Best Bose Headphones - 2018
Reviews

We have currently reviewed 12 Bose headphones. They're a reputable brand that makes comfortable headphones, and they're known for their great noise cancellation. 

Updates

• 03/01/2018 Bose QuietComfort 35 II reviewed

Compared to other brands

Overall, Bose makes well-rounded headphones that provide an unparalleled level of comfort and industry-leading noise canceling. Sound quality is a bit bass-heavy but sufficiently balanced to please most listeners. However, Bose tends to make comparatively expensive headphones that feel a little plasticky and not as well built as other headphones in the same price range. Their over-ear lineup also tends to leak a bit at higher volumes, which might not be ideal for all environments.

Best Bose Headphones

Bose doesn't offer as many headphone types and variations as some other brands. However, they deliver a solid series of headphones that cover most use cases. They also do especially well with commuting headphones thanks to their great noise canceling.

• QuietComfort =  Comfortable, noise canceling headphones designed for commuting and traveling in loud environments.
• QuietControl = Wireless headphones with better app support for more control over active features and noise cancellation.
• SoundTrue = Closed headphones that deliver a balanced sound quality but no noise cancellation.
• SoundLink = The wireless variations of some SoundTrue models. They also don't have noise canceling.
• SoundSport = Semi-open and open in-ear/earbuds made for sports.

Best Bose Headphones for Mixed Usage

Bose QuietComfort 35 II

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Amazon.com

Usage Ratings - Version 1.2

✕

Test Benches: test

• 1.2: Winter 2018
• 1.1: Summer 2017
• 1.0: Winter 2017
• 0.9: Winter 2016

See changelog and how ratings work

7.5

Mixed Usage

✕

What it is This is the combination of the different use cases to evaluate how versatile the headphones are. Therefore an everyday headphone should be well-rounded enough to adapt to most situations and environments without significant losses in sound quality, design ergonomics or isolation.

Score components:

• 25% Critical Listening
• 25% Office
• 25% Commute/Travel
• 10% Sports/Fitness
• 9% Gaming
• 6% Home Theater

Score distribution:

7.9

Critical Listening

✕

What it is The level of audio fidelity a headphone can reproduce. Therefore a balanced and true representation of bass, mids, treble, soundstage and imaging, as well as a comfortable listening experience, is essential for critical listening.

Score components:

• 80% Sound
• 10% Build Quality
• 7% Comfort
• 3% Breathability

Score distribution:

See our best recommendations

7.8

Commute/Travel

✕

What it is How well the headphones handle the loud environments involved in commuting or traveling. Therefore your listening experience should be comfortable, hassle-free and as isolated from noise as possible.

Score components:

• 24% Noise Isolation
• 14% Sound
• 11% Portability
• 10% Comfort
• 10% Build Quality
• 10% Battery
• 6% Wireless Range
• 4% Controls
• 4% Breathability
• 4% Leakage
• 3% Microphone
• 1% Multi-Device Pairing
• 1% NFC

Score distribution:

See our best recommendations

7.2

Sports/Fitness

✕

What it is How well-adapted the headphones are, to use while doing sports or strenuous exercise. Therefore the headphones should not be too cumbersome and deliver a stable and comfortable listening experience.

Score components:

• 24% Stability
• 23% Portability
• 11% Sound
• 10% Breathability
• 8% Comfort
• 6% Wireless Range
• 5% Controls
• 5% Battery
• 4% Noise Isolation
• 4% Leakage

Score distribution:

See our best recommendations

7.8

Office

✕

What it is How well the headphones can deliver a comfortable and isolated listening experience in an office-like environment. They should not leak much and should block the noise of a busy office.

Score components:

• 24% Comfort
• 21% Sound
• 16% Noise Isolation
• 8% Leakage
• 7% Battery
• 7% Wireless Range
• 5% Breathability
• 3% Build Quality
• 3% Microphone
• 1% Controls
• 1% Multi-Device Pairing
• 0% USB
• 0% PC Compatible
• 0% Latency
• 0% Analog
• 0% Line In
• 0% USB Input
• 0% PC Compatible
• 0% Power Supply
• 0% Dock Charging

Score distribution:

See our best recommendations

6.0

Home Theater

✕

Score components:

• 23% Sound
• 17% Comfort
• 15% Default Latency
• 10% Wireless Range
• 5% Build Quality
• 5% Breathability
• 4% Optical Input
• 4% Battery
• 3% Analog
• 3% Leakage
• 3% Noise Isolation
• 2% RCA Input
• 2% Multi-Device Pairing
• 2% Line In
• 2% Line Out
• 2% Power Supply
• 2% Dock Charging

Score distribution:

See our best recommendations

5.6

Gaming

✕

Score components:

