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The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II and Sony WF-1000XM4 are the reputable brands’ flagship wireless earbuds and some of the best pairs we’ve ever tested, offering cutting-edge active noise cancellation (ANC) technology and class-leading sound. Both have our rubber-stamped approval, not only evident by a five-star review but also a 2022 What Hi-Fi? Best Buy Award. So if you are in the market for a premium pair, how do you possibly choose between the two?
Well, that’s where we come in. To help you pick the best wireless earbuds for you, we have road-tested both, assessing everything from design and build to battery life and sound quality, and presented the pros and cons of both below.
So without further ado, let’s see who comes out on top in the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II vs Sony WF-1000XM4 debate…
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II vs Sony WF-1000XM4: price
The QuietComfort Earbuds II are Bose’s latest flagship wireless earbuds. They arrived in September 2022 and command an asking price of £280 / $299 / AU$429, which is pretty much as high as the asking prices for true wireless earbuds get. For reference, the five-star Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 debuted this year at £219 / $250 / AU$400.
The class-leading Sony WF-1000XM4 debuted at £250 / $280 / AU$450 back in June 2021. As is often the case when earbuds have been around a while, their price has since dropped a fair bit, so you should be able to pick them up for at least 25 per cent less now. Today’s cheapest prices on both prices are below.
**Winner** Sony WF-1000XM4
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II vs Sony WF-1000XM4: design
The second-gen QuietComfort Earbuds are around a third smaller than the originals and come with a wide range of soft ear tips. They also feature new ‘stability bands’ (which replace the old rubber wings) for improved grip.
The Sony WF-1000XM4 come with a comparatively limited choice of firmer foam ear tips and tend to sit deeper in your ear canal. They’re slightly heavier (7.3g vs 7g) than the Bose buds, too, and not quite as comfortable. That said, as they plug your ear canals they do provide very good levels of noise isolation.
Like to brave the elements? Both these wireless in-ears are rated IPX4 water-resistant, meaning they’re protected from the odd splash of rain or sweat.
**Winner: Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II**
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II vs Sony WF-1000XM4: battery life
The Sony WF-1000XM4 promise eight hours of battery life from a single charge, with the carry case providing another 16 hours of juice for a total battery life of 24 hours. In a hurry but have a flat battery? Five minutes of wall charging will give you up to an hour of playback.
You might expect the Bose QC Earbuds II to have more endurance considering they are newer, but no dice. They offer six hours of battery from a single charge, plus three extra charges from the charging case for the same total battery life of 24 hours. A 20-minute quick-charge can offer around two hours of playtime.
Note too that the Bose’s charging case cannot be wirelessly charged, whereas Sony’s can be with a compatible Qi wireless charger. It can even be boosted by being placed on the back of a compatible Qi smartphone.
**Winner: Sony WF-1000XM4**
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II vs Sony WF-1000XM4: features
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II promise “the world’s best noise cancellation from any headphone – banded or in-ear”. A bold claim perhaps, but Bose’s noise-cancelling is more than a match for Sony’s and does a great job of removing rumbles without the intense vacuum-sucking sensation you get from some earbuds.
That’s not to say that the Sony buds don’t block noise well; it is extremely effective, although you do get a bit of that ‘vacuum’ feeling when it’s turned on.
Like many wireless earbuds, both the Boses and Sonys have companion control apps. The Sony Headphones Connect app lets you customise the sound and noise-cancelling effect, run a ‘fit’ test to see just how good your seal is, and remind you when the case’s battery life drops below 30 per cent.
Bose’s app offers even greater flexibility when it comes to noise-cancelling adjustment. It also features Bose’s CustomTune sound calibration tech, which uses a microphone to measure your ear canal’s acoustic response and optimise ANC performance accordingly.
The Bose buds support a more current version of Bluetooth (5.3 vs 5.2), but both miss out on multipoint connectivity, which allows the wearer to be connected to two Bluetooth sources simultaneously.
**Winner: Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II**
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II vs Sony WF-1000XM4: sound quality
The WF-1000XM4 feature Sony’s DSEE Extreme engine, which upscales low-quality audio files and supports hi-res audio including Sony’s own LDAC codec, meaning you can listen to files up to 32-bit/96kHz over Bluetooth at up to 990kbps.
Performance-wise, the XM4 offer clarity across the board and a fantastic sense of rhythmic precision. They are musical, dynamic and detailed performers that offer plenty of bass and oodles of detail, sounding pleasingly smooth and full-bodied.
The newer Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are a little more tonally balanced. They ooze even more sonic sophistication, offering new levels of detail from wireless earbuds. In fact, they are now our go-to recommendations at this extreme end of the market.
Slightly disappointing, however, is that the Bose buds lack support for high-quality wireless audio codecs such as LDAC and aptX HD, and call quality is nothing special. The Sony XM4 are better at suppressing blustery winds.
**Winner: Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II**
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II vs Sony WF-1000XM4: verdict
Bose’s flagship buds are the more expensive option, but they offer stellar noise-cancelling, sound impressively refined and detailed, and come with a wider range of ear tips that provide added comfort. If you’re working with a healthy budget, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are a magnificent choice.
The Sony WF-1000XM4 might not sound quite as sophisticated or block noise as effectively, but they still deliver a wonderfully musical performance – and wireless charging, better earbud battery life and support for higher-quality Bluetooth transmission are the other big plug points. The Sonys have a strong argument for being the best value pair of the two at their now-reduced price, though those who can meet either asking price have a difficult decision on their hands and should go with the pair that best meets their priorities.
MORE:
See what else is available: best wireless earbuds
Bose vs Bose: QuietComfort Earbuds II vs Quiet Comfort Earbuds
Out with the old? Sony WF-1000XM4 vs WF-1000XM3: which are better?
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