The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds reviewed here are the 2024 model, which Bose announced in September 2024 at $179. They are Bose’s mid-priced noise cancelling earbuds, sitting below the $299 QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. Bose rates them at up to 8.5 hours per charge, with a wireless charging case that brings the total to 31.5 hours. They also add Bluetooth multipoint, a five-band EQ, and an IPX4 rating for sweat and rain.
The name causes confusion, because Bose has used “QuietComfort Earbuds” before. The original QuietComfort Earbuds from 2020 were a $279 flagship with 6-hour battery life. The QuietComfort Earbuds II (2022) replaced them, and the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds replaced those. The 2024 model is a separate, cheaper line. It is still the current version: Bose sells it for $179 alongside the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen).
Bose QuietComfort Bluetooth Earbuds
Bose's $179 noise cancelling earbuds: up to 8.5 hours per charge, a wireless charging case, multipoint, and a five-band EQ.
If you’re in the market for wireless earbuds with strong noise cancellation, long battery life, and a secure fit, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds deserve serious consideration. They give you most of what makes Bose’s flagship earbuds good for $120 less, and they last longer per charge.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Review: Quick Verdict
These are the Bose earbuds most people should buy. You get Bose’s noise cancelling, an Aware mode for hearing your surroundings, multipoint, an adjustable EQ, and a longer battery life than the Ultra.
What you give up is the extras. There’s no spatial audio (Bose calls it Immersive Audio), no CustomTune ear calibration, no aptX for Android phones, and no lossless or high-resolution codec. Reviewers also rate the Ultra’s noise cancelling a step higher. The buds are larger and heavier than AirPods Pro, so if you have small ears or prefer a low-profile fit, that’s worth weighing.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds (2024) specs at a glance
| Spec | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| List price | $179 | Per Bose |
| Battery | Up to 8.5 hours per charge | 31.5 hours with the case |
| Charging | 1.5 hours full; 20 minutes for up to 3 hours | USB-C or Qi wireless |
| Listening modes | Quiet, Aware, Off | Adjustable noise cancelling |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 with multipoint | SBC and AAC codecs |
| EQ | Five-band adjustable | In the Bose QCE app |
| Water resistance | IPX4 | Sweat and splashes |
| Weight | 0.024 lb per bud, 0.104 lb case | About 11 g and 47 g |
| Fit kit | S, M, L eartips and stability bands | Nine combinations |
Sound Quality
The QuietComfort Earbuds have an energetic sound with a slight lift in the bass and treble. That “U-shaped” tuning makes pop, hip-hop, and electronic music sound full without burying vocals.
If you want a different balance, the Bose QCE app has a five-band adjustable EQ. You can turn the bass down for podcasts or add treble if you find the default too warm.
The limit is the connection, not the drivers. The buds support only the SBC and AAC codecs. That’s fine on an iPhone, which uses AAC anyway, but Android owners don’t get the aptX Adaptive support that the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds offer through Snapdragon Sound. There’s no LDAC or lossless option either.
There’s also no spatial audio. Bose’s Immersive Audio, which widens the soundstage and can keep sound anchored as you move your head, is reserved for the Ultra models.
Noise Cancellation
Noise cancelling is the reason most people buy Bose, and these earbuds are strong at it. They handle the low rumble of planes, trains, and air conditioning well, and take the edge off voices in a coffee shop or open office. Tom’s Guide called it best-in-class, while Rolling Stone saw noise cancelling as the main trade-off against the pricier Ultra. Both points are fair: it’s excellent for $179, and the Ultra is a little better.
You can switch between Quiet mode, Aware mode, and Off, and Bose lets you adjust the noise cancelling level. Aware mode passes outside sound through so you can hear announcements or traffic. ActiveSense smooths out sudden loud noises while you’re in Aware mode, which helps on a loud street or a train platform.
Fit matters as much as electronics for noise cancelling. Bose includes small, medium, and large eartips and separate small, medium, and large stability bands, which give you nine combinations. Spend a few minutes finding a pair that seals fully; if the bass sounds thin or the noise cancelling seems weak, try a larger eartip first.
Features and Connectivity
These earbuds support Bluetooth multipoint, so they can stay connected to your phone and laptop at the same time and switch when audio starts on the other device. They use Bluetooth 5.3.
The touch controls are customizable in the app. You can set taps and holds to control playback, calls, volume, and noise cancelling modes, or to call up your phone’s voice assistant.
Bose’s app also handles firmware updates and battery predictions for listening and calls, and it has a remote selfie feature that lets you use a tap on the earbud as a camera shutter for hands-free photos.
The buds are rated IPX4, which covers sweat and splashes. That’s enough for workouts and rain, but they aren’t dust-rated, and they shouldn’t be submerged.
Battery Life
Bose rates the QuietComfort Earbuds at up to 8.5 hours of playback per charge. The case holds about 2.5 extra charges, for up to 31.5 hours of total listening, enough for a full day and then some.
