Head to head
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones leads 2 to 1 on the 3 rankable specs, but AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation costs $250 less. Most of the 14 attributes tracked here are descriptive rather than numeric.
Catalog as of September 1, 2026
Why, in numbers
Swap
Compare a different headphone
Anker Soundcore Space One Pro$199AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)$249Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds$299Sony WF-1000XM5 Earbuds$299Sony WH-1000XM4$348Bose QuietComfort Headphones$349Beats Studio Pro$349Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless$379Sony WH-1000XM5$399Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e$399Sonos 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)$249Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds$299Sony WF-1000XM5 Earbuds$299Sony WH-1000XM4$348Bose QuietComfort Headphones$349Beats Studio Pro$349Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless$379Sony WH-1000XM5$399Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e$399Sonos Ace$449Apple AirPods Max (USB-C)$549Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless$699Buying for
Your devices
Straight answer
Overall: 2 to 1
Buy the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones.
- Leads 2 of 3 rankable overall specs; AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation takes 1.
- Battery life: 24 hours vs 4 hours listening time on single charge with…
- Foldable: Yes vs No
- AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation is $250 cheaper. Pay the difference only if battery life matters to you.
Deal-breakers
tick what would make you walk away
- Clear:Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones · Yes (fully collapsible hinges)Trips:AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation · No (pocket-sized charging case)
- Clear:Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones · Snapdragon Sound, aptX Adaptive, AAC, S…Trips:AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation · AAC, SBC
- Clear:Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones · 24 hoursTrips:AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation · 4 hours listening time on single charge…
- Trips:Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones · No official IP ratingClear:AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation · IP54 dust, sweat, and water resistant
At a glance
The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.
Weight
Bose
253 g (8.9 oz)
Apple
8.6 g (0.30 oz) earbuds total (4.3 g each) / 34.7 g charging case
Active Noise Cancelling≠
Bose
Yes (Quiet Mode with CustomTune audio calibration)
Apple
Yes (Active Noise Cancellation with Adaptive Audio and Transparency Mode)
Battery life
Bose
24 hours (ANC on) / 18 hours (Immersive Audio on)
Apple
4 hours listening time on single charge with ANC on (5 hours ANC off) / up to 20 hours with charging case (ANC on)
Comfort, Clamp & Travel Fit Check
Ergonomic factors that affect daily comfort, glasses wearers, and luggage space.
Folding & Travel Packability
Folds flat & collapses into compact travel case
Standard folding earcups
Clamp Force & Glasses Comfort
Ultra-plush gentle clamp (~4.1 N, best-in-class glasses comfort)
Standard headphone clamp
Weight & Crown Pressure
253g (featherweight travel balance)
Standard headphone weight
The 90-Day Owner Regret Check
Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.
Bose: What to watch for
- Hardware Quirk
Capacitive touch volume strip can be overly sensitive.
- Software / Apps
Occasional Bluetooth multi-point audio handover stutter.
Apple: What to watch for
- Maintenance
Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.
Design
5 differences| Type | Over-ear, closed-back | Open-ear true wireless earbuds |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 253 g (8.9 oz) | 8.6 g (0.30 oz) earbuds total (4.3 g each) / 34.7 g charging case (wins this row: lower) |
| Foldable | Yes (fully collapsible hinges) (wins this row: has it) | No (pocket-sized charging case) |
| Carrying case | Reinforced zippered hard carry case included | Wireless charging case with built-in Find My speaker and USB-C port |
| IP rating | No official IP rating | IP54 dust, sweat, and water resistant (earbuds and case) |
Audio
5 differences| Driver | 35 mm dynamic biocellulose driver | Custom high-excursion Apple driver with custom high dynamic range amplifier |
|---|---|---|
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes (Quiet Mode with CustomTune audio calibration) | Yes (Active Noise Cancellation with Adaptive Audio and Transparency Mode) |
| Transparency mode | Yes (Aware Mode with ActiveSense technology) | Yes (Transparency Mode & Conversation Awareness) |
| Supported codecs | Snapdragon Sound, aptX Adaptive, AAC, SBC | AAC, SBC |
| Microphones | Advanced microphone array with voice isolation | Dual beamforming microphones + inward-facing microphone with Voice Isolation |
Connectivity & Battery
leads 1-0| Multipoint Bluetooth | Yes (Bluetooth multipoint 2 devices) | Yes (automatic seamless device switching across Apple devices) |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 24 hours (ANC on) / 18 hours (Immersive Audio on) (wins this row: higher) | 4 hours listening time on single charge with ANC on (5 hours ANC off) / up to 20 hours with charging case (ANC on) |
| Charging time | 3 hours (15 min quick charge gives up to 2.5 hours) | 5 minutes in the case provides around 1 hour of listening time; USB-C, Apple Watch charger, or Qi wireless charging |
Ownership
1 differences| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year manufacturer warranty |
|---|
Which one should you buy
Pick this one if
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
Bose's flagship wireless headphones featuring Bose Immersive Audio, CustomTune sound calibration, and world-class quiet.
- Exceptional noise cancellation in low-frequency rumble and vocal bands
- Folds completely compact into slim travel case
- Bose Immersive Audio provides wide virtual soundstage
What you give up
- Battery life drops to 18 hours with Immersive Audio on
- Custom EQ in app is limited to 3 bands
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)
Best for each use
Flights & commutes
For flights & commutes, buy the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones.
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: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones ↗ · AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation ↗
Common questions
Which is cheaper, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones or the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation?
AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation costs $250 less at list price.
What is the biggest catch with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones or AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation?
AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation has this deal-breaker: does not fold. Takes a bigger slot in a carry-on.
Which is better for flights & commutes, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones or the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation?
For flights & commutes, buy the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. Leads 2 of 3 rankable flights & commutes specs; AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation takes 1. Battery life: 24 hours vs 4 hours listening time on single charge with…
What cannot be compared from spec sheets?
Of the 14 specs tracked here, 11 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.