The Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless are the next generation of the Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018. They have a very similar look and feel to their predecessor and have an active noise canceling (ANC) system that does an excellent job of blocking out background noise. However, its performance is weaker than the QC35 II's ANC when it comes to the mid and treble range. That said, they still offer an overall very good performance, thanks to their neutral sound profile, over 21 hours of continuous playback time, and very comfortable fit.
Note: Our unit's left and right drivers are slightly mismatched in the mid to treble range, and it's noticeable in real-life content. While this may be unique to our unit, if you encounter a similar issue with your headphones, please let us know in the discussions.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 are good for neutral sound. They have a very neutral sound profile with a touch of extra thump, rumble, and boom in the bass that doesn't overwhelm vocals or lead instruments. Luckily, if you want to adjust their sound, their companion app offers a graphic EQ and presets. However, the passive soundstage seems closed-off and as if coming from inside your head. Our unit's left and right drivers are also somewhat out of sync in the mid to treble range, and you can hear a mismatch using regular content. That said, this issue may be limited to our model.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 are great for commute and travel. They have a very comfortable fit, and their over 21-hour battery life should easily last you through long days on the go. They have an ANC feature, which does an excellent job overall of blocking out background noise like the low rumble of bus and plane engines around you. That said, they're a bit bulky, although they come with a carrying case to help protect them.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 are good for sports and fitness. They have a very comfortable fit, and their wireless design ensures that no cable can snag on something and pull them off your head. However, they can fall off your head if you're vigorously moving, and they don't have an IP rating for water resistance, which is to be expected from over-ear headphones.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 are very good for office use. They're very comfortable, well-built, and have ANC to help block out ambient noise around you. Their over 21 hours of continuous battery life should easily last through long days at the office, while their multi-device pairing allows you to stay connected to your PC and smartphone at the same time. On the downside, they leak a lot of audio at high volumes, which may disturb others around you.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 are mediocre for wireless gaming. You can't use them wirelessly with PlayStation or Xbox consoles, and although you can use them on Bluetooth-enabled PCs, their latency is likely too high to be suitable for gaming.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 are very good for wired gaming. Using their 1/8" to 1/16" TRS audio cable, you can connect them to PCs as well as Xbox and PlayStation consoles. However, you can only receive audio, which may be disappointing if you want to chat with others while you game. On the upside, they have a very comfortable fit, and their neutral sound profile is suitable for most kinds of gameplay.
The Bose QC45 are good for phone calls. They have an integrated mic that does a very good job recording your voice so you sound clear and natural. However, the mic has mediocre noise handling, so you may be drowned out if you're talking in a moderately noisy environment like a busy street. On the upside, the headphones are equipped with ANC to help block out noise around you. The app also offers a feature called 'Self Voice', which allows you to adjust how much of your own voice you hear in a call.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 Headphones come in two color variants: 'Black' and 'White Smoke'. We tested the 'Black' variant, and you can see our model's label here. These headphones also come as a variant called the Bose QuietComfort SE and are only available in the 'Triple Black' colorway. This variant is nearly identical to the QC45 model but comes with a soft case instead of a hard case to protect the headphones from dust and minor water damage. However, they're only available via retailers like Sam's Club and Costco.
If you come across another variant, please let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 are the next generation of the Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018. They have a very similar design to their predecessor, with very comfortable padding and a neutral sound profile that's suitable for most kinds of audio content. Their ANC performance falls a bit short when compared to that of the older generation as well as that of the Bose 700 Headphones Wireless. That said, their companion app offers features like a graphic EQ plus presets so you can tweak their sound to suit your tastes. They also have an adjustable 'Self Voice' feature that you can use to control how much of your own voice you hear while on a phone call.
Check out our recommendations for the best noise cancelling headphones, the best wireless Bluetooth headphones, and the best travel headphones.
The Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless are better headphones for most uses than the Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless. The Bose's ANC blocks out more of the low rumble of bus and plane engines, but the Sony do a better job of cutting down ambient chatter. Their neutral sound is also a lot more versatile than the Sony too and their fit is more comfortable. That said, the Sony have a few extra features over the Bose. The Sony support LDAC for hi-res audio and they have a virtual soundstage feature to help give you a more immersive sound, though you need to subscribe to services that support it.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are more customizable than the Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless. The Sony are better built, and their ANC does a significantly better job of blocking out background noise. They also have longer continuous battery life. However, the Bose are more comfortable and have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer.
The Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 are more versatile headphones than the Apple AirPods Max Wireless. The Bose are lighter and more comfortable, and they deliver audio more consistently. Their ANC does a better job of blocking out background noise as well. Their integrated mic offers a significantly better overall performance, they support multi-device pairing, and they can be used wired via their 1/8" to 1/16" TRS cable, though you can only receive audio. However, the Apple feel better built, and have a virtual soundstage feature.
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.
The Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless are the next generation of the Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018, although they don't offer much of a significant improvement over their predecessor. Both headphones are similarly well built and have very comfortable fits. Their neutral sound profiles are suitable for a variety of audio content, and they have very comparable battery performances. However, the QC35 II can block out more background noise in the mid to treble ranges, and they support NFC pairing. On the other hand, the QC45 have SimpleSync, which is a feature that allows you to pair the headphones up to other compatible Bose headphones, speakers, and soundbars to share their audio.
The Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless are better headphones than the Sony WF-1000XM4 Truly Wireless if you prefer an over-ear design. The Bose are more comfortable, have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer, and have a better overall noise isolation performance. They also have longer continuous battery life. However, the Sony are better built and have a more stable in-ear fit, making them a solid choice for workouts.
The Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless are better over-ears than the Sony WH-1000XM3 Wireless. The Bose are more comfortable, their mic offers better overall performance, and they have an auto-off timer to help conserve battery life when you're not using them. They also support multi-device pairing. However, the Sony are better built and have an even better noise isolation performance.
The Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless are somewhat more versatile headphones than the Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless. The Bose are more comfortable, have a better noise isolation performance, and has a significantly longer continuous battery life. They also support multi-device pairing, so you can connect them to your laptop and smartphone at the same time. However, the Apple are better-built, have a more stable in-ear fit, and are more portable. They also support Spatial Audio and have an H1 chip for seamless pairing with Apple devices.
The Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless are better over-ears than the Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless. The Bose are more comfortable, have a slightly more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer, and they have a better noise isolation performance. They also have longer continuous battery life. However, the Sennheiser are better built and their app offers a parametric EQ and presets to help you adjust their sound to your liking.
The Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless have slight improvements over the Bose QuietComfort 35/QC35 Wireless 2016. While both headphones are very comfortable and well-built, the QC 45 have longer continuous battery life. They also have a stronger noise isolation performance when it comes to bass-range noise like the low rumble of bus and plane engines. Their mic's recording quality is better too.
Depending on your needs, you may either prefer the Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless or the Bose QuietComfort 35 II Gaming Headset, but both are equally great headphones. 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 that 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.
The Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless are better over-ears than the Bose QuietComfort 25/QC25. While both headphones have a very comfortable fit and are well-built, the QC45 are wireless headphones that have a more neutral sound profile, can block out more bass-range noise like bus and plane engines, and have longer-lasting continuous battery life. However, some users may prefer the QC25's wired AAA battery design, as you can easily replace the battery when it can't hold a charge anymore.
The Razer Opus Wireless 2020 offer a more customizable experience than the Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless. The Razer are better-built, have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer, and their noise isolation performance is significantly better. They also have longer continuous battery life. However, the Bose are more comfortable, and they support multi-device pairing with up to two devices at a time.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 look very similar to their predecessor, the Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018. They have a sleek and minimalist look with a modest print of the manufacturer's logo on each ear cup. They come in two colors: 'Black' and 'Smoke White'.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 are amazingly comfortable. They feel lightweight and don't clamp onto your head very tightly. The padding on the ear cups and headband also feels better and cushier than that of the Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless. If you like to listen to music for hours, you shouldn't experience too much fatigue.
The Bose QC45 have great controls. They have three physical buttons that are located on the right ear cup, which are clicky and easy to use. There's also an 'Action' button on the left ear cup, which acts as a multi-purpose control. There are volume chimes for when you've reached the minimum and maximum volume, as well as voice prompts when cycling through ANC settings. There are also voice prompts for when you're pairing the headphones. Unfortunately, there's no feedback if you're skipping tracks.
