The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) are the refreshed version of the original Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless. Bose advertises several improvements, including more responsive noise cancellation and improved noise suppression. The 2nd Gen are still one of the top contenders in active noise cancellation (ANC) technology and an excellent pickup for most people with comfort at the top of their mind. The buds also support Bose-exclusive features like CustomTune, which customizes your audio based on the shape and depth of your ear canals. That said, some of the software improvements that were once exclusive to the 2nd Gen are coming to the original earbuds, so the extra cost over the now-discounted 1st Gen may leave some on the fence regarding which iteration to purchase, at least while supplies of the first generation last.
Our Verdict
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen are great for sports and fitness. They include three types of stabilizers and have a shallower fit than similarly stable earbuds. This makes them a comfortable option for a variety of people and a perfect companion for working out or taking a jog. They also have an IPX4 rating, so it's fine if you splash them with water from a fountain or get them wet from a run in the rain.
Exceptional ANC.
Great comfort and stability with three stabilizer sizes.
Shorter 6.5-hour continuous battery life.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2 are great for travel. The earbuds come with three sets of ear tips and stabilizers, ensuring a comfortable and snug fit for long-haul flights. Plus, they attenuate noise exceptionally well, so you won't be woken up on a long train ride by a wailing child in the same car. On the downside, their battery life is limited to 6.5 hours of continuous playback, so they won't last you through an entire transcontinental flight. That said, their carrying case comes with an additional three charges, while also being a convenient way to safely store the earbuds.
Exceptional ANC.
Great comfort and stability with three stabilizer sizes.
Shorter 6.5-hour continuous battery life.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen are very good for office work. They sport outstanding noise isolation, handily attenuating distractions on site from noisy construction to chatty coworkers. If you're in a more collaborative workspace, you can also switch them to full transparency mode in case someone calls your name. The earbuds are very comfortable to wear and have a microphone with an adjustable sidetone for any meetings you might have. You can also keep the earbuds connected to your personal phone and work laptop thanks to their Bluetooth multi-device pairing. That said, their battery life is limited to 6.5 hours, so you'll likely have to charge them in their carrying case at some point during your workday.
Exceptional ANC.
Multi-device Bluetooth pairing.
Shorter 6.5-hour continuous battery life.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen are sub-par for wireless gaming. While their warm sound signature renders explosions and cinematics with an adequate helping of bass, the earbuds have a wireless latency above 100 ms. Although this isn't an issue in video playback, you may notice audio/visual desync in action or rhythm games. On the upside, the earbuds have a microphone, so you can use them while chatting with friends on Discord. However, this would switch them to the SBC codec to support bi-directional audio (input and output), increasing latency even more.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2 can't be used while wired.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen have good audio reproduction accuracy. Their frequency response deviates minimally from their warm sound signature for most of the measured frequency range. Though peaks and dips in the treble can render certain vocals slightly harsh or hissy, depending on the frequency band and your preferences. In terms of fidelity, the headphones have excellent group delay and remarkable harmonic distortion performance, so your audio will be reproduced cleanly. The same is true for stereo matching; both the L/R drivers are well matched in phase and frequency response, though there is a slight but likely inaudible bias toward the left driver in narrow bands of the treble. As expected from in-ears, they don't engage with the pinna, so they won't produce any localization cues from filtering effects.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen have outstanding noise isolation performance. Whether you're looking to block out the ambient rumble of an airplane, isolate yourself from busy traffic on your daily bus commute, or shut out whirring PC fans and background conversations in the office, the earbuds' ANC system handily attenuates most noise. They also don't leak much audio, so you can crank up your favorite tunes without worrying about disturbing someone sitting next to you.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen have an okay microphone. Your voice is reproduced cleanly and naturally on calls, though voices in higher registers may lack some airiness. The microphone also performs adequately against most background noise, though it struggles against overwhelming and sustained loud sounds like the arrival of a subway.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen have great frequency response consistency. That said, the headphones use Bose's proprietary CustomTune feature, which adjusts their sound based on your ear canal shape. As a result, your listening experience may differ slightly from our measured frequency response.
