Phiaton’s BT 100 NC and BT 150 NC are its popular models in the segment supporting active noise cancellation. These earphones have similar ‘wear around your neck’ design. Plus, they are IPX4 certified. Most importantly, these feature in the under $150 price bracket. So, apart from the price, is there another difference between these two? If you had to choose between them, which one would you buy? In this post today, we will be talking about the key differences between the Phiaton BT 100 NC and BT 150 NC. Before we look at the differences, let’s have a look at the key specs.

Specs That Matter

1. Battery Life

One of the key features of any wireless earphones is battery life. Any decent pair of earphones should give you more than five hours of charge at least, on a full charge. More the better, if you ask me. The older Phiaton 100 NC will get you an average of around 7-10 hours. That is when you are on medium volume levels and occasional use of the noise cancellation feature. As you may already know, a higher level of volume depletes the battery life faster, as does the Noise Cancellation feature. While the folks at PC Mag didn’t face any issues with the battery life in particular, but we found quite a few mixed reviews. This mainly stemmed from the issue that the said earphones do not last a week on a full charge. An interesting point about the BT 100 NC is that you can use it even when the battery runs out. Just plug the audio cable (included in the box) and you can have an uninterrupted stint. You just have to remember to carry the cable with you. Furthermore, the noise cancellation still works with the wire plugged in but you won’t be able to answer calls. Speaking of the BT 150 NC, it sports a slightly shorter battery life of six hours with the noise cancellation circuitry on. These earphones also let you plug the audio cable, however, as per many, you won’t be able to switch on the noise-cancellation feature. On the bright side, the Phiaton BT 150 NC can run for up to 7-8 hours if you switch off noise cancellation. It’s a trade-off, but that’s the only way to make it last longer. Both these prospects might be disappointing for people, who seek an uninterrupted and quality listening time.

2. Noise Cancellation

I know, I know, the NC in the product name stands for Noise cancellation and Phiaton prides itself for cancelling about 95% of noise. The question here is which earphone does the job as advertised. Again, as per the folks at PC Mag, the noise cancellation in the BT 100 NC manages to eliminate noise from the surrounding environment, but it can’t do much for human voices. Plus, the feature produces a subtle hiss. At this point, note that the BT 100 NC earphones cost $74. So, seeking 100% noise cancellation is asking for too much. As opposed to it, the Phiaton BT 150 NC has managed to garner good reviews, with many users praising the noise cancellation. Yes, it doesn’t eliminate the noise entirely, but it should give you a pleasant audio experience.

3. Volume Controls

Another major difference is the volume controls. The older BT 100 NC comes with the traditional volume rockers, play/pause button, and an NC switch. You can flick the switches to get the job done. However, the Phiaton BT 150 NC adopts a touch-based control to tweak the volume levels. The issue with touch controls is that they aren’t as dynamic as traditional keys and pressing them correctly is a struggle. It’s all about how you learn to master them. If done correctly, the touch control tends to do the work seamlessly.

4. Design

Last but not least, let’s talk about the overall design. The Phiaton BT 150 NC boasts of a clean design. The wires retract inside the neckband when not in use. Whenever you have to listen to music or attend calls, all you have to do is pull out the earbuds and stick them in your ears. The folks at Android Police are of the opinion that the neckband is flexible and should fit all neck sizes. The BT 100 NC doesn’t have any retraction mechanism for the earbuds. Instead, the earbuds hang loosely from mid of the neckband. To protect the wires and earbuds from breaking, you can stick the earbuds to the end of the neckband (when not in use). Also, to hide the extra length of wire, the Phiaton BT 100 NC comes with a couple of flexible cable clips. When it comes to the design, Phiaton BT 150 NC is the winner.

Which One Should You Buy?

The Phiaton BT 100 NC and BT 150 NC have several features in common. Both support the aptX audio codec and are still usable even when you run out of battery, and above all, sport similar design. Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing between the two, the BT 150 NC is the clear winner. Next up: Looking for an affordable Bluetooth speaker? We have made a list of the best speakers. Read the following post to know more. The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.

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