The best Bose headphones offer exceptional sound quality through a range of in-ear and over-ear headphones. Paying extra attention to aesthetics, comfort, build, and audio, Bose is the go-to headphone brand if you want immersive sound that will block out external distractions, like our top pick, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds.
TL; DR – These are our picks for the best Bose Headphones:
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds - Best Noise Canceling
- Bose QuietComfort - Best Battery Life
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra - Best Bluetooth Connection
- Bose QuietComfort 45 - Best Comfort
- Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II - Best for Workouts
To help you find the best Bose headphones for you, we’ve researched and compiled a list of our all-time favorites from the brand, ensuring you can find the right type of headphones for your needs. Whether you’re looking for a pair of discreet earbuds, or studio-quality headphones, Bose has something to offer for everyone..
1. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
Best Noise Canceling
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds offer a whole lot of greatness in a compact, tiny package. It’s hard to believe just how great their active noise cancellation is. Be it your loud air conditioner at home or the noisy environment outside, those sounds are significantly dulled if not eliminated. But when you want to hear the world around you, there are transparency modes that blend different levels of ANC and awareness.
Sound performance is essential on all earbuds, and the Ultras don’t disappoint. They deliver a clean, neutral sound with a powerful bass out of the box, though you can always play around with EQ settings. Spatial audio with head tracking is on the buds, and Bose even custom-tunes them to your ears. The battery life on the Ultras is similar to Bose’s other earbuds, delivering six hours of listening time with 24 hours of life. It’s hard to complain about anything other than the higher price. These are some good wireless earbuds you won't be disapointed in.
2. Bose QuietComfort
Best Battery Life
Sure, Bose headphones aren’t known for class-leading battery life, but plenty of their headphones will last you through the day and beyond. Take the Bose QuietComfort, for example. You’ll get up to 24 hours of use out of these headphones before needing a recharge. Of course, when you decide to take advantage of their top-notch active noise cancellation, you will drop that battery life by a bit. But you can always go for a wired connection if need be.
You won’t be disappointed by the sound on these headphones, as they deliver rich, detailed audio, and it’s always possible to tweak your EQ settings via the easy-to-use app. Given that “comfort” is in the name, this pair of cans rests nicely on your head with plush memory foam earcups ready for long listening sessions. However, you lose out on spatial audio and hi-res Bluetooth codecs with this model, so you’ll have to grab the Ultras for them.
3. Bose QuietComfort Ultra
Best Bluetooth Connection
Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra ticks almost every box you can think of. Sporting both a wireless and wired interface, they ensure convenience for the user, while the strong Bluetooth 5.3 connection with multipoint delivers without a stutter. However, their standout feature is impressive ANC with transparency modes that keep up with the best noise-cancelling headphones. You won’t be disappointed by the Ultra’s sound either, with its full bass, rich highs, and spacious mids. Plus, there are adjustable EQ settings and immersive spatial audio modes.
Even though the Bose QuietComfort Ultra packs loads of features, the headphones remain relatively lightweight and comfortable on head thanks to plush cushioning. However, the ANC may sometimes add slight pressure to your ears. The headphone’s folding design and 24-hour battery life make them a perfect travel companion, while the mic is clear for everyday calls and virtual meetings. Just be prepared to shell out a good chunk of change for all this greatness.
4. Bose QuietComfort 45
Best Comfort
If comfort is your top priority in your next pair of headphones, the Bose QuietComfort 45, the QuietComfort is your best bet. All thanks to the over-ear headphones extremely thick and generously padded plus earcups, your ears are going to be thanking you for this purchase. The headphones also sport a lightweight body which helps them rest comfortably atop your noggin. The comfortable build coupled with a long-lasting 24-hour battery life means you wouldn’t have to pause your entertainment. Even when they do run out of juice, you can use the provided 3.5mm audio cable in the package to resume your content.
As expected, the QuietComfort 45 also offers excellent noise-canceling. It also features an Aware Mode which uses mics placed on the exterior of the headphones to listen to outdoor noise and react to it by lowering the volume of your music and turning noise-canceling off. This makes sure you stay cognizant of what’s going on around you and doubles as an excellent safety feature, too. The listening experience on the QuietComfort 45 is further enhanced by a range of intuitive controls that allow you to manage playback, volume, and your phone’s virtual assistant. The Bose Music app and the EQ settings it offers takes the overall experience up another notch.
5. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II
Best for Workouts
If you’re looking for a workout companion, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are for you. To start, these in-ear, true wireless earbuds provide a secure fit that doesn’t budge even when you’re engaged in intense physical activities thanks to multiple custom fit options with an inner ring and outer ear tip that come in three size options. The IPX4 water-resistance rating also adds to your workout sessions, so you don’t have to worry about how sweaty you get. These buds are even a great running headphone option.
On top of that, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II have excellent noise canceling to eliminate distractions, so you can focus on the workout. Not only is the cancellation worth recommending, but the transparency mode is great because of how natural and life-like they are. The sound is dynamic with excellent highs and midrange. They also feature a solid six-hour battery life, plenty to get you through your training.
Bose Headphones FAQ
Why is Bose better than Beats?
Beats has an excellent lineup of headphones, but Bose tends to be the winner when going head-to-head.
Bose’s sound quality slightly edges out Beats, delivering crisp, clear, and accurate audio. Beats tend to be heavier, focusing on bass, which some may prefer. While listening, you might want to use active noise canceling, and Bose has consistently been near the top of the pack. The company just has better technology than Beats.
A major complaint consumers tend to have about Beats concerns comfort. Some find the smaller earcups on most of their headphones slightly awkward, and as a whole, they’re usually tighter on the head and heavier, leading to fatigue. That isn’t a problem with their earbuds. Most of Bose’s headphones are lightweight with large, plush earcups that rest comfortably on your head, something most people prefer.
Bose beats Beats in almost every category. But it’s important to note that this is subjective, and everyone's ears are different. So, you may prefer the sound and feel of Beats.
What's so special about Bose headphones?
Bose consistently delivers quality products time and time again, helping to build trust with consumers. Many become loyal to the brand and will continue to purchase Bose headphones over their competitors when upgrading. It also helps that it’s one of the most recognizable names in the audio game.
When you buy Bose headphones, you know you’ll enjoy top-notch, accurate sound—and Bose especially excels in the mid-range, making them ideal for the average listener. Most of their headphones also rock noise canceling, and the company is almost always at the head of the pack, often neck and neck with Sony, when it comes to performance. Of course, comfort is never forgotten. So, Bose aims to keep their headphones lightweight and well-cushioned, letting you wear their peripherals for hours without fatigue. Plus, they are well-built, so even if you spend a lot of money upfront, you’ll use your Bose headphones for years.
