Headphones comparison · Maker specs
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) vs 1st Gen
Both pairs, side by side, from what each maker publishes.
Check Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) price on Amazon
Check Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (1st Gen) price on Amazon
Quick Answer
Buy the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) at $449 new; keep the 1st Gen ($429 at launch) if its 24-hour battery is enough for you. The 2nd Gen is rated for 30 hours against 24, or 23 against 18 with Immersive Audio on, and gains Cinema Mode, USB-C lossless audio and Bluetooth 5.4. Buy a used or refurbished 1st Gen only well below the newer pair's price.
The verdict
Buy Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) if you're buying new; keep Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (1st Gen) if you already own a pair and its battery gets you through.
Why: The core carries over: CustomTune, Immersive Audio, aptX Adaptive with Snapdragon Sound, two-device pairing and a fold into the case. The 2nd Gen's gains are battery, at 30 hours against 24 and 23 against 18 with Immersive Audio on, plus Cinema Mode, lossless listening over USB-C and Bluetooth 5.4. The first Ultra is the slightly lighter pair.
Buy Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) if
You're buying new, you want 30 hours between charges instead of 24, or you'll use Cinema Mode, or plug into a laptop or phone for lossless sound over USB-C.
Buy Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (1st Gen) if
You already have one that does the job, or you find one used or refurbished well below the 2nd Gen's price and can live with 24 hours, or 18 with Immersive Audio on.
Spec comparison
The same specs as the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (1st Gen) guides, side by side. “Not published” means we couldn't find that figure in the maker's specs.
| Spec | Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) | Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (1st Gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Around-ear (circumaural); adjustable headband; removable protein-leather cushionsBose US product page | Around-ear (circumaural); adjustable headband; removable protein-leather cushionsBose UK product page |
| Drivers | Not publishedBose US product page | Not publishedBose UK product page |
| Frequency response | Not publishedBose US product page | Not publishedBose UK product page |
| Impedance | Not publishedBose US product page | Not publishedBose UK product page |
| Sensitivity | Not publishedBose US product page | Not publishedBose UK product page |
| Noise cancelling | Adjustable, adaptive noise cancelling with an updated algorithm; set it manually or switch it off in the Bose appBose press release, 10 September 2025; Bose US product page | Active, adjustable noise cancelling; echo reduction also listedBose UK product page |
| Ambient sound | Aware Mode with ActiveSense, which Bose says adjusts more smoothly to sudden spikes in noiseBose press release, 10 September 2025 | Aware Mode; Bose's 24-hour battery figure covers Quiet and Aware modesBose product pages |
| Bluetooth codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive; Bose's UK page also lists Snapdragon SoundBose press release, 10 September 2025; Bose UK product page | aptX Adaptive with Snapdragon Sound; SBC and AAC as Bose's baseline codecsBose announcement on PR Newswire, 14 September 2023 |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.4; A2DP, HFP, AVRCP and Bluetooth Low Energy; range 30 ft (9 m)Bose US and UK product pages | Bluetooth 5.3; A2DP, HFP, AVRCP, Bluetooth Low Energy and Snapdragon Sound; 9 m range (UK)Bose UK product page; Bose 2023 announcement |
| Multipoint | Yes, two source devices at the same timeBose press release, 10 September 2025 | Yes, two devices at onceBose product pages |
| Battery life | Up to 30 hours (noise cancelling on, Immersive Audio off); 23 hours with Immersive Audio on; 45 hours with noise cancelling offBose press release, 10 September 2025; owner's guide | Up to 24 hours (Immersive Audio off); up to 18 hours (Immersive Audio on)Bose 2023 announcement; owner documentation |
| Charging | USB-C; full charge in up to 3 hours; 15 minutes gives up to 3 hours of playback (2 with Immersive Audio); you can wear them while they charge, more slowlyBose support specifications; Bose press release | USB-C; full charge in up to 3 hours; 15 minutes gives up to 2.5 hours (2 with Immersive Audio on)Bose owner documentation |
