Versus Engine
Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra
Specs, price and the one trade-off that actually decides it — Apple AirPods Pro 3 against Bose QuietComfort Ultra, side by side.
Cheaper to start
Apple AirPods Pro 3
Starts about $180 lower.
Rated higher
Apple AirPods Pro 3
9.2 vs 9.0 on our design scale.
Standout
Apple AirPods Pro 3
Optical heart-rate sensing built into the stem
Apple AirPods Pro 3
Apple's flagship earbuds at $249, adding heart-rate sensing and IP57 to best-in-class integration.
Where it wins, where it doesn't
Pros
- Optical heart-rate sensing built into the stem
- IP57 rating makes sweat and rain a non-issue
- Best-in-class handoff across Apple devices
Cons
- Eight hours with ANC is solid, not class-leading
- Most of the value evaporates outside Apple's ecosystem
- Easy to lose, and single-bud replacement is expensive
Specifications
- sensorsOptical heart rate in the stem
- case_chargingUSB-C, Qi wireless, MagSafe, Apple Watch charger
- battery_anc_on8 hours
- water_resistanceIP57
- battery_with_case24 hours
- battery_transparency10 hours
- codecs—
- weight—
- battery—
- features—
- bluetooth—
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
- sensors—
- case_charging—
- battery_anc_on—
- water_resistance—
- battery_with_case—
- battery_transparency—
- codecsSBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive
- weight254 g
- battery24 hours (18 hours with Immersive Audio)
- featuresMultipoint, Immersive Audio
- bluetooth5.3