Bose Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) - Desert Gold Review
Bose's new flagship headphones offer luxury comfort and spatial audio, but our performance rankings suggest you're paying more for the brand than top-tier specs.
The 30-Second Version
These are comfortable, premium-feeling headphones with neat spatial audio tricks. But our data shows their core performance—noise cancellation, sound, and especially battery life—isn't competitive for the $449 price. Only buy if you're all-in on the Bose comfort experience.
Overview
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) are Bose's flagship over-ears, promising their best noise cancellation and a new 'immersive audio' feature. They're built to be a luxury experience, with premium materials and a focus on comfort for long listening sessions.
Performance
Let's be real, the performance scores in our database are a mixed bag. The ANC and sound quality land in the 36th percentile, which means they're decent but not class-leading. The battery life is a real weak spot, sitting in the 14th percentile. The connectivity and mic are fine, but nothing to write home about.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Premium, comfortable design with plush ear cushions.
- Cinema Mode and Bose Immersive Audio for a more spatialized sound.
- CustomTune tech personalizes sound to your ear shape.
- Intuitive touch controls and wear sensors for auto-pause.
Cons
- Battery life is below average for the price. 14th
- Noise cancellation and sound quality scores are middling. 25th
- They're heavy at 254 grams. 25th
- They're expensive, and the performance doesn't always justify it. 33th
Specifications
Full Specifications
Design
| Weight | 0.3 kg / 0.6 lbs |
Connectivity
| Wireless | Yes |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 |
Microphone
| Microphone | Yes |
Value & Pricing
At $449, you're paying a premium for the Bose brand and the promise of a luxurious experience. The problem is, our data shows the core performance—ANC, sound, battery—doesn't match that price tag. You're buying the comfort and the Bose ecosystem more than you are top-tier specs.
Price History
vs Competition
This is a tough spot. The Sony WH-1000XM5 is the ANC king, scores higher across the board, and usually costs less. The Apple AirPods Max, while also pricey, integrates seamlessly if you're in that ecosystem. Even Bose's own QuietComfort Ultra earbuds offer similar tech in a more portable form. These over-ears feel like they're competing on brand comfort more than raw performance.
| Spec | Bose Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) - Desert Gold | Sony Sony WF-1000XM5 Noise-Canceling True Wireless | Technics Technics EAH-AZ80 Noise-Canceling True Wireless | Bose Bose QuietComfort Ultra True Wireless | Apple Airpods Pro 3 Apple AirPods Pro with Wireless MagSafe Charging | Jabra Jabra Evolve2 Buds USB-C MS Earbuds with USB-C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form Factor | — | In-Ear | In-Ear | In-Ear | In-Ear | In-Ear |
| Driver Type | — | Sony WF-1000XM5 Noise-Canceling True Wireless In-Ear Headphones (Black) | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Wireless | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Active Noise Cancellation | — | true | true | true | true | true |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.2 |
| Battery Life Hours | — | 6 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 8 |
| Case Battery Hours | — | 16 | 16 | 18 | 24 | 25 |
| Water Resistance | — | IPX4 | IPX4 | IPX4 | IP57 | IP57 |
| Multipoint | — | true | true | true | true | true |
Common Questions
Q: Is the noise cancellation as good as Sony's?
According to our percentile rankings, Bose's ANC here scores in the 36th percentile, which is decent but typically behind class leaders like the Sony WH-1000XM5.
Q: How is the battery life in real use?
Bose claims up to 30 hours, but our battery performance score places it in the low 14th percentile, suggesting it may not last as long as many competitors in practice.
Q: Is the Immersive Audio feature worth it?
It's a unique feature for creating a wider soundstage, especially with Cinema Mode, but it does reduce the already middling battery life to about 23 hours.
Who Should Skip This
Skip these if you travel a lot. Our data marks travel as their weakest area (11.2/100), likely due to the bulk, weight, and sub-par battery life. Also, if you're on a budget or want the absolute best sound and ANC, your money goes further elsewhere.
Verdict
Buy these only if you're a Bose loyalist who values supreme comfort and wants to try their new spatial audio features. If your top priorities are the absolute best noise cancellation, longest battery, or pure sound quality for your money, there are better options.