stated water-resistance rating make it a less straightforward choice for an outdoor activity. It is also the wrong fit if you specifically want earbuds or gaming-focused wireless features.
The Arctis GameBuds are wireless in-ear earbuds designed to move between gaming and mobile listening. They support 2.4GHz wireless for gaming and Bluetooth 5.3 for mobile use. Active noise cancellation and a transparency mode let you switch between reducing surrounding sound and allowing more awareness. The companion app offers 100 game audio presets, and the product includes 360 spatial audio features.
For battery planning, SteelSeries specifies up to 10 hours from the earbuds, with the Qi charging case providing three additional charges for up to 40 hours of use. That distinction matters: the larger total is a case-assisted figure, not a single-charge listening session. The in-ear format is easier to carry than an over-ear headphone, and the IP55 rating gives the GameBuds a clearly stated water-resistance specification that the Px7 does not list.
For fishing, the IP55 rating is relevant, but it should not be treated as a promise that the earbuds are suitable for every wet or dusty situation. Check whether the rating fits your conditions, and keep in mind that these are earbuds with gaming-specific features rather than a dedicated outdoor-audio design. They are a stronger match than the Px7 if compactness, gaming connectivity, and a stated water-resistance rating top your list.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best fit for longer listening between charges → Bowers & Wilkins Px7. Its stated playback is up to 30 hours on a charge; the GameBuds list up to 10 hours per charge, with more available through the case.
• Best for a stated water-resistance rating → SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds. They list IP55; no water-resistance rating is provided for the Px7.
• Best for app-based gaming audio options → SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds. Their companion app includes 100 game audio presets and the feature set includes 360 spatial audio.
• Best for music-oriented over-ear listening → Bowers & Wilkins Px7. Its listed audio features include 24-bit DSP, 40 mm angled drivers, and Qualcomm aptX Adaptive.
• Best if you want a transparency mode on either design → Both. Each product lists transparency mode alongside active noise cancellation.
• Best for calls based on listed microphone details → Bowers & Wilkins Px7. Its specifications call out six microphones and clear-call features; the GameBuds list call controls but do not specify a microphone count.
• Best for wireless gaming and mobile switching → SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds. They offer 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth 5.3, while the Px7 is described as a Bluetooth headphone with wired connectivity also listed.
The phrase “best open ear earbuds for fishing” doesn’t quite fit either product: both offer active noise cancellation, and neither is described as an open-ear design. If awareness of your surroundings matters, both list a transparency mode, but that is not the same as an open-ear fit.
Likewise, the Px7 is over-ear rather than on-ear, so shoppers looking for the “best on ear headphones for fishing” should note that distinction. And while the Px7 lists touch control, the GameBuds also use touch controls; the more useful difference is whether you prefer over-ear headphones or in-ear earbuds.
In my opinion, I’d choose the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds for fishing, mainly for their compact in-ear design and stated IP55 water-resistance rating. Their 2.4GHz and Bluetooth options also make them more flexible for gaming and mobile use. I would not treat the rating as a guarantee for every outdoor condition, though. If fishing is secondary to music listening and you prefer an over-ear fit, I’d choose the Px7 instead.
The GameBuds have an IP55 water-resistance rating; no such rating is listed for the Px7. That makes the GameBuds the more directly specified option for some outdoor use, but it does not establish suitability for every fishing environment.
The Px7 lists up to 30 hours of playback. The GameBuds list up to 10 hours from the earbuds and up to 40 hours with the Qi charging case, so their total depends on recharging from the case.
Yes. Both products list transparency mode as well as active noise cancellation. Neither is described as an open-ear product.
The GameBuds are the clearer fit for gaming: they support 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth 5.3, and game audio presets through an app. The Px7 is more oriented toward over-ear music listening, with 40 mm drivers, 24-bit DSP, and Qualcomm aptX Adaptive.
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