The Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless are the next generation of the Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018. They have a look and feel similar to their predecessor and an outstanding active noise canceling (ANC) system. Unlike the previous generation, they support SimpleSync, which lets you pair the headphones with up to two other Bose products, like soundbars and speakers, to share their audio. Their companion app is a step up over the QC35 II's since it includes a graphic EQ for sound customization. You can't turn off the ANC, but you can cycle to 'Aware' mode, which allows you to hear your surroundings without taking off the headphones.
Our Verdict
The Bose QuietComfort 45 are good for sports and fitness, though they're not really designed for this purpose. They have a very comfortable fit and a wireless design, so you don't need to worry about a cable getting snagged on something. However, they can fall off your head if you move around, like during a run. They don't have an IP rating for water resistance, which is expected for over-ear headphones.
- Very comfortable.
- Good build quality.
- Bulky and can fall off your head with more intense movement.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 are very good for travel. They have a very comfortable fit, and their over 21-hour battery life will easily last you through long days on the go. They have an ANC feature, which does a remarkable job of blocking background noise like the low rumble of bus and plane engines around you. Unfortunately, you can't turn off the ANC, but you can use their 'Aware' mode to hear your surroundings without removing your headphones. While they're also a bit bulky, they come with a carrying case to help protect them.
Excellent noise isolation performance.
- Very comfortable.
- Over 21 hours of continuous playback time.
- Good build quality.
- Bulky and can fall off your head with more intense movement.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 are satisfactory for office use. They have a comfortable fit and about 21 hours of continuous battery life for long days at the office. They support multi-device pairing, so you can stay connected with your phone and computer simultaneously. Their ANC system effectively blocks out ambient sound like background chit-chat, but unfortunately, they leak a lot of audio, which might disturb people around you.
Excellent noise isolation performance.
- Very comfortable.
Good mic recording quality.
- Bulky and can fall off your head with more intense movement.
- Mic really struggles to separate your voice from moderate ambient noise.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 aren't suitable 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 too high to be suitable for gaming.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 are a decent choice for wired gaming. Using their 1/8" to 1/16" TRS audio cable, you can connect them to PCs and 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 warm sound can help emphasize sound effects in gameplay.
Good mic recording quality.
- Mic really struggles to separate your voice from moderate ambient noise.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 are decent when it comes to reproducing audio accurately. While their warm and excited frequency response is well-aligned with our target curve, especially in the bass and mid-range, our unit's L/R drivers exhibited mismatches in phase, frequency, and amplitude. While driver tolerance can vary between units, our unit's mismatches reflect badly on overall quality control. These mismatches also manifest in frequency response deviations from their warm sound profile in the mid and treble ranges. Still, they reproduce audio with no audible harmonic distortion.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 have an excellent noise isolation performance. Their ANC system does a stellar job at blocking out external noise across the entire frequency spectrum, whether it's the drone of aircraft engines or the hum of a fridge on its last legs. They do leak a bit of audio, but it won't be audible to those around you unless you're blasting your tunes in close proximity to others.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 have a passable mic performance. The built-in mic does a good job of reproducing your voice in a detailed, natural way. That said, it's not quite as adept at separating your voice from the background environment. So, if you're prone to taking calls in busy environments, like a bustling coffee shop, the person on the other end will struggle to make out your voice.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 have good frequency response consistency. Their over-ear seal ensures a consistent sound between different head sizes, hair lengths, and glasses. While there are mild deviations in the bass range, the performance is rather consistent between listening sessions, except in the mid-range. Depending on the fit and your anatomy, the mids can sound more forward in the mix or pushed down.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Mar 12, 2026:
This review has been updated to Test Bench 2.1, which removes the Group Delay test, and rebalances scoring for the Harmonic Distortion test and Audio Reproduction Accuracy performance usage. For more details, consult our full changelog.
- Updated Mar 12, 2026: This review has been updated to Test Bench 2.1, which removes the Group Delay test, and rebalances scoring for the Harmonic Distortion test and Audio Reproduction Accuracy performance usage. For more details, consult our full changelog.
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Updated Sep 24, 2025:
After noticing an error in some target deviation calculations, we updated this review's Bass, Mid-Range, and Treble Target Compliance scores, as well as its Peaks and Dips score. As a result, some Usages and side-by-side text may also have changed.
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Updated Apr 25, 2025:
This review has been updated to Test Bench 2.0, which adds the following tests: Stereo Mismatch, Group Delay, Cumulative Spectral Decay, PRTF, Harmonic Distortion, and Electrical Aspects. We've added new performance usages and updated the text throughout the Sound tests and side-by-sides.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Bose QuietComfort 45 come in four color variants: 'Black,' 'White Smoke,' 'Eclipse Grey,' and 'Midnight Blue.' We tested the 'Black' variant; you can see our model's label here. These headphones also come as a variant called the Bose QuietComfort SE, which 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 encounter another variant, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Bose QuietComfort 45 are the next generation of the Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018. They have a very similar design with very comfortable padding for long listening sessions on the go. They've since been replaced by the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Wireless, which offer a slightly better noise isolation performance and Bose's Immersive Audio feature, which can add some dimensionality to your sound via DSP. If you're an iOS user looking for similar, top-of-the-line features, you can also check out the Apple AirPods Max, which have a similarly stellar noise isolation performance, as well as an H1 chip for seamless pairing with your Apple devices.
Check out our recommendations for the best noise cancelling headphones, the best wireless Bluetooth headphones, and the best travel headphones.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Wireless have the edge over the Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless. While both models look similar, there are a couple of changes. The Ultra are better built and have a different control scheme with a volume slider. They also have CustomTune technology, which automatically adjusts their sound, and noise cancelling performances based on your unique hearing characteristics and environment. They support Immersive Audio, too, which is an adjustable head-tracking feature that can create a more immersive sound. The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones have a greater codec selection, including aptX Adaptive. That said, the Ultra need to be powered on to be used via analog, while the QC45 support passive playback.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are more customizable than the Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless. The Sony are better built, and their ANC does an even better job blocking background noise. They also have a longer continuous battery life. However, the Bose are more comfortable and have a flatter sound profile, which some users may prefer.
The Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless and the Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Wireless are similar headphones with different strengths. If you want headphones for your commute, the Bose are more comfortable and have an ANC feature that blocks out more noise. However, the Sennheiser support aptX Adaptive, which you can use to stream higher-quality audio or lower latency when you're watching videos. They also have a much longer continuous battery life and a greater selection of EQ tools to sculpt their sound.
The Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless and the Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless are both high-end headphones. The Bose's ANC blocks out more of the low rumble of bus and plane engines, but the Sony headphones do a better job of cutting down mid-range noise like ambient chatter and treble-range sounds like the high-pitched whirl of computer fans. Their fit is also 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.
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
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