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Bose Sport Open Earbuds Truly Wireless  Headphones Review

Review updated Apr 19, 2024 at 04:46pm
Writing modified Oct 17, 2024 at 12:01pm
Tested using methodology v1.5 
Bose Sport Open Earbuds Truly Wireless
5.5
Neutral Sound 
5.7
Commute/Travel 
8.0
Sports/Fitness 
5.4
Office 
5.3
Wireless Gaming 
5.2
Wired Gaming 
5.9
Phone Calls 
 0

The Bose Sport Open Earbuds Truly Wireless are open-fit headphones designed for outdoor sports. Their over-ear hooks hold the drivers in front of your ear canals, while leaving them open for natural ambient awareness. This design has its obvious environmental advantages, but it's also somewhat niche, so let's see if they're just what you need.

Our Verdict

5.5
Neutral Sound 

The Bose Sport Open Earbuds are sub-par for neutral sound. While they have a flat and balanced mid-range, they lack a comprehensive low-end, so mixes really lack thump and rumble. Unfortunately, they don't have any sound enhancement features like EQ to help tweak their sound to your liking.

Pros
  • Consistent audio reproduction.
Cons
  • Lacking bass.
  • Leaks a lot of audio.
5.7
Commute/Travel 

The Bose Sport Open Earbuds are sub-par for commute and travel. While they're portable, they won't isolate you from any of the rumble of bus engines or ambient chatter, so you'll hear everything, and they also leak a lot of audio. Even though they're comfortable, you won't be able to wear them while also wearing glasses or a mask. On the upside, their 9.5-hour battery life should last through a long commute.

Pros
  • Great build quality and IPX4 rating for water resistance.
Cons
  • No noise isolation.
  • Leaks a lot of audio.
8.0
Sports/Fitness 

The Bose Sport Open Earbuds are great for sports and fitness. They have an open-ear fit, so you can hear ambient noise around you while running or working out outdoors. They also have a stable fit, although they can put some pressure behind your ears, and their design isn't the most malleable. They also have an IPX4 rating for water resistance.

Pros
  • Great build quality and IPX4 rating for water resistance.
  • Open-ear fit is good for running outside.
Cons
  • Lacking bass.
5.4
Office 

The Bose Sport Open Earbuds are disappointing for office use. They don't isolate noise by design, so you hear everything that goes on in the office, and they leak a lot of audio. They're decently comfortable, but unfortunately, you won't be able to wear them while also wearing glasses or a mask. On the upside, their 9.5-hour battery life should be enough to last you through your 9–5 workday.

Pros
  • Great build quality and IPX4 rating for water resistance.
Cons
  • No noise isolation.
  • Leaks a lot of audio.
5.3
Wireless Gaming 

The Bose Open Earbuds are compatible with Bluetooth-enabled PCs, but their latency is likely too high to be suitable for wireless gaming. They aren't compatible with Xbox One or PS4 consoles.

5.2
Wired Gaming 

The Bose Open Earbuds are wireless-only, so they aren't suitable for wired gaming.

5.9
Phone Calls 

The Bose Sport Open Earbuds are middling for phone calls. Their integrated mic captures your voice clearly, although it struggles to separate speech from ambient noise around you. Since these headphones don't really cover your ears, they also don't block out any noise around you, so it may be harder to focus on your conversation.

Pros
  • Mic has good recording quality.
Cons
  • No noise isolation.
  • Mediocre noise handling.
  • 5.5
    Neutral Sound
  • 5.7
    Commute/Travel
  • 8.0
    Sports/Fitness
  • 5.4
    Office
  • 5.3
    Wireless Gaming
  • 5.2
    Wired Gaming
  • 5.9
    Phone Calls
  • Changelog

    1.  Updated Oct 17, 2024: 

      We mentioned the Shokz OpenFit Air True Wireless in the Bluetooth section of this review.

