We've tested 25 pairs of Bose headphones. This manufacturer is known for its high-end headphones and earbuds, which lead the industry in active noise cancelling (ANC) performance. Most of their models occupy a premium price point and come with good build quality and comfort.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Wireless are the best Bose headphones we've tested. They're top-of-the-line cans with Bose's CustomTune technology. This feature allows the headphones to automatically adjust their performance to your unique listening traits and your environment. As a result, their ANC can block out a significant amount of ambient sound around you, whether that's office chatter or the ambient din of an airplane cabin. With their ANC on, they last 29 hours continuously, too.
In addition to their ANC, these very comfortable over-ears support multi-device pairing, so you can stay connected to your PC and smartphone simultaneously, and aptX Adaptive, a Bluetooth codec that dynamically adjusts sound quality or latency, depending on your content. They also support Immersive Audio, a head-tracking feature to create a more spacious and dimensional sound experience. You can adjust their bassy sound to your liking using their companion app's graphic EQ and presets.
If you're looking for over-ears that are a bit more affordable, try the Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless. They're very similar to the Ultra in many ways, including in noise isolation, but they don't support Immersive Audio and don't feel quite as well-built.
If you're specifically looking for headphones to use at the office or while you work from home, look at the Bose 700 Headphones. Wireless. Although they've been on the market much longer than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Wireless and are starting to be phased out, they're still worth considering if you can get your hands on them. They're designed with office use in mind, and you can even pick these up in a United Communications (UC) variant, which comes with a dongle to make it even quicker to connect them to your work PC. They also support multi-device pairing, which is nice if you always switch between your phone and computer.
Their mic offers a much better noise-handling performance than our top pick, ensuring your voice is easily understood, even in a busy office. It also has a good recording quality, making your voice clear and intelligible. These over-ears have dedicated controls for pausing and unpausing the mic while you're on calls, and their ANC feature does a fantastic job of isolating you from ambient noise, meaning you won't have a problem hearing your call. Their sound profile is well-balanced, with a very neutral mid-range response, so voices reproduce clearly and accurately. The comfortable, well-padded design means you can wear them for long hours without much fatigue.
The best Bose earbuds we've tested are the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless. Earbuds are a great alternative to over-ear headphones if you want something more lightweight and portable. They don't skimp out on extra features, either. Like their over-ear Ultra counterpart, they support CustomTune technology, which adjusts the headphones' sound and noise isolation to your ear shape and environment, and Immersive Audio, allowing sound to follow your head movements. Their ANC also does an outstanding job of blocking background sound so that you can focus on your audio. That said, their battery life is shorter than over-ear models. They last seven hours continuously, but their carrying case holds an extra three charges if you need it.
Out of the box, they have a bass-heavy sound that you can tweak to suit your preferences via their companion app's graphic EQ and presets. Their comfortable fit also has stability fins, so you can wear them while working out or running without the risk of having them fall out of your ear. They're certified IPX4 for resistance against water splashes but don't support multi-device pairing.
Prefer to stay aware of the world around you? You'll want to consider the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds Truly Wireless instead. They're more like ear cuffs, so they don't enter your ear like earbuds, allowing you to hear your environment without turning down your tunes or removing them. This design isn't ideal for everyone, so if noise cancelling is your preferred feature, the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are the way to go.
Like Bose, Sony makes many different sorts of headphones, and their noise cancelling over-ears, like the Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless, are often compared to similar headphones from Bose. Both brands have options with very strong noise cancelling, but Bose products tend to have a more neutral sound profile, while Sony headphones, like the XM5, pack a lot of extra bass. Bose's headphones are generally more comfortable as well. If you're looking for sound customization features like virtual surround sound or high-resolution audio, you might find what you're looking for in our article on the best Sony headphones.
Sennheiser offers a diverse line of headphones, including earbuds and over-ear headphones. Across the board, they tend not to have the same great noise cancelling performance as Bose headphones, meaning casual use options like the Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Wireless don't offer much over similar Bose headphones like the latest Bose QuietComfort line and the Bose 700. However, Sennheiser offers more budget-friendly options, often with more comprehensive sound enhancements like EQ. You may want to check out our article on the best Sennheiser headphones if you're looking for audiophile headphones with an open-back design and a neutral sound profile.
Bose's earbuds and over-ears are competitors to Apple products like the AirPods Max Wireless and the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) Truly Wireless. The brands go toe-to-toe with noise cancellation, but Bose tends to offer better battery life, making their QuietComfort line a better option if that's a priority. Even though Bose headphones aren't the most customizable in most cases, they're more likely than Apple to have in-app features like an EQ and presets. However, they don't have Apple's sleek design or build quality and naturally lack iOS-specific features. Our article on Apple's best headphones has more info and picks.
Anker's headphones and earbuds are usually cheaper than Bose products, and the brand's best products can compete with Bose's in terms of noise cancelling. Many Anker products come with sound customization features, but Bose is the better brand if you're looking for neutral sound out of the box. Bose also makes much more comfortable over-ear headphones. Check out our article on the best Anker headphones for more info.
Overall, Bose makes well-rounded headphones that provide an unparalleled level of comfort. Many of their headphones also have excellent noise cancelling and sound well-balanced. However, Bose tends to make expensive headphones that feel a little plasticky compared to other headphones in the same price range. Their over-ear lineup also leaks at higher volumes, which might not be ideal for all environments.
Bose has both casual use and professional headsets. It tends to mix and match line-ups with one-offs, but a pretty consistent throughline is the QuietComfort designation.
Aug 26, 2024: This article has been checked for accuracy, with no changes to the picks, minor text edits, and format updates.
May 28, 2024: We've checked our picks for availability and accuracy, but our recommendations haven't changed.
Mar 29, 2024: We've added the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds Truly Wireless as a comparison with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless.
Jan 22, 2024: We've made minor updates to the text to keep it up-to-date and accurate, but there hasn't been a change in our recommendations.
Nov 29, 2023: We've replaced the Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Wireless and the Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds II Truly Wireless with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless as both the QC45 and Earbuds II have been discontinued.
Bose is a well-known brand, popular for its excellent noise cancelling and incredibly comfortable designs. They produce well-rounded and versatile headphones that also deliver in the sound department. However, their models are comparatively more expensive and less well-built than headphones in the same price range.