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Bose QuietComfort 45
A secondhand QC45 makes sense if you want fold-flat Bose noise cancelling with USB-C charging, Aware Mode and up to 24 hours of battery.
Product images
Bose QuietComfort 45, from its Amazon listing.
Credit: Amazon.com (Associates Program). Amazon listing
Product image from the Amazon listing.
In short
A secondhand QC45 makes sense if you want fold-flat Bose noise cancelling with USB-C charging, Aware Mode and up to 24 hours of battery. If you already own one, upgrade only for the adjustable noise-cancelling levels and Custom modes of the 2023 QuietComfort Headphones that replaced it. It launched at $329.95 in 2021. Immersive Audio and aptX Adaptive aren't on it; those came with Bose's Ultra models.
Who it is for
- Secondhand buyers who want a QuietComfort that folds flat into a compact case and charges over USB-C.
- QC35 II owners whose pair is wearing out. Bose says the QC45's noise cancelling improves on the QC35 II, and it adds Aware Mode and USB-C.
- Owners of a compatible Bose soundbar: SimpleSync connects the two.
Who should skip it
- Anyone who wants to fine-tune noise cancelling. Adjustable levels and Custom modes arrived with the 2023 QuietComfort Headphones.
- Snapdragon Sound and spatial-audio fans. For aptX Adaptive, Immersive Audio and CustomTune you need one of Bose's Ultra models.
What sets it apart
- Folds flat: rotate the cups, fold the left one toward the headband, and it fits the included compact case.
- Aware Mode, new on this generation, lets you hear what's around you without taking the headphones off.
- Up to 24 hours per charge, and 15 minutes over USB-C gives about 3 hours.
- Bluetooth 5.1 multipoint: two devices active at once and up to eight remembered.
Caveats
- Bose gives two full-charge times: 2 hours in its 2021 announcement, up to 2.5 hours in the owner's guide.
- There's no weight, driver size or impedance to compare: neither the 2021 announcement nor the owner's guide includes them.
Key specs
In the same order on every headphones page, so you can compare pairs.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Around-ear (circumaural); Bose's updated QuietComfort design | Bose press release, 31 August 2021 |
| Noise cancelling | Quiet Mode; Bose says noise cancelling improves on the QC35 II | Bose press release, 31 August 2021 |
| Ambient sound | Aware Mode, new compared with the QC35 II | Bose press release, 31 August 2021 |
| Bluetooth codecs | SBC and AAC, Bose's baseline codecs; no aptX or Snapdragon Sound listed | Bose press release, 31 August 2021Snapdragon Sound came later, with Bose's Ultra models. |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.1 | Bose press release, 31 August 2021 |
| Multipoint | Yes, over Bluetooth 5.1: two devices active, up to eight remembered | Bose press release, 31 August 2021; QC45 owner's guide |
| Battery life | Up to 24 hours per charge | Bose press release, 31 August 2021 |
| Charging | USB-C; full charge in 2 hours (Bose press release) or up to 2.5 hours (owner's guide); 15 minutes gives about 3 hours | Bose press release, 31 August 2021; QC45 owner's guide |
| Wired listening | 3.5 mm to 2.5 mm audio cable in the box | QC45 owner's guide |
| Folding and case | Folds flat into the included compact carry case: rotate the cups, then fold the left cup toward the headband | Bose press release, 31 August 2021; QC45 owner's guide |
| App | Bose Music app: Bluetooth connections, multipoint, SimpleSync, firmware updates | Bose press release, 31 August 2021 |
| Microphones and calls | Better voice isolation, Bose says; microphone count not published | Bose press release, 31 August 2021 |
| Voice assistant | Your phone's built-in voice assistant, from the on-headphone controls | Bose press release, 31 August 2021 |
| Colors | Triple Black, White Smoke | Bose press release, 31 August 2021 |
| Compatibility | Bluetooth 5.1 devices, two at once; SimpleSync with compatible Bose soundbars | Bose press release, 31 August 2021 |