    2.  Updated Apr 19, 2024: This review's text has been brought up to date with current reviews, although the scores have stayed the same.
    3.  Updated Apr 12, 2024: We've removed the Breathability score because, while these are open-fitting headphones, we never measured their temperature due to their shape and design not fitting our rig. This update makes it easier to compare scores to other open-fit headphones.
    4.  Updated Mar 28, 2024: The Comfort of these earbuds has been compared to the newer Bose Ultra Open Earbuds Truly Wireless.

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    Differences Between Sizes And Variants

    The Bose Sport Open Earbuds come in one color variant: 'Triple Black.' You can see our model's label here. If you come across another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the forums, and we'll update our review.

    Popular Headphones Comparisons

    The Bose Sport Open Earbuds are open-ear headphones designed for sports and fitness, thanks to their over-ear hooks that ensure a secure fit. However, if you wear glasses, the arms can be hard to fit alongside the hooks. Similar open-fit styles like the Shokz OpenFit True Wireless utilize a less bulky hook design that's slightly more comfortable and come with a much better overall battery life. However, the Bose have a slightly higher build quality.

    That said, this Bose model has been superseded by the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds Truly Wireless, which have a completely different approach to fit as they clip onto the bottom of your ears. This design can be a little challenging to get a good fit if you have a lot of piercings along your earlobes, though.

    Check out our recommendations for the best headphones for running, the best open-back headphones, and the best Bose headphones.

    Shokz OpenFit True Wireless

    Although they are similar, the Shokz OpenFit True Wireless are slightly better than the Bose Sport Open Earbuds Truly Wireless. Both have similar bass roll-offs and use open-fitting buds for greater environmental awareness. The Shokz are lighter, and unlike the Bose, they don't require a separate charging cradle; instead, they use a conventional charging case. Their IP54 rating protects against water and dust, instead of the Bose's lesser IPX4 rating. The Shokz have an EQ, which the Bose do not. While the Shokz's mic handles noise better, the Bose's mic sounds more natural. To a single charge, the Bose earbuds' battery lasts longer. They have a touch panel and a multi-function button that spreads out controls. Their latency is lower, but their distance range is shorter.

    Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation)

    The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) are more versatile than the Bose Sport Open Earbuds Truly Wireless. Unlike the Bose, the Apple earbuds feature comprehensive active noise cancelling (ANC) with other Apple-specific features like the H2 chip and Spatial Audio. Both the case and earbuds have IP54 ratings. The Bose are meant to be worn to hear your environment and have no noise-isolating properties. They leak more audio and lack low-end compared to the Apple buds. Their continuous battery life is greater, but the headphones require a separate charging cradle.

    Bose Sport Earbuds Truly Wireless

    The Bose Sport Earbuds Truly Wireless are more versatile headphones than the Bose Sport Open Earbuds Truly Wireless. While both headphones are designed for sports, the Sport Earbuds are more comfortable and stable. They have a better-balanced sound profile, and their carrying case holds two additional charges, which is nice. However, the Sport Open have a completely open-ear design that allows you to hear more ambient noise around you, which make them even more suitable for running outdoors.

    Apple AirPods (2nd generation)

    The Bose Sport Open Earbuds Truly Wireless are better for outdoor sports and fitness, while the Apple AirPods (2nd generation) offer a more versatile overall performance. The Bose are more stable and don't cover your ear, so you can stay aware of your surroundings. They also have more consistent audio reproduction. However, the Apple are more comfortable, have five additional charges in their carrying case, and have an H1 chip so that you can seamlessly pair them with your Apple devices. Their sound profile is better balanced, too.

    Show more 

    Test Results

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    RATINGS
    Category:
    All
    Design
    Style
    TypeEarbuds
    EnclosureOpen-Back
    WirelessTruly Wireless
    TransducerDynamic

    The Bose Sport Open Earbuds have an unusual and chunky design. They have thick ear-hooks to hold the headphones in place as the earbud sits just outside of your ear canal. They look a bit bulky, though, and only come in 'Triple Black.'

