Bose Just Dropped Its Most Affordable True Wireless Earbuds in Years — And Finally Added Two Big Features

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Bose is known for premium earbuds and headphones — and for charging premium prices. The new QuietComfort Earbuds, which dropped today, undercut its own offerings and the competition. At $179, these earbuds are still an investment, but they’re the most affordable true wireless earbuds Bose has released in years and cost the same as Apple’s latest AirPods. At the moment, they’re also the same price as the QuietComfort Earbuds II, which are currently $100 off. The new earbuds are available in black, white smoke, and chilled lilac and are on sale at Bose.com.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds

$179

Buy Now on bose.com

— Quiet and Aware ANC modes
— Multipoint and wireless charging
— 8.5 hours battery life

The QuietComfort Earbuds share a name with the Bose earbuds released in 2020 and discontinued in 2023. We were fans of the first iteration of the QuietComfort Earbuds, calling them a “good investment for music lovers and for anyone who listens to music while working out.” The new version of the earbuds shares some of the same design elements as the first iteration, including the oval shape.

Bose also added two big features that were missing from earlier earbuds. These now have multipoint pairing, allowing you to simultaneously connect to multiple devices at once, such as a laptop and phone. The case is also wireless charging compatible, a feature that required a separate $50 case on the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds.

The new QuietComfort Earbuds utilize the same “stability band” design found on the QC II and QC Ultra earbuds for a customized and secure in-ear fit. Dubbing them “powerful, not precious,” Bose appears to be positioning these as an everyday option that’s suited for workouts. The IPX4-rated earbuds can withstand sweat, and the earbuds have an 8.5-hour battery life, plus 2.5 charges with the case.

Despite their more affordable price, the new QuietComfort Earbuds pack plenty of features, including the addition of tech that was long missing from Bose’s other offerings. Like the $299 QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, these feature active noise canceling and customizable EQ and touch controls.

The features on the earbuds are customized using the new Bose QC Earbuds app, available in the App Store and Google Play. Downloading a dedicated app for these earbuds is a minor annoyance if you already have Bose earbuds, as the existing Bose app is not compatible with the new QuietComfort Earbuds.

The new QuietComfort Earbuds feature simplified ANC, with three modes, Quiet, Aware, and Off. The QuietComfort Ultra and QuietComfort II Earbuds, on the other hand, feature customizable ANC and up to four personal modes. It’s an understandable trade-off given the $120 price difference between the new QuietComfort and last year’s QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds.

The new QuietComfort Earbuds are the second brand-new earbud design Bose has rolled out this year, following the Ultra Open Earbuds, which we dubbed one of our favorite earbuds with ear hooks. The Massachusetts company also celebrated its 60th anniversary last month, unveiling diamond-colored editions of its most popular products.