Noise-canceling headphones’ performance has been pushed with each passing product release, and the crown regularly passes between between Bose, Sony, and Apple as they attempt to one-up each other. Currently, Bose stands above the rest with the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones — and right now they’re $100 off until December 2.
What is it the Bose do so well? To start off, they offer the best noise-canceling performance available from a pair of headphones. In his review, Simon Cohen found that “The QC Ultra provide impressive levels of hush in a variety of scenarios.” You can still get slightly better isolation with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds or Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds, but for most of us, having something in your ear for a long flight gets uncomfortable pretty fast. Plus, there’s the worry an earbud will fall out (I find the fit on the Sony earbuds in particular doesn’t always feel very secure).
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, on the other hand, are incredibly comfortable. Being prone to migraines, I usually struggle with the clamping force of headphones over long periods of time. It’s one of the reasons I usually reach for my Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones — they feel light on my head without too much clamping force, and the earcup cushions feel luxurious. The Bose match the Sony when it comes to comfort. They’re both basically the same weight (the Sony are actually a few grams lighter), earcup comfort is a toss-up, and neither induce headaches on my fragile skull.
The Bose do stand out from the Sony in one other way: their overall design. They fold up to be more compact, which is important for noise-canceling headphones you’re likely packing to bring on a plane. Where the Sony XM5 only fold flat, the Ultra Headphones have a dual-fold design, similar to the previous-generation Sony WH-1000XM4 and the Bose QC line of old. The earcups swivel to lay flat, while they also have a hinge to fold in on themselves.
They also feel more expensive (which is good, because they are). Instead of relying on plastic that can cause headphones to feel of a lower quality, the Bose use aluminum for the headband sliders and earcup forks. It’s an extra touch that inspires pride and satisfaction in the product you bought. Apple does this well with the AirPods Max, too (although even with the disappointing refresh in September, the Max are long in the tooth). For an extra luxe look, the Bose now come in a Diamond 60th Edition color with a mirror polish on the aluminum forks that is stunning.
Even at $100 off, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are $329, which is still an investment. When putting them against the Sony WH-1000XM5 on sale for $300, though, that extra $30 is totally worth it for the Best Overall pick in our best noise-canceling headphones list. Will the Bose be this price again in the future? Most likely, but I’d venture to guess they won’t go much lower for a while, so now is a great time to grab a pair.