Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds QuietComfort Ultra True Wireless Noise-Canceling Earbuds 2nd Gen Review

Skip these. You're overpaying for the Bose name. The Sony WF-1000XM5 does almost everything better for less money, and there are fantastic budget options that come shockingly close.

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are a weird one. They're the most expensive mainstream earbuds you can buy, and they're not the best at anything. The one thing you need to know is that you're paying a premium for the Bose name and a specific spatial audio gimmick. If you're a die-hard Bose fan who loves their Immersion mode, maybe. For everyone else, there are better, cheaper options that do more.

What surprised us was how middle-of-the-pack these are for the price. Our database shows their sound quality, noise cancellation, and comfort all land in the low 40s percentile. That's fine, but not $299 fine. The battery life is just okay at the 60th percentile. For a flagship product, we expected to see at least one category where it absolutely crushed the competition, and it just doesn't.

Not worth it. You're paying for the logo and a niche audio mode. The raw performance you get for nearly three hundred bucks is underwhelming compared to the competition.

The Sony WF-1000XM5 is the obvious competitor. It often costs less, has best-in-class noise cancellation, and generally sounds better. The Nothing Ear (a) is less than half the price and offers shockingly good sound and features for the money. Even Bose's own older QuietComfort Earbuds are a better value if you can find them on sale, since you're not missing much besides the spatial audio gimmick.

If you're looking for the absolute best sound or noise cancellation for your money, this isn't it. Go get the Sony WF-1000XM5 instead. If you're on a budget but still want great features, the Nothing Ear (a) or Anker Soundcore options are way smarter buys.

We can't recommend buying these at full price. They're a classic case of a brand resting on its laurels and charging a premium for it. If you find them heavily discounted, maybe. But for $299, your money is better spent on the Sony XM5s for top-tier performance, or you can save a bundle and get 90% of the experience with something like the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC.