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Bose 700 Headphones Wireless Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.5
Review updated Oct 29, 2021 at 04:45 pm
Latest change: Retest Sep 06, 2022 at 10:08 am
Bose 700 Headphones Wireless Picture
7.5
Neutral Sound
7.9
Commute/Travel
7.1
Sports/Fitness
7.9
Office
6.0
Wireless Gaming
7.7
Wired Gaming
7.9
Phone Calls

The Bose Headphones 700 Wireless are comfortable, well-built noise cancelling over-ears. They have an excellent ANC feature that can easily block out background noises like bus and plane engines, and their long continuous battery life is suitable for long days on the go. Unfortunately, their touch-sensitive control scheme isn't always the easiest to use. That said, their integrated microphone has a good recording quality that makes them a great choice for phone calls, too.

Our Verdict

7.5 Neutral Sound

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are good for neutral sound. They have a slightly bass-heavy and warm sound profile since their treble is underemphasized. That said, they're still fairly well-balanced as they have a neutral mid-range, so vocals and lead instruments are clear and present. There's also a graphic EQ in their app, meaning you can customize their sound to your liking.

Pros
  • Impressive imaging performance.
Cons
7.9 Commute/Travel

The Bose Headphones 700 are very good for commute and travel. They're comfortable and have a long battery life ideal for international flights and long days on the go. They can block out the sound of bus and plane engines as well as chatter from other passengers. However, their bulky design isn't the most portable.

Pros
  • Comfortable fit.
  • Excellent noise isolation.
Cons
  • Bulky design.
7.1 Sports/Fitness

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are satisfactory for sports and fitness. While they're decently stable, they aren't intended for sports use and may not stay on your head during intense movements. They're comfortable, but they're also a bit bulky and may make you sweat more than usual.

Pros
  • Comfortable fit.
Cons
  • Bulky design.
7.9 Office

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are very good for office use. Their over 20-hour continuous battery life is more than enough to get you through your workday, and they're comfortable enough to wear for long periods without a lot of fatigue. They can also block out typical office noises like voices and humming AC units, but unfortunately, they leak a bit of noise.

Pros
  • Comfortable fit.
  • Excellent noise isolation.
Cons
  • Leak some noise.
6.0 Wireless Gaming

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are compatible with Bluetooth-enabled PCs, but their latency is likely too high to be suitable for wireless gaming.

7.7 Wired Gaming

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are good for wired gaming. You can plug them into your Xbox or PlayStation controller, but you can only receive audio, so you can't communicate with your teammates. On the plus side, the analog connection means they have no latency. Their bass-heavy sound can also help to bring out sound effects in action-packed games.

Pros
  • Comfortable fit.
  • Low latency over wired connection.
Cons
  • Can't use mic over wired connection.
7.9 Phone Calls

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are good for phone calls. Their integrated microphone has a good recording quality, and it can separate speech from background noise even in crowded environments. If you take a lot of calls from your PC or Mac, you may notice a drop in sound quality. However, this is a limitation of Bluetooth itself, and there isn't a way around it. On the upside, the headphones can block out background noises so you can focus on your call.

Pros
  • Excellent noise isolation.
  • Excellent noise handling.
  • Good recording quality.
Cons
  • Voice may sound thin.
  • 7.5 Neutral Sound
  • 7.9 Commute/Travel
  • 7.1 Sports/Fitness
  • 7.9 Office
  • 6.0 Wireless Gaming
  • 7.7 Wired Gaming
  • 7.9 Phone Calls
  1. Updated Sep 06, 2022: After comparing these headphones to the Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless, we noticed that the Bose 700 Headphones Wireless' mic could separate speech from ambient noise better than the Sony, especially when it came to loud sounds. As a result, we've adjusted the Speech + Subway Noise Handling test score from 7.5 to 8.0.
  2. Updated Mar 23, 2022: Due to user feedback, we've looked into audio and mic quality when using different Bluetooth profiles. While our scores haven't changed, we've updated the 'Recording Quality' test with more information regarding different Bluetooth profiles and the limitations of Bluetooth for conference calls.
  3. Updated Oct 29, 2021: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
  4. Updated Jun 29, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
  5. Updated Feb 17, 2021: Updated App score now that it offers a graphic EQ.
  6. Updated Nov 17, 2020: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
  7. Updated Feb 05, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
  8. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
  9. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
  10. Updated Aug 22, 2019: We've updated the Noise Isolation score and text.
  11. Updated Jul 19, 2019: Review published.
  12. Updated Jul 17, 2019: Early access published.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

