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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones offer excellent comfort and noise isolation, ideal for air travel and settings where optimal noise cancellation is desired. They have a longer battery life for extended listening and are foldable for convenience. The Sony WF1000XM3 earbuds, on the other hand, are more portable, making them suitable for use during exercise or while on the go. They also provide good sound quality and active noise cancelling but have a shorter battery life; however, the case adds additional charges. If call quality is crucial, the Sonys have an edge with a better mic. Both support convenient features like app customization and ear detection, but Bose may have a slight advantage in sound quality for music listening. Consider the Bose if comfort and noise isolation are priorities, and the Sony if portability and call quality are more important. 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 Sony WF1000XM3
- Good for music
Key differences
Music
6.4
7.5
The Sony WF1000XM3 is good for music, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is only fair.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.3
8.7
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sony WF1000XM3 is very good.
Noise Reduction
10.0
8.3
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is best in class for noise reduction, while the Sony WF1000XM3 is very good.
Battery
22.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has 22.5 hours of battery life. The Sony WF1000XM3 has 6 hours of battery life.
Cost
$260
$180
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has a price of $260 and the Sony WF1000XM3 costs $180.
Build Quality
8.5
9.0
The Sony WF1000XM3 has excellent build quality, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.5
5.6
The Sony WF1000XM3 and Bose Quiet Comfort 45 are both poor for gaming.
Phone Calls
8.0
8.2
The Sony WF1000XM3 and Bose Quiet Comfort 45 are both very good for phone calls.
TV and Video
5.8
5.7
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 and Sony WF1000XM3 are both poor for TV and video.
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How the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 and the Sony WF1000XM3 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose Quiet Comfort 45 | Sony WF1000XM3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$260 | $180 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2021 | August 1, 2019 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.5/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.6/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.8/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.4/10 | 6/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 22.5 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 3 Hours | 3.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.1 | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 24 | |
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 | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 10/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 235.8 Grams | 9 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."
Sony WF1000XM3
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Sound Guys
Lily Katz | November 2022
"Wireless earbuds are a dime a dozen, and the Sony WF-1000XM3 makes it easy to justify the cost. The design and comfort are good, and the connection strength is consistent. While the lack of aptX or LDAC support is a big drawback, DSEE HX processing improves low-quality audio files. If you want stylish active noise canceling (ANC) earbuds, the WF-1000XM3 needs to be at the top of your list."
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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 Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
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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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