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Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
Our top pick overall
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones are arguably some of the most impressive in the world. You’ll get a luxurious sleek design, impressive sound, and adjustable ANC. Brand-new immersive audio is a massive plus point as well.
Pros- Immersive Audio
- aptX codec support
- Premium design
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Bose QuietComfort Headphones
Close runner up
If you like the look of the QuietComfort Ultras, but the price makes your eyes water, the Bose QuietComfort headphones might be the better choice. They feature a sturdy functional design, and you’ll still get stellar sound and ANC.
Pros- Two ANC modes
- More affordable than the Ultras
- Practical, sturdy design
Cons- No immersive audio
- Lacks adjustable ANC
Bose undoubtedly makes some of the best headphones in the world, combining premium designs with stellar sound and super effective ANC — you’re very unlikely to be disappointed if you splash out on some of their audio kit. Lately, there’s been a buzz around Bose thanks to a new revamped set of QuietComfort headphones.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones: Moving in silence
The QuietComfort Ultra are Bose’s new flagship headphones — and fill those shoes with confidence.
There are three pairs of over-ear cans in the Bose line-up. The premium Bose QuietComfort Ultra, the mid-priced Bose QuietComfort noise-cancelling headphones, or for those on a much tighter budget, the Bose QuietComfort SE. If you’re looking for something a little more discreet, there are also two pairs of earbuds to explore, including the top-tier QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and the more budget friendly Bose Earbuds II.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra vs Sony WH-1000XM5: Which over-ears should you buy?
Bose’s newest QuietComfort Ultra headphones are foldable and powerful, but how do they compare to Sony’s industry-leading ANC over-ears? We discuss.
The most recent over-ear models replace some of Bose’s most popular headphones of the last few years, switching out the flagship Noise-Cancelling 700 cans for the QuietComfort Ultra, while the new QuietComfort model replaces the old QuietComfort 45 headphones. Having similar names and designs, the differences at first can look (and sound) very subtle, so which one is best for your budget and music listening preferences? We looked at top buying factors like price, specs, and availbility, along with breaking down the headphones’ top features like design and performance to help you decide. Read on.
Price, specs, and availability
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra are a premium pair of headphones with a price tag to match, setting you back $430 at the time of writing. On the other hand, the Bose QuietComfort headphones cost $349, so they are a little more affordable. Both are available to buy globally now. To see a quick comparison of their specs side by side, take a look at the chart below and keep reading to find out more about what the differences mean.
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Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Bose QuietComfort Headphones Battery Life 24 hours 24 hours Material Plastic, aluminum, leather (protein) Metal, plastic, leather (protein) Bluetooth 5.3 5.1 Noise Cancellation Active noise cancelling, echo reduction, adjustable noise cancelling Active noise cancelling Microphones Built-in microphone Built-in microphone Weight 0.56lbs 0.52lbs Colors Black / White Smoke / Sandstone Black / White Smoke / Cypress Geen / Moonstone Blue Battery charge time 3 hours 2.5 hours Dimensions 7.7 x 5.5 x 2 inches 7.68 x 6.18 x 3.15 inches Carrying case Included Included
Design
Design The Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones have a more sleek and sophisticated look, whereas the Bose QuietComfort are designed to be a little more practical and fun.
The Ultras are made from a combination of plastic, leather, and aluminum, giving them soft curves and a sleek modern style. The headband connects to the earcups with slim brushed metal bars; despite being chunkier than the old NC 700S, the headband still has an air of luxury. Unlike the 700s, these are able to fold up for easier transportation, they come with a protective case included in the box, and they weigh a respectable 250g. You can buy the Bose QuietComfort Ultra in three stylish colors: Black, White, Smoke and Sandstone.
Side by side, the Bose QuietComfort headphones don’t look too dissimilar to the Ultra model, but they’re made from a lot more plastic and not so much metal. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, because that makes them feel quite resilient. You also get two extra available colors, Cypress Green and Moonstone Blue. The QuietComfort headphones look almost identical to their predecessors, with a fold-up design that weighs 240g and includes a travel case. Whichever you go for, both pairs of headphones should feel comfortable thanks to cushioned earcups covered in smooth vegan leather.
