The Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless are the next generation of the Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless. These over-ears basically have the same design as their predecessor, so you can expect similarly lightweight and comfortable headphones with a top-notch noise cancelling (ANC) system. However, there have been a couple of adjustments, namely to their sound and the addition of an integrated mic on their analog cable.
Our Verdict
The Bose QuietComfort Headphones are good for sports. Over-ears aren't usually a good choice for workouts as they don't have the most stable design when moving and trap heat around your ears, but these aren't too bulky. They also lack an IP rating for water resistance, which is normal for over-ears. That said, these over-ears have a comfortable fit, and their wireless design ensures there's little that can snag the headphones and pull them off of your head.
- Outstanding noise isolation performance.
- Comfortable and well-built design.
- Can fall off your head with moderate movement.
The Bose QuietComfort Headphones are great for traveling. These comfortable and lightweight over-ears are equipped with an ANC system to block out a lot of ambient noise like rumbly bus engines around you. They also come with a sturdy hard case to protect them when you're on the go, and they fold down, too. They last over 26 hours continuously with their ANC on, which is great for long listening sessions.
- Graphic EQ and presets available via companion app.
- Outstanding noise isolation performance.
- Comfortable and well-built design.
Wired or wireless connectivity.
- Can fall off your head with moderate movement.
Limited control customization.
The Bose QuietComfort Headphones are good for office work. They have a comfortable fit, and thanks to their ANC system, they can easily block out chatty coworkers and the hum of AC units. With their ANC on, they last over 26 hours at a time, and you can use them wired in a pinch. They support multi-device pairing, too, so you can stay connected to your PC and smartphone simultaneously.
- Outstanding noise isolation performance.
Support multi-device pairing.
- Comfortable and well-built design.
Wired or wireless connectivity.
Decent built-in mic and an in-line mic.
- Can fall off your head with moderate movement.
Limited control customization.
No mic mute.
The Bose QuietComfort Wireless are Bluetooth headphones, so you can't wirelessly connect them to PlayStation or Xbox consoles. They also have high latency on PCs, causing your audio and visuals to fall out of sync.
The Bose QuietComfort Headphones are good for gaming. Unlike their predecessor, their analog cable features an in-line mic, offering good overall performance so your teammates will hear you clearly. Their bass-heavy sound can also help emphasize sound effects like footsteps without completely drowning out dialogue and instruments. They have a comfortable fit suitable for long gaming sessions, too.
- Comfortable and well-built design.
Decent built-in mic and an in-line mic.
No mic mute.
The Bose QuietComfort Headphones are good for audio reproduction accuracy. Their frequency response generally follows their warm sound profile, with the exception of the treble range, which has some deviations. The L/R drivers are well-matched in terms of frequency, amplitude, and phase, and the drivers produce very little harmonic distortion, with no audible coloration at regular and elevated listening levels.
The Bose QuietComfort Headphones are amazing at attenuating external noise. The ANC system has the versatility to tamp down on ambient noise, ranging from the rumble of aircraft engines to the chatter of passengers on a train. They do leak a fair bit of noise though, so you'll need to be mindful of those around you if you like to blast your tunes in otherwise quiet places.
The microphone performance is mediocre. While the mic is able to capture your voice in a reasonably natural way, it rolls off a fair bit of the bass-range, making your voice sound thinner. It also does a poor job of isolating your voice from your surroundings, so background noise can frequently interfere with your intelligibility.
The Bose QuietComfort Headphones are very good at delivering audio consistently. Generally speaking, you can expect similar performance between different listening sessions, regardless of your facial features. However, glasses-wearers may notice a drop-off in the low-bass range as the arms of glasses can disrupt the headphones' seal.
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 Jul 16, 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 also added new performance usages and updated the text throughout the Sound tests.
- Updated Jul 10, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.1, which features minor updates to our sound tests.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Bose QuietComfort Headphones come in a handful of color variants: 'Triple Black,' 'White Smoke,' 'Moonstone Blue,' 'Twilight Blue,' and 'Cypress Green.' We tested the 'Triple Black' colorway; you can see our model's label here. Additionally, there's a limited edition colorway with Steve Lacy, which is a cream color with black trim and pink accents. You can also create custom color schemes through ColorWare's website for an added charge.
You can also find this model at Costco, but under a slightly different name, depending on your location: the Bose QuietComfort SC Noise Cancelling Headphones or Bose QC SC Headphones. This model comes with a soft case instead of a hard case, but we expect it to perform similarly to our unit otherwise.
If you encounter another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Bose QuietComfort Headphones are the next iteration of the Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless. Although both are nearly identical in design and have similarly outstanding levels of noise isolation with the same app, the QuietComfort Headphones include an audio cable with an in-line mic so you can take calls while wired. However, they don't block out as much background noise as the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless. Their continuous battery life isn't quite as long-lasting either, though 26+ hours will still be more than enough to get you through long days on the go.
If you're looking for more headphones, check out our recommendations for the best noise cancelling headphones, the best travel headphones, and the best Bose headphones.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Wireless are a step up from the Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless, but many differences are small. Both pairs use the same app, but the QuietComfort Ultra add virtual surround sound. They also have a bit better build quality, slightly better ANC, and mic and noise handling performance. However, the standard QuietComfort Headphones don't trail behind far and include an analog cable with an in-line, in addition to the integrated mic, which adds flexibility.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are more feature-packed than the Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless. The Sony have a virtual soundstage feature to help immerse you in your audio, have more robust customization features via their companion software, and support LDAC, which is Sony's codec for high-resolution audio. Their ANC also does an even better job of blocking background noise, and they have a longer continuous battery life. However, the Bose are more comfortable and better built with a different tuning you might prefer and an in-line mic for wired situations.
The Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless and the Sony WH-1000XM5 are headphones with excellent noise isolation. Both are equally stable, built well, and remarkably mitigate background noise from train engines to ambient conversation. The Bose are significantly more comfortable than the Sony, but they lack a dedicated virtual soundstage feature and leak more audio.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) are the next generation flagship after the Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless, which belong to the step below the flagship in the QC line. The QC Ultra (2nd Gen) have a more premium build, a considerably longer battery life, USB-C audio, and somewhat better noise isolation performance. Their mic sounds better, too. On the other hand, the QC Headphones have an in-line mic, so you can still use the mic when you plug them in, which is useful for gaming. Their slightly smaller frame takes up a little less room in your bag, and the smaller ear cups contribute to considerably more consistent sound between listening sessions and different people. They share many of the same app features (like three-band EQ), except for Immersive Audio, available with the QC Ultra (2nd Gen), too. Depending on your tastes, you may prefer the warmer top-end of the QC Ultra (2nd Gen) or the much more excited, V-shaped tuning of the QC Headphones.
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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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