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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Beats Solo 3 are on-ear headphones known for their strong bass and brand recognition; they are less costly and offer long battery life, making them suitable for daily use, especially if on a budget. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, on the other hand, provide superior noise cancellation, offering an immersive audio experience and are ideal for travel or in noisy environments, but at a higher price point. If sound isolation and audio quality in various environments are your priority, the Bose might be the right choice. However, for casual listening or if cost is a major concern, the Beats Solo 3 would be a reasonable option. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Beats Solo 3
- The Beats Solo 3 has no clear advantages over the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds.
Advantages of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
- Very good for music
- Very good for gaming
- Very good for TV and video
- Very good for exercise
Key differences
Music
6.3
8.6
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for music, while the Beats Solo 3 is only fair.
Gaming
5.3
8.8
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for gaming, while the Beats Solo 3 is poor.
TV and Video
5.6
8.1
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for TV and video, while the Beats Solo 3 is poor.
Noise Reduction
5.3
8.9
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for noise reduction, while the Beats Solo 3 is poor.
Battery
41.5 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Beats Solo 3 has 41.5 hours of battery life. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has 6.5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$117
$249
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
The Beats Solo 3 has a price of $117 and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds costs $249.
Build Quality
8.0
9.0
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has excellent build quality, while the Beats Solo 3 has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Phone Calls
4.7
5.1
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and Beats Solo 3 are both poor for phone calls.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.8
6.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds to be only fair for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Beats Solo 3 is poor.
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How the Beats Solo 3 and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Beats Solo 3 | Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$117 | $249 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Beats | Bose | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2016 | September 1, 2023 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.3/10 | 8.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 4.7/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.3/10 | 8.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.6/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 5.9/10 | 8.4/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 41.5 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 4.2 | 5.3 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 21 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 5.3/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 5.4/10 | 6.2/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 5.7/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Medium | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 213.1 Grams | 7.7 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Beats Solo 3
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Lily Katz | May 2023
"The Beats Solo3 Wireless is an old set of headphones but still works reliably well with iPhones, due to W1 chip integration and AAC support. The Beats Solo3 Wireless holds up well today with just a few features showing its age."
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
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Dig into reviews and images
Soundguys
Christian Thomas | October 2023
"Bose put the time in to fix the major issues with the previous earbuds, and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are very befitting of its price point. While you might be tempted to save a few bucks and go with the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II on sale, fight the urge. There are enough upgrades here to justify the newer model."
Get a great deal on the Beats Solo 3 or the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
About Beats
Beats is an American, consumer-focused, audio products manufacturer. Founded originally by American rapper and producer Dr Dre, the company is now a subsidiary of Apple. Beats sells a wide range of audio products, including several models of headphones, earbuds and speakers as well as full car audio systems.
About Bose
Bose is an American audio equipment manufacturer based out of Framingham, Massachusetts. Founded in 1964 by Amar Bose with the goal of creating a speaker system that could accurately recreate the sound of a concert hall, Bose has become one of the most prominent players in the modern consumer audio market due to the premium feel of their products and their wide brand recognition.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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