That’s a clear advantage over the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, which Bose rates at 6 hours, or 4 hours with Immersive Audio turned on. It also beats AirPods Pro 3’s 8 hours with noise cancelling on.
A full charge takes about 1.5 hours. Bose says a 20-minute charge adds up to 3 hours of playback. The case charges over USB-C or on a Qi wireless charger, which isn’t included. Bose doesn’t include a wall adapter either, only a short USB-A to USB-C cable.
QuietComfort Earbuds vs. QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
The Ultra Earbuds are Bose’s flagship, and there are two generations.
The QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (1st Gen) launched in 2023 at $299. They added Immersive Audio, CustomTune sound calibration, and Snapdragon Sound with aptX Adaptive. Their case needed a $49 cover to charge wirelessly.
The QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) arrived in 2025, also at $299. The design stayed the same. Bose built wireless charging into the case, improved ActiveSense so changes in the noise cancelling level are less noticeable, and made it possible to turn off the touch controls. Reviewers also noted better call quality.
| QuietComfort Earbuds (2024) | QC Ultra Earbuds (1st Gen) | QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price at launch | $179 | $299 | $299 |
| Battery per charge | 8.5 hours | 6 hours (4 with Immersive Audio) | 6 hours (4 with Immersive Audio) |
| Listening modes | Quiet, Aware, Off | Quiet, Aware, Immersion | Quiet, Aware, Immersion |
| Immersive Audio | No | Yes | Yes |
| CustomTune | No | Yes | Yes |
| aptX Adaptive | No | Yes, via Snapdragon Sound | Yes, via Snapdragon Sound |
| Wireless charging | Built in | With $49 case cover | Built in |
| Multipoint | Yes | Yes, added by a 2024 firmware update | Yes |
| Water resistance | IPX4 | IPX4 | IPX4 |
Choose the QuietComfort Earbuds if you want Bose noise cancelling and long battery life for the least money.
Choose the QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) if you want the strongest noise cancelling Bose makes, spatial audio, aptX on an Android phone, or smaller, lighter buds. Bose lists each Ultra bud at 0.016 lb, compared with 0.024 lb for the QuietComfort Earbuds. If you find a 1st Gen pair heavily discounted, it has the same sound and features minus the built-in wireless charging and the 2nd Gen’s refinements.
For Bose’s over-ear models, see our Bose QuietComfort Headphones review and the QuietComfort vs. QuietComfort Ultra comparison.
How They Compare With AirPods Pro 3 and Sony WF-1000XM6
| Bose QuietComfort Earbuds | Apple AirPods Pro 3 | Sony WF-1000XM6 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| List price | $179 | $249 | $329.99 |
| Battery, noise cancelling on | 8.5 hours | 8 hours | 8 hours |
| Total with case | 31.5 hours | 24 hours | 24 hours |
| Water resistance | IPX4 | IP57 | IPX4 |
| Wireless charging case | Yes | Yes (MagSafe, Qi) | Yes |
| High-resolution codec | No | No | LDAC |
| Extras | Five-band EQ, multipoint | Heart rate sensor, hearing aid and hearing test features | LDAC, LE Audio |
AirPods Pro 3 are the better pick if you use an iPhone. They switch automatically between Apple devices, support spatial audio with head tracking, and add hearing health features: a hearing test, a hearing aid mode, and hearing protection. They also have a heart rate sensor for workouts and an IP57 rating that covers dust and brief immersion. Apple includes five eartip sizes, from XXS to L, which helps if you have small ears. They cost $70 more.
Sony’s WF-1000XM6, released in February 2026 at $329.99, are the better pick for Android users who want LDAC high-resolution audio. They cost $150 more and have a shorter rated battery life.
The QuietComfort Earbuds win on price and battery life, and the Bose app works the same on iPhone and Android. For more options, see our guides to the best wireless earbuds and the best noise cancelling headphones.
Who Should Buy the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds?
Buy them if you want strong noise cancelling for commuting, flights, or an open office; you’d rather have more battery life than spatial audio; or you switch between a phone and a laptop throughout the day.
Skip them if you want the best noise cancelling in earbuds regardless of price (get the QC Ultra Earbuds), you’re an iPhone user who wants hearing health features and automatic device switching (get AirPods Pro 3), or you want LDAC audio on Android (get the Sony WF-1000XM6). Also skip them if you need dust or swim resistance; IPX4 only covers sweat and splashes.
Final Verdict
At $179, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds punch above their weight. You get Bose noise cancelling, a five-band EQ, multipoint, a wireless charging case, and up to 8.5 hours per charge, which is longer than Bose’s own flagship.
The buds are larger than some rivals, and they skip the Ultra’s spatial audio and aptX support. But the comfort and stability of the fit kit make up for the size, and the missing features matter less than noise cancelling and battery life for most listeners.
If you value strong ANC and a refined app without paying flagship prices, these are among the best wireless earbuds you can buy, especially if you can catch them on sale.
