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The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you prioritize portability and exercising with your audio gear, the Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds would be a better fit, as they are lighter, come with silicone fins for a secure fit, and are sweatproof. They also have excellent noise isolation and are optimized to deliver superior sound quality for music and podcasts. However, if you prefer the most comfortable option for extended listening sessions and require the best sound quality for gaming and TV, the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones might be worth the extra investment. They feature better comfort, active noise canceling, longer battery life, and support for low-latency AptX Adaptive codec. Keep in mind that the earbuds are not suited for gaming due to poor latency, whereas the headphones are not ideal for exercise due to their size and weight. 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 Earbuds
- Best in class for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones
- Very good for music
- Excellent for gaming
- Excellent for TV and video
- Best in class for air travel
Key differences
Music
7.1
8.3
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is very good for music, while the Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds is good.
Gaming
5.6
9.3
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is excellent for gaming, while the Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds is poor.
Phone Calls
6.6
5.3
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds is only fair for phone calls, while the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.5
6.0
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds is best in class for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is only fair.
TV and Video
6.0
9.0
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is excellent for TV and video, while the Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds is only fair.
Battery
7.0 Hours
29.0 Hours
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds has 7 hours of battery life. The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones has 29 hours of battery life.
Cost
$199
$429
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds has a price of $199 and the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones costs $429.
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Key similarities
Noise Reduction
9.1
9.1
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds and Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones are both excellent for noise reduction.
Build Quality
8.9
9.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones to have excellent build quality, while the Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds has very good build quality.
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How the Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds and the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds | Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$199 | $429 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | Bose | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2020 | November 1, 2023 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.1/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 6.7/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.6/10 | 9.3/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 6/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.8/10 | 6.4/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 7 Hours | 29 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.5 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.1 | 5.3 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 18 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 9.1/10 | 9.1/10 | |
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 | 7.4/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.9/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.6/10 | 10/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 8.5 Grams | 255 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds
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Sound Guys
Lily Katz | March 2023
"The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds is a great do-it-all option for anyone, so long as you can afford it. This is a great alternative to the Apple AirPods Pro and Sony WF-1000XM4. You can choose the degree of noise canceling, and enjoy premium features like automatic ear-detection. These earbuds merit an IPX4 rating, making them a fine workout companion."
Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones
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Dig into reviews and images
SoundGuys
Christian Thomas | January 2024
"The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are a credible step up from previous Bose ANC headphones, and they're built to hang tough with the competition for years into the future. No waterproofing is a bit of a letdown, but these headphones have the technical chops to make most quite happy."
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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.
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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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