Bose has just announced the successor to its five-star earbuds, with 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 you decide, we’ve compared the specs of the newly announced Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen and 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 and Availability
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 earbuds are currently available for pre-order and will officially launch on June 26. With an RRP of £299, the Gen 2 buds will be available in Black, White Smoke and a limited-edition Deep Plum colour.
The AirPods Pro 2 are cheaper than the QC Ultra 2nd Gen, 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 available in one White colour.
AirPods Pro 2 can work as a hearing aid
The AirPods Pro 2 can easily be turned into a clinical-grade hearing aid with just a few simple steps. Apple explains that 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.
Not only that, but 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 are equipped with an IP54 rating. In a nutshell, an IP54 rating means that 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 a lesser IPX4 rating. While this means 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 like the beach.
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 clever 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 “engaged 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, which should result in higher-fidelity sound.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen (Credit Bose)
AirPods Pro 2 and iPhone
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 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 boast “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 which 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. Another layer of protection would ensure you aren’t caught short.
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 2nd Gen earbuds.