    7.0
    Comfort
    Weight0.07 lbs
    Clamping Force
    0 lbs

    These are decently comfortable. Once you've placed them correctly, you don't really feel them, and they don't move around too much. That said, you won't be able to wear them if you wear glasses or have a mask on. They're also quite big, can put pressure behind your ear, and don't have a very malleable design, so people who have bigger earlobes may find them a bit more tricky to wear. The updated Bose Ultra Open Earbuds Truly Wireless take a completely different approach by swapping the large over-ear hooks for a clip-on design that fits on the bottom of your ear instead. This feels more comfortable and stays out of the way of glasses.

    6.9
    Controls
    OS Compatibility
    Not OS specific
    Ease Of UseGreat
    FeedbackGood
    Call/Music ControlYes
    Volume ControlYes
    Microphone ControlNo
    Channel Mixing
    No
    Noise Cancelling ControlNo
    Talk-Through
    No
    Additional ControlsVoice Assistant

    Their controls are alright. They give good feedback with voice prompts when connected, as well as for incoming calls and battery status. The right earbud has most of the controls allocated to a single multi-function button. When using the right side's multi-function button, you can control playback and call functions. You enter pairing mode from powered off with this button, and you can manually turn them on/off with this button, too. The left's multi-function button checks the battery level and activates the voice assistant. To adjust volume, use the touch-sensitive, flat outer surface of the earbuds. The right side's touch surface turns up the volume, while the left side's touch reduces the volume. You can turn off the touch-sensitive function in the app as well.

    Right Multi-function button:

    • Press and hold: Power on/off.
    • Press and hold from powered off: Turn on and initiate Bluetooth pairing.
    • Single press: Pause/play, answer call/answer a new incoming call (while you're already on a call).
    • Double press: Skip to next track, decline incoming call.
    • Triple press: Skip to previous track.

    Left Multi-function button:

    • Press and hold: Activate voice assistant.
    • Single press: Check battery level status.

    Right Touch Surface:

    • Press and hold: Increase volume.

    Left Touch Surface:

    • Press and hold: Decrease volume.

    0.0
    Breathability
    Avg.Temp.DifferenceN/A
    9.0
    Portability
    L2.5" (6.4 cm)
    W1.9" (4.8 cm)
    H0.8" (2.0 cm)
    Volume3.80 in³ (62.27 cm³)
    Transmitter RequiredNo

    These are exceptionally portable, and like most true wireless earbuds, they fit into most pockets. However, owing to their hooks, they're a bit bulkier than conventional true wireless earbuds.

    7.5
    Case
    TypeHard case
    L4.5" (11.4 cm)
    W2.8" (7.1 cm)
    H1.2" (3.0 cm)
    Volume15.00 in³ (245.80 cm³)

    Their case is good. It's made of rubberized plastic with a fabric inner covering and a magnetic closing lid. However, the case is mainly just for storing the earbuds. It won't turn off or recharge the earbuds, so you need to remember to turn them off before putting them in their case.

    8.0
    Build Quality

    These headphones have a great build quality. They're made of a plastic composite, which makes them feel sturdy and durable. The earbuds are also rated IPX4 for water resistance against light water splashes. Their charging base is plastic with rubber on the underside to keep it from sliding around on surfaces.

    8.0
    Stability

    These headphones are impressively stable. Their over-ear hook design ensures they don't come loose during moderate, upright exercises like running. However, depending on the shape of your ears, it can feel like they'll fall off, even if they don't.

    Headshots 1
    Headshots 2
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    In The Box

    • Bose Sport Open Earbuds Truly Wireless headphones
    • USB-A proprietary charging cradle
    • Carrying case
    • Manual

    Sound
    Sound Profile
    See details on graph tool
    Bass Amount
    -17.56 dB
    Treble Amount
    -2.6 dB

    The Bose Open Earbuds severely roll off the low-end for mid-range and treble-focused tuning. Because they sit outside your ear canal, they can't create a seal for a stronger bass response, which is typical of open-fit earbuds. As a result, they really struggle to reproduce low- and mid-bass, making genres like EDM and hip-hop totally lack a rumbling low-end. That said, unlike conventional earbuds and headphones, the unsealed fit provides an ambient backdrop to your activities rather than focused audio.