The Bose Headphones 700 come in four different color variants: 'Black', 'Soapstone', 'Triple Midnight', and 'Luxe Silver'. We tested the 'Black' variant, but we expect the other variants to perform similarly. If you come across another version, let us know in the discussions.

Compared To Other Headphones

The Bose Headphones 700 are decent noise cancelling headphones for most uses that set themselves apart thanks to their impressive integrated microphone, excellent isolation performance, and sleek appearance. Unfortunately, they don’t sound quite as balanced as other high-end competing models we’ve reviewed and lack NFC compatibility.

See our recommendations for the best headphones, the best noise cancelling headphones, and the best wireless headphones.

Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless

The Bose 700 Headphones Wireless and the Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless are both great noise cancelling headphones. The Bose are better-built, more comfortable, sound more neutral, which some users may prefer, and their ANC blocks out more ambient noise, especially when it comes to cutting down the low rumble of bus engines. However, the Sony have a longer continuous battery life, and support LDAC, which is great if you like to listen to hi-res audio, as well as 360 Reality Audio, a feature that create a more immersive sound. You need to subscribe to services that support this feature though. 

Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless

The Bose 700 Headphones Wireless are more premium headphones than the Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless. The 700 are better built, and have a better noise isolation performance. However, the QC45 have a slightly better battery performance and are more comfortable.

Apple AirPods Max Wireless

The Bose 700 Headphones Wireless are slightly better headphones for commute and travel than the Apple AirPods Max Wireless. While both over-ears have a similarly warm sound profile, and have great build quality, the Bose are more comfortable and have a better performing integrated mic. Their ANC performance is better too, and you can also control their ANC via their companion app as well as pair them with up to two devices at a time. However, the Apple have lower latency on iOS and Android.

Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better headphones than the Bose 700 Headphones Wireless for some listeners. The Sony have a better noise isolation performance and a longer continuous battery life. They offer more talk-through controls, ideal for users who want to stay aware of their environment while listening. The Bose have a more neutral, less bass-heavy default sound profile, and their integrated microphone performs better than the Sony's.

Beats Studio3 Wireless

The Bose 700 Headphones Wireless are better for most uses than the Beats Studio3 Wireless. While both headphones are comfortable, the Bose are better-built, have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer, and their ANC is able to significantly block out more noise around you. Their integrated mic also offers a better overall performance, they can be used passively with their 1/8" TRS cable, and their companion app offers a graphic EQ to help adjust their sound to your liking. 

Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018

The Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018 and the Bose 700 Headphones Wireless are both good wireless noise cancelling headsets but serve slightly different purposes. The Bose NC 700 have a significantly better-integrated microphone which makes them great if you take a lot of calls on-the-go. The QC35 II, on the other hand, are more comfortable and have a more balanced, neutral frequency response, which makes them better if you want something ultra-comfortable to enjoy your favorite tracks with. In addition, the QC35 II have NFC pairing, which the Bose 700 are lacking, and have a physical control scheme that’s easier-to-use. That said, the Bose 700 Headphones feel better built and offer mic muting, which makes them handy during conference calls.

