Review of Anker's Soundcore P42i, a popular model that has been made lighter and features significantly improved noise cancellation.
Anker's Soundcore P42i, a smaller and lighter version of their Soundcore P40i true wireless earbuds, was released on July 2nd, 2026 (Thursday). We received a unit at our editorial office, so we checked its appearance and fit compared to the P40i, and tested the noise-canceling performance of the newly added immersive mode.
Soundcore P42i | True Wireless Earphone Product Information | Anker Japan Official Online Store
◆Open the package and check the exterior
This is what the Soundcore P42i package looks like.
The back of the package lists the product features and specifications. The communication method is Bluetooth 6.1, and the supported codecs are SBC, AAC, and LDAC (Android 8.0 and later devices only). Playback time is up to 12 hours with the earbuds alone in normal mode, and up to 56 hours with the charging case. In noise-canceling mode, it's up to 8.5 hours with the earbuds alone, and up to 40 hours with the charging case. The earbuds themselves are IP55 dustproof and waterproof.
The contents are as follows. From left to right in the photo: Quick Start Guide, Warranty Card, P42i Unit, USB Type-A to USB Type-C Cable, and Ear Tips.
The ear tips come in five sizes: XXS, XS, S, M, and L. The M size is pre-installed on the earphones.
The front of the charging case features the Soundcore logo and an LED indicator, while the bottom has a USB Type-C port for charging and a charging case button.
There is nothing on the back.
There is a strap hole on the left side, making it easy to attach to a bag or other item for portability.
This is what it looks like when you open the lid.
Take out the earphones.
This is what the left and right earbuds look like from the outside. The area around the Soundcore logo on the top of the stem is touch-sensitive.
Inside, you'll find 'L' and 'R' markings to indicate left and right, as well as the charging port.
Let's compare its size to the previous model, the 'P40i.' In all the photos below, the left is the P40i and the right is the P42i. Looking at the charging case from above, the difference between the two models is minimal.
However, when viewed from the front, the P42i is clearly thinner and smaller.
Here's what they look like lined up with the lids open. The case shape has changed significantly.
I lined up the earphone bodies with the ear tips removed. The P40i has a straight stem at the top, while the P42i has a curved stem at the top.
Next, let's weigh them. The actual weight of one earbud of the P40i is 4.8 grams.
Each earbud of the P42i weighed 4.4 grams, which is 0.4 grams lighter than the P40i.
The P40i charging case, with the earphones stored inside, weighs 57.4 grams according to our measurements.
The P42i, including the charging case and earbuds, weighs 51.5g in total, which is 5.9g lighter than the P40i. Furthermore, the P42i earbuds themselves are approximately 14% smaller, and the charging case is approximately 17% smaller compared to the P40i.
◆Pairing Soundcore P42i with iPhone
When pairing the Soundcore P42i for the first time, first open the lid of the charging case.
Next, remove the left and right earbuds from the charging case.
Remove the insulating sheet.
Then, put the earphones back into the charging case.
When I closed the lid, the LED indicator on the front lit up green.
When you open the lid again, the earphones will automatically power on and enter Bluetooth pairing mode.
Open the Bluetooth settings on your iPhone and tap 'soundcore P42i' which appears under 'Other devices'.
Once 'soundcore P42i' appears under 'My Devices' and displays 'Connected,' pairing is complete.
This is what the P42i looks like when actually worn. Compared to the P40i, it felt less constricting on the ears.
The Soundcore P42i allows you to control music playback, pause, and mode switching by touching the area around the Soundcore logo on the outside of the earbuds. The default operation method is as follows:
| When using both ears | When using one ear | |
|---|---|---|
| Play/Pause | Tap right twice | Tap twice |
| to the next | Tap the left twice | × (No assignment) |
| Answer the call | Tap either the left or right side twice. | Tap twice |
| End call / Reject call | Press and hold either the left or right button for 2 seconds. | Press and hold for 2 seconds. |
| Mode switching | Press and hold either the left or right earbud for 2 seconds to activate noise cancellation → ambient sound mode. | Press and hold for 2 seconds to select Standard → Ambient Sound Mode |
◆I tried setting it up and using the Soundcore app.
The Soundcore P42i can be connected to the 'soundcore' audio device management app, allowing you to change noise cancellation modes and adjust the sound quality to your preference. The app is available for both iOS and Android on their respective app stores.
Soundcore app - App Store
https://apps.apple.com/jp/app/soundcore/id1331876603
Soundcore - App on Google Play
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.oceanwing.soundcore
For initial setup instructions, including installing the 'soundcore' app and creating an account, please refer to '◆3: Installation procedure for the management app 'soundcore'' in the following article.
