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Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
Buy the 2023 QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds only at a real discount: the 2nd Gen puts a wireless charging case in the box and adds eight-microphone calls.
Product images
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, from its Amazon listing.
Credit: Amazon.com (Associates Program). Amazon listing
Product image from the Amazon listing.
In short
Buy the 2023 QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds only at a real discount: the 2nd Gen puts a wireless charging case in the box and adds eight-microphone calls. You still get CustomTune noise cancelling, Immersive Audio and IPX4 buds, with up to 6 hours per charge, or 4 with Immersive Audio on. Wireless charging takes a $49 cover, and multipoint arrived later in a firmware update. If you already own a pair, keep it.
Who it is for
- Current owners. Firmware 4.0.20 added multipoint, so the buds can stay connected to two devices, and updates through the Bose app have run up to version 4.9.30.
- Bargain hunters who want Bose's sealed noise cancelling, CustomTune and Immersive Audio, and can live with a case that charges only over USB-C.
- QuietComfort Earbuds II owners who want Immersive Audio, which the older model lacks, and a stability band that locks in place.
Who should skip it
- Anyone paying close to the $299 launch price. The 2nd Gen puts a wireless charging case in the box, adds SpeechClarity calls with eight microphones and lists SBC, AAC and aptX Adaptive.
- People who find eartips uncomfortable. The fit depends on silicone tips and stability bands that seal the ear.
What sets it apart
- Bose Immersive Audio, which debuted on these earbuds and the Ultra Headphones on 14 September 2023; QuietComfort Earbuds II don't have it.
- CustomTune adapts the sound and the noise cancelling to each ear, and Bose calls the result world-class.
- A redesigned stability band that locks in place, a change from QuietComfort Earbuds II, with nine eartip and band combinations.
- Up to 6 hours per charge, or 4 with Immersive Audio, and about 24 hours with the case's three extra charges, by our arithmetic.
Caveats
- No wireless charging out of the box. The case takes about 3 hours to refill by USB-C cable, and a wireless pad needs the $49 cover Bose sold from 20 October 2023.
- Multipoint wasn't there at launch. You need firmware 4.0.20 or later.
- Bose rates only the buds, at IPX4, and says to keep the outside of the case away from water.
Key specs
In the same order on every earbuds page, so you can compare pairs.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Sealed in-ear with interchangeable eartips and stability bands | Bose press room, 14 September 2023 |
| Fit / tips / wings | Eartips and stability bands in nine combinations; a redesigned band locks in place, a change from QuietComfort Earbuds II | Bose press room; Bose UK and Australian product tables |
| Active noise cancellation | Adjustable noise cancelling, adapted to each ear by CustomTune; Bose calls it “world-class” | Bose press room, 14 September 2023Bose's claim; it gives no decibel figure. |
| Transparency / ambient | Aware Mode and adjustable noise control; later Bose pages also name an Immersion Mode | Bose regional product pages; Bose press room |
| Spatial / 360 audio | Bose Immersive Audio, which debuted on these and the Ultra Headphones; battery drops to 4 hours with it on | Bose press room; PR Newswire |
| Battery — buds | Up to 6 hours; up to 4 with Immersive Audio on. 20 minutes of charging gives up to 2 hours; the buds recharge in about 2 hours | Bose press room; Bose support battery articlesBose says real battery life varies with use. |
| Battery — with case | Up to 3 more full charges; about 24 hours in all with Immersive Audio off, by our arithmetic (Bose gives no total) | Bose press room; Bose support battery articles |
| Charging | USB-C; the case recharges in about 3 hours; 20 minutes gives up to 2 hours of use | Bose support battery articles; Bose press room |
| Wireless charging | Not built in; Bose sold a $49 wireless charging cover from 20 October 2023 that also fits QuietComfort Earbuds II | Bose press room, 14 September 2023 |
| Water / dust — buds | IPX4 (sweat and splash), the same rating as QuietComfort Earbuds II | Bose press room; Bose regional product tablesNo dust rating, and not for swimming. |
| Water / dust — case | No rating (IPX4 covers the buds only); Bose says to keep water off the outside of the case, though the inside can cope with a little sweat left on the buds | Bose regional product FAQs |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3, from Bose's later product tables | Bose regional product tables |
| Codecs | None listed; the 2nd Gen lists SBC, AAC and aptX Adaptive | Bose press room, 14 September 2023 |
| Microphones / calls | Dynamic microphone mixing and adaptive filters pick the mic catching the least wind; no microphone count given | Bose press room, 14 September 2023 |
| On-bud controls | Touch controls; firmware 4.0.20 added Bluetooth Carousel shortcuts | Bose press room; Bose support firmware notes |
| Multipoint / device switching | Yes, since firmware 4.0.20: two devices connected, audio from one at a time | Bose support firmware notes |
| Sensors | None named; CustomTune relies on a calibration tone and the microphones | Bose press room, 14 September 2023 |
| Weight — one bud | About 0.017 lb (0.01 kg), from Bose's later UK and Australian tables | Bose regional product tables |
| Weight — case | About 0.132 lb (0.06 kg), from Bose's later tables | Bose regional product tables |
| Dimensions — one bud | 3.12 × 2.01 × 2.44 cm (Bose's Australian table; the axis order varies by region) | Bose regional product tables |
| Dimensions — case | About 2.61 × 2.34 × 1.05 in (6.63 × 5.94 × 2.67 cm), from Bose's later tables | Bose regional product tables |
| Finishes | Black and White Smoke at launch; other colors came later | PR Newswire, 14 September 2023 |
| Phone / OS compatibility | Apple and Android devices over Bluetooth; the Bose app for iOS and Android unlocks the full feature set | Bose press room; Bose app |
| Find / Fast Pair / UWB | No Find My or ultra-wideband listed | Bose press room, 14 September 2023 |
| Companion app / firmware | Bose app (formerly Bose Music); firmware updates from 1.7.x through 4.9.30 | Bose support firmware notes |
| US launch price | $299, in stores from early October 2023 | PR Newswire, 14 September 2023 |
| Price band | Flagship at launch ($200–$300) | Based on the $299 launch price |
| Announced | 14 September 2023 | Bose press room |
| Availability | Previous model; the 2nd Gen replaced it as Bose's current Ultra in-ear (as of 19 September 2026) | Bose product line; Bose press room, 12 June 2025 |
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds extras
Specs only this model has.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| CustomTune | A welcome chime measures each ear; sound and noise cancelling are then tuned to fit | Bose press room; Bose product FAQs |
| Bose Immersive Audio | Bose's spatial audio mode, new with the Ultra line in 2023; cuts battery to 4 hours | Bose press room, 14 September 2023 |
| Optional wireless charging cover | $49 silicone cover from Bose.com, sold from 20 October 2023; also fits QuietComfort Earbuds II | Bose press room, 14 September 2023 |
| Model | QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (1st generation), sold from 2023; not the 2nd Gen | Bose support |
| In the box | Bose gives no full list for this model; the case is the USB-C one, not the 2nd Gen's wireless charging case | Bose press room, 14 September 2023 |
What the 2nd Gen changed
Bose replaced these with the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen), announced on 12 June 2025. Three changes matter if you’re choosing between them:
- Wireless charging in the box. The 2023 case charges over USB-C, and a wireless pad needs a $49 cover.