• 21% Sound
• 21% Default Latency
• 15% Comfort
• 12% Microphone
• 5% Breathability
• 5% Battery
• 5% Base/Dock
• 3% Build Quality
• 3% Wireless Range
• 3% Microphone Control
• 3% Channel Mixing
• 3% Wired
• 2% Volume Control
• 2% App Support
• 1% Bluetooth

Score distribution:

See our best recommendations

The best Bose headphones for mixed usage are the Bose QuietComfort 35 II. They're a slight improvement over the QuietComfort 35 with more control over their noise cancellation feature and Google Assistant built-in. If you need a pair of headphones that you're going to use on your commutes and throughout your day, then the QC35 are a great option. They're comfortable, easy to use and sound good enough for casual and critical listeners. They also have one the best noise canceling available on the market so they isolate well against ambient noise but they're a bit leaky at higher volumes. 

See our review

Best Bose Headphones for Office

Bose QuietControl 30

SEE PRICE

Amazon.com

Usage Ratings - Version 1.2

✕

Test Benches: test

• 1.2: Winter 2018
• 1.1: Summer 2017
• 1.0: Winter 2017
• 0.9: Winter 2016

See changelog and how ratings work

7.1

Mixed Usage

✕

What it is This is the combination of the different use cases to evaluate how versatile the headphones are. Therefore an everyday headphone should be well-rounded enough to adapt to most situations and environments without significant losses in sound quality, design ergonomics or isolation.

Score components:

• 25% Critical Listening
• 25% Office
• 25% Commute/Travel
• 10% Sports/Fitness
• 9% Gaming
• 6% Home Theater

Score distribution:

7.1

Critical Listening

✕

What it is The level of audio fidelity a headphone can reproduce. Therefore a balanced and true representation of bass, mids, treble, soundstage and imaging, as well as a comfortable listening experience, is essential for critical listening.

Score components:

• 80% Sound
• 10% Build Quality
• 7% Comfort
• 3% Breathability

Score distribution:

See our best recommendations

7.5

Commute/Travel

✕

What it is How well the headphones handle the loud environments involved in commuting or traveling. Therefore your listening experience should be comfortable, hassle-free and as isolated from noise as possible.

Score components:

• 24% Noise Isolation
• 14% Sound
• 11% Portability
• 10% Comfort
• 10% Build Quality
• 10% Battery
• 6% Wireless Range
• 4% Controls
• 4% Breathability
• 4% Leakage
• 3% Microphone
• 1% Multi-Device Pairing
• 1% NFC

Score distribution:

See our best recommendations

7.5

Sports/Fitness

✕

What it is How well-adapted the headphones are, to use while doing sports or strenuous exercise. Therefore the headphones should not be too cumbersome and deliver a stable and comfortable listening experience.

Score components:

• 24% Stability
• 23% Portability
• 11% Sound
• 10% Breathability
• 8% Comfort
• 6% Wireless Range
• 5% Controls
• 5% Battery
• 4% Noise Isolation
• 4% Leakage

Score distribution:

See our best recommendations

7.4

Office

✕

What it is How well the headphones can deliver a comfortable and isolated listening experience in an office-like environment. They should not leak much and should block the noise of a busy office.

Score components:

• 24% Comfort
• 21% Sound
• 16% Noise Isolation
• 8% Leakage
• 7% Battery
• 7% Wireless Range
• 5% Breathability
• 3% Build Quality
• 3% Microphone
• 1% Controls
• 1% Multi-Device Pairing
• 0% USB
• 0% PC Compatible
• 0% Latency
• 0% Analog
• 0% Line In
• 0% USB Input
• 0% PC Compatible
• 0% Power Supply
• 0% Dock Charging

Score distribution:

See our best recommendations

5.6

Home Theater

✕

Score components:

• 23% Sound
• 17% Comfort
• 15% Default Latency
• 10% Wireless Range
• 5% Build Quality
• 5% Breathability
• 4% Optical Input
• 4% Battery
• 3% Analog
• 3% Leakage
• 3% Noise Isolation
• 2% RCA Input
• 2% Multi-Device Pairing
• 2% Line In
• 2% Line Out
• 2% Power Supply
• 2% Dock Charging

Score distribution:

See our best recommendations

5.2

Gaming

✕

Score components:

• 21% Sound
• 21% Default Latency
• 15% Comfort
• 12% Microphone
• 5% Breathability
• 5% Battery
• 5% Base/Dock
• 3% Build Quality
• 3% Wireless Range
• 3% Microphone Control
• 3% Channel Mixing
• 3% Wired
• 2% Volume Control
• 2% App Support
• 1% Bluetooth

Score distribution:

See our best recommendations

The best Bose headphones for office are the QuietControl 30. If you want the great noise canceling that Bose is known for, in a more portable design that also doesn't leak as much as some of their over-ear models, then the QC30 are a great choice. They have a comfortable earbud fit for those who find in-ears fatiguing. They're also stable and have a good set of features that make them versatile enough for most use cases. 

