If you’re shopping around for the best pair of noise-cancelling earbuds, Bose is probably one of the brands at the top of your list. After all, it’s the company that pioneered noise-cancellation technology in commercial headphones, starting with aviation headsets in the late 1980s.
But, nowadays, there aren’t a lot of differences between generations of wireless earphones, and the latest Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 Earbuds share a lot in common with their still-great predecessors, our long-standing pick as the best in-ears for noise-cancellation.
So, is it worth the upgrade and do these justify their top-tier price? I’ve tested out the latest pair for the past few weeks to find out.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 Earbuds: At a glance
Pros
- Industry-leading noise cancellation
- Outstanding comfort and fit
- Strong audio performance
Cons
- It can be hard to justify the high price
- Touch controls may not suit everyone
Key specifications
| Noise-cancelling | Yes |
|---|---|
| Battery life | 24 hours (6 hours on a single charge) |
| Charging | USB-C and wireless charging |
| Weight | 7.7g per earbud (76.6g with the case) |
What I like about the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 Earbuds
The greatest strengths of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 are both in the name! They’re quiet (as in, excellent for noise-cancelling) and incredibly comfortable to wear for a long time.
When you first unbox them, you’ll find a good range of both ear tips and “stability bands” – you use these to find the most comfortable fit, with a slight twist into your ears, and they lock really securely in place. They also have sweat and water resistance, which make them a good pair for workouts. I found them ideal for all-day wear, too.
Hold down on the touch surface of either bud, and you can switch between the noise control modes. They’re super powerful and beat all rivals when it comes to noise-cancelling, putting you in a bubble of silence even in the loudest places. I tested them in the roar of the London Underground’s Northern Line! Screeches on that line regularly reach an ear-splitting 95 decibels or more, but these quieten them and adapt well to all other environments like the office, coffee shop and wind noise.
For this second-generation pair, Bose has improved its transparency (or “Aware” mode) to smooth out any spikes in unwanted noise – I’ve found it works well and provides a natural enough audio passthrough that you can easily hold a conversation without needing to remove the buds.
Sound quality is another area where Bose performs reliably. These deliver a punchy bass and clear vocals across genres, and I found them a fun listening experience. I’d recommend using the app to lower the bass just a little, as it's quite “thumpy”, but it’s otherwise a dynamic sound profile. In fact, the noise-cancelling is so good that I rarely put the volume above 50%. That’s a real plus for protecting your hearing.
There’s a lot to like about these overall, whether it’s the intuitive control system, exceptional noise control, custom modes, simple app interface or the handy addition of wireless charging that wasn’t in the previous version.
What I don’t like about the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 Earbuds
These do a great job of delivering the flagship quality that you’d expect from a price tag of £299.95, but I do think that's a lot to spend on a pair of wireless earbuds.
You can get pairs that compete well with these for half the cost – plus, the original Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are currently still available, for a lower price of £199.
Those deliver comparable high-end noise-cancelling, comfort, fit and versatility. The only differences are slight upgrades to the noise control, improved call quality, wireless charging and a very slight tweak to the sound quality tuning. Most of us wouldn’t notice some of these changes – the original pair are still a great buy!
Some of the small downsides do persist, though. I’m not the biggest fan of the plastic hinge on the charging case as it doesn’t feel sturdy or premium, the Immersive Audio feature is only occasionally useful and drains the battery a lot, and the buds can feel a little bit large compared to more compact options out there (they’re 7.7g each, compared to the 5.3g of Apple AirPods Pro 2).
Verdict: Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 Earbuds
Those looking for one pair of wireless earbuds to do everything won’t be disappointed by the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 Earbuds.
They’re super comfortable for long-wearing sessions, they’ve got competitive battery life, and they’re suited to frequent travellers, commuters, music lovers and gym-goers alike. Where they stand well above the competition is in the powerful noise-cancelling – they adapt to your surroundings and fully eliminate all external distractions.
The downsides? They’re expensive and not that different from their predecessors. I recommend them, but if you don’t need them right away, it’s worth waiting for a price drop when they go on sale.
Simon Cocks is Good Housekeeping UK’s Technology Editor, overseeing tech shopping content and strategy for the title. He previously also worked across other titles including Esquire UK, Digital Spy, Men’s Health UK and Women’s Health UK.
Simon specialises in testing the latest smart gadgets, home entertainment gear, headphones, speakers, portable chargers, radios, e-book readers and smartphones. He's reviewed top tech products from brands including Google, Apple, Amazon, JBL and Bose.
A magazine journalism graduate from Kingston University in 2014, Simon also worked on the Discovery and Silkroad inflight magazines. He then gained experience writing about entertainment at SFX and Total Film. He also contributed reviews and interviews to TwitchFilm (later ScreenAnarchy), CultBox and Frame Rated.
He joined Good Housekeeping UK as the Editorial Assistant for Special Projects and was part of Good Housekeeping’s Consumer Affairs Team between 2014 and 2019. In this role, he conducted price comparison research, wrote detailed household and money-saving advice guides and edited thousands of in-depth reviews for the Good Housekeeping Institute.
He has focused on technology and gadgets since 2020, where he started by testing out power banks and instant cameras. He writes reviews, roundups, news articles and deals updates, and also covers top tech deals during sales like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
When not testing out the latest gizmos, you’ll find Simon either catching up with the newest releases at his local cinema or out shooting with his beloved compact camera.
You can follow Simon on Instagram, on Bluesky, on LinkedIn and on Threads.
