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Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen): what the reviews say
By S. Dahani and the RealDigitalTech editorial team
Better noise cancellation, USB-C lossless audio and the same $359 price. Reviewers praise the comfort, but call quality and unchanged battery life hold it back.
© Bose
Quick Take
Key figures
Launch details
Bose released the second-generation QuietComfort Headphones on 11 September 2026 at $359, the same price as the first model. They sit below the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), which cost $449.
What reviewers agree on
- Comfort: Engadget calls them "extremely comfortable", 34 grams lighter than the Ultra model.
- Noise cancellation: improved over the first generation, with better compensation for people who wear glasses and a new ActiveSense mode that reacts to sudden loud noises.
- Sound: balanced tuning with good detail across genres.
- New features: USB-C wired audio up to 24-bit/48 kHz, Cinema Mode for dialogue, Immersive Audio, and physical buttons.
- Price: no increase despite the upgrades.
Where opinions differ
| Topic | Favourable view | Reserved view |
|---|---|---|
| Calls | Fine for occasional use indoors. | Gizmodo rates call quality 4/10: the microphones pick up a lot of wind and background noise. |
| Battery | Around 27 hours in Gizmodo's use. | Engadget notes battery life is unchanged at 24 hours. |
| Sound | Engadget praises above-average sound. | Gizmodo finds bass can dominate at low volume, and Immersive Audio "forgettable". |
| Design | Attractive new colours, such as Dewdrop Mint. | Engadget finds the look "still all business" next to the Ultra. |
Score: 8.4/10 from Engadget.
Verdict
A reliable, very comfortable pair of noise-cancelling headphones that gets most of the way to the QuietComfort Ultra for $90 less. If you make a lot of calls outdoors, or want longer battery life, look elsewhere or consider the Ultra.
This article analyses reviews published by other outlets, in our own words. RealDigitalTech did not test these headphones itself.
Sources
How this article was made: our editorial team selected and read the reviews listed above, compared their results and wrote this synthesis, with AI tools assisting the research and drafting. Every figure was checked against the sources, and the article was approved by the publication director. Our AI Disclosure · Our methodology · Report an error: editorial@realdigitaltech.com