Review: Philips SHB8850NC wireless, bluetooth noise-cancelling headphones

I compared the affordable Philips SHB8850NC noise-cancelling headphones with the premium Bose QuietComfort 15 noise-cancelling headphones and the ordinary Apple EarPods with Lightning Connector.

FIT: 2/5

The Philips SHB8850 noise-cancelling headphones (pictured left) sit on the ear, rather than around it, which I find uncomfortable after a couple of hours. I prefer models that sit around the ear, so the Bose QC 15 (pictured above right) wins by a long-shot here.

Philips SHB8850 headphones on the left, Bose QuietComfort 15 on the right

PORTABILITY: 4/5

The Philips headphones (pictured above left; Bose QC 15 on the right) are as the most compact noise-cancelling headphones I’ve tried in the last three years, apart from a couple of in-ear models. The ears fold up inside the headband, and they’re quite small and bendy, so very packable. In-ear headphones, like the iPhone 7, are obviously smaller, being just an earbud and some wires, but for on-ear or over-ear, these can't be beat.

APPEARANCE: 4/5

Being your basic black and silver, these are perfectly inoffensive, but the silvery parts on the ears might be a tady shiny for some.

NOISE-CANCELLING: 3/5

Testing these on a train, they were noticeably better at blocking backround noise than the standard iPhone 7 in-ear headphones, but not as good as the Bose QC15. They use active noise-cancelling technology, as opposed to passive – which is what many cheaper models use – and this makes a world of difference. But the Bose headphones were noticeably better at blocking out train noises.

SOUND: 5/5

As for treble, bass and dialogue clarity, I could barely tell difference between the Phillips and the Bose when I tested these listening to Rolling in the Deep by Adele, Reach for the Stars by S Club 7 (don’t judge) and watching Designated Survivor on Netflix. The Bose headphones did have a slightly richer bass, but I reckon 90% of people would never notice the difference. However, the sound of the Philips (and the Bose) was definitely better than the iPhone 7 headphones. 

BLUETOOTH: 4/5

The range on these seemed pretty good. I left my phone on a table and walked into another room without a drop in the podcast I was listening to (Freakonomics - it's excellent). However, first-time set-up of the Bluetooth connectivity is a bit of a faff, but once it's done, it's done. But if you're flying, don't worry. These come with a wire that you can use to plug into your seat's armrest jack to listen to in-flight movies.

COST: 5/5

Having tested about 10 pairs of noise-cancelling headphones over the past few years, these win hands down for value-for-money. Similar-priced models simply do not have the same sound quality, noise-cancelling effectiveness or functionality.

CHARGING: 2/5

Confusing and annoying sums up the charging issue. It’s hardly a deal-breaker, but you can’t tell when the headphones are off, nor when they’re charging or fully charged. And because it uses a USB to micro-USB cable, if it runs out of juice, you can’t just buy a AAA battery, as you can with the Bose, so you have to carry the spare cable around with you all the time.

VERDICT: 4/5

If money is no object, the Bose QuietComfort models definitely beat the Philips for comfort. But at roughly half the price of Bose QCs, the Philips SHB8850NC are the clear value-for-money winners. What's more, these are Bluetooth. Excellent noise-cancelling and sound quality, plus the best packability of any non-earbud model I’ve seen. Nonetheless, I probably wouldn’t buy these – or any in-ear or on-ear model – because they hurt my ears after a couple of hours, which somewhat negates the point for me since I only use these on long flights.And if you aren’t bothered by snug on-ear headphones – or you mostly want these for shorter trips, such as daily commutes to work - save the extra money that the Bose model would cost and buy the Philips SHB8750NC instead.