Bose QC Ultra vs QC Ultra Earbuds 2: Should you upgrade?

Less than two years after the launch of its QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, Bose has just announced their successor with the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen).

Considering we gave the original Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds a perfect five-star rating and hailed them as “Bose’s best yet”, do you really need to upgrade?

We’ve noted the key updates to the earbuds below. Keep reading to see what’s new with the Bose QC Ultra Earbuds and decide whether you should upgrade.

Price

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) are available for pre-order, ahead of their official launch on 26th June.

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With an RRP of £299, the 2nd Gen buds will come in Black, White Smoke and a limited-edition Deep Plum colour.

The QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds remain available, though for how much longer is unknown. They carry the same RRP at £299 / $299, though they’ve been available for as ‘low’ as £219 in recent months.

They’re available in Black and White Smoke, the first edition earbuds come in Lunar Blue or Diamond too.

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QC Ultra 2nd Gen promise smoother ActiveSense performance

Bose features its own ActiveSense technology in both iterations of the QuietComfort Ultra earbuds. This technology works with Aware mode and automatically turns on noise cancellation when sudden or loud noises are detected.

While we praised the Bose QC Ultra’s Aware mode as being “class-leading” and “as natural and clear as any bud on the market”, the 2nd Gens promise to sport an upgrade.

Bose says that any changes in noise cancellation are now smoother when sudden noise is detected, resulting in a “more refined noise cancellation experience”, thanks to an updated AI algorithm that improves the buds’ ActiveSense experience.

As we think the original Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds “offers the noise-cancellation of any true wireless on the market”, we’re happy the 2nd Gen QC Ultra Earbuds can offer improvements in that area.

QC Ultra 2nd Gen promise better conversations

One area where we felt the QC Ultra earbuds let us down was with call quality. While Bose did roll out an update back in 2024, we still found overall call performance to be rather average. 

Hopefully this will improve with the QC Ultra Gen 2 earbuds, which feature a new AI-powered noise suppression system which promises to improve call quality for “clearer conversations on-the-go”. It leverages the audio augmentation technology Bose originally developed for hearing aids to reduce background distractions while keeping the speaker’s voice clear. 

We’re keen to see whether this update really makes a difference, as the Gen 1 QC Ultra earbuds weren’t great in busy environments.

QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen touch controls can be customised

Although touch controls on earbuds and headphones can be useful, allowing you to control the devices without needing to reach for your phone, they do have a tendency to be slightly too sensitive.

Bose explains its touch controls can now be toggled off via the Bose app, offering “more flexibility” for individual preferences. This is especially ideal for those prone to accidental interruptions when adjusting their earbuds. 

Each QC Ultra 2nd Gen earbud has an embedded wax-guard

No, this isn’t the most pleasant sounding update but each QC Ultra 2nd Gen earbud will now sport an embedded wax-guard.

Essentially, this means it should be easier to capture and remove earwax after extended periods which, in turn, will protect the earbuds from impacting audio quality. 

QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen case can be charged wirelessly

Out of the box, the QC Ultra Gen 1 earbuds did not have wireless charging support, but you could invest in a wireless charging case cover for an additional £50. The QC Ultra 2nd Gen earbuds come with a wireless charging case without needing to pay extra.

Bose says you simply need to align the back button of the case with the center of “any compatible wireless charger” for a seamless, cord-free charging experience. Although Bose hasn’t provided any details with the maximum speeds, wireless charging is a useful addition to use in a pinch. 

Early Verdict

As we struggled with the call quality of the original Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, we’re excited to see the 2nd Gen buds are promised an improvement. We’re also intrigued by the supposed improvement in noise cancellation, especially as we had no qualms with the technology in the original earbuds.

We’ll update this versus once we review the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen earbuds.

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