Bose has announced the successor to its five-star earbuds in the QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen.
Promising to retain the hallmarks of the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, while introducing a suite of “thoughtful updates”, the QC Ultra 2nd Gen are a promising upgrade. But how do they compare with the 4.5-star AirPods Pro 2?
To help, we’ve compared the specs of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen with the AirPods Pro 2 below.
If you’re still not convinced, our best headphones and best wireless earbuds guides offer other options that’ll suit your needs.
Price
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2 launch on June 26 at an RRP of £299. They’ll be available in Black, White Smoke and a limited-edition Deep Plum colour.
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The AirPods Pro 2 are less expensive with an RRP of £229/$229. Not only that, but it’s also possible to nab a deal on the AirPods, although this isn’t guaranteed. Unlike the QC Ultra, the AirPods Pro 2 are only come in White.
AirPods Pro 2 can work as a hearing aid
The AirPods Pro 2 can be turned into a clinical-grade hearing aid with just a few simple steps. Apple explains this tool is designed to help those with mild up to moderate hearing loss and are designed to alter and adjust the noise levels around you.
The AirPods Pro 2 also sport additional hearing health tools including the ability to perform a hearing test and Hearing Protection which uses machine learning to actively reduce external noise.
AirPods Pro 2 have an IP54 rating
For extra durability, it’s good to know that both the AirPods Pro 2 and their charging case come equipped with an IP54 rating. An IP54 rating means the device in question is protected from larger dust particles and splashes of water from all directions.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen, on the other hand, are fitted with an IPX4 rating. While it has the same water resistance level as the AirPods Pro 2, it doesn’t have a dust-resistance rating, which means you should keep the earbuds and case away from dusty areas.
QuietComfort Ultra 2 use Bose’s CustomTune technology
Much like the five-star QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, the new QC Ultra 2nd Gen have Bose’s CustomTune technology. CustomTune is a sound calibration technology that offers personalised audio and noise cancelling performance based on the unique shape of your ear. The technology also balances sounds to keep sound as true to the original recording as possible.
Considering we found the QuietComfort Ultra boasted “class-leading noise-cancellation” and “engaging audio quality”, we can expect the upcoming QC Ultra 2nd Gen to offer a similar experience.
Similarly, the AirPods Pro 2, which are powered by Apple’s H2 chip, offer some personalisation. Apple explains the chip uses adaptation algorithms to process sound faster and to tune audio “at the precise moment you hear it”. Apple also claims every detail is rendered for your specific ear shape too.
Both offer noise cancelling technology
Perhaps the main reason to opt for either the QC Ultra 2nd Gen or AirPods Pro 2 is their respective ANC ability. At a basic level, both offer noise cancelling and Aware or Transparent modes with the latter allowing outside sounds in.
However, Bose features ActiveSense technology which works with Aware mode to automatically engage noise cancelling when sudden, loud noises are detected. This is also found in the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, which we praised for offering “the best noise-cancellation of any true wireless on the market”.
Powered by the H2-chip, the AirPods Pro 2 feature clever Adaptive Audio technology which blends ANC with Transparency mode to allow you to hear important sounds from the outside world. Overall, we found the AirPods Pro 2 (back in 2022) boasted “some of the best ANC you’ll find on in-ear buds”.
QuietComfort Ultra 2 earbuds have a wax-guard
Each QC Ultra 2nd Gen earbud is equipped with an embedded wax-guard that Bose promises means it’ll be easier to remove earwax and protect the buds from poor audio quality.
Comparatively, the AirPods Pro 2 don’t have a similar wax-guard or cleaning protection. While this may not seem like a deal-breaker, it’s worth noting that in order to perform tasks like the hearing tests, the AirPods will need to be completely clean.
Early Verdict
With a 4.5-star rating and a place on our best noise-cancelling headphones list, the AirPods Pro 2 are a great pair of earbuds for iPhone users. However, considering the QC Ultra 2nd Gen look to build upon the five-star foundation set by the QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, it’s fair to say they’re a promising pair too.
We’ll be sure to update this versus once we’ve reviewed the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen.