Bose announced the successor to its 4.5-star QuietComfort Ultra headphones, with the aptly named QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen.
With the promise of “world-class noise cancellation” alongside powerful upgrades and new features, how do the QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen headphones compare to the OG?
Ahead of our review, we’ve compared the specs of the QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen to the QuietComfort Ultra and highlighted the key differences between the two.
Keep reading to see what’s new with the headphones, and whether you think the 2nd Gen pair have a chance at making it into our best headphones list.
Price and availability
Though they’ve been succeeded by the second generation model, the original Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones are still available to buy from both Bose’s official website and third-party retailers.
While the headphones still sport an official RRP of £449.95, it’s easy to nab them with a decent price cut. In fact, at the time of writing you can get the headphones for just £349.95.
On the other hand, the recently launched QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen headphones have the same RRP as its predecessor, at £449.95.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen promises best noise cancelling
Back in 2024 when we first reviewed the QuietComfort Ultra headphones, we hailed them as being “the best noise-cancelling over-ears on the market”. While there’ competition for that spot on the best headphones list provided by the Sony WH-1000XM6, they remain a brilliant pair of noise-cancelling headphones.
With this in mind, it’s especially impressive that Bose promises the QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen offers its “best noise cancellation”. Bose explains the headphones are fitted with a new algorithm for “more precise adaptive noise cancellation” which enables changes in noise cancellation levels to be smoother than before.
In addition, when in Aware Mode, this improved algorithm should help audio content from being drowned out by environmental noises such as passing trains or sirens.
As we’re yet to review the QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen, we can’t confirm whether the headphones live up to Bose’s claims. However, considering how impressed we were with the original pair, the second generation have a lot to live up to.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen can be used with USB-C source
The QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen headphones benefit from access to USB-C audio for lossless audio. Lossless audio not only helps preserve the full detail of an original recording and offers a playback experience as the artist intended, but it also allows users to use the headphones for desktop or mobile gaming too.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen features Cinema Mode
Cinema Mode makes its debut in the QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen. Essentially, Cinema Mode promises to spatialise and balance background sound and audio effects for a “movie-like experience”.
Having said that, Bose does disclaim that although Cinema Mode was unsurprisingly intended for video content, it can enhance the likes of podcasts and audiobooks too, and makes dialogue sound crisper and clearer.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen offers longer battery life
The QuietComfort Ultra headphones’ battery life is solid, and found that Bose’s claims of 24 hours with ANC enabled were more or less accurate, Bose promises improvements with the second gen pair.
In fact, Bose promises the QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen should see up to 30 hours of life with ANC enabled, and up to a whopping 45 hours with ANC switched off. Not only that, but the headphones can also be charged during use via the USB-C port.
Early Verdict
Judging by specs alone, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen seems like a promising pair of noise-cancelling, over-ear headphones. While we’re yet to review the headphones, if Bose’s promise to improve the, already impressive, QuietComfort Ultra headphones are correct, then we’re in for a treat.
However, if you would prefer more of an affordable pair of headphones, but without skimping on the premium features, then the original QuietComfort Ultra remains a perfectly good choice.
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