The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Wireless are top-of-the-line noise cancelling (ANC) headphones. While they look similar to the Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless, they have CustomTune technology; the headphones can adjust their sound profile and noise cancelling based on your unique hearing capabilities and environment. Like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless, they also have Immersive Audio, which offers head tracking to give you a more exciting audio experience. They even support aptX Adaptive, a codec that dynamically adjusts its performance based on your usage, whether you're streaming high-quality audio or watching video.
Our Verdict
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are decent for sports and fitness, although over-ears may not be the best choice for this purpose. They're lightweight and feature outstanding noise cancelling to block out people at the gym and a transparency mode to stay aware outdoors. While they're very comfortable, they're also bulky and can fall off your head with moderate movement. They also lack an IP rating for water resistance, but that's very common for over-ears.
- Outstanding noise isolation performance.
- Can fall off of your head with moderate head movement.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are excellent for commuting and traveling. They have a well-built design that's comfortable for long days on the go. They're also equipped with a superb ANC system, so they can block out the low rumble of bus and plane engines and last almost up to 30 hours with their ANC on. Their carrying case helps protect the headphones from damage, too.
- Outstanding noise isolation performance.
- Very comfortable and well-built.
- Can fall off of your head with moderate head movement.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are great for office use. They have a comfortable fit and will easily last through a couple of long work days, so you don't have to worry about recharging them every day. They also support multi-device pairing, so you can stay connected to your PC and smartphone simultaneously. Thanks to their superb ANC system, you can easily block out chatty coworkers and the hum of computer fans.
- Outstanding noise isolation performance.
- Very comfortable and well-built.
- Mic has very good recording quality.
- Supports multi-device pairing.
Mic only does an alright job separating your voice from noise around you.
You can only use the Bose QC Ultra Headphones wirelessly via Bluetooth. Unfortunately, they have high latency using the SBC Bluetooth codec, so your audio and visuals won't be in sync. Luckily, they support aptX Adaptive, which is a codec that adjusts its performance based on your content. If you're gaming, it can ensure a lower latency experience. However, there's still some delay present. Since these headphones don't have a wireless dongle for a low-latency connection, we don't think they're suitable for wireless gaming.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are decent for wired gaming, though there are a couple of caveats. First, they only support audio via analog, and second, the headphones still need to be powered on to use the analog connection, so you'll still need to keep an eye on battery life while using them. These headphones have an extra dose of bass that can help emphasize sound effects in your gameplay while speech and soundtracks remain clear. They also have a comfortable fit that's suitable for long gaming sessions, but gamers with longer hair might notice a drop-off in bass.
- Graphic EQ and presets available via companion app.
Needs to be powered on even when plugged in.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra have good audio reproduction accuracy. They don't deviate much from their warm sound, which makes EQing them fairly straightforward using the companion app. The left and right drivers are reasonably well aligned in terms of phase and frequency, so panning is generally rendered accurately, apart from in the treble region. The drivers also produce low levels of harmonic distortion, which won't be audible at typical or elevated levels.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra have superb noise isolation. Whether you're on a plane, in a busy office, or walking down the street, the ANC system effectively blocks out surrounding noise, allowing you to stay focused on your audio.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra have a satisfactory mic. It captures your voice without any natural peaks or dips, but it only does an okay job of separating your voice from any noise around you. These aren't a great choice for taking calls in a noisy environment.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra have decent frequency response consistency. These headphones use Bose's CustomTune technology to adjust noise isolation and sound based on your hearing. This constant retuning makes measuring frequency response consistency tricky. In general, listeners with long hair or glasses may notice reduced bass, while those with larger heads might hear a boost in bass response.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Mar 12, 2026:
We've updated this review to the new test bench and updated all the writing.
- 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 Jan 22, 2026:
We've updated the Battery box to provide additional information on the headphones' charging behavior.
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Updated Oct 30, 2025:
The Wired Connection section was updated to mention the successor, Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen).
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones come in six color variants: 'Black,' 'White Smoke,' 'Sandstone,' 'Lunar Blue,' 'Deep Plum,' and a 'Diamond 60th Anniversary Edition.' We tested the 'Black' model, and you can see our model's label here. 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 Ultra Headphones are premium over-ears and are a step up from the Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless. There are new features like CustomTune technology, so the headphones can adjust their sound and noise cancelling adaptively based on your hearing characteristics and environment. Like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless, they also support Immersive Audio, a head tracking feature similar to Apple's Spatial Audio. As with most Bose products, you can expect a high level of noise isolation, outperforming similarly premium picks from competing brands like the Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless, the Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Wireless, and the Apple AirPods Max. Their warm sound suits a variety of audio, but fans of remarkably long battery lives may prefer the Sennheiser, which last over twice as long as the options from Sony, Bose, and Apple.
Check out our recommendations for the best noise cancelling headphones, the best wireless Bluetooth headphones, and the best Bose headphones.
While the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Wireless and Sony WH-1000XM6 are both premium headphones and are priced accordingly, the Sony are a step above in most performance metrics. They have a better microphone system and audio reproduction accuracy overall. However, while both headphones have a warm tuning, the Sony's bass emphasis bleeds more into the mids, which can cause dense mixes to sound muddled relative to the Bose. In terms of features, the Sony's more recent release date and positioning affords them the benefit of expanded functionality, including extensive virtual soundstage features, and the LC3 and LDAC codecs. That said, the Bose still support an analogous Hi-Res codec with aptX Adaptive, which also brings wider compatibility for low latency than LC3. The Bose are also more comfortable and have deeper ear cups, which can make a big difference depending on your physical characteristics.
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 Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Wireless have the edge over the Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless. The Bose are more comfortable and better built. They also have a slight edge in noise isolation, but the difference is minor; both choices are still well-suited for noisy environments. The Bose also support aptX Adaptive for high-quality audio. Meanwhile, the Sony headphones support the LDAC codec, which is nice if you want to stream high-quality audio, and you can use them passively when wired. If you want to use the Bose wired, you'll have to turn them on.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Wireless are better than the Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Wireless for most purposes. Both are higher-end headphones, but the Bose feel more comfortable fit, and they have a better noise isolation performance. However, the Sennheiser headphones last about twice as long off a single charge, so you might prefer them for long trips or if you don't want to recharge your headphones often. The Sennheiser offer greater sound customization via the app, too. Unlike the Bose, you can even save and rename EQ presets for future use.
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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