Bose's new $99 earbuds make a surprisingly good case for going wired

Wired earbuds are back in style. We’ve seen celebrities and well-known personalities wearing them again, and plenty of regular users are returning to them too. Bose seems to have noticed the trend, because it’s now making a return to wired earbuds with its new Bose Noise Canceling Wired Earbuds.

These aren’t quite the basic wired buds you might remember throwing into your backpack years ago, though. They connect over USB-C, so you can plug them straight into a compatible phone, tablet, or computer and start listening. It’s a much simpler setup than wireless earbuds: plug them in, and your music is ready to go. You also don’t have to worry about pulling them out of your bag for a long flight only to realize the battery is dead.

Bose is also bringing one of its biggest strengths to the wired format: active noise cancelation. Four microphones, two on each earbud, help reduce surrounding noise, while Quiet, Aware, and ANC Off modes let you decide how much of the outside world you want to hear. So, you could use Quiet mode to drown out the hum of an airplane or a noisy commute, then switch to Aware when you’re walking outside and need to hear what’s happening around you. An inline remote gives you physical buttons for volume, playback, calls, and switching between these modes.

The wired connection also brings a few other advantages. Bose says the earbuds support lossless audio at 24-bit/48kHz, which should appeal if you listen to higher-quality tracks from services that offer them. You also get the naturally lower latency of a wired connection. If you’re watching a movie, for example, the sound of a gunshot or someone speaking should stay closely in sync with what you see on screen.

The inline remote also has a dedicated microphone for calls, and Bose says its placement should help prevent your clothes rubbing against the cable from interfering with your voice. The earbuds come with three ear tip sizes and two stability wing sizes, so there’s room to find a comfortable fit. They’re IPX4 water-resistant too, which should make sweat during a workout or getting caught in light rain less of a concern.

The Bose Noise Canceling Wired Earbuds cost $99 and come in Black, White Smoke, and Dewdrop Mint. Pre-orders are open now, with general availability starting October 15.

And while $99 certainly isn’t cheap for wired earbuds, the combination makes more sense than it might initially sound. You’re getting Bose ANC, lossless audio, and low-latency listening in earbuds you can pull out of your bag, plug in, and use without ever wondering how much battery is left.