Bose QuietComfort Headphones vs QuietComfort Ultra: Which should you buy?
Bose's cheaper option might not have the sleeker design of the more premium option, but they still pack in excellent noise canceling and good sound. They're very comfortable, and fold up nicely for travel. Is the saving worth buying them over Bose's more expensive model?
Both of Bose's over-ear headphone options have now been available to buy for about two years. In that time, they've seen a whole range of competition released looking to unseat them from the best noise-canceling headphones throne, but nothing has yet come close. But which of the two headphones should you buy?
Should you choose the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones? After all, they've got a whole spate of flagship features to tempt you. A comfortable fit, a smart design, and the best noise canceling in the business come at a $449 price tag.
What about the QuietComfort Headphones then? They're $100 cheaper than the Ultra Headphones, but feature comparable sound and noise canceling. You might miss out on some of the fun extras, like Immersive Sound, but that's all sacrificed at the altar of affordability.
To find out whether you should save or splurge, I've put the two head-to-head to see which headphones you should be buying in 2025.
Bose QuietComfort Headphones
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
Price
$349/£299/AU$479
$429 / £449 / AU$645
Colors
Black; White Smoke; Blue Dusk; Chilled Lilac; Sandstone; Petal Pink; Twilight Blue
Lunar Blue; Deep Plum; White Smoke; Black
Size
Not specified
Not specified
Weight
8.4 ounces
8.8 ounces
Battery life (rated)
Up to 24 hours
Up to 24 hours
Connectivity
Bluetooth 5.1 with SBC, AAC support
Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC, AAC and LDAC, aptX HD support support
Special features
Adaptive ANC, Ambient Sound Mode, Bluetooth multipoint, customizable sound, quick charge, passive mode
ANC, Immersive Audio, Bluetooth multipoint, customizable EQ, quick charge, Immersive sound
The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones cost $449, a whole $100 more than the $349 QuietComfort Headphones. In a vacuum, without considering any of the specs and the perceived performance differences, the price alone makes the cheaper pair worth picking up.
But things aren't in a vacuum, so the battle continues. They've both received hefty discounts during deals events, so it's worth waiting for the likes of Prime Day and Black Friday if you really want to save some money.
There's no denying that the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are the more attractive pair of headphones. They're a more modern affair, with more visual interest thanks to metallic accents and pearlescent finishes in some of the color options.
That's not to say that the QuietComfort Headphones are an unattractive option. They're simply less 'up to date' than the Ultra, with a look that echoes that of the QC45 and some of the older QuietComfort headphone line.
Bose sets these headphones apart with a superior range of colors, however. Just look how lovely the 'chilled lilac' color we've got here is.
Build quality is similar between the two, with similar materials in use. The Ultra have more metal in their build, and the QuietComfort are lighter as a result. Both are supremely comfortable — you won't be disappointed with either.
This is an easy win for the cheaper option.
The QuietComfort Headphones feature proper physical controls, my preferred way of controlling playback and noise canceling. They're simple to use — the volume buttons turn the volume up and down, and the play/pause button doubles as a skip key. They're clicky and responsive, and well laid out to make sure you can find them without looking.
The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones have one button for play/pause and skip, and then a funny touch slider for the volume. In theory, it sounds great, but in use it's much more of a pain. It's inaccurate and tricky to activate.
I'd usually spend loads of words talking about the sound quality of headphones and how they differ. The QuietComfort Ultra and the QuietComfort Headphones sound so similar that there's really not all that much point in dwelling on things. They're both warm-sounding headphones with solid audio performance at their core.
The Ultra sound slightly better, with more detail and a more rounded overall signature. They also support more Hi-res codecs you can listen to with the best music streaming services. They win here — but it is surprisingly close.
When you look at the specs sheets, the QuietComfort Headphones have fewer features than the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. In reality, things are closer than they appear.
There's better codec support for the QuietComfort Ultra, and the Immersive Sound feature that is divisive at best. It makes music sound more spacious and wider, but it thins out the sound to do it.
Those are both lacking from the QuietComfort Headphones, although I'd argue that one feature is actually more useful than both of them combined. When the battery dies (and it will — the battery life isn't fantastic), you can connect a 3.5mm headphone cable and continue to use them. That's a relative rarity now, and it's super helpful.
There are more features on the QuietComfort Ultra which means they take the win — but the QuietComfort Headphones' features are more usable.
As you'd expect from Bose headphones, both models feature excellent ANC. The QuietComfort Ultra take the win because they edge out the QuietComfort Headphones when it comes to higher range sounds, but you'll get excellent performance no matter the headphones you choose.
Transparency modes are the same for both, which is a nice bonus.
Both have lackluster battery life, unfortunately. Because you can't turn off the ANC or transparency mode, there's no way to extend the staying power beyond their 24 hour specs. That's not quite up their with the competition no matter how much you pay for your headphones.
Quick charge is present in both models as well — as a result, this round is a draw.
Overall the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones come out on top. You get more features, slightly better sound and a bit better noise canceling. But that doesn't mean it's the right option for you.