| Wired listening | Audio cable included; USB-C digital audio, lossless at 16-bit and 44.1 or 48 kHz from compatible sources (new on 2nd Gen)Bose US product page; Bose press release, 10 September 2025 | Audio cable included; lossless listening over USB-C is a 2nd Gen additionBose UK product page |
| Weight | Headphones 0.583 lb; entire product system 1.061 lbBose US product page | Headphones 0.560 lb (UK); 0.25 kg (Australia)Bose UK, Australian and US refurbished pages |
| Folding and case | Folds into the carrying case; laid flat or folded, they go into a low-power standbyBose press release, 10 September 2025 | Folds into the carrying caseBose product pages and 2023 announcement |
| App | Bose app: listening modes, EQ, Bluetooth connections, noise cancelling, shortcuts, firmware updatesBose press release, 10 September 2025; Bose US product page | Bose app (called the Bose Music app on some regional pages)Bose UK product page |
| Microphones and calls | Built-in microphone; count not publishedBose US product page | Built-in microphone; count not publishedBose UK product page |
| Voice assistant | Your phone's assistant, through the connected device; no dedicated assistant control listedBose US product page | No dedicated assistant control listedBose UK product page |
| Water resistance | No IP rating; Bose says they aren't waterproof and should stay out of situations where they may get wetBose product FAQ | Not publishedBose UK product page |
| Colors | Black, White Smoke; limited Driftwood Sand and Midnight Violet at launchBose press release, 10 September 2025 | Black, White Smoke at launchBose announcement on PR Newswire, 14 September 2023 |
| Compatibility | Bluetooth devices; Google Fast Pair on Android; USB-C lossless from compatible wired sourcesBose press release, 10 September 2025 | Bluetooth devices; Google Fast Pair on AndroidBose announcement on PR Newswire, 14 September 2023 |
| US launch price | $449 (announced 10 September 2025)Bose press release, 10 September 2025 | $429 (announced 14 September 2023; shipped early October 2023)Bose announcement on PR Newswire, 14 September 2023 |
| Price band | Flagship noise-cancelling over-ear ($400–$500 at US launch)Based on the $449 launch price | Flagship at launch ($429); now sold refurbished or usedBased on the $429 launch price |
| Announced | 10 September 2025Bose press release | 14 September 2023Bose announcement on PR Newswire |
| Availability | Pre-orders from 10 September 2025; on sale from 2 October 2025, Bose saidBose press release, 10 September 2025 | US shipping from early October 2023; used or refurbished as of 19 September 2026, after the 2nd Gen arrived in October 2025Bose announcement on PR Newswire, 14 September 2023; Bose US store |
Bose replaced the first QuietComfort Ultra Headphones almost exactly two years after announcing them: the 1st Gen on 14 September 2023 at $429, the 2nd Gen on 10 September 2025 at $449. The name, the fold and the headline features stayed. The battery is what moved.
Battery is the upgrade
Bose’s rating for the 2nd Gen is up to 30 hours of playback with Immersive Audio off and noise cancelling on, where the first Ultra gets 24. With Immersive Audio on, it’s 23 hours against 18, which puts the 2nd Gen with its spatial mode running within an hour of the first Ultra’s best figure. The 2nd Gen also has a 45-hour rating with noise cancelling off, a mode Bose doesn’t rate on the first Ultra.
Bose adds that the 2nd Gen can charge while you wear it, more slowly; it makes no such claim for the 1st Gen.
What else is new
Cinema Mode is the new listening mode, built, Bose says, to widen the stage and lift dialogue; Bose suggests it for podcasts and audiobooks, not just films. Lossless listening over USB-C is the other addition, at 16-bit and 44.1 or 48 kHz from a compatible source, with a low-latency path Bose aims at games on a desktop or phone.
The rest is refinement. On the 2nd Gen, an updated adaptive algorithm runs the adjustable noise cancelling, and Aware Mode gains ActiveSense, which Bose describes as a smoother reaction to sudden spikes. On-head detection is new too: put the 2nd Gen on and it can start playing from a paired device without you touching the power button. Bluetooth moves from 5.3 to 5.4.
