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In brief

• Sound Quality: The Bose QuietComfort earbuds deliver impressive sound quality across various genres.
• Noise Cancellation: While not as advanced as the Ultra model, the noise cancellation is significant enough to enhance listening experiences in noisy environments.
• Battery Life: They offer up to 8.5 hours of playback with active noise cancellation, plus an additional 31.5 hours with the charging case.
• Comfort: Fit can vary; some users might find them less comfortable than the Ultra version, making return policies essential.

Check out our full review of the Bose QuietComfort earbuds.

The Bose QuietComfort earbuds feature some of the best parts of the brand, including impressive sound quality and great active noise cancellation (ANC), for a fraction of the price of other premium noise-cancelling earbuds. These earbuds are for the person who doesn’t want to skimp on quality but isn’t quite ready to make a $200-plus investment — turns out, you can have the best of both worlds.

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds are our favorite noise-cancelling model on the market, but at $299, they’re not exactly cheap. Enter: the Bose QuietComfort earbuds.

The noise cancellation may not perform at the same level as their Ultra counterpart, but it’s hardly worth sneezing at. Whenever I wear these earbuds, I’m surprised by how undetectable the noise cancelling is — no fuzziness or hissing can be detected, which can’t be said for all earbuds in more middling price ranges. For situations like working in a café or common area, these earbuds will make a noticeable difference in how much you’re taking in.

The sound quality, however, is where these earbuds really start to stand out. Whether you’re enjoying some lofi beats or your favorite K-pop playlist, these earbuds deliver. During my testing, I especially enjoyed listening to live sets and Tiny Desks. The equalizer is relatively simple, but serviceable, and in my experience, not entirely necessary — again, these earbuds sound great out of the box.

Another standout category for these earbuds is their battery life. At 8.5 hours per charge with ANC and 31.5 hours in the case, the QuietComforts offer some of the best battery life you’ll find on any noise-cancelling earbuds on the market. These pros definitely help make up for the overly sensitive touch controls on these earbuds, which do stand out because of their larger surface area. At their full price, they’re the same cost as the Apple AirPods Pro on a good sale day. At their average $149 sale price, they’re an excellent value for any wireless earbuds.

As for how they actually fit inside the ear, I found the stability band and ear tip combo to give me a secure and comfortable fit. Mashable’s Samantha Mangino, however, found in her testing that the stability band often came loose when she took the earbuds out, and that overall, the QC Ultra earbuds were way more comfortable. It goes to show that fit can be highly personal — and return policies should absolutely be taken advantage of if necessary.