Sony WH-1000XM3 Wireless

The Bose 700 Headphones Wireless and the Sony WH-1000XM3 Wireless are both good wireless noise cancelling headsets that share a few similarities. Both are comfortable, feel well-built, and have touch-sensitive controls wrapped up in a sleek monochromatic design. The Sony are easier to use since the touch-sensitive surface is larger and can fold up into a more portable format. Both headphones have a more bass-heavy sound profile and offer a graphic EQ for sound customization. That said, the Bose have a vastly superior integrated microphone and even feature a mic mute button, which makes them slightly better for business users.

Jabra Elite 85h Wireless

The Bose 700 Headphones and the Jabra Elite 85h Wireless are both decent noise cancelling headphones that are good for business users thanks to their improved Bluetooth microphone performance. The Bose mic performs even better than that of the Jabra, though, with even better noise handling. However, their touch-sensitive control scheme can be a bit tricky to use at times, so some people may prefer the physical controls of the Jabra. The Jabra also have a more balanced sound profile and better battery life than the Bose, but they don’t isolate noise as well. Both headsets have a unique design, so ultimately the difference lies in personal taste.

Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless

The Bose 700 Headphones Wireless are slightly better-performing headphones than the Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless. The Bose are more comfortable, have better controls, and have noticeably better noise isolation and microphone performances. On the other hand, the Sennheiser's companion app offers a parametric EQ and presets to help you adjust their sound. The battery performance is better for the Bose 700, but on the other hand, the Sennheiser are also compatible with lower latency codecs.

Beats Solo Pro Wireless

The Bose 700 Headphones Wireless are better than the Beats Solo Pro Wireless. The Bose over-ear design is noticeably more comfortable and isn't as tight as the Beats. Their ANC feature is also better for blocking out sound in noisy environments and their microphone has a better recording quality and noise handling capability. On the other hand, the Beats have a longer continuous battery life from a single charge, although they don't have a power-saving feature. The Beats take advantage of the H1 chip, which may result in better overall connectivity performance, but we couldn't test this. 

Sony WF-1000XM4 Truly Wireless

The Bose 700 Headphones Wireless are better headphones for most uses than the Sony WF-1000XM4 Truly Wireless. The Bose are over-ears that are more comfortable, have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer, and have a significantly better noise isolation performance. Their microphone delivers better overall performance too. However, the Sony are in-ears that are more portable and have a stable fit, making them a better choice for sports and fitness.

Bowers & Wilkins PX7 Wireless

The Bose 700 Headphones Wireless are noticeably better headphones than the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 Wireless. The Bose are more comfortable, have a more neutral and accurate sound signature, and a better isolation performance thanks to their great ANC feature. They also have a great microphone for calls. On the other hand, the Bowers & Wilkins have a sturdier feel and a longer battery life. They can also be used while charging thanks to their USB-C cable, but need power to function, meaning you can’t use them wired with an analog audio cable if their battery is dead, which you can do with the Bose.

Jabra Evolve2 85 Wireless

The Bose 700 Headphones Wireless and Jabra Evolve2 85 Wireless are evenly matched over-ear office-oriented headphones. The Jabra have more intuitive controls, a longer continuous battery life, and are easier to carry around. However, the Bose are better-built, have lower Bluetooth latency, and an integrated microphone that's more effective at filtering out ambient noise than the Jabra's boom mic.

Anker Soundcore Life Q35 Wireless

The Bose 700 Headphones Wireless are better over-ear headphones for commute and travel than the Anker Soundcore Life Q35 Wireless. The Bose are more comfortable, feel better built, and have a more neutral default sound profile, which some users may prefer. They also have better noise isolation and overall performance. However, the Anker have EQ presets in addition to their graphic EQ.

AKG N700NC M2 Wireless

The Bose 700 Headphones Wireless are slightly better over-ears than the AKG N700NC M2 Wireless. The Bose are more comfortable, better built, and have a somewhat better overall noise isolation performance. They also have lower Bluetooth latency on PCs, iOS, and Android devices, and their mic offers better overall performance. However, the AKG's companion app has a parametric EQ, which oms users may prefer.