    Their tuning works well for podcasts or vocal-centric music, such as folk with stripped-back mixes of acoustic guitar and vocals, thanks to their balanced mid-range. The treble range conveys details well, but steep dips make sibilants (S and T sounds) dark and veiled. However, without the balance of bass content to compete for your attention, those dips prevent harmonics from sounding shrill.

    8.5
    Frequency Response Consistency
    See details on graph tool
    See details on graph tool
    Avg. Std. Deviation
    0.3 dB

    These headphones have excellent frequency response consistency. They convey bass consistently. While they appear to have a somewhat inconsistent bass delivery because the frequency response effectively rolls off everything lower than mid-bass, you won't notice a difference between wears in this range. Their treble has small inconsistencies but nothing too impactful between wearers. You should be able to achieve a consistent sound if you take the time to adjust them each time you use them.

    Raw Frequency Response
    See details on graph tool
    See details on graph tool
    1.0
    Bass Accuracy
    See details on graph tool
    Std. Err.
    16.16 dB
    Low-Frequency Extension
    100.79 Hz
    Low-Bass
    -32.16 dB
    Mid-Bass
    -8.48 dB
    High-Bass
    3.18 dB

    The Bose Sport Open Earbuds have terrible bass accuracy. Due to their open-ear design, which positions the driver outside the ear canal, they lack a lot of low-bass. Their mid-bass is also severely tapered off, so songs like Music Sounds Better With You by Stardust aren't full-bodied and thumpy in the low-end. However, the high-bass adds boom, although some users may find it a bit muddy.

    8.9
    Mid Accuracy
    See details on graph tool
    Std. Err.
    1.45 dB
    Low-Mid
    1.27 dB
    Mid-Mid
    0.26 dB
    High-Mid
    1.62 dB

    These buds have excellent mid-accuracy. The response is very flat and neutral, resulting in present, accurate, and detailed vocals and lead instruments.

    8.0
    Treble Accuracy
    See details on graph tool
    Std. Err.
    3.05 dB
    Low-Treble
    1 dB
    Mid-Treble
    -4.8 dB
    High-Treble
    -6.51 dB

    These headphones have very good treble accuracy. The low-treble is even and slightly overemphasized, resulting in detailed and present vocals and lead instruments. The mid-treble is underemphasized, though, so sibilants like cymbals are dull and lispy.

    5.4
    Peaks/Dips
    See details on graph tool
    Peaks
    3.42 dB
    Dips
    2.04 dB

    The peaks and dips performance is disappointing. Because of the limitations of their open-fit design, they struggle to control their sound. There's a significant dip in the low-bass, so your mixes lack thump and rumble. The peak in the high-bass adds intense boom and punch to kick drums. It levels off with minor dips and peaks in the mids, which is rather consistent for clear lead instruments. Another peak in the low-treble adds some emphasis to detail to vocals, while a dip in the mid-treble weakens sibilants.

    4.7
    Imaging
    See details on graph tool
    See details on graph tool
    Weighted Group Delay
    3.18
    Weighted Phase Mismatch
    42.2
    Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
    1.33
    Weighted Frequency Mismatch
    2.98

    The Bose Open Earbuds have poor imaging. The manufacturer ordinarily has good quality control with conventional headphones, but open-fits tend to have more imaging issues, which doesn't necessarily mean their quality control is poor.

    Generally, these results indicate imperfect ergonomics. A few large peaks in their group delay response indicate loose bass. The treble range falls under the audibility threshold, though, ensuring transparent treble. The left and right drivers are well-matched in amplitude, with a slight mismatch in the frequency, which isn't as noticeable as gaps in the stereo image. Their phase mismatch indicates the localization of sounds in the stereo image can skew to one side, although this wasn't noticeable in use. However, these results are only valid for our unit, and your experience may vary.

