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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If noise cancellation is a priority for you, the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 offers superior active noise cancellation capabilities which are great for travel or work in noisy environments, while the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick likely won't match their performance in this area. Also, over-ear headphones like the Bose typically provide better overall sound quality and battery life compared to earbuds, but they are less portable. However, if budget is a concern and you prefer a lighter, more discreet option for casual listening or making calls on the go, the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick might be the better value choice. Keep in mind that the Bose will likely deliver a more immersive experience for critical listening, but the "Nothing" Ear Stick offers the convenience of a smaller form factor. 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
- Best in class for air travel
- Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick
- Very good for gaming
- Good for TV and video
Key differences
Gaming
5.5
8.1
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is very good for gaming, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is poor.
Phone Calls
8.0
8.6
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick and Bose Quiet Comfort 45 are both very good for phone calls, though the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is somewhat better.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.3
8.4
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is very good.
TV and Video
5.8
7.5
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is good for TV and video, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is poor.
Noise Reduction
10.0
2.5
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is best in class for noise reduction, while the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is poor.
Battery
22.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has 22.5 hours of battery life. The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick has 5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$260
$99
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has a price of $260 and the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick costs $99.
Build Quality
8.5
9.0
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick has excellent build quality, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Music
6.4
6.1
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 and "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick are both only fair for music.
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How the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 and the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose Quiet Comfort 45 | "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$260 | $99 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | "Nothing" Brand | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2021 | November 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.5/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8/10 | 8.7/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.6/10 | 8.2/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.8/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.4/10 | 7/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 22.5 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 3 Hours | 1.2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.1 | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 22 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 10/10 | 2.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 235.8 Grams | 4.4 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."
"Nothing" Brand Ear Stick
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Jasper Lastoria | December 2022
"If the Ear (stick) fits your ears, its light weight means you can easily wear it until the unimpressive battery life totally drains. The IP54 rating of the buds lends some confidence that it’ll survive some light abuse too. Finally, for the person who only wears earbuds at their desk, the Nothing Ear (stick) with its decent microphone could offer a reasonable Zoom meeting solution."
Get a great deal on the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 or the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick
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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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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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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