Razer Opus Wireless 2020

The Razer Opus Wireless 2020 are better headphones for mixed usage than the Bose 700 Headphones Wireless. The physical controls on the Razer are easier to use than the touch-sensitive controls found on the Bose 700. The Razer's battery also lasts significantly longer at over 32 hours. On the other hand, the ANC of the Bose 700 works quite a bit better, especially against very low engine rumbles. The Bose also have a significantly better microphone, which can be important if you take a lot of phone calls, and they're more comfortable.

Shure AONIC 50 Wireless

The Bose 700 Headphones Wireless are better headphones for mixed usage than the Shure AONIC 50 Wireless. The Bose are more comfortable, have a better-balanced sound profile, a longer battery life, and a much better-integrated microphone. They also do a better job of blocking out ambient noise. However, the Shure provide a more consistent listening experience, easier-to-use controls, and aptX-LL compatibility, so they’re better suited for streaming videos wirelessly with low latency.

Sony WH-H910N/h.ear on 3 Wireless

The Bose 700 Headphones Wireless are more versatile than the Sony WH-H910N/h.ear on 3 Wireless. The Bose are more comfortable to wear, feel better-built, block out more ambient noise, and can pair with two devices at once. Their integrated microphone also does a much better job of isolating speech from background noise. Conversely, the Sony have a much longer battery life, leak less audio, and are a little more compact.

Bowers & Wilkins PX Wireless

The Bose 700 Headphones Wireless are better headphones for most uses than the Bowers & Wilkins PX Wireless. While the Bowers & Wilkins feel better-built, the Bose are much more comfortable and have more modern features, like voice assistant support. They also sound better than the Bowers & Wilkins, which have a rather muddy, cluttered sound. The Bowers & Wilkins do have better noise isolation performance than the Bose, though, and their leakage also sounds less full. That said, their microphone performance isn’t as good, and they take four hours to charge, which is disappointing for a premium headset and swings the balance in favor of the Bose in terms of overall performance.

Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 Wireless

The Bose 700 Headphones Wireless are slightly better headphones for commuting than the Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 Wireless. The Bose are slightly more comfortable, they can isolate more noise, and they have a better-balanced sound profile. They also have a great performing integrated microphone, and their battery life lasts longer too. However, the Microsoft have full audio and microphone support with PS4 and Xbox One, and they have easier-to-use controls.

Jabra Evolve2 65 Wireless

The over-ear Bose 700 Headphones Wireless are better for office use than the on-ear Jabra Evolve2 65 Wireless. The Bose are more comfortable, better-built, and have a more comprehensive control scheme. Conversely, the Jabra have a boom microphone that outperforms the Bose's impressive integrated mic when it comes to recording quality, and they last roughly three times as long on a single charge.

JBL Tour One Wireless

The Bose 700 Headphones Wireless are better headphones than the JBL Tour One Wireless. The Bose are more comfortable, feel better-built, and have a significantly better noise isolation performance. They also have a better overall microphone performance. However, the JBL have a longer continuous battery life. 

Sennheiser PXC 550-II Wireless

The Sennheiser PXC 550-II Wireless are very similar to the Bose 700 Headphones Wireless. The Bose are slightly more comfortable, feel a bit better built, and have better ANC. On the other hand, the Sennheiser feel more stable on the head, breathe better, and have a very similar sound profile.

Logitech Zone Wired

The Bose 700 Headphones Wireless are better office headphones than the Logitech Zone Wired. The Bose are substantially comfier, block out more ambient noise, and can pair with two devices at once, which is helpful if you tend to listen to content on your phone and computer. That said, the Logitech are smaller and lighter and deliver a more consistent listening experience, not to mention a specialized control scheme that offers a little more native functionality with conferencing software like Microsoft Teams.

