Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Review

Reviewed in early 2021, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds and Bose Sport Earbuds are two true wireless models built around different priorities. The QuietComfort is the one designed around active noise cancellation; the Sport is aimed at workouts and drops that feature. This review covers both.

QuietComfort Earbuds and Sport Earbuds Designs

The two share most of their design. The QuietComfort is slightly larger, the Sport more compact. Both use soft silicone ear tips with a wing that holds them in place, and the box includes three tip sizes for a proper fit — this matters because the passive seal depends on it. The cone-shaped tips are meant to sit well into the ear canal.

The clearest split between the two models is active noise cancellation: present on the QuietComfort, absent on the Sport. The QuietComfort also adds wireless charging. Both are IPX4-rated, so they tolerate sweat and light rain, though neither is meant for direct water contact. The QuietComfort comes in black and off-white; the Sport in Baltic Blue, Glacier White and black.

Touch Controls

The outer surface carries touch controls. On the right earbud, sliding a finger adjusts the volume, a double tap pauses or resumes playback and answers calls, and a long press summons the voice assistant or rejects an incoming call. The left earbud cycles the noise cancellation through its three levels. The Sport Earbuds use the same layout, minus the noise-cancellation control it does not have.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Connection Quality

Both models use a Bluetooth 5.1 connection. Pairing starts by holding the button inside the charging case, and the Bose Music app handles settings. Across testing that began on November 27, the connection held without interruptions on both phones and laptops, with a range of up to 12 meters. Removing an earbud pauses the audio automatically.

Noise Canceling Feature and Sound Performance

Even with ANC off, the passive seal already blocks a fair amount of noise. Active noise cancellation runs in three levels — low, medium and high. At the highest setting outdoors, it muffled traffic, motorcycles and the noise of a busy park; the medium setting already cut most of that, while the low setting lets ambient sound through for listening with some awareness of the surroundings.

The tuning is balanced rather than bass-forward. Listening to a lot of Synthwave alongside Cyberpunk 2077, the bass came through full but controlled — present without overpowering the rest. The presentation gives a sense of music playing around the listener rather than straight into the ear, which suits instrumental, jazz and blues material well.

EQ Technology

Bose’s Active EQ adjusts bass and treble automatically to hold that balance across different tracks.

Both earbuds carry four microphones. In our call comparisons against other wireless models, the person on the other end reported clearer voice transmission from the QuietComfort Earbuds. The Sport Earbuds share the same musical character; the difference remains the absence of ANC.

For a more affordable option, see our Logitech G432 review.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Battery Life

The QuietComfort Earbuds are rated for up to 6 hours of listening, the Sport Earbuds for up to 5. Lowering the ANC level extends the QuietComfort past 6 hours; at full ANC, testing returned 5 hours and 45 minutes. The charging case adds about 12 more hours, and a 15-minute charge yields roughly 2 hours of playback. The QuietComfort case is Qi-certified, so it can charge wirelessly on a compatible pad — it is the larger of the two cases in return.

In Brief

Both models cover their intended uses. The QuietComfort Earbuds fit listeners who want active noise cancellation and wireless charging and will pay for it. The Sport Earbuds drop the ANC for a lower price and target workouts. At launch, the QuietComfort Earbuds were priced at $279.00 and the Sport Earbuds at $159.00 — not inexpensive, but matched by their build and sound.