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QuietComfort Earbuds II
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QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
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What we think

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The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·

The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II offer a comfortable fit and excellent noise isolation, which makes them a good choice for air travel and use during exercise. However, if you prioritize overall sound quality and performance for gaming and TV/video, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds would be better, as they deliver higher sound quality and feature lower latency thanks to the AptX Adaptive codec support. Note that the Ultra version is usually more expensive and has a slightly shorter battery life for the earbuds themselves compared to the Earbuds II, but it compensates with an additional hour in the case. Both options provide great build quality, controls, and portability. 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 QuietComfort Earbuds II
  • The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II has no clear advantages over the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds.
Advantages of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
  • Very good for music
  • Very good for gaming
  • Very good for TV and video

Key differences

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Music

7.4
QuietComfort Earbuds II
QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
8.6
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for music, while the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II is good.

Gaming

5.5
QuietComfort Earbuds II
QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
8.8
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for gaming, while the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II is poor.

TV and Video

6.2
QuietComfort Earbuds II
QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
8.1
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for TV and video, while the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II is only fair.

Cost

$199
QuietComfort Earbuds II
QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
$249
Product image
Product image

$100

$150

$200

$250

$300

$350

The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II has a price of $199 and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds costs $249.
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Key similarities

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Phone Calls

5.1
QuietComfort Earbuds II
QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
5.1
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are both poor for phone calls.

Podcasts and Audiobooks

6.0
QuietComfort Earbuds II
QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
6.0
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are both only fair for podcasts and audiobooks.

Noise Reduction

9.1
QuietComfort Earbuds II
QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
8.9
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II to be excellent for noise reduction, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good.

Battery

7.0 Hours
QuietComfort Earbuds II
QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
6.5 Hours
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II has 7 hours of battery life. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has 6.5 hours of battery life.

Build Quality

9.2
QuietComfort Earbuds II
QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
9.0
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds both have excellent build quality.

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How the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds compare to other earbuds and headphones

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Spec Comparison

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Bose QuietComfort Earbuds IIBose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds IIBose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds

GENERAL

Price
$199
$249
Brand
BoseBose
Release Date
September 1, 2022September 1, 2023
Form Factor
EarbudsEarbuds
Connectivity
WirelessWireless

SOUND

Music Score
7.4/108.7/10
Phone Calls Score
5.2/105.1/10
Gaming Score
5.6/108.8/10
TV and Video Score
6.3/108.2/10
Exercise Score
8.5/108.4/10

PERFORMANCE

Battery life
7 Hours6.5 Hours
Wireless charging
NoNo
Charging time
2 Hours2 Hours
Bluetooth version
5.35.3
Case Battery Life
2021

FEATURES

Active Noise Cancelling
YesYes
Noise Reduction Score
9.1/108.9/10
Virtual Surround
YesYes
Android App
YesYes
iOS App
YesYes
Mic Quality
6.5/106.2/10

BUILD AND DESIGN

Build Quality
9.2/109/10
Comfort score
8.6/108.4/10
Size
MediumMedium
Weight (headset or single earbud)
7.7 Grams7.7 Grams
Microphone style
IntegratedIntegrated

Shopping

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Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II

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What HiFi?

What HiFi? | September 2023
"Bose’s flagship wireless earbuds were never going to be cheap, but the question was whether they’d be competitive in an area of the market where rivals have never been more capable. The fact that the company has not only managed to implement a successful redesign, but also push the envelope for noise-cancelling and sound quality in such a highly competitive category simultaneously is truly impressive."

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds

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Soundguys

Christian Thomas | October 2023
"Bose put the time in to fix the major issues with the previous earbuds, and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are very befitting of its price point. While you might be tempted to save a few bucks and go with the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II on sale, fight the urge. There are enough upgrades here to justify the newer model."

Get a great deal on the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II or the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds

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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Why trust us

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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.

By the numbers

108
Earbuds and headphones evaluated
11,340
Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
15
Proprietary Earbuds and headphones ratings developed
95,000
Recommendations made
14,250
Consumer hours saved

About the Earbuds or Headphones team

Joe Golden, Ph.D

CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.

Jason Lew

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.

Chandradeep Chowdhury

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.

Luis Torres

Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.

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