How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a lightweight, travel-friendly pair with multipoint Bluetooth and voice-assistant control built in, choose Philips Active Noise Cancelling; if you need marathon battery life, a bigger driver and hybrid noise cancellation for long commutes or workdays, choose Riwbox NC3.
• Philips Active Noise Cancelling — biggest strength: a genuinely light over-ear build (roughly 0.15 kg for the headphones, with a 300 g carrying case included) plus multipoint pairing so it can hold two devices at once, and voice control through Siri or Google Assistant.
• Philips Active Noise Cancelling — biggest trade-off: 30 hours of playtime is solid but not class-leading, and the 32 mm driver is the smaller of the two here.
• Riwbox NC3 — biggest strength: a 60 mm-class 40 mm dynamic driver, hybrid active noise cancellation rated to cut up to 20 dB, and up to 60 hours of standard playtime (40 hours with ANC on at 60% volume).
• Riwbox NC3 — biggest trade-off: it leans on physical button controls rather than voice, and the low 85 dB sensitivity figure means it will want more power to hit the same loudness as the Philips.
• Who each is for: Philips suits people who want a slim, light, assistant-friendly headphone for mixed phone and laptop use. Riwbox NC3 suits long-haul commuters, students and remote workers who want maximum runtime and stronger noise reduction.
The Philips Active Noise Cancelling (model TAH6506BK/00) is the more "everyday carry" of the two. It's an over-ear wireless headphone with a flat-folding design, a rounded earpiece shape and a faux-leather finish, and it ships with a synthetic-leather carrying case. The headline number for portability is the weight: about 0.15 kg for the headphones themselves. That's a genuinely light over-ear, and it's the kind of spec that matters if the headphone lives in a bag or gets worn for hours at a desk.
Where the Philips really differentiates is in how it connects. It supports multipoint pairing, so it can stay linked to two sources at once — a phone and a laptop, for example — and switch between them without re-pairing. Add built-in Siri and Google Assistant support and voice becomes a first-class control method here, alongside media controls. Bluetooth 5 with a 10-metre range covers a normal room-to-room walk, and there's a 3.5 mm jack as a wired fallback when you'd rather not use wireless at all.
On audio, the Philips runs a 32 mm dynamic driver with a 20 Hz–20,000 Hz frequency range, 32 ohm impedance and 112 dB sensitivity. That frequency range is the standard full-band figure, and the high sensitivity suggests it should reach comfortable volume easily from a phone. Active noise cancellation is on board, though the sheet doesn't quote a reduction figure, so I'd treat it as the "takes the edge off" kind of ANC rather than a heavy-duty blocker. Battery life is quoted at 30 hours, with a 30-hour charge time listed alongside it — the two figures match, which is unusual, so I'd read the playtime as the meaningful number and check the charging details on the product page before buying if charge speed matters to you.
Buy the Philips if you want a light, foldable, multipoint headphone with voice assistants built in and you split your listening between two devices. Skip it if you need maximum runtime on a single charge or the deepest possible noise reduction — the Riwbox has the clear edge on both.
Riwbox NC3: Who It's For
The driver is the other big story. Riwbox uses a 40 mm dynamic driver, noticeably larger than the Philips' 32 mm, and quotes a frequency range of 20 Hz to 45 kHz — well beyond the 20 kHz ceiling of the Philips and into "Hi-Res" territory on paper. Impedance matches the Philips at 32 ohm, but sensitivity is much lower at 85 dB, which is a real, practical difference: this headphone will need more volume from your source to reach the same loudness. In practice that usually means you'll run it louder, which is worth knowing if you listen quietly.
Battery is where the NC3 runs away with it: 60 hours in standard music mode, and up to 40 hours with wireless ANC engaged at 60% volume. Charging is quoted at 1 hour, and there are two power levels listed rather than one. For a business trip, a long study session or a week of commutes without hunting for a cable, that's a meaningful advantage. You also get a 3.5 mm AUX cable in the box and a Type-C charging cable, so wired listening is covered, and the folding, rotating design lets it lie flat in a backpack or car compartment. Connection is Bluetooth 5.4 with a quoted range of 100 feet — the newer Bluetooth version and longer range are genuine pluses if you like to leave your phone on a desk and move around.