Astro A40 TR Headset + MixAmp Pro 2017

The Astro A40 TR Headset + MixAmp Pro 2017 and the Bose 700 Headphones Wireless are designed for different uses, but they're both great at what they do. The Astro are wired gaming headphones that come with an amplifier designed for mixing audio channels while streaming. The Bose are Bluetooth noise cancelling headphones geared towards business professionals who need good mic quality on-the-go.

TOZO T6 Truly Wireless

The Bose 700 Headphones Wireless and the TOZO T6 Truly Wireless are designed to serve different purposes. The Bose are noise cancelling over-ears with excellent microphone performance for taking business calls on-the-go, while the TOZO are truly wireless in-ears for more casual use. The earbuds don't have the same level of mic quality, nor are they as comfortable, but they're a lot more portable.

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Video

Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Type Over-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Yes
Transducer Dynamic

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 have a futuristic look that stands out among Bose’s more traditionally designed over-ears. They have a distinctively shaped headband that integrates directly into the ear cups without any visible hinges. They're available in 'Black, 'Luxe Silver', 'Triple Midnight', and 'Soapstone' color variants.

8.0
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.58 lbs
Clamping Force
1 lbs

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are very comfortable. They're lightweight and well-padded, so you can wear them for long listening sessions without feeling much fatigue. Ηowever, they clamp onto your head more tightly than the Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018 and have somewhat shallow ear cups, which may be annoying for some listeners.

7.4
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use Decent
Feedback Okay
Call/Music Control Yes
Volume Control Yes
Microphone Control No
Channel Mixing
No
Noise Cancelling Control On/Off
Talk-Through
On/Off
Additional Controls Voice Assistant

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 have decent controls. They cover a lot of functions and it's easy to pair them with multiple devices. Ηowever, the touch-sensitive surface is small and can be a bit tricky to use. They also don't provide a lot of feedback aside from a few audio prompts. If you're looking for headphones with easier-to-use controls, check out the Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 Wireless.

On the right ear cup:

Power button:
  • One press: Turns headphones on or off.
Voice assistant button:
  • One press: Accesses voice assistant. When on a call, mutes and unmutes the mic.

The touch-sensitive surface:

  • Double tap: Plays and pauses audio. Also answers and ends a call.
  • Tap and hold for one second: Ηear the headphones' battery status or decline an incoming call.
  • Swipe forward: Skips your track forward.
  • Swipe backward: Skips your track backward.
  • Swipe up: Turns the volume up.
  • Swipe down: Turns the volume down.

On the left earcup:

Noise control button:

  • One press: Cycles between ANC presets. There are 3 by default, and you can customize them in the Bose Music app. Default preset '3' (ANC level 0) is advertised to provide 'full transparency' so you can hear ambient sound without pausing your audio.
  • Press and hold one second: Turn 'Conversation Mode,' which pauses your audio and lets in ambient sound, on or off.

6.6
Design
Breathability
Avg.Temp.Difference 5.4 °C

The Bose Noise Cancelling 700 Headphones aren't very breathable. Like most closed-back, over-ear headphones, they trap some heat against your ears and may make them feel hot if you wear them during physical activity. It shouldn't be an issue during casual listening sessions, though.

5.5
Design
Portability
L 8.0" (20.3 cm)
W 6.5" (16.5 cm)
H 3.6" (9.1 cm)
Volume 187.00 in³ (3,064.37 cm³)
Transmitter Required No

The Bose 700 Headphones have middling portability. They’re not particularly bulky, but unlike the Jabra Evolve2 85 Wireless, they don’t fold into a more compact format, which is a bit disappointing. They won’t fit in your pockets and are a bit too large to carry around comfortably, but on the upside, the cups swivel inwards to slide easier into a bag and take up a bit less space.

8.0
Design
Case
Type Hard case
L 8.6" (21.8 cm)
W 7.2" (18.3 cm)
H 2.0" (5.1 cm)
Volume 124.00 in³ (2,031.99 cm³)

The Bose 700 Headphones have a great hard carrying case. It has a less bulky design and a slightly more premium feel than the one that comes with the Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018. It can protect the headphones from minor drops and water damage and has a magnetic pocket to store the headphones' accessories. You can also separately purchase a wireless charging case for these headphones.

8.0
Design
Build Quality

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 have an impressive build quality. They feel better-built than the Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018 and Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless. They have a more premium look and are constructed with materials that feel of higher quality. The headband is made of stainless steel, and the plastic used for the ear cups feels solid. Since the headband attaches directly to the ear cups, there are fewer moving pieces that could break. The point where the ear cups and headband join feels like a potential weak spot, but it doesn't seem like it should be an issue unless the ear cups are pulled apart with great force.

7.0
Design
Stability

The Bose 700 Headphones have decent stability. They're stable enough for casual listening sessions, but the swiveling ear cups feel a bit loose and they may fall off your ears during more intense physical activities. If you're looking for stable over-ears for working out, the Sennheiser PXC 550-II Wireless are a better option.

Design
Headshots 1
Design
Headshots 2
Design
Top
Design
In The Box

  • Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
  • USB-C to USB-A charging cable
  • 1/8" to 1/16" audio cable
  • Hard carrying case
  • Quick start manual

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
1.07 dB
Treble Amount
-2.93 dB

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 have a slightly bass-heavy and warm sound profile. They have a bit of extra boom which can please fans of bass-heavy genres like hip-hop and EDM. Their balanced mid-range makes them suitable for vocal-centric content like podcasts, too. There's also a graphic EQ in their app to help you customize their sound.

6.9
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.65 dB

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 have okay frequency response consistency. There’s hardly any variation in the bass range across users, which may be due to their noise cancelling feature checking for bass consistency. However, their treble delivery may vary depending on their fit, seal, or positioning on your head, so it's important to make sure you get a good fit each time you use them in order to hear a consistent sound.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
8.4
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
2.31 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
10 Hz
Low-Bass
0.46 dB
Mid-Bass
2.43 dB
High-Bass
3.29 dB

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 have a great bass accuracy. The range is a bit overemphasized, so audio has extra boom and punch that can please fans of bass-heavy music genres.

9.2
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
1.13 dB
Low-Mid
0.85 dB
Mid-Mid
0.12 dB
High-Mid
0.13 dB

Their mid-range accuracy is fantastic. The range is very balanced and even, so vocals and lead instruments are clear and present in the mix.

6.9
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
4.51 dB
Low-Treble
-0.99 dB
Mid-Treble
-5.05 dB
High-Treble
-6.4 dB

Their treble accuracy is adequate. The low-treble is very well-balanced, so vocals and lead instruments are present and detailed. However, the underemphasis in the mid-treble can make sibilants like cymbals dull or lispy.

8.0
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
1.15 dB
Dips
1.42 dB

These headphones have impressive peaks and dips performance. There's a slight dip in the low-bass, so they lack a bit of thump, but the peak in the high-bass adds a boomy quality to the mix. The small dip in the low-mid to mid-mid range can nudge vocals and lead instruments to the back of the mix, while the peak in the high-mid makes those same instruments honky or harsh. The dip in the mid-treble makes sibilants like cymbals dull and lispy.

8.0
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.38
Weighted Phase Mismatch
5.93
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.88
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
2.55

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 have an impressive imaging performance. Weighted group delay falls mostly below the audibility threshold, resulting in a tight bass and transparent treble. The L/R drivers of our unit are well-matched in amplitude and phase response; however, there's a slight frequency mismatch. As a result, some objects like voices or footsteps may not be accurately placed within the stereo image. However, these results are only valid for our unit, so your experience may vary.