| US launch price | $329.95 (announced 31 August 2021; pre-orders that day, in stores 23 September 2021) | Bose press release, 31 August 2021 |
| Price band | Upper mid-range at launch (about $330); sold used now | Based on the $329.95 launch price |
| Announced | 31 August 2021 | Bose press room |
| Availability | In US stores from 23 September 2021; sold used as of 19 September 2026 | Bose press release, 31 August 2021 |
Bose QuietComfort 45 extras
Specs only this model has.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Replaces | QuietComfort 35 II, in Bose's 31 August 2021 announcement | Bose press release, 31 August 2021 |
| Bose SimpleSync | Connects to compatible Bose soundbars | Bose press release, 31 August 2021 |
| In the box | QuietComfort 45; carry case; USB-C cable; 3.5 mm to 2.5 mm audio cable | QC45 owner's guide |
Where the QC45 fits
The QC45 came out of a 31 August 2021 announcement at $329.95 as the QC35 II’s replacement, and it reached US stores on 23 September 2021. It turned out to be the last numbered QuietComfort. In 2023 the Bose QuietComfort Headphones took its place with adjustable noise-cancelling levels and Custom modes, and the Ultra models, the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (1st Gen) and the 2nd Gen, sit above both with Immersive Audio, CustomTune and aptX Adaptive.
So a QC45 that still works is worth keeping, and a used one makes sense when the price undercuts the QuietComfort Headphones by enough to forgo adjustable levels.
Noise cancelling, Aware Mode and calls
The QC45 gives you two settings, Quiet Mode and Aware Mode, and Aware Mode was new on this generation. For calls, Bose promised better voice isolation without saying how many microphones do the work.
Battery and charging
| Mode | QC45 |
|---|---|
| Playback | Up to 24 hours |
| 15-minute charge | About 3 hours |
| Full charge | 2 hours (Bose’s 2021 announcement); up to 2.5 hours (owner’s guide) |
A charge lasts a full day of listening and then some, and the port is USB-C. If a used pair struggles to reach a day, that’s the battery’s age showing, not the rating.
Folding and the case
This is the folding QuietComfort, and the compact carry case it folds into comes in the box, along with a 3.5 mm to 2.5 mm cable for wired listening. The QC45 shipped in Triple Black and White Smoke.
Bluetooth and the Bose Music app
It stays connected to two devices at a time over Bluetooth 5.1 and remembers up to eight. Everything runs through the Bose Music app: connections, multipoint, firmware updates and SimpleSync, which links the QC45 to a compatible Bose soundbar. Codecs are SBC and AAC.
Price
The QC45 launched at $329.95, about $330, and you’ll now find it used. Compare a used price with the current QuietComfort Headphones before you buy.
Sources
- Amazon product listing — accessed 2026-09-20
- Bose press room — Bose introduces QuietComfort 45 ($329.95) — accessed 2026-09-19
- Bose — QuietComfort 45 owner's guide (PDF) — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
Should I upgrade from a QC45 to the QuietComfort Headphones?
Only if you want adjustable noise-cancelling levels and Custom modes, which the 2023 QuietComfort Headphones added. Aware Mode, USB-C charging and multipoint are already on the QC45.
Is the QC45 the same as the QuietComfort Headphones?
No. The QuietComfort Headphones replaced it in 2023 and dropped the number from the name, which makes the QC45 the last numbered QuietComfort.
Does the QC45 support aptX?
No. Bose's 2021 announcement lists no aptX, and Snapdragon Sound arrived later with the Ultra models. Expect SBC and AAC.
What's in the box?
The headphones, a carry case, a USB-C cable and a 3.5 mm to 2.5 mm audio cable. On a used pair, ask whether the case and both cables are included.
Can I use a voice assistant?
Yes. The controls on the headphones reach your phone's built-in voice assistant.
Official product page: Bose QuietComfort 45. Tech specs: Bose QuietComfort 45 specs.