Soundcore P31i Review: What $8 More Than the P30i Buys

#	Product	Our Score	Price	Buy
1	Soundcore P31i by Anker, Real-Time Adaptive Noise Cancelling, Hi-Res Sound, Translation Earbuds, 50H Playtime, Wireless Earbuds, Bluetooth Earphones, Spatial Audio, Fast Charging, IP55 (Black) Best Overall	8/10	$34.99	Check Price on Amazon

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The Short Version

Buy it if you use an Android phone, take a lot of calls, or travel. The adaptive cancelling, LDAC support and six-microphone call handling are real upgrades, and the translation feature is a genuine bonus abroad.

Buy the P30i instead if you just want cheap cancelling earbuds. It does the core job for about $8 less, and on an iPhone the P31i's biggest audio upgrade does nothing at all.

The price is the story right now. It was selling at around $60 in late August; at about $35 it is one of the better-equipped earbuds at this money.

What the Extra Money Buys

Adaptive cancelling. Rather than one fixed level, the P31i listens to your surroundings and adjusts how hard it cancels. Anker quotes up to 52dB of reduction — a best-case laboratory figure, as every manufacturer's is — but the practical benefit is simpler: you stop fiddling with settings as you move from a quiet office to a loud train.

LDAC, if your phone supports it. LDAC carries more audio data over Bluetooth than the standard codecs. Many Android phones support it; iPhones do not, and on an iPhone the P31i falls back to the same codec as any other earbud. That single fact decides a lot of this purchase, and it is why these sit in our best wireless earbuds for Android guide.

Six microphones with noise reduction for calls, including a wind-noise algorithm. Cheap earbuds usually fall down on calls outdoors; this is where the P31i's extra microphones earn their keep.

The Translation Feature

Real-time translation across a claimed 100-plus languages, working through the soundcore app.

This is the headline feature and the one to keep in proportion. It is genuinely useful for the kind of exchange travel is full of — directions, a shop, a taxi — and having it in a $35 pair of earbuds is unusual. It is not an interpreter: it depends on your phone and the app, it works best with clear speech in a quiet setting, and it will stumble on fast conversation. Treat it as a convenience you are getting for free, not as the reason to buy.

Battery

Around 10 hours per charge, or 8 with cancelling on; about 50 hours with the case, or 40 with cancelling.

Those are strong figures for the price, and Anker is unusually clear about the ANC-on numbers — many listings quote only the flattering one. A 10-minute charge is quoted at 3.5 hours of listening, which covers the morning you forgot to charge them.

P31i or P30i?

	P31i	P30i
Price	About $35	About $27
Cancelling	Adaptive	Standard
LDAC hi-res	Yes	No
Call microphones	Six, with wind reduction	Fewer
Translation	Yes	No

Choose the P31i on Android, for frequent calls, or if you travel. Choose the P30i on an iPhone or when the cheapest real cancelling is the whole brief. And if you do not need cancelling at all, the P20i is cheaper still.

What You Give Up

Premium cancelling. Adaptive is better than fixed, but a $35 earbud does not match the flagships on voices and irregular noise.

Any benefit from LDAC on an iPhone.

Refinement in the translation. Useful, not reliable enough to depend on.

FAQ

Is the Soundcore P31i worth it over the P30i? On Android, for calls, or for travel, yes — the adaptive cancelling, LDAC and extra microphones are worth $8. On an iPhone, or if you only want basic cancelling, the P30i is the better buy.

Does the P31i work with iPhone? Yes, but without LDAC, which iPhones do not support. You still get the cancelling, the microphones and the translation feature.

How good is the translation? Useful for simple travel conversations through the soundcore app. It works best with clear, unhurried speech and is not a substitute for a human interpreter.

How long does the battery last? About 10 hours per charge, or 8 with cancelling on, and around 50 hours with the case, or 40 with cancelling.

Is the noise cancelling strong? Good for the price and adjusts itself to your surroundings. It handles steady noise best; voices and sudden sounds get through more.

The Verdict

Our score: 8.0/10. The P31i adds real substance to Anker's cheapest cancelling earbuds: cancelling that adapts on its own, LDAC for Android listeners, better call microphones, strong battery figures and a translation feature that is a genuine bonus on a trip. At around $35 it is very well equipped.

Its value depends on your phone. On Android it is the one to buy; on an iPhone, the cheaper P30i does nearly as much. For the wider field at this money, see our best noise cancelling earbuds under $50 guide.