Comfort is addressed directly in the specs: protein leather ear pads with increased breathability, memory foam, and a claimed weight of 180 g. Controls are physical buttons, not voice, which many people actually prefer for skipping tracks or toggling ANC without talking to their phone. The brand also states a 1-year manufacturer warranty and a foldable, compact storage approach.
Buy the Riwbox NC3 if you want the longest runtime, the strongest noise reduction, and the larger driver — and you don't mind charging it in about an hour. Skip it if multipoint pairing or built-in voice assistants are must-haves, because those aren't listed for the NC3.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for battery life → Riwbox NC3. 60 hours standard, 40 hours with ANC on, versus 30 hours on the Philips.
• Best for lighter carry → Philips Active Noise Cancelling. Around 0.15 kg with a flat-folding design and an included carrying case; the NC3 is a claimed 180 g and also folds, so both travel well, but the Philips' slim, lightweight positioning is the more explicitly portable of the two.
• Best for two-device users → Philips Active Noise Cancelling. Multipoint pairing is a listed feature; it isn't listed for the NC3.
• Best for voice control → Philips Active Noise Cancelling. Siri and Google Assistant support are built in, while the NC3 uses push-button controls.
• Best for audio headroom → Riwbox NC3. A 40 mm driver and a 20 Hz–45 kHz range versus 32 mm and 20 Hz–20 kHz.
• Best for easy volume from a phone → Philips Active Noise Cancelling. 112 dB sensitivity versus 85 dB means the Philips should get loud with less effort.
• Best for newer Bluetooth and longer range → Riwbox NC3. Bluetooth 5.4 and a quoted 100-foot range versus Bluetooth 5 and 10 metres.
• Best for wired fallback → both. Each includes a 3.5 mm jack and cable support, so neither locks you into wireless.
• Best for buyers who want a stated warranty → Riwbox NC3. A 1-year manufacturer warranty is explicitly listed; the Philips sheet doesn't state one.
If I were buying one of these for myself, I'd pick the Riwbox NC3 — the combination of a 40 mm driver, hybrid ANC rated to 20 dB, and 60 hours of playtime is simply more headphone for the money on paper, and the 1-hour charge time makes the endurance practical rather than theoretical. The lower 85 dB sensitivity is the catch: you'll be pushing the volume up more, and that's worth weighing if you often listen at low levels.
I'd recommend the Philips Active Noise Cancelling instead if your priority is a light, slim headphone that pairs with two devices at once and answers to Siri or Google Assistant — that's a workflow advantage the NC3 doesn't list. In my opinion, the deciding question is simple: do you value runtime and noise reduction, or convenience and light weight? Answer that and the choice makes itself.
Whichever you land on, check the current price on Amazon before committing — the button on this page will take you there.
On the specs, yes. Riwbox quotes a hybrid ANC system that reduces noise by up to 20 dB, while Philips lists active noise cancellation without a reduction figure. Riwbox also names specific real-world noises — aircraft, subway, office chatter — as targets. Philips' ANC is on board but less quantified.
Which has better battery life, Philips or Riwbox NC3?
Yes — multipoint pairing is one of its listed features, so it can hold two Bluetooth connections simultaneously. That's a real advantage if you switch between a phone and a laptop. Multipoint pairing isn't listed for the Riwbox NC3, so don't assume it's there.
Philips lists the headphones at about 0.15 kg; Riwbox lists the NC3 at 180 g, which is roughly 0.18 kg. The difference is small, but the Philips is positioned as slim and lightweight with a flat-folding frame, so it's the slightly easier one to slip into a bag for all-day wear.
Not necessarily — sensitivity matters more than size here. Philips quotes 112 dB sensitivity at 32 ohm, while Riwbox quotes 85 dB at 32 ohm. That means the Philips should reach a given loudness with less volume, while the NC3 may need to be turned up higher to match it.
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