What the first Ultra already has
The 1st Gen is the one that brought CustomTune and Immersive Audio to Bose’s over-ear QuietComfort line, and the 2nd Gen keeps both. Bose lists active, adjustable noise cancelling, echo reduction and an Aware Mode for it. When Bose announced the first Ultra on 14 September 2023, it held aptX Adaptive and Snapdragon Sound back from the cheaper QuietComfort Headphones announced the same day. Both generations have them, alongside SBC and AAC, and both support two-device pairing and Google Fast Pair.
Bluetooth is a version apart: 5.3 on the first Ultra and 5.4 on the 2nd Gen, both with A2DP, HFP, AVRCP and Bluetooth Low Energy. Bose rates both at 9 meters (30 feet for the 2nd Gen).
Size and folding
Both fold into a carrying case. Folding the 2nd Gen or laying it flat sends it into what Bose calls a long low-power standby. Bose gives the 2nd Gen’s headphones as 1.772 by 6.299 by 8.071 inches, or 2.185 by 6.122 by 8.406 inches boxed, and the first Ultra as 7.7 by 5.5 by 2.0 inches on its UK table.
Keep, buy refurbished or upgrade
If your first Ultra still works, the case for upgrading is battery, Cinema Mode and USB-C lossless; CustomTune, Immersive Audio, aptX Adaptive and the fold are already yours. Buying used or refurbished, weigh the price against the 2nd Gen’s $449 rather than the 1st Gen’s $429 launch price, since Bose now sells the newer pair new. US shipments of the first Ultra began in early October 2023; the 2nd Gen opened for pre-order on 10 September 2025, and Bose gave 2 October 2025 as its in-store date. Check Bose’s current price before you buy.
Who Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) is for
- Frequent travelers. Bose rates them for up to 30 hours with noise cancelling on, and the cups fold into the carrying case.
- Android users with a Snapdragon Sound-certified phone, which unlocks aptX Adaptive. Google Fast Pair also works on Android.
- People who switch between a laptop and a phone all day: multipoint keeps two source devices connected at once.
- Owners of the 2023 QuietComfort Ultra Headphones who keep running out of battery. The 2nd Gen goes from 24 hours to 30, or from 18 to 23 with Immersive Audio on.
Who Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (1st Gen) is for
- Current owners who rarely run the battery flat. Bose rates the 2023 Ultra for 24 hours a charge, and the 2nd Gen's main gains are six more hours, Cinema Mode and USB-C lossless.
- Refurbished and used shoppers who want CustomTune, Immersive Audio and aptX Adaptive for less than a new 2nd Gen costs.
- Snapdragon Sound phone owners: aptX Adaptive was one of the features Bose reserved for its Ultra models in 2023.
Guides and sources
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) guide
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (1st Gen) guide
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) official page — accessed 2026-09-19
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (1st Gen) official page — accessed 2026-09-19
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) specs — accessed 2026-09-19
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (1st Gen) specs — accessed 2026-09-19
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) newsroom — accessed 2026-09-19
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (1st Gen) newsroom — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell which generation a seller is offering?
Check the retail code: QCUH2 is the 2nd Gen and QCUH the 1st Gen. Bose's US store sells the 2nd Gen new and offers the first Ultra refurbished.
Does the 1st Gen have Cinema Mode or lossless audio over USB-C?
No. Both arrived with the 2nd Gen. The first Ultra has CustomTune and Immersive Audio, and it comes with an audio cable for wired listening.
Will a 15-minute charge go as far on the 1st Gen?
No. Bose rates a 15-minute charge at up to 2.5 hours of playback on the first Ultra and up to 3 on the 2nd Gen. With Immersive Audio on, both get about 2 hours, and a full charge over USB-C takes up to 3 hours on either.
Which one is lighter?
The 1st Gen, by about a third of an ounce on Bose's figures: 0.560 pounds on its UK table, against 0.583 for the 2nd Gen. Bose's Australian table lists the 1st Gen at 0.25 kg and a refurbished US listing at 0.56 lb; the 2nd Gen's entire product system weighs 1.061 pounds.