I tried out Anker's 'Soundcore Space Q45' wireless headphones, which offer both noise cancellation and ambient sound passthrough for under 10,000 yen - GIGAZINE review
When you connect the Soundcore P42i to your iPhone and open the Soundcore app, it will say 'Device detected,' so tap 'Connect.'
This is the management screen. You can see the battery level of both the left and right earbuds and the charging case, and you can select from four modes: 'Noise Cancelling,' 'Adaptive,' 'Standard,' and 'Ambient Sound Passthrough.' 'Noise Cancelling' is a mode that allows you to finely adjust the effectiveness of noise cancellation according to your needs, while 'Adaptive' is a mode that automatically adjusts the strength of noise cancellation by detecting changes in ambient noise. 'Standard' is a mode that plays music without using noise cancellation or ambient sound passthrough, and 'Ambient Sound Passthrough' is a mode that picks up ambient sounds with the microphone, allowing you to hear outside sounds while wearing the earbuds.
Tapping 'Noise Cancelling' will display the noise cancellation mode currently in use. Then tap 'Mode'.
You can choose from three noise cancellation modes: 'Immersive Mode,' 'Natural Mode,' and 'Movement Mode.' 'Immersive Mode' blocks a wide range of ambient noise to the greatest extent possible, 'Natural Mode' allows you to select a noise cancellation level from 1 to 5 to evenly reduce ambient volume, and 'Movement Mode' reduces low-frequency sounds such as engine noise and road noise.
When I tried 'Natural Mode,' at level 1, the ambient noise was only slightly reduced. As I increased the level to 2, 3, and 4, the ambient noise gradually disappeared, and when I set the noise cancellation level to the maximum of '5,' only a faint hissing, white noise-like sound remained in my ears.
At level 5 of 'Natural Mode,' almost all ambient noise was inaudible, and I felt that it already exceeded the noise-canceling capabilities of the P40i. However, when I switched to 'Immersive Mode,' even sounds like white noise became inaudible, and not only were the sounds of rain and wind outside completely gone, but the usual 'humming' noise from the room air conditioner also became completely silent. That being said, it's not that all surrounding sounds are completely blocked out; rather, the constant background noise is significantly reduced, so sounds like keyboard typing, people's voices, and music listening through headphones sound clearer than usual.
Next, I switched to 'Ambient Sound Mode' from the management screen, and I was able to hear surrounding sounds just as if I wasn't wearing the earphones. There was no unnatural amplification of sound, and it sounded natural. I wondered if I could use it like a hearing aid by increasing the volume on the device, but unfortunately, the ambient sound picked up remained constant regardless of whether I increased or decreased the volume. Incidentally, I learned that turning on 'Smart Hearing Protection' automatically switches to the appropriate noise cancellation level when it detects loud ambient noise, reducing the volume of sound entering the ear.
In 'Controls,' you can change the actions assigned to single, double, and triple taps and long presses for each of the left and right earbuds. The settings screen for the left earbud looks like this.
The right earbud can be customized in the same way.
The 'Hearing Protection' feature allows you to monitor the volume inside your ears and the ambient noise level in real time. This screen also records the earphone usage time, the average volume inside and around your ears, and the time when hearing protection was activated.
Tapping the gear icon in the upper right corner of the management screen opens the detailed settings. Here you can turn the earphone detection function on or off (which stops music when the earphones are removed), configure multipoint connection settings to connect two devices to the P42i simultaneously, customize operation sounds, perform a fitting test, and check the earphone's serial number.
In addition, the management screen allows you to configure multiple equalizer presets, a 'Custom EQ' that allows you to adjust each frequency band, and 'HearID' which creates an equalizer tailored to your hearing.
The P42i's smaller size reduces pressure on the ears, making them less likely to cause discomfort even during prolonged wear. In terms of listening experience, while the large 11mm drivers deliver powerful bass, there isn't a significant difference compared to the P40i. On the other hand, in immersive mode, the improved noise cancellation seems to have eliminated even the room air conditioner noise that was audible with the P40i, resulting in a clearer perception of other sounds.
In addition to charging via a USB Type-C cable, the P42i also supports wireless charging.
The Soundcore P42i is also available on Amazon.co.jp for ¥9,990 (tax included).
Amazon.co.jp: Anker Soundcore P42i (Bluetooth 6.1) [True Wireless Earphones / Ultra Noise Cancelling 3.5 / Multipoint Connection / Up to 40 Hours Playback / Compact Design / Portable / IP55 Dustproof & Waterproof Standard / PSE Technical Standard Compliant] Off-White: Electronics & Camera
Related Posts:
