Our Verdict
These headphones have a decent all-around performance. The Bose QC25 are good everyday headphones with the added benefit of great noise canceling. This makes them a good option for most use cases but especially good for commuting and traveling. They're also reasonably good for office use but leak a bit at moderate-to-high volumes.
- Comfortable design.
- Above-average audio reproduction.
- Amazing noise isolation.
- Average build quality.
- Moderate sound leakage.
The Bose QuietComfort 25 are good for neutral listening. They're Comfortable for long listening sessions and deliver an above-average sound quality. Unfortunately, they have a poor soundstage due to their closed, noise canceling design.
The QuietComfort 25 are good for commuting in noisy environments. They have a good control scheme and the active noise canceling is excellent. They will significantly reduce the ambient noise of train or bus ride.
The Bose QC25 are average for sports use. They're comfortable and have a decent control scheme but they're a bit too unstable for intense workouts or for running. They also make your ears a little warm.
These headphones are above-average for office use. They will isolate you from the chatter of the office, but they leak a bit, which can be distracting.
These headphones are above-average for gaming. They're super comfortable and have a low latency wired connection. Unfortunately, they lack many of the features typical for gaming headsets like wireless capabilities and a good, customizable software. They also do not have the best mic for multiplayer gaming.
Changelog
- Updated Feb 07, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Bose Quiet Comfort 25 have excellent noise isolation and comfortable design that makes them one of the most recommended wired headphones for commuting and traveling. See our recommendations for the best over-ear headphones, the best noise cancelling headphones under $200, and the best noise-cancelling headphones.
If you want a wired headset, then the Bose QuietComfort 25/QC25 are a better choice but if you prefer a wireless option for most of your use cases, then get the Parrot Zik 3/Zik 3.0 Wireless instead. The Parrot have a lot more features and also come with an audio cable to use wired. They have a sturdier more durable and premium looking design than the Bose. They also have a customizable sound since they are active headphones that come with a good app. The Bose, on the other hand, have a much more comfortable over-ear fit that you can wear for hours without fatigue. They also have a slightly better sound quality and an easier-to-use design for most users.
The Bose QuietComfort 25/QC25 are the wired and noise cancelling variant of the Bose SoundLink 2 Wireless. If you need a wired headset and noise cancellation for your busy commutes, the QC25 are a better choice. On the other hand, the SoundLink are wireless, which makes them a bit more practical for day to day use, but worse for watching videos and gaming since all Bluetooth headphones have a bit of latency. Other than that, they have a fairly similar design and sound quality.
The Bose QuietComfort 25/QC25 are better headphones than the Beats Solo3 2018. The Bose are noticeably more comfortable, have a better neutral-sounding audio reproduction, and have a great noise isolation performance, which is great for commuting. However, they are wired headphones, so if you prefer a wireless design, then the Beats may be better. They also have more battery life and are rechargeable, while you need to use AAA batteries for the Bose.
The Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 Wireless 2016 are a better headset overall compared to the Bose QuietComfort 25/QC25 since they can be used wired and wireless. The Plantronics have a more versatile wireless design, so they have a greater range than the Bose and are a bit more practical for day-to-day casual use. The Plantronics also have a more exciting bass-heavy sound and a better battery performance than the Bose overall. The Bose, on the other hand, have a much better noise cancelation performance that makes them a better choice to use in loud, noisy environments. They also have a slightly better sound profile that's more balanced while still packing a fair bit of bass.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
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