On the left ear cup:
Action button:
On the right ear cup:
Center button:
These headphones have a fairly portable design. Although they're a bit bulky and take up some space in your bag, they can fold into a more compact format. You can also lay the ear cups flat so that they take up less space.
The Bose QC45's case is great. It's made of leatherette, and it feels sturdy and solid. There's a zipper to help secure the headphones when you're on the go, and inside the case is a small pouch to store the included cables when you're not using them.
The Bose QuietComfort 45's build quality is good. Their adjustable headband is reinforced metal, which makes them feel sturdy. They also have good padding, which feels soft on the skin. However, they're otherwise mostly made of lightweight plastic, which feels a little cheap for their price. The hinges and yokes feel like a weak point of the build since they're made of the same plastic as the body.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 have decent stability. They should stay on your head while you're using them at your desk or on the couch. However, they can fall off your head with more intense head movements, like during a run outside. On the upside, they have a wireless design, so you don't need to worry about something snagging them and pulling them off your head.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 have a very neutral sound profile that's well-suited for a variety of audio content. There's a touch of extra bass that adds thump, rumble, and boom to mixes, but it doesn't overwhelm vocals and lead instruments. Luckily, if you prefer a different sound, their companion app offers a graphic EQ and presets to help you adjust their sound to your liking.
Note: Our unit's left and right drivers are somewhat out of sync in the mid to treble range, which makes the upper harmonics of voices overly bright in the right ear. However, this issue may also only affect our unit, though if you experience this too, please let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
The bass accuracy is great. It's slightly overemphasized across the range, but the response is still very flat. As a result, mixes have a bit of extra thump, rumble, and boom, but it shouldn't completely overwhelm vocals or lead instruments.
The Bose QC45 have outstanding mid accuracy. It's fairly flat and neutral across the range, resulting in detailed, accurate, and present vocals and lead instruments. However, the left and right driver are out of sync in the high-mid, so the right driver sounds harsher than the left.
The treble accuracy is decent. While the response is mostly overemphasized across the range, our unit's left and right drivers are somewhat out of sync. As a result, the harshness of vocals and lead instruments is more present in the right driver than the left driver. However, the difference is less noticeable in the mid-treble, so sibilants sound bright but not necessarily piercing.
The Bose QuietComfort 45's peaks and dips performance is amazing. For the most part, peaks and dips are fairly minor. However, our unit's left and right driver become very out of sync in the mid-mid, so a dip in the right driver nudges vocals and lead instruments at the back of the mix while dulling their detail. A peak in the right driver's low-treble makes the upper harmonics of these sounds harsh, while a dip in both driver's mid-treble dulls sibilants like S and T sounds.
Update 11/19/2021: We originally reported that the left driver sounds louder in the high-mid and treble range. However, this was incorrect, and it's the right driver that sounds louder. We have updated our text to reflect these changes.
The Bose QC45's imaging performance is just okay. There's a small peak above the group delay's audibility threshold, indicating a slightly loose bass. However, the treble is transparent. At the same time, the headphones are very mismatched in phase response, and the right driver sounds louder in the high-mid. You can also hear the phase mismatch in the treble range, even with real-life content. There's some mismatch present in frequency response too, which indicates holes in the stereo image. Overall, the imaging performance affects the accurate placement of objects like footsteps in the stereo image. That said, our results are only valid for our unit, and your experience may vary.
These headphones have a poor passive soundstage. While it sounds large, the soundstage still seems like it's coming from inside your head rather than from speakers placed in the room around you. Since they also have a closed-back design, they sound less open than open-back headphones.
These are the settings used to test these headphones, and our results are only valid when they're used in this configuration.
Update 11/19/2021: Users have reported high cabin pressure when using their unit's ANC. Cabin pressure refers to the pressure-like feeling inside your ears when the ANC is on and is similar to when a plane ascends and descends, creating a difference in pressure between your inner and outer ear. Some users may also describe this feeling as similar to being underwater. This sensation is caused by your brain perceiving the lack of low-frequency sound as a pressure difference between the inner and outer ear, which can become uncomfortable. The cabin pressure of these headphones is slightly more than normal when their ANC is on, but it shouldn't be an issue for most users unless you're already sensitive to ANC. In comparison, other ANC over-ears, like the Apple AirPods Max Wireless, seem to have higher and more noticeable cabin pressure, but again, it shouldn't be too much of an issue for most users.
