Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs Bose QuietComfort 45

We’ve all seen our share of Ultra, Pro, and Max naming schemes in recent years. Similarly, a bigger number in a name has usually meant it was better or newer. So,  when pinning the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones against the Bose QuietComfort 45, what’s in a name? We stack the latest tech-packed Bose active noise canceling (ANC) headphones against their slightly older siblings. Let’s see what a couple of years apart means for these headphones and their performance.

Editor’s note: this article was updated on October 8 2024, to update formatting.

What’s it like to use the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones compared to the Bose QuietComfort 45?

Cruising at lean 253 g, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones live up to the promise of comfort, which is a good start for the newest flagship. Replete with cushioning and relatively accommodating ear cups, the Ultra ought to fit most heads. The understated aesthetics don’t call attention but don’t look cheap either, and the headphones fold down with articulating ear cups for portability.

Included with the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are a case for easy travel, and a 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable for wired listening in addition to wireless listening. Also, the QuietComfort Ultra use physical buttons along the sides of the ear cups, rather than touch controls often found on high-end headphones or Bose’s own Noise Cancelling Headphones 700.

In looks, the Bose QuietComfort 45 do not appear too different from the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones — perhaps less generous padding along the crown, but they feel good anyway. They retain similar subdued design cues with physical buttons for controls and optional wired/wireless listening. The QuietComfort 45 can fold down as well. Plus, the lineage is clear as the QuietComfort 45 wear easily for long periods of time. Even the weight of 240 g gets quite close to the QuietComfort Ultra. Otherwise, these have vents on the flat of the ear cups, which are noticeable but not super notable. Still, these two are not the same headphones, but the greatest differences are not found in their fits or accessories, but in every other facet.

How do you control the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Bose QuietComfort 45?

Most of the controls for the Bose headphones are baked in. Both headphones have multi-function buttons, which is how you can customize the controls using the app. Unlike the QuietComfort 45, the Ultra version uses a volume strip that you swipe. Take a gander at the table for the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones controls.

The QuietComfort 45 is similarly straight forward with dedicated buttons for most commands and the multi-function button. Here are the controls for the Bose QuietComfort 45.

Should you use the apps of either Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones or Bose QuietComfort 45?

Bose Music (iOS/Android) is the app you need with both the QuietComfort Ultra and QuietComfort 45. It demands a lot of your data and in exchange you gain access to updates, an equalizer, listening mode controls, immersive audio, and some command remapping. Bose tends to supply significant updates to features, so you’ll most likely want to get the app.

The equalizer is pretty rudimentary, but for the QuietComfort 45 you can get the tuning really close to our preferred frequency response (more on that later). Tinkers, however, might find the features a bit light.

How do the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Bose QuietComfort 45 connect?

Of the defining features found on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones the upgrade to Bluetooth 5.3 is a nice one to see. More exciting, however, is the addition of Snapdragon Sound, which may (or most likely not) apply to your current rig, as the feature works solely with Android devices using Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 or newer. Unfortunately, the XPAN Wi-Fi feature by Qualcomm isn’t in the suite, but rather aptX Lossless. Qualcomm claims that you can access CD quality with this high-bitrate codec.

For the uninitiated Android users and Apple users, you get the less exotic AAC and SBC Bluetooth codecs. The QuietComfort 45 use the same AAC and SBC codecs over the older Bluetooth 5.1, meaning you won’t get LE Audio down the line with these. Besides that, you don’t get USB-C listening with either headphones, and both include a 2.5mm to 3.5mm TRS cable to plug in.

Is battery life better on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones or Bose QuietComfort 45?

To directly compare the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and the Bose QuietComfort 45 we perform the same battery test methodology. The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones reach 27 hours and 37 minutes. You get 24 hours and 49 minutes of battery life from the Bose QuietComfort 45, which is a respectable time. Both headphones will outlast most weekly commutes and certainly make sense on a flight.

Do the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones or Bose QuietComfort 45 block noise better?

Bose has been at the forefront of active noise canceling since the early days, so it comes as no surprise that both headphones are great candidates. Essentially across the board, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra cancels or isolates more noise than the older QuietComfort 45. In addition to averaging one-upping the QuietComfort 45 by about 10dB more noise filtering, the Ultra also blocks up to a whopping 50dB of high pitched sounds.

The QuietComfort 45 is no slouch either, comprehensively filtering noise up to 30dB, although usually hovering between 20dB and 30dB where it counts. These can’t quite outdo the Ultras, but they’re still excellent by most measures.

Both headphones are laudable for their consistent and comprehensive treatment of noise, whereas some manufacturers don’t implement especially consistent ANC systems, leaving some environmental noise to reach your ears sounding unnatural. Avoiding noise-induced hearing loss rates as one of the main reasons to pick up either set of cans because you can keep your volume low and not compete with the external world wherever you are.

Do the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones sound better than the Bose QuietComfort 45?

On the whole, we liked the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones a little bit more than the Bose QuietComfort 45. However, you’ll likely want to play around with the EQ a bit, as these headphones underemphasize the 3kHz band pretty notably.

Objective measurements

Compared to our headphone preference curve, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra plays some treble frequencies quieter and bass louder than we’d like. The tuning still gets pretty close to our preference. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the QuietComfort 45 sound follows our preference curve pretty tightly except in the highs, where there’s too much. Fortunately, the rudimentary equalizer can adjust the trebly voicing of the QuietComfort 45 rather easily. For those who prefer bass-dominant tuning, the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones deliver that by default.

Adding to the difficulty in assessing which is better, the CustomTune feature measures and adjusts the sound to accommodate for your unique hearing, and it’s available on both headphones. Similarly, both have the immersive audio feature, which can be characterized as moving the stereo sound in front of you like a stage with speakers, and if you move, it shifts relative to your position. It just becomes a matter of whether you want to EQ your headphones much or not at all.

Do the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones or Bose QuietComfort 45 have a better microphone?

The microphone systems on the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and the QuietComfort 45 are rather good for most applications like work calls. Particularly notable is the wind rejection on the QuietComfort 45, which sounds nearly as good as in ideal conditions. The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones also do a good job of balancing capturing your speech and filtering out noise in our demos. It seems like a pretty close call, so tell us what you think below.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

Bose QuietComfort 45 microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones microphone demo (Office conditions):

Bose QuietComfort 45 microphone demo (Office conditions):

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones microphone demo (Street conditions):

Bose QuietComfort 45 microphone demo (Street conditions):

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones microphone demo (Windy conditions):

Bose QuietComfort 45 microphone demo (Windy conditions):

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones microphone demo (Reverb conditions):

Bose QuietComfort 45 microphone demo (Reverb conditions):

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs Bose QuietComfort 45: Price and availability

Here’s the clincher, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones sell for $429, which isn’t pennies. For about $100 less, you can pick up the Bose QuietComfort 45 at $329. By virtue of being the older model, the QuietComfort 45 typically can be found for an even lower price.

Should you get the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones or Bose QuietComfort 45?

In a universe where money is no object, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones consistently outperform the Bose QuietComfort 45, and therefore, that’s the set to buy. Keep in mind, though, that while the QuietComfort Ultra have improved noise canceling, greater connectivity, and a slightly longer battery life, these are incremental and not earth-shattering upgrades. The QuietComfort 45 remain a solid, comfortable, and all-around competently executed set of headphones, and if you can’t stretch the budget for the flagship, these are still good.

With that said, let the cash flow if you can, because the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones really do feel good, work well, and have greater futureproofing with the upgraded connectivity.

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