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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize comfort and longer battery life for longer listening sessions, go for the Bose Quiet Comfort 45, which also has superior noise isolation, making them ideal for air travel and noisy environments. However, if you want higher overall sound quality and an earbud form factor that's smaller and more portable, the Sony WF1000XM4 is the choice, especially considering it has an app equalizer for customized sound. Note, the Sonys have features like wireless charging and LDAC support for better sound quality over Bluetooth, which the Bose lacks, but they may not be as comfortable during extended wear because of their in-ear design. 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
Advantages of the Sony WF1000XM4
- Excellent for music
- Best in class for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
6.4
9.0
The Sony WF1000XM4 is excellent for music, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is only fair.
Phone Calls
8.0
6.7
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is very good for phone calls, while the Sony WF1000XM4 is only fair.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.3
10.0
The Sony WF1000XM4 is best in class for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is excellent.
Noise Reduction
10.0
8.3
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is best in class for noise reduction, while the Sony WF1000XM4 is very good.
Battery
22.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has 22.5 hours of battery life. The Sony WF1000XM4 has 9 hours of battery life.
Cost
$260
$278
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has a price of $260 and the Sony WF1000XM4 costs $278.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.5
5.6
The Sony WF1000XM4 and Bose Quiet Comfort 45 are both poor for gaming.
TV and Video
5.8
6.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Sony WF1000XM4 to be only fair for TV and video, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is poor.
Build Quality
8.5
8.9
The Sony WF1000XM4 and Bose Quiet Comfort 45 both have very good build quality.
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How the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 and the Sony WF1000XM4 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose Quiet Comfort 45 | Sony WF1000XM4 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$260 | $278 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2021 | July 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.5/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.6/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.8/10 | 6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.4/10 | 6.7/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 22.5 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 3 Hours | 1.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.1 | 5.2 | |
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 | 5.4/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 10/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 235.8 Grams | 6.5 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 WF1000XM4
See more
Dig into reviews and images
What HiFi?
What HiFi? | March 2023
"The headphones deliver a satisfying user experience, class-leading battery life, some of the best noise-cancelling we’ve heard in this category, and absolutely stunning sound quality."
Get a great deal on the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 or the Sony WF1000XM4
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
Joe Golden, Ph.D
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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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