The Bose QC45's noise isolation performance is excellent. They do a similarly great job of blocking out the low rumble of bus and plane engines as their predecessor. However, both the Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018 and Bose 700 Headphones Wireless have an edge when it comes to blocking out more noise in the mid and treble ranges. That said, the Q45 can still reduce a significant amount of noise, like ambient chatter and the hum of AC units.
Note: The ANC can't be turned off so we tested their passive isolation capabilities with the headphones turned off. We also tested ANC using 'Quiet' mode.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 have a passable leakage performance. Their leakage is mostly concentrated in the mid to treble range, which sounds a bit more full than in-ears and earbuds. If you like to listen to audio at high volumes in a moderately noisy environment like an office, people around you can hear parts of it.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 have mediocre noise handling. The mic struggles to separate your voice from moderate ambient noise, so if you're taking a call from somewhere like a busy street, your voice could be drowned out. If you're looking for Bose headphones with a better noise handling performance, it's worth considering the Bose QuietComfort 35 II Gaming Headset instead.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 have an excellent battery performance. The manufacturer advertises them to last 24 hours continuously with their ANC on and their continuous audio playback set to 50% volume. However, we measured a bit less than that, though battery life can vary depending on usage, so your real-life experience may vary. You may also notice a difference in battery life, depending on if you're connected to one or two devices at a time. The manufacturer advertises them to deliver up to three hours of playtime after a 15-minute charge. If you tend to run through battery life quickly, they have an auto-off timer that you can adjust in their companion app if you're looking to conserve battery life.
Update 02/22/2022: Firmware update 2.0.4-3475+32e4b0e has added a three-band graphic EQ and presets to the companion app. We have updated our review, and the scoring of this box has changed.
The Bose QC45 have a good app. It has a graphic EQ and presets so that you can customize their sound to your liking. Unlike previous generations, this app also allows you to connect the headphones to other Bose products using 'SimpleSync'. You can pair a maximum of two compatible Bose speakers, soundbars, or headphones together, so you can listen to your TV's audio via your Bose soundbar without disturbing others around you. For instructions on how to connect your devices together, check out Bose's FAQ here.
The Bose Music app offers additional controls. You can switch between ANC modes, adjust the volume, see the battery life, and set the auto-off timer. You can also adjust 'Self-Voice', which allows you to customize the amount of your own voice you hear while on a call, turn the voice prompts on and off, and switch languages. You can view, add, and change the Bluetooth sources too.
Update 02/22/2022: Some users have reported experiencing issues like as audio dropping when connected to their smartphone and PC at the same time. We retested multi-device pairing in two ways: connected to a Windows 10 PC and a Samsung S10e phone and connected to the same Windows PC and an iPhone SE. Both phones are updated to the latest firmware. We played a song on the phone and a Youtube video on the PC, alternating when one source played audio, and the other was paused. However, we didn't experience any issues with either phone, and we couldn't replicate this issue. There hasn't been a change in our review.
The Bose QC45 have excellent Bluetooth connectivity. They support multi-device pairing with up to two devices at a time, and unlike the Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018, they utilize Bluetooth 5.1. However, you can't quickly pair them, as they don't support NFC pairing. While their latency on PCs is a bit high, they have much lower latency on iOS and Android devices, which is nice if you like to stream video. However, some apps and devices compensate for latency differently, so your real-world experience may differ.
The Bose QC45 come with a 1/8" to 1/16" (3.5 mm to 2.5 mm) TRS cable that you can use to passively listen to audio. However, you can't use their mic with this connection. These headphones also come with a USB-A to USB-C charging cable.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 Headphones can connect to Bluetooth-enabled PCs with full audio and mic compatibility. You can also connect them to your PC using their included 1/8" to 1/16" (3.5 mm to 2.5 mm) TRS cable, but you can only receive audio.
You can only use the Bose QuietComfort 45 on PlayStation consoles via an analog connection. However, you can only receive audio.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 can only receive audio when connected via analog to an Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S console.