There’s a sea of options when it comes to headphones, but some of them naturally stand out from the crowd. We can think of a few models that have become very popular, and all of them are discounted today, thanks to Amazon Prime Day.

The Sony WH-1000XM5 may be the most popular of the bunch, and today, you can get them for just $298, which is a 25% discount on the full $400 price point. The previous-generation Sony WH-1000XM4 are also on sale for only $198, slashing the price by a whopping 43%. If you prefer Beats, you can also go for the Studio Pro headphones, which are currently $170, a massive 51% discount. Lastly, you can get the Bose QuietComfort Headphones for $199, instead of paying the full $349.

Get the Sony WH-1000XM5 for $298

Get the Sony WH-1000XM4 for $198

Get the Beats Studio Pro for $170

Get the Bose QuietComfort Headphones for $199

Some of these deals only apply to specific color versions of the headphones. Make sure to look at the options before making the purchase, as you may be able to save just by picking a different colorway.

Sony WH-1000XM5

If you’re looking for the best of the best, with honors, many would agree the Sony WH-1000XM5 would be the headphones to get. And for good reason, these are amazing. The active noise canceling is among the best the industry has to offer. We also loved the microphone, audio quality, and ample feature set. There’s Bluetooth multipoint connectivity to connect and switch between multiple devices. You can even find it using Find My Device, which is really handy. Battery life is also great; our test results prove it can last nearly 32 hours on a single charge.

Our main complaint with the Sony WH-1000XM5 is the price, but at $298, the deal is looking much sweeter. Of course, you can check out our full Sony WH-1000XM5 review for all the details. If you want the summary, these are among the best, and very few competitors even get close to them.

Sony WH-1000XM4

Of course, $298 is still a good chunk of change, and there is no denying the previous-generation Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones are still amazing at $198. You’re not missing too much. The sound quality and ANC are still insanely good. You also get to use features Bluetooth multipoint technology and auto-pausing when you remove the headset.

The one downside is that battery life isn’t as great; we were able to make them last almost 20 hours. That is still really good, but nothing close to the Sony WH-1000XM5’s 32 hours. But are you going to get that picky when you’re paying $100 bucks less?

Beats Studio Pro

We weren’t the biggest fans of the Beats Studio Pro construction and fit, but there is no denying these headphones look great and have plenty to offer in other departments. The sound quality is great, as is ANC performance. They also did amazingly in our internal battery tests, lasting over 31 hours on a single charge.

This is also one of the best deals on this list, as it brings the $350 price down to just $170, which is a 51% discount.

Bose QuietComfort Headphones

The real battle of the high-end headphones is really between Bose and Sony. If you prefer the former, the Bose QuietComfort Headphones are a very nice proposition at just $199. We especially liked these for their comfort, ANC performance, and battery life. We were able to make them last a bit over 27 hours on a single charge.

Again, one of our main complaints in our Bose QuietComfort Headphones review was the price. But at a buck under $200, these are pretty awesome.

While heavily discounted, all of these are still pretty expensive headphones. Check out the Sound Guys deals hub to find more deals, especially during Amazon Prime Day.

Editor’s note: this article was published on November 20, 2023, and is the first version of the article. Updates will follow as the market changes.

What’s it like to use the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones compared to the Bose QuietComfort Headphones?

Both the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Bose QuietComfort Headphones are constructed mainly of plastic and protein leather (whatever the hell that means), with very understated design choices. Both are light, coming in at 253 and 240 grams respectively, and both are extremely comfortable. It’s no surprise, as these headphones were built to last an intercontinental flight, so you’d expect that a lot of effort was placed into making sure these cans were comfy.

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones have soft padding that is very glasses-friendly.

Like most other Bose offerings, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Bose QuietComfort Headphones also offer wireless and wired listening, a carrying case, and cables if you need that sort of thing. However, where the Bose QuietComfort Headphones has somewhat outdated hardware, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones represent the cutting edge of what’s available today — for a difference of $80 in list price. Given that the Bose QuietComfort Headphones are extremely similar in every way that matters to the Bose QuietComfort 45, we often direct people to the older set of headphones so they can save up for something better later on down the line.

If you were looking for a gym buddy, you’ll have to look elsewhere, as both headphones do not have an ingress protection rating — meaning there’s no guidepost as to how much sweat, rain, or dust the headphones can handle. While that isn’t the worst thing for a set of commuter cans, it’s still something to note if you like singin’ in the rain.

Unfortunately, that USB-C port doesn’t allow USB-C audio.

Unlike some other headphone manufacturers, Bose tends to stay on top of firmware updates and responds to user issues pretty well. For example, the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 saw multiple performance-enhancing firmware updates when it was still in the lineup, and that’s rarer than you might think. If you pick a Bose headset, you have a good chance of major problems not sticking around so long if they can be solved with a bit of code. Remember that you can’t solve a bad fit with a firmware update, so if you have weak bass, poor ANC performance, or volume issues, you may want to find something else.

How do you control the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Bose QuietComfort Headphones?

If you found the Bose QuietComfort 45 to be comfortable, good news: the Bose QuietComfort Headphones is virtually identical.

Controls for both the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Bose QuietComfort Headphones are largely handled by a smattering of physical buttons and app features. For EQ presets, immersive audio modes, ANC level adjustments, and firmware updates, you’ll need to use the Bose Music app. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones will have a few extra goodies stuffed in the app like being able to control the ANC passthrough mode, and enable head-tracking with the immersive audio feature, but that’s about it.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones controls:

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones uses a touch-sensitive slider to control volume, a power/Bluetooth button to handle turning on and off, and a multifunction button for everything else. You can also long-press the volume slider for a shortcut function that must first be defined in the Bose Music app.

Bose QuietComfort Headphones controls:

The Bose QuietComfort Headphones, like the Bose QuietComfort 45 before it, use physical volume, multifunction, and power buttons.

Should you use the Bose Music app for either the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones or Bose QuietComfort Headphones?

Installing and using the Bose Music app for either set of headphones will unlock the ability to change how the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Bose QuietComfort Headphones sound, behave with audio passthrough, and update software. Though you don’t require the app to listen to the headphones or manually update firmware, it’s a good idea because the default sound of both headphones is overly-bassy.

The Bose Music App is necessary to adjust EQ, get firmware updates.

With that in mind, neither of these headphones is your choice if you’re extremely privacy-conscious. Though you can disable individual permissions in Android, it’s a bit of a pain to go menu-diving to handle this.

How do the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Bose QuietComfort Headphones connect?

Though both headphones are primarily wireless headphones that use SBC and AAC to connect to your source device over Bluetooth, they can also connect over an included 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable. The Bose QuietComfort Headphones, however, only has a Bluetooth 5.1 radio, which means that they won’t be able to keep up with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones’ features as time goes on. Specifically, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are compatible with Snapdragon Sound and the aptX Adaptive family of codecs — including their status as the only headphones on the market with aptX Lossless compatibility (the only other product with this codec support is the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds).

This USB-C port is only for charging, unfortunately.

On top of that, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones’ use of Bluetooth 5.3 allows them to use LE audio, enabling compatibility with low-energy sources and applications. If you want your wireless headphones to stay relevant for a long time, the only choice here is the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones.

Is battery life better on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones or Bose QuietComfort Headphones?

Using our standardized setup, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones were able to play back music for 27 hours and 37 minutes, while the Bose QuietComfort Headphones lasted 27 hours and 14 minutes. Because the two results are so close, we’re not really comfortable telling you that an extra 1.3% battery life makes all the difference. Both headphones are great with battery life.

Do the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones or Bose QuietComfort Headphones block noise better?

When it comes to ANC, however, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones do a much better job than the Bose QuietComfort Headphones. With larger ear cups and more effective ANC, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are better able to isolate your ear from outside noise while also being able to cancel what does reach you more effectively.

That’s not to say that the Bose QuietComfort Headphones are bad or even mediocre — they’re good. But some performance points will be difficult to touch when you’re up against a product representing the top of the line. The Bose QuietComfort Headphones do cancel noise very well, but the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are one of the best on the market.

Of course, this all comes with the standard caveat that you should not expect ANC headphones to serve as hearing protection. ANC headphones protect your hearing not by canceling outside noise, but by allowing you to listen to your tunes at a lower volume, so please be careful with your listening volume.

Do the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones sound better than the Bose QuietComfort Headphones?

We believe that more people will enjoy the sound of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones over the Bose QuietComfort Headphones not only because of how the headphones are tuned, but also because they support a higher bitrate codec family over Bluetooth. This means that what audio actually makes it to your ears will be less compressed (even though SBC and AAC aren’t nearly the setbacks they once were). While it’s definitely something that purists would care bout more than your average folk, if you can get better: why wouldn’t you even if it’s a little overkill?

Much hay has been made online about the channel balance issues of the Bose QuietComfort Headphones, but that mainly impacts the ability of the headphones to create a convincing illusion of 3D space. Given that the immersive audio feature of both Bose headphones isn’t conceptually all that attractive to use, we don’t think this will make or break peoples’ experiences here.

Do the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones or Bose QuietComfort Headphones have better microphones?

When it comes to microphone quality we don’t imagine that the headphones will be the bottleneck to your calls, and both the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Bose QuietComfort Headphones handle themselves as well as you can expect a set of headphones to handle a phone call. Just be aware that the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones’ Wind Block feature may prevent wind noise from annoying you, but it’ll still come through on your call. Should you notice your voice quality is low, be sure to troubleshoot and see if it isn’t your chat app or network making your voice sound worse than what you hear below.

If you’d rather not take my word for it and hear for yourself, listen to samples we collected with each pair of headphones in our simulated environments.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

Bose QuietComfort Headphones microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones microphone demo (Windy conditions):

Bose QuietComfort Headphones microphone demo (Windy conditions):

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Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs Bose QuietComfort Headphones: Price and availability

Of course, the big question here is how much you’re willing to pay. Given that these headphones are from the same company and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones is meant to be the flagship headphones in their QuietComfort line, it’s extremely unlikely the Bose QuietComfort Headphones will ever be more expensive. However, it may be easier to find the Bose QuietComfort Headphones as it’s the “more affordable” option — however affordable $350 is to you. The $429 pricetag of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones is a bit tough to stomach, but you do get extra value for that money.

Same as it ever was, the Bose QuietComfort Headphones fit in the same bag-friendly case.

You should be able to find both the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Bose QuietComfort Headphones pretty much anywhere headphones are sold, though you should try your luck shopping around online. If you settle on the Bose QuietComfort Headphones, consider getting the Bose QuietComfort 45 instead, as its sale price is sometimes under $200 for almost exactly the same headphones.

Should you get the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones or Bose QuietComfort Headphones?

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones have a matte exterior.

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are better in every way outside of price than the Bose QuietComfort Headphones — and it’s not close. Given that both of these headphones are so expensive, we’re going to go out on a limb and say that paying a little extra for the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, a set of headphones equipped to handle the standards and features coming to smartphones in the coming year or so will help you stay on top of features that may improve your listening.

Frequently asked questions

Editor’s note: this article was published on October 5, 2023, and is the first version of the article. Updates will follow as the market changes.

What’s it like to use the Bose QuietComfort Headphones compared to the Sony WH-1000XM5?

Both the Bose QuietComfort Headphones and Sony WH-1000XM5 are very similar headphones, owing to the fact that the market has settled a bit on what a “good” set of ANC headphones should be. Both use dynamic drivers, lean on Bluetooth as their primary means of sound transmission, and both have the option of using a wire should you choose.

If you found the Bose QuietComfort 45 to be comfortable, good news: the Bose QuietComfort Headphones is virtually identical.

Much like the Bose QuietComfort Headphones’ predecessor, the Bose QuietComfort 45, the new headphones are more comfortable than the Sony WH-1000XM5. Bose had the good sense not to reinvent the wheel from version to version, and the form factor is largely the same. Suspiciously similar, in fact. Really, the main difference here is the available colorways and the removal of the painted logo.

Neither the Bose QuietComfort Headphones nor the Sony WH-1000XM5 are resistant to moisture, and neither bear an ingress protection rating of any kind. So you’re going to want to avoid moisture or excessive dust. I would not recommend either set of headphones to anyone for working out or using in wet environments.

How do you control the Bose QuietComfort Headphones and Sony WH-1000XM5?

