The best noise-cancelling headphones usually come at a price, which is why many people, including myself, often spend ages comparing them online, crunching specs, looking at photos, and reading reviews. After all, you don’t want to spend your hard-earned cash on a pair of premium cans and regret the decision, do you?
To help you make a more educated decision, I embarked on a mission to test and compare the two flagship models from Apple and Bose (ignoring the more recent QC Headphones 2nd Gen).
The Apple AirPods Max was first launched in 2020 and recently received a minor colour and connectivity update, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones have been out since 2023, meaning both can be bought for less than the recommended price.
They are both excellent, but which is better? How do they compare in terms of build quality, comfort, sound quality and battery life? I've used both for weeks, and I finally have the answers. So, which are the best noise-cancelling cans today?
Apple AirPods Max vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
Price & Availability
The Apple AirPods Max is available to buy now at Apple UK, Apple US, and Apple AU for a recommended price of £499, $549, and AU$899, respectively. The latest USB-C version was announced in September 2024, which comes in new colours, such as Blue, Purple, Midnight, Starlight and Orange.
You’re likely to pay full price if you go directly to Apple. However, various retailers often offer discounts on the AirPods Max. For instance, recent deals have seen prices as low as $475.89 in the US. In the UK, discounts have brought the price down to £499. Interestingly, in Australia, the AirPods Max can be bought for as low as AU$730.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones’ recommended retail price is $429.95 / £449.95 / AU$649 and they are available at Bose UK, Bose US, and Bose AU. They're available in Black, White Smoke, or Sandstone. Given the newer second-gen model (which we don't recommend as highly), they're at an all-time price low – as you can see from the shopping widget embedded above.
Winner: The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are priced more keenly and have better discounts, although the AirPods Max aren’t much more expensive when there are offers on.
Design & Build
Both the Apple AirPods Max and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are premium over-ear headphones, but they take very different approaches to build quality.
The AirPods Max has large, smooth and flat aluminium ear cups, a stainless steel frame, and a mesh canopy headband, giving it a luxurious and sturdy feel. If I had to compare them to other headphones, they are probably closest to something like the Bowers & Wilkins PX8, both in terms of feel and materials used. However, Apple’s over-ears feel sleeker and more minimalist.
The memory foam ear cushions add comfort and help with passive noise isolation, but the use of metal also makes the headphones significantly heavier, at 385g. Strangely enough, despite the headphones' size and weight, I never had any issue wearing the AirPods Max, even after longer listening sessions with my glasses on.
On the other hand, the Bose QC Ultra Headphones use high-quality plastic with metal reinforcements inside the headband. While they don’t feel as high-end as the AirPods Max, they are considerably lighter, at just 250g. The ear cups are made from soft synthetic leather, offering a plush feel without adding unnecessary weight.
From a durability point of view, the AirPods Max feel solid and well-built, but the large metal surfaces are prone to scratches and scuffs. That said, I’m yet to see big marks on the headphones after about three months of use. The included Smart Case covers the ear cups but leaves the delicate mesh headband exposed. The AirPods Max don’t fold, either.
The Bose not only folds but also has a carry case that swallows the entirety of the headphones. Better still, the plastic build is less susceptible to visible scratches than the aluminium AirPods Max. A slight downside is that you’ll have to readjust the headband every time, as they only fit in the case when the arms are fully retracted.
The Apple AirPods Max has a more intuitive control system. One of my pet hates is small, uniform buttons on headphones, and the Bose QC Ultra Headphones have these, making it harder to find and distinguish them. The touch-volume control is nice, but I really wish the buttons were programmable and larger.
In contrast, the AirPods Max has a digital dial that controls volume and also functions as a push button for stopping/starting music, while the other button switches between different listening modes. A simple and elegant solution that works straight out of the box.
Winner: It’s hard to beat the luxurious feel of the Apple AirPods Max. They radiate elegance and work like a charm.
Audio Performance
Apple doesn’t do things by halves, and the AirPods Max prove that the company knows its way around high-fidelity audio. The custom-designed 40mm drivers deliver a crisp, detailed soundstage with rich mids and sharp highs. If you love analytical sound – clear vocals, sparkling treble, and layered instrumentals – you’ll love these headphones. I found the bass plenty robust enough, but I can see some bass heads being unimpressed by the low-end performance of the AirPods Max.
