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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds and Soundcore Life Q20 largely depends on your priorities. If you are looking for earbuds that have superior comfort, better noise isolation, and are specifically designed for air travel, the Bose is a great option, though it comes at a higher price. They offer a richer overall sound quality and good performance during exercise, with the added benefits of a comprehensive companion app and earbud detection features. On the other hand, if you prefer long battery life and don't mind headphones over earbuds, the Soundcore Life Q20 is more affordable and offers decent sound quality. It also has active noise cancelling and a durable build with sweatproof certification, making it suitable for various activities. Keep in mind, however, that the Q20 has a lower comfort score and lacks some of the extra features like wireless charging and app customization that the Bose offers. 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 Soundcore Life Q20
- Excellent for air travel
Key differences
Phone Calls
6.6
4.9
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds is only fair for phone calls, while the Soundcore Life Q20 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.5
4.7
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds is best in class for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Soundcore Life Q20 is poor.
TV and Video
6.0
5.3
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds is only fair for TV and video, while the Soundcore Life Q20 is poor.
Battery
7.0 Hours
32.3 Hours
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds has 7 hours of battery life. The Soundcore Life Q20 has 32.3 hours of battery life.
Cost
$199
$60
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds has a price of $199 and the Soundcore Life Q20 costs $60.
Build Quality
8.9
8.0
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds and Soundcore Life Q20 both have very good build quality, though the Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds has somewhat better build quality.
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Key similarities
Music
7.1
7.0
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds and Soundcore Life Q20 are both good for music.
Gaming
5.6
5.2
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds and Soundcore Life Q20 are both poor for gaming.
Noise Reduction
9.1
8.7
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds to be excellent for noise reduction, while the Soundcore Life Q20 is very good.
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How the Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds and the Soundcore Life Q20 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds | Soundcore Life Q20 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$199 | $60 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | Soundcore | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2020 | November 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.1/10 | 7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 6.7/10 | 4.9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.6/10 | 5.2/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 6/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.8/10 | 5.3/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 7 Hours | 32.3 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.5 Hours | 1.8 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.1 | 5 | |
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 | 8.8/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | N/A | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | No | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | No | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 5.4/10 | 6.8/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.9/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.6/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 8.5 Grams | 258.5 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds
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Dig into reviews and images
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."
Soundcore Life Q20
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Sound Guys
Christian Thomas | January 2022
"As far as headphones that cost under $100 go, the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 is a really solid option. Like any good tool, it does the job well without much guff, and it’s affordable to boot. Sure: it’s not going toe to toe with any of the higher-end models of ANC headphones out there—but the headphones do well enough for commuters that it’s a good stand-in if you were never planning on spending a bunch of money anyway."
Get a great deal on the Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds or the Soundcore Life Q20
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 Soundcore
Soundcore is a sub-brand belonging to Anker Innovations. Starting in 2014, initially marketing wireless, Bluetooth, speakers, Anker now offers an array of, budget-friendly, wireless earbuds and headphones that directly compete, especially in the Active Noise Canceling field, with other brands several times as expensive.
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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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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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