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QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
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PC38X
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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 Ultra Earbuds feature active noise cancelling, great for use in noisy environments or during air travel, are sweatproof certified, and have a more compact design, making them highly suited for exercise and portability; they also offer wireless convenience with a moderate battery life including the case, yet may fall short in battery life compared to others. In comparison, the EPOS PC38X headphones boast superior microphone quality, a spacious soundstage, are optimized for gaming with no latency due to their wired connection, and offer an excellent overall sound quality, suited for music, calls, and gaming. The Bose is more expensive but excels in active lifestyles and noise isolation, while EPOS stands out in home gaming setups and immersive listening experiences but is less suited for outdoor activities and noisy spots due to their open design and lack of active noise cancellation. 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 Ultra Earbuds
  • Very good for exercise
  • Very good for air travel
Advantages of the EPOS PC38X
  • Best in class for music
  • Best in class for phone calls
  • Best in class for gaming
  • Excellent for TV and video
  • Good for podcasts and audiobooks

Key differences

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Music

8.6
QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
PC38X
9.5
The EPOS PC38X is best in class for music, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good.

Gaming

8.8
QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
PC38X
10.0
The EPOS PC38X is best in class for gaming, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good.

Phone Calls

5.1
QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
PC38X
10.0
The EPOS PC38X is best in class for phone calls, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is poor.

Podcasts and Audiobooks

6.0
QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
PC38X
7.9
The EPOS PC38X is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is only fair.

TV and Video

8.1
QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
PC38X
9.0
The EPOS PC38X is excellent for TV and video, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good.

Noise Reduction

8.9
QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
PC38X
2.5
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for noise reduction, while the EPOS PC38X is poor.

Battery

6.5 Hours
QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
PC38X
N/A
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has 6.5 hours of battery life. The EPOS PC38X does not have a battery.

Cost

$249
QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
PC38X
$125
Product image
Product image

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

$300

$350

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has a price of $249 and the EPOS PC38X costs $125.

Build Quality

9.0
QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
PC38X
8.5
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has excellent build quality, while the EPOS PC38X has very good build quality.
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How the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and the EPOS PC38X compare to other earbuds and headphones

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Spec Comparison

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Bose QuietComfort Ultra EarbudsEPOS PC38X
Bose QuietComfort Ultra EarbudsEPOS PC38X

GENERAL

Price
$249
$125
Brand
BoseEPOS
Release Date
September 1, 2023September 1, 2020
Form Factor
EarbudsHeadphones
Connectivity
WirelessWired

SOUND

Music Score
8.7/109.6/10
Phone Calls Score
5.1/1010/10
Gaming Score
8.8/1010/10
TV and Video Score
8.2/109.1/10
Exercise Score
8.4/104.5/10

PERFORMANCE

Battery life
6.5 HoursN/A
Wireless charging
NoN/A
Charging time
2 HoursN/A
Bluetooth version
5.3N/A
Case Battery Life
21N/A

FEATURES

Active Noise Cancelling
YesNo
Noise Reduction Score
8.9/102.5/10
Virtual Surround
YesN/A
Android App
YesN/A
iOS App
YesN/A
Mic Quality
6.2/1010/10

BUILD AND DESIGN

Build Quality
9/108.5/10
Comfort score
8.4/108.4/10
Size
MediumN/A
Weight (headset or single earbud)
7.7 Grams249.4 Grams
Microphone style
IntegratedBoom

Shopping

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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."

EPOS PC38X

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Everyday Listening

Ryan Soo | November 2021
"Lightweight and comfortable design, Mic arm with mute, Excellent tuning, Highly natural midrange voicing, Clean and separated bass, Solid soundstage dimensions. Combining all day comfort and integrated coms with a balanced and spacious sound from essentially any source, it is hard to deny the versatility and value provided by the PC38X."

Get a great deal on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds or the EPOS PC38X

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 EPOS

EPOS is a relatively new company with a very long heritage. Previously known as Sennheiser Communications, EPOS is the result of the joint venture between the German headphone manufacturer Sennheiser and the Danish Demant that sought to develop premium audio communication solutions. They specialize in two main product groups, enterprise communications and gaming communication headsets and processing devices.

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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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