Head to head
AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
They split the 2 rankable specs evenly, so cost decides it: AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation costs $120 less.
Catalog as of September 1, 2026
Why, in numbers
Swap
Compare a different headphone
Anker Soundcore Space One Pro$199AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)$249Sony WF-1000XM5 Earbuds$299Sony WH-1000XM4$348Bose QuietComfort Headphones$349Beats Studio Pro$349Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless$379Sony WH-1000XM5$399Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e$399Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones$429Sonos Ace$449Apple AirPods Max (USB-C)$549Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless$699Swap
Compare a different headphone
Anker Soundcore Space One Pro$199AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)$249Sony WF-1000XM5 Earbuds$299Sony WH-1000XM4$348Bose QuietComfort Headphones$349Beats Studio Pro$349Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless$379Sony WH-1000XM5$399Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e$399Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones$429Sonos Ace$449Apple AirPods Max (USB-C)$549Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless$699Buying for
Your devices
Straight answer
Overall: 1 to 1
Tied overall. AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation is cheaper.
- The 2 rankable overall specs split 1 to 1.
- Saves $120 at list price.
Deal-breakers
tick what would make you walk away
- Trips:AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation · No (pocket-sized charging case)Trips:Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds · No (charging case)
- Trips:AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation · AAC, SBCClear:Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds · Snapdragon Sound, aptX Adaptive, AAC, S…
- Trips:AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation · 4 hours listening time on single charge…Trips:Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds · 6 hours listening time on single charge
At a glance
The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.
Weight
Apple
8.6 g (0.30 oz) earbuds total (4.3 g each) / 34.7 g charging case
Bose
15.4 g (0.54 oz) earbuds total (7.7 g each) / 60 g charging case
Active Noise Cancelling≠
Apple
Yes (Active Noise Cancellation with Adaptive Audio and Transparency Mode)
Bose
Yes (World-class Active Noise Cancellation with CustomTune sound calibration)
Battery life
Apple
4 hours listening time on single charge with ANC on (5 hours ANC off) / up to 20 hours with charging case (ANC on)
Bose
6 hours listening time on single charge (4 hours with Immersive Audio) / up to 24 hours total with case
The 90-Day Owner Regret Check
Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.
Apple: What to watch for
- Maintenance
Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.
Bose: What to watch for
- Maintenance
Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.
Design
leads 1-0| Type | Open-ear true wireless earbuds | In-ear true wireless earbuds with silicone stability bands |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 8.6 g (0.30 oz) earbuds total (4.3 g each) / 34.7 g charging case (wins this row: lower) | 15.4 g (0.54 oz) earbuds total (7.7 g each) / 60 g charging case |
| Foldable | No (pocket-sized charging case) | No (charging case) |
| Carrying case | Wireless charging case with built-in Find My speaker and USB-C port | Pocket-sized hard shell charging case (USB-C) |
| IP rating | IP54 dust, sweat, and water resistant (earbuds and case) | IPX4 sweat and water resistant |
Audio
5 differences| Driver | Custom high-excursion Apple driver with custom high dynamic range amplifier | High-performance proprietary dynamic transducers |
|---|---|---|
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes (Active Noise Cancellation with Adaptive Audio and Transparency Mode) | Yes (World-class Active Noise Cancellation with CustomTune sound calibration) |
| Transparency mode | Yes (Transparency Mode & Conversation Awareness) | Yes (Aware Mode with ActiveSense technology) |
| Supported codecs | AAC, SBC | Snapdragon Sound, aptX Adaptive, AAC, SBC |
| Microphones | Dual beamforming microphones + inward-facing microphone with Voice Isolation | 4 microphones in each earbud (8 mics total for ANC and voice pickup) |
Connectivity & Battery
leads 1-0| Multipoint Bluetooth | Yes (automatic seamless device switching across Apple devices) | Yes (Bluetooth 5.3 multipoint connectivity) |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 4 hours listening time on single charge with ANC on (5 hours ANC off) / up to 20 hours with charging case (ANC on) | 6 hours listening time on single charge (4 hours with Immersive Audio) / up to 24 hours total with case (wins this row: higher) |
| Charging time | 5 minutes in the case provides around 1 hour of listening time; USB-C, Apple Watch charger, or Qi wireless charging | 2 hours full charge (20 min quick charge gives 2 hours); USB-C wired |
Ownership
0 differences| Warranty | 1 year manufacturer warranty | 1 year manufacturer warranty |
|---|
Which one should you buy
Pick this one if
AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
Open-ear wireless earbuds with H2 headphone chip, Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Audio, and wireless charging case with speaker.
- Active Noise Cancellation and Adaptive Audio in an open-ear, tip-less fit
- Apple H2 chip with Personalized Spatial Audio and head tracking
- Smallest wireless charging case with built-in Find My speaker and USB-C
What you give up
- Open-ear ANC is naturally less isolating than in-ear silicone tip earbuds like AirPods Pro
- Battery life drops to 4 hours per charge with ANC enabled (20 hours total with case)
Pick this one if
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
Premium true wireless earbuds with world-class noise cancellation, CustomTune personalized sound, and Bose Immersive Audio spatialized sound.
- Benchmark active noise cancellation that silences low and mid-frequency ambient noise
- CustomTune technology calibrates sound and ANC to your ear canal shape on every insertion
- Bose Immersive Audio provides spatialized audio regardless of source or platform
What you give up
- Wireless charging case cover is sold as an optional accessory (USB-C wired standard)
- Battery life drops to 4 hours with Immersive Audio turned on (6 hours standard)
Best for each use
Flights & commutes
Tied on flights & commutes. AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation is cheaper.
Calls & work
Too close to call on calls & work from the spec sheets. Only battery life is rankable here.
Sound quality
Too close to call on sound quality from the spec sheets. Only weight is rankable here.
Done deciding?
Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.
Manufacturer pages: AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation ↗ · Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds ↗
Common questions
Which is cheaper, the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation or the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds?
AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation costs $120 less at list price.
What is the biggest catch with the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation or Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds?
Both has this deal-breaker: does not fold. Takes a bigger slot in a carry-on.
Which is better for flights & commutes, the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation or the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds?
Tied on flights & commutes. AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation is cheaper. The 2 rankable flights & commutes specs split 1 to 1. Saves $120 at list price.
What cannot be compared from spec sheets?
Of the 14 specs tracked here, 12 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.