Controls for the Bose QuietComfort Headphones and Sony WH-1000XM5 differ in that the former uses physical buttons, and the latter uses a mix of physical buttons and touch controls. Though you might have your preferences between the two philosophies, we generally prefer the touch controls because they run a much lower risk of affecting the seal between the ear pads and your head. Every time you press a button or apply force to your headphones, it moves them. If the headset moves too much, then it can leave a gap somewhere, affecting not only your sound quality but the noise canceling as well.

Swiping to control your headphones reduces the risk of a broken seal.

Bose QuietComfort Headphones controls:

Bose’s controls live mainly on the right earcup, and consist of volume buttons, a multifunction button, and a power/Bluetooth slider. These are about as standard as you get and don’t really need an app to customize them very far.

Sony WH-1000XM5 controls:

Though the Sony WH-1000XM5 has a mix of controls, we appreciate that the buttons mainly govern functions you aren’t going to be accessing while you’re listening to the headphones, such as the power button, or the ANC mode switch. All playback and call controls are handled by a series of taps, swipes, and hand-cups to the right ear’s touchpad.

Should you use the apps of either Bose QuietComfort Headphones or Sony WH-1000XM5?

As of publish, only the Sony Headphones Connect app offers users a true benefit in terms of improved performance of the headphones. By installing it on your phone, you unlock firmware updates, spatial audio (with head tracking), and several other audio features like 360 Reality Audio and an EQ. Unfortunately, that app is also one of the more prolific data suckers out there, so privacy buffs will likely elect to avoid this utility.

The Bose Music App is necessary to adjust EQ, get firmware updates.

Bose’s app does have a three-band EQ for the Bose QuietComfort Headphones, but beyond that, it doesn’t do much. Of course, if new features or firmware are released for the Bose QuietComfort Headphones, you’ll need the app to handle the update for you — or you can use the Bose Updater tool on your computer.

How do the Bose QuietComfort Headphones and Sony WH-1000XM5 connect?

Though both the Bose QuietComfort Headphones and Sony WH-1000XM5 are primarily commuter ANC headphones, there’s a bit of differentiation in how each connects to source devices. Namely, the Sony WH-1000XM5 has the ability to use a higher-bitrate codec (LDAC) when connecting to Android phones, and the Bose QuietComfort Headphones only employ AAC and SBC. There’s nothing really wrong with that, and if you have an iPhone LDAC will be unavailable to you anyway, but it’s still something to be aware of if normal Bluetooth headphones don’t do it for you.

Unfortunately, that USB-C port doesn’t allow USB-C audio.

Both headphones can connect using a TRS cable, and both can be used wirelessly over Bluetooth 5. However, only the Sony headset uses Bluetooth 5.2, while the Bose cans use Bluetooth 5.1. Though there’s not an Earth-shattering difference here, it may matter in the long run with phone compatibility. It doesn’t gate any features that are present on one but not the other, as both support multipoint, and both enjoy the improvements Bluetooth 5 offers over Bluetooth 4.

Is battery life better on the Bose QuietComfort Headphones or Sony WH-1000XM5?

While the Sony WH-1000XM5 was able to survive our test for 31 hours, and 53 minutes with ANC on, the Bose QuietComfort Headphones were only able to last 27 hours, 14 minutes under the same general settings. Four hours might seem like a huge gulf, but it’s really not much more than one extra day of commuting when you’re already measuring battery life in the span of over a week in practical use. If you have to charge a day earlier, that’s not so bad — but it does add up over time by putting stress on the tiny little solder points in the USB connector.

Both headphones may charge using USB-C, but there’s an annoying lack of USB-C audio.

I point this out because the more you put a strain on these fragile points, the more you run the risk of breaking the connection to any one of the pins needed for your headphones to work, leading to a set of broken cans. Additionally, batteries are only rated for so many charge cycles, and the less often you can charge your headphones, the longer they’ll last. It’s one of those considerations that you might not be aware of when buying gadgets like this that makes a difference over the years.

Do the Bose QuietComfort Headphones or Sony WH-1000XM5 block noise better?