3.7
Sound
Passive Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
5.83 dB
PRTF Size (Avg.)
5.01 dB
PRTF Distance
3.23 dB
Openness
1.1
Acoustic Space Excitation
3.0

The Bose Headphones 700 have a poor passive soundstage performance. Their soundstage is a bit unnatural or odd, so audio seems like it's coming from inside your head, rather than from speakers placed all around you. It also seems more closed-off than that of most open-back headphones.

0
Sound
Virtual Soundstage
Head Modeling
No
Speaker Modeling
No
Room Ambience
No
Head Tracking
No
Virtual Surround
No
7.5
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.374
WHD @ 100
0.149

The Bose 700 Headphones have a decent weighted harmonic distortion performance. There's a bit of distortion in the treble range at normal listening volumes, but the rest of the range falls within good limits, resulting in clean and pure audio reproduction.

Sound
Test Settings
Firmware
Unknown
Power
On
Connection
Bluetooth 4.2
Codec
SBC, 16-bit, 48kHz
EQ
No EQ
ANC
Maximum
Tip/Pad
Default
Microphone
Integrated

These are the settings we used to test these headphones. Our results are only valid when using these settings.

Isolation
8.9
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-27.56 dB
Noise Cancelling Yes
Bass
-17.32 dB
Mid
-24.67 dB
Treble
-41.24 dB

The Bose 700 Headphones have an excellent noise isolation performance. The ANC feature is adjustable with the companion app, and when it's set to its highest level, they can easily block out most background noises, including bus and plane engines, voices, and the hum of nearby AC units.

There's no way to completely switch off the ANC feature, and the headphones block out more noise when they're completely off than when ANC is set to the lowest level, 0. It appears that the lowest ANC setting feeds some mic input to the headphones, providing a bit of talk-through. This seems to be intentional because Bose says ANC level '0' allows you to hear your surroundings. You can see a comparison between their noise isolation performance when the headphones are off and when ANC is set to '0' here.

7.4
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
37.33 dB

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 have a decent leakage performance. They leak a bit of sound across the range, so the audio that escapes sounds relatively full-bodied, but it's not very loud. Even if you're listening to your music at high volumes, it shouldn't bother people around you in a moderately quiet environment like an office.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
Yes
In-Line
No
Boom
No
Detachable Boom
No
Mic Yes

These headphones have an integrated microphone.

There are reports online that some users have issues muting the mic when using a PC. On their website, Bose suggests turning on voice prompts in the Bose Music app so you can hear confirmation that the mic is muted. They also note that you can't see that the mic is muted on your PC.

7.5
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
232.91 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
4.27 dB
HFE
6,933.79 Hz
Weighted THD
0.036
Gain
17.77 dB

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 have a good microphone recording quality. Your voice sounds natural and understandable but also a bit thin.

These headphones are Bluetooth and rely on Bluetooth profiles, which define the specifications for how data is communicated between devices. When you connect these headphones to your PC, they use Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP), a Bluetooth profile for audio playback. A2DP is a one-way profile, which means that if you're using this profile, the mic won't work on any device or OS. If you want mic and audio compatibility, the headphones can enable Headset Profile (HSP) or Hands-Free Profile (HFP). However, both profiles can lower sound and mic quality. When using these headphones during a conference call, we noticed a drop in both audio and mic quality. Users have also reported this issue when using their Macbooks and ThinkPad devices. Unfortunately, there's no real way around this, as this is how Bluetooth profiles work.

8.3
Microphone
Noise Handling
SpNR
39.83 dB
Noise Gate
Always On
Speech + Pink Noise Handling
8.5
Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
Speech + Subway Noise Handling
8.0
Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample

The Bose 700 Headphones have a great noise handling performance. The mic can separate your voice from background noises, even if you're calling from a noisy environment like a train station. Even with loud sounds, your voice isn't cut out or lost in the noise, unlike that of the Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless.

