For Amazon's October Prime Day, Amazon is offering a pair of Bose QuietComfort 45 noise cancelling wireless over-ear headphones for only $229 (noramlly $330). Alternatively, Dell is offering a pair of Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 noise cancelling wireless over-ear heardphones also for $229 (normally $380). The 700 is also a lot harder to find on sale. This is actually the first time we've seen it at this price. These headphones are quite different, but both offer great sound quality and active noise cancellation.
Bose QuietComfort 45 Over-Ear Headphones for $229
The Bose QuietComfort 45 is the current model in the lineup after the QC35 II's nearly 5 year reign. It's also two years newer than the Bose Noise Cancelling 700. This is the first of the QuietComfort headphones to finally get rid of the legacy Micro USB connector in favor of USB Type-C. The QC45 boasts up to 24 hours of battery life on a single charge and it also supports fast charging, which gives you 3 hours of juice after only 15 minutes of plugging into a fast charging adapter. The QuietComfort 45 also has a new "Aware Mode" that amplifies ambient noises so that you can listen to the outside world without removing your headphones. The earcups have been redesigned so that passive noise isolation has been improved, which means even better noise reduction capability. In all other respects, the QC45 looks identical to QC35, which some may call dated, but it's still one of the most comfortable noise cancelling headphones you'll wear.
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 for $229
The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 sound just as good as (if not better than) the QuietComfort 45 and features the same excellent active noise cancellation. The biggest difference is the design. The 700 is definitely a sleeker looking headphone, and if aeshtetics are important to you, then you should definitely get this model over the QC45. It has an all-metal headband that makes it more durable, however the earcups can't fold in, so it's a bit harder to stow away. Fortunately, a hard shell case is included. Like the QC45, the 700 charges via USB Type-C cable. I've worn both and in my experience, the QC45 is a bit more comfortable because the padding on the earcups and the headband is less firm. However, I do feel like the 700's padding is more durable and will probably last longer.
If you're looking for more options, check out our guide to the best noise cancelling headphones.
Should you shop Prime Day or wait for Black Friday deals? Take a look at our guide on what to expect from Black Friday 2023.
