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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize noise cancellation and comfort for longer listening sessions or air travel, the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 are a better option as they excel in these areas. However, if sound quality is paramount and you prefer the convenience of earbuds with high-quality codecs for better audio reproduction, the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 would suit you more despite having less effective noise cancellation. The Pi7 S2 earbuds also support wireless charging and have a longer battery life when combined with the charging case, making them more portable for regular use, while the Bose has a longer single-use battery life and may be better for long flights or workdays without access to charging. 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 Bose Quiet Comfort 45
- Very good for phone calls
- Best in class for air travel
- Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2
- Good for music
Key differences
Music
6.4
7.5
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 is good for music, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is only fair.
Phone Calls
8.0
5.2
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is very good for phone calls, while the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.3
5.6
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 is poor.
Noise Reduction
10.0
8.3
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is best in class for noise reduction, while the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 is very good.
Battery
22.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has 22.5 hours of battery life. The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 has 5 hours of battery life.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.5
5.3
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 and Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 are both poor for gaming.
TV and Video
5.8
6.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 to be only fair for TV and video, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is poor.
Cost
$260
$259
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has a price of $260 and the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 costs $259.
Build Quality
8.5
8.9
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 and Bose Quiet Comfort 45 both have very good build quality.
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How the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 and the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose Quiet Comfort 45 | Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$260 | $259 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | Bowers and Wilkins | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2021 | January 1, 2023 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8/10 | 5.2/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.6/10 | 5.4/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.8/10 | 6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.4/10 | 6.3/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 22.5 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 3 Hours | 0.75 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.1 | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 13 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 10/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 10/10 | 8/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 235.8 Grams | 7 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Bose Quiet Comfort 45
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Dig into reviews and images
What HiFi?
What HiFi? | November 2022
"If you want a set of wireless over-ear headphones you can put on, deploy noise-cancelling on your commute or at your desk and largely extinguish the outside world for up to 24 hours, the Bose QC 45 has the edge over most of the competition at the price."
Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2
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Dig into reviews and images
Engadget
Billy Steele | March 2023
"While the overall sound quality is great, these earbuds fall short in terms of battery life, customization and ANC performance. Bowers & Wilkins’ ability to consistently deliver pristine sound isn’t enough to make up for what the Pi7 S2 lacks, which is unfortunately quite a bit."
Get a great deal on the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 or the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2
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.
About Bowers and Wilkins
Bowers and Wilkins is a British audio equipment manufacturer with a focus on innovation and product development. It was founded by a couple of real-life James Bonds, the co-founders John Bowers and Roy Wilkins, who met while working for MI6 during World War II. The company keeps being favored by enthusiasts due to their sound quality, craftsmanship and signature aesthetics.
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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.
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