Versus Engine
Apple AirPods 5 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra
Specs, price and the one trade-off that actually decides it — Apple AirPods 5 against Bose QuietComfort Ultra, side by side.
Cheaper to start
Apple AirPods 5
Starts about $300 lower.
Rated higher
Bose QuietComfort Ultra
9.0 vs 0.0 on our design scale.
Standout
Bose QuietComfort Ultra
Best sustained comfort in the category
Apple AirPods 5
Apple's first open-ear earbuds with Active Noise Cancellation, alongside a redesigned Transparency mode and Conversation Awareness.
Specifications
- Audio / Adaptive AudioBlends Transparency and ANC dynamically
- Audio / Adaptive EQNext-generation Adaptive EQ
- Audio / ArchitectureNew multiport acoustic architecture
- Audio / Conversation AwarenessAuto-lowers volume when you start speaking
- Audio / Spatial AudioPersonalized Spatial Audio (requires iPhone with TrueDepth camera)
- Audio / Transparency ModeImproved Transparency mode
- battery—
- Battery / With ANCUp to 4 hours per charge (vs 3 hours on AirPods 4)
- Battery / With Wireless Charging Case + ANCUp to 22 hours total
- bluetooth—
- Case / ChargingWireless charging (Apple Watch chargers, Qi, USB-C)
- Case / ControlsForce sensor with volume swipe (Wireless Charging Case version)
- Case / Materials70% recycled plastic
- codecs—
- DesignOpen-ear form factor; improved dust, sweat, and water resistance (no IP rating published)
- features—
- Noise CancellationActive Noise Cancellation in an open-ear design; removes up to 50% more external noise than AirPods 4
- Siri / Head GesturesNod or shake your head to respond to Siri
- weight—
Bose QuietComfort Ultra
The comfort benchmark for over-ears worn all day, at $429.
Where it wins, where it doesn't
Pros
- Best sustained comfort in the category
- Excellent cancellation across low-frequency travel noise
- Well-judged tuning for long listening without fatigue
Cons
- Warm, smoothed tuning is wrong for critical listening or mixing
- 24 hours of battery trails Sony's 30, and Immersive Audio cuts it to 18
- Bulkier to pack than folding competitors
Specifications
- Audio / Adaptive Audio—
- Audio / Adaptive EQ—
- Audio / Architecture—
- Audio / Conversation Awareness—
- Audio / Spatial Audio—
- Audio / Transparency Mode—
- battery24 hours (18 hours with Immersive Audio)
- Battery / With ANC—
- Battery / With Wireless Charging Case + ANC—
- bluetooth5.3
- Case / Charging—
- Case / Controls—
- Case / Materials—
- codecsSBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive
- Design—
- featuresMultipoint, Immersive Audio
- Noise Cancellation—
- Siri / Head Gestures—
- weight254 g