Despite their fewer features and slightly less impressive sound, I'd spend my own money on the QuietComfort Headphones. The $100 saving is well worth it, and they tend to get even cheaper when deals events roll around.
If you need to have the very best of the best, the QuietComfort Ultra will serve you very well, but QuietComfort buyers can rest easy they're not missing out on all that much if they buy the less expensive model.
Bose QuietComfort Headphones
Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones
Price and value (5)
4
3
Design (15)
13
14
Controls (10)
7
5
Sound quality (25)
20
22
Active noise cancelation (20)
19
20
Call quality (10)
9
9
Connectivity (5)
4
5
Battery life (10)
5
5
Total Score (100)
81
82
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Bowers & Wilkins Px8 Over-Ear Wireless Headphones These high-end audiophile headphones offer superb sound quality and one of the most comfortable designs we've tried. The high-end sibling of the Px7 S2, the leather-clad Px8 are a decidedly luxe take on the same concept as its younger (and less expensive) sibling. They're a little better all around — nicer materials, exotic drivers with carbon-fiber cones and bigger magnets, as well as marginally better sound than the already great-sounding Px7 S2 — but otherwise have the same features and are very similar under the hood. As such, we think the Px7 S2 (or our top audiophile pick in the Cambridge P100) makes more sense. Edifier Stax Spirit S3 Wireless Planar Magnetic Headphones These headphones feature unique magnetic drivers that we've found to offer excellent audio quality in our testing. 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Check your headphones' user manual, as the last thing you want to do is accidentally void your warranty. Do wired over-ear headphones have better sound quality than wireless on-ear headphones? Do wired over-ear headphones have better sound quality than wireless on-ear headphones? It depends. The big advantage of wired headphones is the lack of latency and interference, since they don't depend on a Bluetooth connection to bring you your tunes. In some cases, this can also mean better audio quality. For example, the wireless Beats Studio Pro offer lossless audio when you use them over a wired USB-C connection, which means you'll enjoy higher-fidelity tracks that aren't compressed for easy Bluetooth streaming. However, there are plenty of other factors that dictate sound quality, including the actual quality of your headphones themselves, the audio settings you're using and whether or not you have active noise cancellation turned on. Those with a discerning ear may notice a slight difference between wired and wireless versions of the same model, but we think wireless headphones are more than clear enough for the average listener. Can you run with over-ear headphones? Can you run with over-ear headphones? While we strongly recommend running with a great pair of workout earbuds rather than over-ear headphones for comfort and safety reasons, you can get away with using over-ear headphones under the right conditions. If you plan on using headphones for running, you should find something light that features leather or faux-leather ear cups, as these are much easier to clean sweat from than the kinds of fabric ear cups you'll find on, say, the AirPods Max. You'll also want to make sure your headphones feature some sort of ambient noise or transparency mode, so you can stay aware of your surroundings while you run. That said, most over-ear headphones lack an IP rating for water and sweat protection, so you'd be much better off with some of the best true wireless earbuds or an open-ear model like the Shokz OpenFit Air. CNN Underscored's writers and editors thoroughly test the products in our testing guides and provide full transparency about how we test them. We have a skilled team with many years of product testing experience and ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to subject matter experts where applicable to make certain we test each product accurately and can speak about the pros and cons of each. Senior tech editor Mike Andronico has tested more headphones and earbuds than he can count in his decade-plus career doing product reviews of consumer tech, and he is always in search of the next great pair that can dethrone his AirPods Pro.
The Verge
2 days ago
- The Verge
Bose's QuietComfort Headphones are $130 off for back-to-school season
Finding peace among the chaos on campus can be more challenging than a midterm. But a quality pair of over-ear headphones can block out distractions when it's time to lock in. If that sounds like you, we've found a deal on the Bose QuietComfort Headphones, which are currently down to $229 ($130 off) at Amazon, Bose, and Best Buy. That's within $30 of the lowest price we've seen all year. The Bose QuietComfort Headphones are part of the company's revamped lineup of headphones and earbuds, which also includes the pricier QC Ultra Headphones, QC Ultra Earbuds, and entry-level QC Earbuds, the last of which is down to $149 ($30 off) at Amazon, Bose, and Best Buy. The QC Headphones preserve the comfortable design of the QC45s and include Bose's excellent noise cancellation. Although we haven't reviewed this specific model, the upgraded QC Headphones Ultra is our favorite noise-canceling headphones for travel, and we're generally fans of the line's comfortable earcup cushions. There are two listening modes — Quiet and Aware — that let you quickly toggle between blocking the outside world and letting ambient noise in. Additionally, Bose says the QC headphones offer up to 24 hours of battery life, so you should be able to get through a full day without needing to recharge. The headphones also support multipoint connectivity, making it possible to pair them with two devices simultaneously. And when you're finally done writing that last-minute term paper, the QC headphones can neatly fold up to make it easier to store them in your bag. Sign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we've tested sent to your inbox weekly. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Brandon Russell Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Deals Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Gadgets Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Headphones Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Tech