    3.4
    Passive Soundstage
    PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
    N/A
    PRTF Size (Avg.)
    N/A
    PRTF Distance
    N/A
    Openness
    9.8
    Acoustic Space Excitation
    4.9

    The headphones have a poor passive soundstage. Since they sit outside of your ear canal, they can interact with your outer ear, which helps their soundstage seem open. However, it won't sound very natural or immersive.

    0.0
    Virtual Soundstage
    Head Modeling
    No
    Speaker Modeling
    No
    Room Ambience
    No
    Head Tracking
    No
    Virtual Surround
    No
    6.9
    Weighted Harmonic Distortion
    See details on graph tool
    WHD @ 90
    0.531
    WHD @ 100
    0.324

    They have alright weighted harmonic distortion performance. There are a few peaks across the range at a normal listening volume, but it's very minor and can be hard to hear with real-life content. At a high volume, the range falls within good limits, resulting in clean and pure audio reproduction.

    Test Settings
    Firmware
    1.1.2-2174+132ebd5
    Power
    On
    Connection
    Bluetooth 5.0
    Codec
    SBC, 16-bit, 48kHz
    EQ
    No EQ
    ANC
    No ANC
    Tip/Pad
    Default
    Microphone
    Integrated

    These are the settings used to test the Bose Open Earbuds. Our results are only valid when using them in this configuration.

    Isolation
    0.6
    Noise Isolation
    See details on graph tool
    Isolation Audio
    Overall Attenuation
    -0.56 dB
    Noise CancellingNo
    Bass
    -0.06 dB
    Mid
    0.32 dB
    Treble
    -1.86 dB

    The noise isolation performance is bad, but that's to be expected for open-ear headphones. They don't cover the ear or seal your ear canal. This design allows you to stay aware of your surroundings while you run outdoors or walk at night. Due to this, you can easily hear the rumble of bus engines, ambient chatter, and the hum of an A/C unit. Everything you hear without headphones on, you'll hear with these on.

    5.8
    Leakage
    See details on graph tool
    Leakage Audio
    Overall Leakage @ 1ft
    46.15 dB

    The Bose Open Earbuds have a sub-par leakage performance. Since they don't go inside your ears, they leak a lot of audio, especially in the treble range. Although escaping audio sounds thin, if you're listening to audio at a high volume in a somewhat noisy environment like an office, people around you can hear it. If you want a pair of earbuds for use in workplaces, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds Truly Wireless leak far less of your audio.

    Microphone
    Microphone Style
    Integrated
    Yes
    In-Line
    No
    Boom
    No
    Detachable Boom
    No
    MicYes
    7.6
    Recording Quality
    See details on graph tool
    Recorded Speech
    LFE
    171.98 Hz
    FR Std. Dev.
    1.7 dB
    HFE
    6,544.63 Hz
    Weighted THD
    1.48
    Gain
    5.63 dB

    Their mic has a good recording quality. The mic system captures your voice clearly, although it sounds a little thin and lacking in body. Overall, it sounds close to real life, even if the audio quality is compressed.

    6.5
    Noise Handling
    See details on graph tool
    SpNR
    11.56 dB
    Noise Gate
    Always On
    Speech + Pink Noise Handling
    6.5
    Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
    Speech + Subway Noise Handling
    6.5
    Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample

    The mic has fair noise handling. It struggles to completely separate your voice from even moderately noisy environments like a busy street. With loud and sudden background noise, the mic is unable to filter out the noise, and it overwhelms your voice even if parts of your speech can still be heard.

