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Head-to-head · Best Wireless Earbuds

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds vs Sony WF-1000XM6

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and Sony WF-1000XM6 score essentially the same (4.3 vs 4.3). Pick the one whose trade-offs match your priorities — the strengths and watch-outs below are where they actually differ.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
Ranked #5 in Best Wireless Earbuds
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
4 sources$299as of Oct 11

Reviewers widely call the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds the best noise-cancelling earbuds available, with comfort, powerful bass, and top-tier ANC behind that verdict. Two things to know before buying: switching on immersive audio cuts battery life sharply, and the case does not support wireless charging. The price is high, and they remain the top choice if sound quality and silence are what you are after.

Strengths
  • — Delivers punchy, musical sound with solid, weighty bass
  • — Provides excellent active noise cancellation that outperforms rivals
  • — Offers a comfortable, secure fit with a design similar to the QuietComfort Earbuds II
Watch-outs
  • — Using Immersive Audio significantly slashes battery life
  • — Lacks wireless charging support for the charging case
  • — High MSRP of $299 makes them expensive compared to some competitors
$299 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
Sony WF-1000XM6
Ranked #3 in Best Wireless Earbuds
Sony WF-1000XM6
6 sources$328as of Sep 25

Sony's WF-1000XM6 is a meaningful step up from the XM5: better noise cancellation, clearer call quality, and a redesigned shape that sits more securely. At $329.99 it is steep, though, and battery life and codecs are unchanged, which makes it a hard sell to current XM5 owners outside of a sale. Coming from an older model, or shopping purely on ANC and call performance, it is the best option.

Strengths
  • — Significantly improved Active Noise Cancellation and isolation compared to previous models
  • — Enhanced microphone quality with AI beamforming for clearer calls, per What Hi-Fi?
  • — New elongated oval design with matte finish provides a more secure and consistent fit
Watch-outs
  • — High price point of $329.99 offers limited value for owners of the previous XM5 model
  • — Battery life and supported audio codecs remain unchanged from the previous generation
$328 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →

How they stack up

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are rated for 6 hours with ANC on, against 7 hours for the Sennheiser Momentum TW4 and up to 8 hours for the Sony WF-1000XM6. Their case lacks wireless charging, which the Apple AirPods Pro 2 and the Sennheiser list as Qi. Their codecs are SBC and AAC, where the Sony adds LDAC.

Sony WF-1000XM6

The Sony WF-1000XM6 is rated for up to 8 hours with ANC on, against 7 hours for the Sennheiser Momentum TW4 and 6 hours for the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. It supports LDAC, as does the Technics EAH-AZ100. Its AI beamforming microphones give clearer calls, where the Sennheiser's microphone is a listed weakness.

Specs side-by-side

SpecBose QuietComfort Ultra EarbudsSony WF-1000XM6
Driver6mm8.4mm Dynamic Driver X
Weight0.37 oz (10.5g) per earbud5.9g per earbud
ANCActive Noise CancellationIndustry-leading ANC
CodecSBC, AACLDAC, AAC, SBC
Water ResistanceIPX4IPX4
Battery Life6 hours (ANC on)Up to 8 hours (ANC on)
WaterIPX4IPX4
Dimensions—2.43 x 1.62 x 1.04 in
Wireless Charging—Qi
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