Performance Usages
Changelog
-
Updated Mar 12, 2026:
We've added a comparison to the Sony WF-1000XM6 in the Battery box.
-
Updated Oct 09, 2025:
We've included a phone call recording of a human speaking into the earbuds' microphone in the Recording Quality section.
- Updated Sep 08, 2025: Review published.
- Updated Sep 01, 2025: Early access published.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) ship with three different colorways: 'Black,' 'White Smoke,' and 'Deep Plum.' We tested the 'Deep Plum' variant (see our model's label).
If you encounter another variant, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update the review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) are wireless earbuds targeted at the wider consumer market. They're slightly updated from the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless, with software improvements like 'ActiveSense,' which attenuates sudden, loud noises. While the 2nd Gen also makes large gains in microphone noise handling, Bose's staged update to the 1st Gen may significantly shrink the gap.
Bose isn't the only brand competing for your attention with their flagship earbuds, either: Sony, Apple, and Technics are all gunning for a bigger market share, each offering specialized features or brand-specific compatibility to get you on board. The Apple AirPods Pro 2 integrate with other Apple devices, supporting features like platform-specific seamless device switching. Meanwhile, the Sony WF-1000XM5 Truly Wireless have competitive noise cancellation that you can control based on location or activity. For people who want the latest and greatest features in connectivity, the Technics EAH-AZ100 feature three-way Bluetooth multipoint and Bluetooth LE's LC3 codec. Compared to the competition, the Bose boast the best in comfort while remaining stable, making them a great companion for those with an active lifestyle.
If you're looking for other options, check out our picks for the best noise cancelling headphones, the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds, and the best wireless earbuds for running and working out.
The Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) are both flagship products from leading headphone brands. But they target different usages. The Sony are full-sized over-ears, while the Bose are earbuds. That makes the much smaller-sized Bose easier to toss in a pocket or small purse, while the larger Sony are bulkier and harder to carry around. That said, the Sony do fold in a little, reducing their footprint, and they come with a case that keeps them safe while in transit. The Sony headphones' larger size also means they're not practical for even moderately intense workouts, while the Bose come with stability fins to keep them secure in your ears while pushing your interval training to its limits. On the other hand, the Sony headphones' larger design helps give them a noticeably better mic than the Bose. And while the Bose still offer superb ANC, it's not quite on par with the Sony's.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) and the Sony WF-1000XM5 Truly Wireless are similarly positioned flagship earbuds. The Bose are more comfortable and don't have as deep an in-ear fit. That said, they also protrude more from your ears and can get in the way if you have piercings. Both earbuds support Bluetooth multi-device pairing, but the Sony supports Bluetooth LE and the LC3 codec, which can potentially achieve lower latency than the Bose's supported aptX Adaptive (Low Latency). Regardless, both products have top-of-the-line noise cancellation, making them suitable for travel or chilling out in your own bubble.
If you own an Android device, you might prefer the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) over the Apple AirPods Pro 3 because the Bose have an app that works with Android/iOS. Their tuning is boosted in the bass with a flat mid-range and a bright top-end, and you can EQ it to taste. Their noise isolation performance is remarkable, but slightly trails behind the Apple's. The Bose's mic sounds a bit better with Android and PCs, but the Apple's mic system is optimized for iOS, making them device-dependent. Still, the Apple have a better IP rating, a longer continuous battery life, and iOS-specific features alongside a bit better ANC. That said, they lack an equalizer, so if you prioritize fine-tuning, the Bose might be better even with an iPhone.
The Technics EAH-AZ100 and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) are similar flagship earbuds. Both have a warm sound signature, but they differ in their upper-frequency reproduction. The Technics have an underemphasized treble relative to the Bose, with softer articulation and more understated brightness. In terms of noise isolation, both earbuds perform exceptionally, easily attenuating anything from a semi's engine to the clattering of dishes. That said, the Technics can sustain this attenuation for longer, as their continuous battery life is nearly double that of the Bose.
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
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
