Bose’s new-look QuietComfort Earbuds are back to battle Apple and Sony

Noise-cancelling earbuds boast Bluetooth 5.3 and eight-hour battery life

We’ve had a double-whammy of big wireless earbuds news in the past week or so. First it was Apple launching two variants of its AirPods 4 wireless earbuds, including one with noise-cancelling.

And now the king of ANC, Bose, has taken it upon itself to launch a brand new pair of buds. Well we say a brand new pair, but we have actually seen QuietComfort Earbuds before. The very first generation was on sale from 2020 to 2023, with their sequel, the QuietComfort Earbuds II launching in 2022 and ending production this year.

The latest iteration sits just below Bose’s current flagship – five-star – model, the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. And, from the pictures we have seen, they appear to have a brand-new look, moving away from the stems found on their pricier siblings to a more rounded design.

The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds support Bluetooth 5.3, multipoint Bluetooth and are sweat-resistant thanks to their IPX4 rating. Each bud uses three microphones to help take care of noise cancelling and voice pickup for when you are making phone calls.

They come with three different ear-tip and stability-band sizes to help customise the fit to suit your ear size and shape. Battery life is up to eight hours per charge, with the supplied wireless charging case capable of bringing another two-and-a-half hours to your listening sessions.

Fire up the Bose QC Earbuds App and you can access a whole host of customisation options relating to the touch controls, noise-cancelling settings and sound quality thanks to the five-band adjustable EQ.

You can also access a Low Latency mode for gaming and movies while the buds’ Battery Prediction feature claims to help track battery life.

Get the What Hi-Fi? Newsletter

The latest hi-fi, home cinema and tech news, reviews, buying advice and deals, direct to your inbox.

Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors

The QuietComfort Earbuds do have one new party trick up their sleeve that we haven’t seen before – a Remote Selfie mode which turns the earbuds into a “remote trigger”. Ideal for when you want to take a quick pic for the 'gram, maybe?

The new Bose QuietComfort Earbuds (2024) cost $179 / £179 / €199 / AU$289 which sees them go right up against the new AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. Apple’s in-ears are more of an open earbud design than a traditional in-ear, so we are intrigued to hear how different they sound.

MORE:

Our pick of the best noise-cancelling earbuds you can buy right now

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds vs Ultra Open Earbuds: which Bose buds are right for you?

Read our Bose Ultra Open Earbuds review

What are open earbuds? How do the headphones work and are they worth it?