The Bose QuietComfort 35 II Gaming Headset is the gamer-centric sibling of the Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018. In many ways, nothing has changed in performance between both models as the gaming headset retains the same powerful active noise cancelling (ANC) system of its more casual-use counterpart, as well as the same comfortable fit that Bose is known for. However, with this rendition, the manufacturer has added a detachable boom mic and a PC Desktop controller, which is great for wired gaming on your computer. You can still use them via Bluetooth, but you can't take advantage of their boom mic while using this connection.
Our Verdict
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II Gaming Headset is great for neutral sound. This headset has a very flat and natural sound profile, which ensures the accurate reproduction of vocals and instruments in your audio. It also delivers audio consistently across reseats, so once you get a good fit, you'll experience similar levels of bass and treble. However, because it has a closed-back design, it doesn't create a very immersive soundstage.
- Delivers audio consistently.
- Very comfortable fit.
- No sound customization features.
The Bose QuietComfort 35 Series 2 Gaming Headset is great for commute and travel. When you use it wired, this headset lasts over 35 hours continuously with its ANC on. You can also use them wirelessly if you prefer, but their battery life falls to around 20 hours, which will still be enough for long trips. Their ANC system can block out the low rumbles of bus and plane engines as well as passenger chit-chat. The headset is pretty comfortable for long days on the road, and it comes with a great hard case to help protect it when you're on the go. You can also detach their boom mic to make them more portable.
- Excellent noise isolation.
- Very comfortable fit.
- Leaks some audio at high volume.
The Bose QuietComfort 35 Series 2 Gaming Headset isn't designed for sports and fitness. When you use these headphones wired, the audio cable can snag on something and pull the headphones off your head. The headset itself can also move around or fall off with moderate head movements, which isn't ideal if you have to constantly adjust it on your head during a tough workout. On the upside, you can remove their boom mic and use them wirelessly.
- Very comfortable fit.
- Can fall off of your head with moderate movement.
- Leaks some audio at high volume.
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II Gaming Headset is great for office use, especially if you need to take calls. While you can use the headset via Bluetooth if you prefer wireless, using it wired allows you to use the boom mic, which ensures that your voice sounds clear. The headset also has ANC, so it can easily block out ambient chatter, and it supports multi-device pairing, allowing you to connect them to your PC and smartphone simultaneously.
- Excellent noise isolation.
- Very comfortable fit.
- Leaks some audio at high volume.
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II Gaming Headset is primarily designed for wired gaming. If you want to use it wirelessly, you can't take advantage of its boom mic. Its PC latency is also too high for gaming, resulting in out-of-sync audio and visuals. However, you'll want to check out our Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018 review for more information on this headset's wireless performance.
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II Gaming Headset is great for wired gaming. This headset is comfortable, well-built, and even comes with an inline volume wheel and mic monitoring controls, meaning you can adjust your settings on the fly. Thanks to its detachable boom mic, your friends and enemies hear your voice clearly, even in moderately noisy environments. The headset's also equipped with an ANC system to help block out background noise while you're gaming, and their well-balanced sound is versatile for most kinds of gaming.
- Decent boom mic performance.
- Excellent noise isolation.
- Very comfortable fit.
- No sound customization features.
The Bose QuietComfort 35 Series 2 Gaming Headset is very good for phone calls. When using the boom mic, your voice sounds bright but clear and understandable to others. If you're taking a call in a noisy office, the mic can also separate speech from ambient noise well, ensuring you're heard well. You can also use the headset's ANC system to help block out background sound so that you can focus on your call.
- Decent boom mic performance.
- Excellent noise isolation.
- Very comfortable fit.
- Leaks some audio at high volume.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 23, 2023: The following test group's text has been updated following TB 1.6: Bluetooth Connection. There have also been text changes made throughout the review, including to the usages to match these results.
- Updated Nov 23, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.6 , which updates how we measure latency. We've updated and renamed the following test groups: Wired Connection, Bluetooth Connection, and Wireless Connection (Dongle). We've also added new codec latency measurements and provided an audio sample of recorded latency.
- Updated Dec 02, 2022: Due to user feedback we've retested SBC latency inBluetooth. This has resulted in new values and we have updated our review.
- Updated Nov 15, 2022: Review published.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Bose QC 35 Series 2 comes only in a 'Black' color scheme, and you can see our model's label here. If you come across another variant of this headset, please let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Bose QuietComfort 35 Series 2 Gaming Headset is Bose's first gaming headset and is essentially the Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018 with a couple more gamer-centric features like a detachable boom mic and an in-line volume wheel. It's also designed for wired use when connected to your PC, but you can still use it wirelessly if you prefer something more casual. That said, you can still expect the same level of noise isolation as their more casual-use sibling. Thanks to its ANC system, it can block out an excellent amount of sound, putting it on par with the best noise cancelling headphones, like the Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless. Unfortunately, it's not as customizable as other strictly gaming headphones like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, which also have ANC but are compatible with companion software with robust features.
If you're looking for more headphones, check out our recommendations for the best gaming headsets, and the best Bose headphones.
Depending on your needs, you may prefer the Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless or the Bose QuietComfort 35 II Gaming Headset. Both are equally great headphones, but the QC45 are casual-use headphones, first and foremost. They have an integrated mic for taking calls on the go, and their companion app offers a graphic EQ and presets to help you customize their sound. However, the 35 II Gaming Headset utilizes a boom mic to ensure your voice sounds clear to enemies and teammates alike. It also comes with a PC Desktop controller, which allows you to adjust the headset's sound on the fly. Thanks to their ANC systems, both headphones have a fantastic noise isolation performance.
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II Gaming Headset is the gaming-centric sibling of the Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018. However, you can expect the same level of comfort, build, and noise isolation between both models. Where they differ is that the Gaming Headset is designed to be primarily used wired on PCs, and when using this connection, you can use the detachable boom mic to chat with others. This headset also comes with an in-line controller so you can adjust the volume on the fly. That said, you can still use this headset wirelessly if you prefer and expect similar levels of battery life.
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless are better gaming headphones than the Bose QuietComfort 35 II Gaming Headset. You can use the SteelSeries wired or wirelessly, they're better built, and they come with a wireless transmitter that puts controls like EQs directly at your fingertips. You can also customize their performance using their companion software's robust features. Their boom mic offers better overall performance, and they have a longer total battery life. However, the Bose headphones are still worth considering if you value a high noise isolation performance or if you're looking for gaming headphones that you can use more casually.
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.
Test Results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