- New microphones for calls. The 2nd Gen uses eight microphones with AI noise suppression, sold as SpeechClarity. The 2023 pair relies on dynamic microphone mixing and adaptive filters, and Bose gives no microphone count.
- A codec list. The 2nd Gen lists SBC, AAC and aptX Adaptive. Bose gave no codec list for the 2023 pair.
If none of those matter to you, the 2023 pair still delivers CustomTune, Immersive Audio and IPX4 buds. QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds vs Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) goes through the rest.
Noise cancelling and Immersive Audio
Each time you fit the buds, a welcome chime lets CustomTune measure your ears, and it tunes the sound and noise cancelling to match. You can set how much cancelling you get, all the way to Aware Mode, and later Bose pages also name an Immersion Mode. “World-class” is Bose’s word for the result; there’s no decibel figure to back it.
Immersive Audio, Bose’s spatial mode, debuted on these earbuds and the Ultra Headphones in September 2023. QuietComfort Earbuds II don’t have it. It costs battery: 4 hours per charge instead of 6.
Battery and charging
| Mode | QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds |
|---|---|
| Buds, Immersive Audio off | Up to 6 hours |
| Buds, Immersive Audio on | Up to 4 hours |
| Case | Up to 3 more full charges |
| Quick charge | 20 minutes for up to 2 hours |
| Full recharge | Buds about 2 hours; case about 3 hours |
| Wireless charging | Only with the $49 cover |
Out of the box the case is cable-only, by USB-C. To use a wireless pad, you need the silicone cover Bose sold for $49 from 20 October 2023; it also fits QuietComfort Earbuds II, so owners of those may already have one.
Fit, calls and water
The buds seal with interchangeable eartips and stability bands, nine combinations in all. Bose redesigned the band to lock in place, a change from QuietComfort Earbuds II. On calls, dynamic microphone mixing and adaptive filters switch to whichever microphone is catching the least wind.
The buds carry the same IPX4 sweat and splash rating as QuietComfort Earbuds II, with no dust rating. The case has none at all, and Bose says to keep its outside away from water.
Bluetooth, multipoint and the app
Bose’s later product tables list Bluetooth 5.3. Multipoint wasn’t there at launch: firmware 4.0.20 added it, linking two devices with audio from one at a time, along with Bluetooth Carousel shortcuts. Updates arrive through the Bose app, formerly Bose Music, and have run from version 1.7.x to 4.9.30. The app works on iOS and Android and holds Custom Modes and EQ. Bose names no Find My or ultra-wideband support.
Price
Bose launched the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds at $299 in September 2023, in Black and White Smoke, with stores getting them in early October; other colors followed. Near that price, the 2nd Gen’s wireless case and microphones make it the one to get. A clear discount is the reason to buy these new, so compare both prices on the day you buy.
Sources
- Amazon product listing — accessed 2026-09-20
- Bose press room — QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Earbuds, 14 September 2023 — accessed 2026-09-19
- PR Newswire — Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Earbuds, 14 September 2023 — accessed 2026-09-19
- Bose support — updating QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds firmware — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
What does the 2nd Gen change?
Three things stand out: the wireless charging case comes in the box, calls use eight microphones and AI noise suppression (SpeechClarity), and Bose publishes a codec list of SBC, AAC and aptX Adaptive. Bose announced it on 12 June 2025.
Can the 2023 earbuds charge wirelessly?
Only with a cover. Bose sold a $49 wireless charging cover from 20 October 2023, and the same cover fits QuietComfort Earbuds II. Without it, you plug the case into a USB-C cable.
Do they support multipoint?
Yes, after an update. Firmware 4.0.20 lets them stay connected to two devices, with audio from one at a time. They didn't have it at launch.
How much listening do I get with the case?
About 24 hours with Immersive Audio off, by our arithmetic: up to 6 hours in the buds plus up to three full recharges from the case. Bose doesn't print a total itself.
Can I swim with them?
No. IPX4 covers sweat and splashes on the buds, not a swim, and the case isn't rated at all.
Do they work with Android phones?
Yes. They work with Apple and Android devices over Bluetooth, and the Bose app runs on both.
Official product page: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. Tech specs: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds specs.