UPDATE: Aug. 28, 2025, 12:00 a.m. EDT We’ve updated this post with updated links and context following the QC Ultra earbuds preorder going live.
Bose announced back in June that new QuietComfort Ultra earbuds were on the way, and as of today, we’re one step closer to seeing them officially hit the market.
As of Aug. 28, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds (2nd gen) are for preorder for $299 on Bose’s website. They will become available to the public starting on Sept. 10 in the white smoke and black colorways, with the deep plum variant scheduled for availability in October. At $299, they are available for the same exact price that their predecessor was upon release.
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What’s new with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd gen) earbuds?
Among Mashable’s team, we consider the first generation of the QC Ultra earbuds to be the best noise-cancelling earbuds out there. True to their name, we also found them incredibly comfortable to wear for long periods of time. In fact, the only real complaint we had with them was that they were difficult to remove from their case.
Despite knocking it out of the park the first generation around, Bose is bringing more improvements to these new earbuds. Here’s a list of what to expect:
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New AI-noise suppression for improved voice clarity during phone calls (whether using one or two earbuds)
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Wireless case charging
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Improvements in adaptive noise cancellation, with smoother transitions to noise cancellation from Aware Mode when using ActiveSense
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The ability to toggle off touch controls
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Ear tips have guard to prevent wax buildup and make cleaning easier
Compared to the previous generation, the design of the earbuds themselves and their case remains largely unchanged, with the classic stability bands and ear tips. Also staying the same is the six-hour battery life (four hours with Immersive Audio), IPX4 water- and sweat-resistance rating, 20-minute quick charge for up to two hours of use, CustomTune sound calibration tech, and Bluetooth 5.3 multipoint connectivity.
Is the upgrade worth it?
In our first week of testing, we’ve found the earbuds to perform very similarly to the previous generation, with some improvements in noise cancellation, sound quality, and more available features like wireless charging. While the changes certainly don’t justify an immediate upgrade for first-gen QC Ultra owners, these earbuds might be a nice upgrade for folks who’ve yet to invest in a pair of premium noise-cancelling earbuds.