Active Features
8.4
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
Rechargable
Continuous Battery Life
20.7 hrs
Additional Charges
0.0
Total Battery Life
20.7 hrs
Charge Time
2 hrs
Power-Saving Feature
Auto-Off Timer
Audio While Charging
No
Passive Playback
Yes
Charging Port USB-C

The Bose 700 Headphones have an impressive battery performance. They provide nearly 21 hours of continuous playback from a single charge, and they charge in about two hours. They can also be used passively with the provided audio cable when the battery is dead, but can’t be used while charging. They have two auto-off timers: one that can’t be disabled and turns the headset off after 10 minutes of undetected motion, and one that you can adjust in the app that powers off the headphones after a set time while you’re still wearing them.

The fixed auto-off timer made testing battery life challenging; therefore we suspended the headphones from a fixed surface with a bungee cord and pointed a fan in their direction to make them move continuously during our discharging test.

You can also buy a wireless charging case separately, and it's advertised to store up to two additional charges. Also, please note that battery performance can vary with real-life use, and you may have a different experience.

7.0
Active Features
App Support
App Name Bose Music
iOS Yes
Android Yes
macOS No
Windows No
Equalizer
Graphic
ANC Control
Adjustable
Mic Control No
Room Effects
No
Playback Control
Yes
Button Mapping Yes
Surround Support
No

These headphones are compatible with the Bose Music app, which is different from the Bose Connect app that many of this manufacturer's other models use. This app has a sleek interface that’s fairly easy to use. You can set three different ANC presets, activate talk-through, adjust the auto-off timer, change voice assistant settings, and access a list of Bose AR-enabled apps. There's also a 3-band graphic EQ for sound customization. However, you need to create an account to use the app, which can be frustrating for some.

Connectivity
8.5
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
5.0
Multi-Device Pairing
2 Devices
NFC Pairing
No
Line Of Sight Range
235.00 ft (71.63 m)
PC Latency (SBC)
180 ms
PC Latency (aptX)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX HD)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX-LL)
N/A
iOS Latency
45 ms
Android Latency
83 ms

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are Bluetooth 5.0 headphones that can pair simultaneously with two devices but don't support NFC for easier pairing. Their PC latency is likely too high for gaming without noticing a bit of delay, but it's much lower on iOS and Android devices. Also, some devices and apps offer some sort of latency compensation, so your real-world experience may vary.

0
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line Of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A
9.5
Connectivity
Wired
Analog Audio
Yes
USB Audio
No
Detachable Yes
Length 3.50 ft (1.07 m)
Connection
1/8" TRS
Analog/USB Audio Latency
0 ms

The Bose 700 Headphones use a 1/8” TRS to 1/16” TRS audio cable, which is somewhat common but can be a bit trickier to find than a regular 1/8” to 1/8” cable. They come with a USB-C to USB-A charging cable, which can't be used for audio.

Connectivity
PC Compatibility
Analog
Audio Only
Wired USB
No
Non-BT Wireless
No

These headphones can connect wirelessly with Bluetooth-enabled PCs, or you can connect via analog connection with the included 1/8" to 1/16" TRS cable, although you can only receive audio this way.

Connectivity
PlayStation Compatibility
PS4 Analog
Audio Only
PS4 Wired USB
No
PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
PS5 Analog
Audio Only
PS5 Wired USB
No
PS5 Non-BT Wireless
No

The Bose Headphones 700 are compatible with PlayStation consoles if you plug the included audio cable into a controller. Ηowever, you can't use the microphone in that case.

Connectivity
Xbox Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
Audio Only
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
No
Xbox Series X|S Analog
Audio Only
Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
No
Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
No

You can plug the Bose Headphones 700 into your Xbox One controller, but you can only receive audio.

0
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
No Base/Dock
USB Input
No
Line In
No
Line Out
No
Optical Input
No
RCA Input
No
Dock Charging
No
Power Supply
No Base/Dock

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