    Active Features
    7.0
    Battery
    Battery Type
    Rechargable
    Continuous Battery Life
    9.5 hrs
    Additional Charges
    0.0
    Total Battery Life
    9.5 hrs
    Charge Time
    1.2 hrs
    Power-Saving Feature
    Auto-Off Timer
    Audio While Charging
    No
    Passive Playback
    No
    Charging PortProprietary

    The Bose Open Earbuds have satisfactory battery performance. They're advertised as having eight hours of playback time with a two-hour charging period. While we measured about 9.5 hours of continuous battery life with a recharge time of just over an hour, battery performance can vary according to usage, so your experience may vary. If you're looking to save battery life, they have an auto-off timer that can be set within their companion app.

    Unlike most true wireless headphones, these aren't recharged by the case, so they won't juice up in the case when you replace them in the case. You need to use their separate charging cradle, which is inconvenient when you're away from home.

    7.0
    App Support
    App NameBose Music
    iOSYes
    AndroidYes
    macOSNo
    WindowsNo
    Equalizer
    No
    ANC Control
    No
    Mic ControlNo
    Room Effects
    No
    Playback Control
    Yes
    Button MappingYes
    Surround Support
    No

    The Bose Music app is decent. It's pretty basic, and it allows you to check the battery level, update the headphones, turn on or off the touch surface volume controls, and adjust the auto-off timer. You can also access a guide on how to use the headphones and see all known devices. However, this app lacks sound enhancement features like an equalizer. If you want more customizable open-ear headphones, try the Sony LinkBuds Truly Wireless.

    Connectivity
    6.7
    Bluetooth
    Bluetooth Version
    5.1
    Multi-Device Pairing
    No
    NFC Pairing
    No
    Line Of Sight Range
    153.00 ft (46.63 m)
    PC Latency (SBC)
    329 ms
    PC Latency (aptX)
    N/A
    PC Latency (aptX HD)
    N/A
    PC Latency (aptX-LL)
    N/A
    iOS Latency
    86 ms
    Android Latency
    120 ms

    These have okay Bluetooth connectivity. They don't support multi-device or NFC pairing. If multi-device pairing is important to you, consider the Shokz OpenFit Air True Wireless. The Bose support AAC and SBC codecs only, which is okay but fairly rudimentary without higher-quality codecs like aptX or low-latency codecs. Their latency on PC is likely too high to be suitable for gaming or streaming video. Their latency on iOS and Android devices is much lower, though. That said, some devices and apps compensate for latency, so your experience may vary.

    0.0
    Non-Bluetooth Wireless
    Non-BT Line Of Sight Range
    N/A
    Non-BT Latency
    N/A
    0.0
    Wired
    Analog Audio
    No
    USB Audio
    No
    DetachableNo
    LengthN/A
    Connection
    No Wired Option
    Analog/USB Audio Latency
    N/A

    These Bluetooth-only headphones can't be used wired. They come with a USB-A to proprietary charging cradle to recharge the headphones.

    PC Compatibility
    Analog
    No
    Wired USB
    No
    Non-BT Wireless
    No

    If your PC supports Bluetooth, these earbuds can connect via Bluetooth only for full audio and mic support.

    PlayStation Compatibility
    PS4 Analog
    No
    PS4 Wired USB
    No
    PS4 Non-BT Wireless
    No
    PS5 Analog
    No
    PS5 Wired USB
    No
    PS5 Non-BT Wireless
    No
    Xbox Compatibility
    Xbox One Analog
    No
    Xbox One Wired USB
    No
    Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
    No
    Xbox Series X|S Analog
    No
    Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
    No
    Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
    No
    2.2
    Base/Dock
    Type
    Wired USB dock
    USB Input
    No
    Line In
    No
    Line Out
    No
    Optical Input
    No
    RCA Input
    No
    Dock Charging
    Yes
    Power Supply
    USB

    These headphones come with a proprietary charging cradle instead of using the case as with most true wireless headphones. Needing a charging cradle can be annoying if you forget it somewhere but need to charge the earbuds. The charging cradle doesn't hold any charges or inputs, so it needs to be connected to power to charge.

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    1. Update: We mentioned the Shokz OpenFit Air True Wireless in the Bluetooth section of this review.

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