See our review

Best Bose Headphones for Sports

Bose SoundSport Free

SEE PRICE

Amazon.com

Usage Ratings - Version 1.2

✕

Test Benches: test

• 1.2: Winter 2018
• 1.1: Summer 2017
• 1.0: Winter 2017
• 0.9: Winter 2016

See changelog and how ratings work

6.7

Mixed Usage

✕

What it is This is the combination of the different use cases to evaluate how versatile the headphones are. Therefore an everyday headphone should be well-rounded enough to adapt to most situations and environments without significant losses in sound quality, design ergonomics or isolation.

Score components:

• 25% Critical Listening
• 25% Office
• 25% Commute/Travel
• 10% Sports/Fitness
• 9% Gaming
• 6% Home Theater

Score distribution:

7.7

Critical Listening

✕

What it is The level of audio fidelity a headphone can reproduce. Therefore a balanced and true representation of bass, mids, treble, soundstage and imaging, as well as a comfortable listening experience, is essential for critical listening.

Score components:

• 80% Sound
• 10% Build Quality
• 7% Comfort
• 3% Breathability

Score distribution:

See our best recommendations

6.3

Commute/Travel

✕

What it is How well the headphones handle the loud environments involved in commuting or traveling. Therefore your listening experience should be comfortable, hassle-free and as isolated from noise as possible.

Score components:

• 24% Noise Isolation
• 14% Sound
• 11% Portability
• 10% Comfort
• 10% Build Quality
• 10% Battery
• 6% Wireless Range
• 4% Controls
• 4% Breathability
• 4% Leakage
• 3% Microphone
• 1% Multi-Device Pairing
• 1% NFC

Score distribution:

See our best recommendations

7.8

Sports/Fitness

✕

What it is How well-adapted the headphones are, to use while doing sports or strenuous exercise. Therefore the headphones should not be too cumbersome and deliver a stable and comfortable listening experience.

Score components:

• 24% Stability
• 23% Portability
• 11% Sound
• 10% Breathability
• 8% Comfort
• 6% Wireless Range
• 5% Controls
• 5% Battery
• 4% Noise Isolation
• 4% Leakage

Score distribution:

See our best recommendations

6.5

Office

✕

What it is How well the headphones can deliver a comfortable and isolated listening experience in an office-like environment. They should not leak much and should block the noise of a busy office.

Score components:

• 24% Comfort
• 21% Sound
• 16% Noise Isolation
• 8% Leakage
• 7% Battery
• 7% Wireless Range
• 5% Breathability
• 3% Build Quality
• 3% Microphone
• 1% Controls
• 1% Multi-Device Pairing
• 0% USB
• 0% PC Compatible
• 0% Latency
• 0% Analog
• 0% Line In
• 0% USB Input
• 0% PC Compatible
• 0% Power Supply
• 0% Dock Charging

Score distribution:

See our best recommendations

5.6

Home Theater

✕

Score components:

• 23% Sound
• 17% Comfort
• 15% Default Latency
• 10% Wireless Range
• 5% Build Quality
• 5% Breathability
• 4% Optical Input
• 4% Battery
• 3% Analog
• 3% Leakage
• 3% Noise Isolation
• 2% RCA Input
• 2% Multi-Device Pairing
• 2% Line In
• 2% Line Out
• 2% Power Supply
• 2% Dock Charging

Score distribution:

See our best recommendations

5.2

Gaming

✕

Score components:

• 21% Sound
• 21% Default Latency
• 15% Comfort
• 12% Microphone
• 5% Breathability
• 5% Battery
• 5% Base/Dock
• 3% Build Quality
• 3% Wireless Range
• 3% Microphone Control
• 3% Channel Mixing
• 3% Wired
• 2% Volume Control
• 2% App Support
• 1% Bluetooth

Score distribution:

See our best recommendations

The best Bose headphones for sports are the SoundSport Free. These truly wireless earbuds have one of the most balanced frequency responses that we've measured so far. They're comfortable and quite portable despite their bulkier design. Unfortunately, they have a few bugs with their wireless connection but on the upside, their semi-open design is great for runners that need to monitor their surroundings.

See our review

Conclusion

Bose is a well-known brand, popular for their excellent noise canceling and incredibly comfortable designs. They produce well-rounded and versatile headphones that also deliver in the sound department if a bit bass-heavy at times. However, their models tend to be comparatively more expensive and not as well built as some other headphones in the same price range. 

Check our recommendations for the best commuting headphones.