Controlling these two pairs of headphones is totally different, although both will let you adjust the volume, skip tracks, pause the music, and switch between listening modes without needing to reach for your phone. That’s because the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones have touch controls and a multifunction button to get the job done, whereas the Bose QuietComfort uses physical buttons instead, which means you’ll need to get to know the placement of each control.
Bose
Battery life, charging, features
Luckily, the battery life won’t make the decision any tougher because both the Bose QuietComfort Ultra and the Bose QuietComfort will last up to 24 hours of music with ANC switched on. Having said that, using the Immersive Audio mode drops the longevity down to 18 hours on the Ultras. Both sets have USB-C charging; the QuietComfort Ultra headphones take about 3 hours to charge, while the QuietComfort headphones will only take about 2.5 hours.
Connectivity is a little better on the Ultras, packing Bluetooth 5.3 with aptX Adaptive codec support (as well as AAC and SBC), whereas the QuietComfort headphones have BT 5.1 with only AAC and SBC codec support. Day-to-day is unlikely to make a huge difference, but it makes the Ultras a little bit more reliable and accurate.
Both sets allow for Multipoint connectivity so you can hook them up to multiple devices simultaneously. That means that you can have them connected to both your laptop and your phone at the same time and easily switch the audio between the two.
Whichever pair of headphones you choose, you’ll be able to use them with the Bose Music smartphone app, available for Android and iOS. In the app, there’s an adjustable EQ and control over the ANC modes. Both headphones also support SimpleSync, a tool that allows you to listen to audio over several Bose devices simultaneously while controlling the volume of each one individually.
Sound quality and ANC
One thing you can be sure of with Bose is excellent crowd-pleasing sound quality. These two pairs of headphones will sound a little different, though. Partly down to the different hardware under the hood, there’s a 35mm driver in the Ultra headphones and a 40mm driver in the QuietComfort headphones.
Listening to the Ultras, they are undeniably Bose. A strong, warm rumble across the lower end stands out against the rest of the soundstage, but they still manage to portray succinct detail in the higher frequencies. The sound is dynamic across genres and all instruments are handled well, no matter how they are used.
The QuietComforts focus heavily on bass delivery. You’ll immediately recognize the audio as solid and punchy. But away from that, they’re also balanced and crystal clear. Long story short, they sound fantastic. Both sets of headphones can play music through a wired connection, which is an inevitable win for audiophiles who aren’t always totally convinced by Bluetooth.
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You can expect solid noise-cancelling from both sets because both feature an adjustable Quiet Mode to block out distracting sounds and an Aware mode that balances outside noise with the music, so you can still hear what’s happening around you. Through the Bose Music app, you can create your own custom combination of the two and adjust the ANC according to where you are and what you’re doing. The Ultra headphones take things a little further in that department, including an extra ActiveSense Aware mode, which should help cut out particularly disruptive noise while simultaneously allowing you to listen out for other sounds in your environment.
One quite significant difference between how the two pairs of headphones sound is that the QuietComfort Ultra comes with Bose’s shiny new Immersive Audio feature to give the impression that the sound is happening right in front of you instead of coming from either side. This new addition makes spatial audio possible with all types of content and devices, not just those that are purposefully created with it. It comes with two modes: Still for when you aren’t moving and Motion for when you are. Motion adds head tracking to the mix, so the sound still feels like it’s directly in front of you when you’re on the go.
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Verdict
Whether you choose to buy the Bose QuietComfort Ultra or the Bose QuietComfort headphones will largely depend on your budget. The former is for those looking for premium style and plenty of substance, while the latter is for anyone with a smaller budget who would choose function over form and who needs something sturdy, particularly if you plan to use your next pair of cans for regular travel or work.
The Ultras deliver in pretty much every possible way; they look incredible, you get the benefit of Immersive Audio, and the sound is world-class, but the cost is eye-watering.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
The Bose QuietComfort headphones are a little less expensive yet will still impress you with a functional design, top-tier sound, and solid noise-cancelling.
Bose QuietComfort Headphones
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