Because both the Bose QuietComfort Headphones and Sony WH-1000XM5 are going to be some of the most popular ANC headphones on the market, it’s worth pointing out that Bose QuietComfort Headphones does slightly better in the 200-800Hz range than the Sony WH-1000XM5, but beyond that these are two competent noise cancelers. You really won’t hear a massive difference between them, even if the line looks a bit different on a chart. Both are not only good at canceling noise, but they’re also excellent at isolating you from outside noise as well.

If you’re hoping for a clear winner here, there isn’t one, so this comparison is a push. However, since both are so good at this task: you shouldn’t doubt yourself if you end up with one over the other. However, if you’re hoping to use these headphones in any other context than “listening to music,” we encourage you to seek out hearing protection instead — something that headphones are not.

Do the Bose QuietComfort Headphones sound better than the Sony WH-1000XM5?

Head to head, we think that the default sound of the Sony WH-1000XM5 will be more appealing to more people than the default sound of the Bose QuietComfort Headphones. While the bass shelf of the Sony WH-1000XM5 will annoy audiophiles, many people will enjoy this feature on their commutes — not necessarily at home in a quiet environment. That said, it’s a simple tweak in the Sony Headphones Connect app or in any of the music players out there with inbuilt EQ functions. Personally, the peak at 6-8kHz expressed by the Bose QuietComfort Headphones made some of my music sound strange to me, and I found it more off-putting than that of the Sony WH-1000XM5. You may disagree with this assessment.

If you’re hoping for higher-bitrate listening, only the Sony WH-1000XM5 supports higher-bitrate codecs like LDAC. Though no Bluetooth headphones are truly “lossless” yet, the Sony WH-1000XM5 is superior in this regard with its much higher transfer rates over LDAC. However, the only devices that support this codec are Android phones (and Android-based media players) at the moment, so if you aren’t using one of those devices: this advantage is erased.

Do the Bose QuietComfort Headphones or Sony WH-1000XM5 have a better microphone?

Though we could wax poetic about which microphone is better than the other, this is one of those rare times when we can show you how each mic performs in simulated conditions — and you can decide for yourself! Just note that when you’re on a phone call, several factors may affect your sound quality. Namely, your network can strongly negatively impact your call quality.

Bose QuietComfort Headphones microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

Sony WH-1000XM5 microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

Bose QuietComfort Headphones microphone demo (Windy conditions):

Sony WH-1000XM5 microphone demo (Windy conditions):

Bose QuietComfort Headphones microphone demo (Office conditions):

Sony WH-1000XM5 microphone demo (Office conditions):

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Bose QuietComfort Headphones vs. Sony WH-1000XM5: Price and availability

Even though the Bose QuietComfort Headphones are cheaper at the outset, the Sony WH-1000XM5’s age will work in your favor here, as its list price is seldom what you can find at online retailers. Additionally, as the Sony WH-1000XM5 is now over a year old: it will likely appear on sale more often than the Bose QuietComfort Headphones.

While neither the Sony nor Bose will be difficult to find, the Sony has had more time on the shelves, so you may find it on sale in more places.

Given that both of these brands are some of the most popular around, you should not have any difficulty finding either of these sets of headphones at all. Online retailers, big box electronics stores, and even airplane kiosks will have both models available. If either is out of stock, move on to the next store and you should be good to go.

Should you get the Bose QuietComfort Headphones or Sony WH-1000XM5?

Given the features, performance, and relative longevity offered by the Sony WH-1000XM5 over the Bose QuietComfort Headphones, you should probably stick with that set of headphones. Even though the Sony WH-1000XM5 is a full year older than the Bose QuietComfort Headphones, it has a newer version of Bluetooth and a better feature set than the Bose QuietComfort Headphones. It’s also much easier to get sounding the way you want through the app.

However, if the Bose QuietComfort Headphones appeal to you more, you may actually be better suited with the Bose QuietComfort 45 () instead of the Bose QuietComfort Headphones. I say this because the performance and features are largely identical, save for a slightly better sound. Though you may want to do some tinkering with the sound in the Bose Music app, you can save yourself a bunch of money as Bose tries to clear out the outdated models on holiday sales. Be sure to check out our picks for best noise canceling headphones if none of these models appeal to you, as there’s a lot out there at the moment.

Frequently asked questions