Bose QuietComfort earbuds: Noise-cancelling comfort with solid battery life
Earbuds Bose Picture: Bose Quietfort
The recently released QuietComfort Earbuds are a welcome addition to the Bose lineup. I have been a massive fan of the QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, and while the new buds are not as premium, they share much of what’s great about the QC Ultras.
Out of the box, you’ll find the earbuds, multiple ear tips and wings, a USB-C charging cable, and a compact charging case. The case is pleasantly minimalist, albeit not as stylish as the Ultra’s case, with a single battery indicator light on the front and a USB-C port on the back. The design is slim enough to slip into any pocket without bulk, and it also supports Qi wireless charging — always a welcome feature.
The earbuds are not small — they take up noticeable space in the ear. That said, they remain remarkably comfortable to wear for extended periods, and the fit was secure partly due to the silicone wing tips' extra grip. Bose has crafted these earbuds to stay in place whether you’re walking, jogging, or doing more energetic activities, and they’re IPX4-rated for sweat and water resistance.
The QuietComfort Earbuds offer rich, detailed, and immersive sound. Using the app’s pre-set EQs, I found the Bass Boost mode especially enjoyable. It delivers a punchy low-end without muddying the mids and highs. The instruments and vocals are clear, and the bass is powerful yet controlled, never overpowering the rest of the soundscape.
The app allows for a custom EQ setting if you feel the need to tweak the sound signature to suit your sound preferences. I dialled up the highs and mids more, yielding an even crisper audio experience with a punchy, controlled bass.
Bose is renowned for its ANC technology, and the QuietComfort perform excellently. While they don’t quite match the ANC performance of the pricier Ultra model, they’re surprisingly close. Testing outdoors, I found that ambient noises like birds, traffic, and people talking were effectively blocked, with only particularly loud noises like car engines seeping through.
The transparency mode also performs well, letting you stay aware of sounds within a few metres and converse without removing the buds. This is ideal for cold winter days when you wear gloves where taking the buds out of your ears would be awkward.
Bose has focused on call quality, and these earbuds perform admirably in noisy environments. I was impressed by how my voice came through on the other end, with background sounds like wind and chatter being effectively minimised. The QuietComfort Earbuds are a reliable option for anyone who frequently takes calls on the go.
One area where the QuietComfort are an improvement over the QuietComfort Ultra is battery life. It manages a commendable 8.5 hours of playtime on a single charge, while the wireless charging case holds an additional 2.5 charges, extending your total battery life to around 31 hours. The case takes about 1.5 hours for a full charge, but if you’re in a hurry, a 20-minute charge provides up to three hours of additional playtime — perfect for an on-the-go power boost.
Thanks to Bluetooth 5.3, the QC earbuds have consistently provided me with a lag-free experience while streaming audio and watching YouTube or Netflix on iOS and Android devices. You also get a low-latency mode for gaming, which can be either single-session (turns off once the earbuds are back in the case) or always-on (remains in low-latency mode until turned off). Be aware, though, that enabling a low-latency mode will reduce battery life slightly.
Bose has integrated intuitive touch controls, which can be customised in the Bose QuietComfort app. Single taps, double taps, and tap-and-hold options give you convenient ways to control playback without your phone.
Bose has taken voice controls up a notch with the QuietComfort buds, integrating some unique features that make using them intuitive and hands-free. Thanks to Voice ID calibration, they can recognise your unique voice profile for more accurate responses, allowing you to handle calls, control volume, play media, and even access your preferred voice assistant simply by saying, "Hey headphones." And it works surprisingly well. You have to pause after saying the catchphrase to wait for the confirmation tone, but I found it responds quickly and reliably to commands.
The Remote Selfie is a unique feature that lets you use your voice as a remote trigger for your camera, allowing you to capture photos from a distance without reaching for your phone.
Within the app, you can adjust ANC and transparency modes, view battery levels, access EQ presets or even create custom sound profiles. You can also tweak call settings and toggle low-latency mode for a better gaming experience.
The new Bose QuietComfort earbuds offer excellent value for their price. They may not have all of the advanced features of the Bose Ultra models, but deliver an impressive listening experience with all the essentials plus a few extras. A solid choice for anyone seeking reliable ANC, comfort, and Bose’s signature sound quality.
€209 Currys