The spatial audio with dynamic head tracking adds an immersive element, making movies and music feel like they’re happening all around you. One of my favourite features is Adaptive EQ, which adjusts the sound output based on the fit and seal of the ear cushions. This means that no matter how the AirPods Max are on your ears and whether you’re wearing glasses or not, you should hear everything going on inside the ear cups without distortion.
Bose has always been about smooth, warm, and easy-listening sound; the QC Ultra Headphones deliver a more bass-forward signature, with softer highs and fuller mids. It’s not as crisp or precise as Apple’s offering, but it’s an enjoyable, fatigue-free experience. The addition of immersive audio (Bose’s take on spatial audio) helps create a more expansive sound, but needless to say, it’s not as well-integrated into the Apple ecosystem as the AirPods Max’s version.
Apple’s AirPods Max come with excellent active noise cancellation (ANC), using eight microphones to analyse and cancel out ambient noise. Transparency mode is equally as impressive, practically making the headphones disappear from your ears when this mode is turned on, which is a strange sensation not just for you but also for those trying to have a conversation with you whilst wearing large over-ear headphones.
The AirPods Max's noise-cancelling implementation is easily one of the best on the market, but Bose remains the king of ANC. The QC Ultra Headphones take noise cancellation to another level, blocking out more external sound, especially in the mids and low-end frequencies. Bose has spent years fine-tuning its ANC, and the result is a listening experience that’s eerily silent, even on a busy plane or in a noisy café.
One huge win for the brand is the AirPods Max’s integration into the broader Apple ecosystem. Basically, if you’re already using an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, the AirPods Max are a dream to use. Switching between devices is effortless and requires no input from you, meaning you can switch from listening to music on your iPhone to tuning into a meeting on your MacBook instantaneously.
It’s worth mentioning that the Apple AirPods Max don’t have customisable EQ, so you have to trust the company’s sound engineers’ expertise on this one. I found the balance spot-on and the lack of customisation very Apple-like; after all, the brand doesn’t like people messing about with its products and then complaining about them not performing optimally.
A big advantage of the Bose QC Ultra headphones is, of course, that they play nicely with both iPhones and Android devices. Switching isn’t as smooth as in the case of the AirPods Max, but it’s smooth enough using the on/off button once the different devices are paired. I didn't like the announcements when switching source, though – surely, in 2025, we can update the machine learning assistant to sound not like a robot from a 1960s sci-fi movie?
The QC Ultra Headphones also come with customisable EQ via the Bose Music app, allowing for more personalised tuning.
Winner: While there is not much to criticise about the Bose QC Ultra Headphones, I love how the AirPods Max sound, and I’m also happy with the ANC and hear-through performance.
Battery Life & Charging
Battery life is one area where Bose takes a clear lead. The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones offer up to 24 hours of continuous playback with ANC turned on. If you disable noise cancellation, that number can stretch even further. That’s a solid improvement over previous Bose models, making these a great choice for those on the go (e.g. commuters) and long-haul listeners.
The AirPods Max, by comparison, offer 20 hours of battery life with ANC or Transparency Mode enabled. While that’s still respectable, it falls slightly behind Bose’s offering. Given Apple’s larger, heavier build, you might expect them to pack a bigger battery, but that’s not the case. If you’re regularly on long flights or marathon listening sessions, Bose gives you more uninterrupted playtime.
Both headphones offer fast charging, and it’s hard to say which approach is best. The QC Ultra Headphones offer 2.5 hours of playback with a 15-minute top-up, while the AriPods Max can add 1.5 hours of playback with just 5 minutes of charge. Like-for-like, Apple wins, but only just.
A full charge takes slightly longer. The AirPods Max take around 2-2.5 hours to charge from flat to 100%, while the QC Ultra Headphones take around 3 hours. Keeping the AirPods Max in the Smart Case between uses is recommended, as it sends the headphones into an ultra-battery-saving mode.
Winner: It’s a tie. The Bose wins on ANC battery life, but the AirPods Max’s standard and fast-charge capabilities are better.
Verdict
I know it’s a terrible pun, but a versus between these two headphones really is like comparing apples to oranges. Both are superb headphones made with care from premium materials and come with exceptional sound quality and out-of-this-world features. You can’t go wrong with either.
However, if I had to choose between the two, and money wasn't a factor in the equation, then I’d pick the Apple AirPods Max. They feel better in hand and on the ears, sound amazing, and play well with every other Apple device. I often reach for them despite having a large number of headphones at my disposal.
Workouts and commuting for sake of ANC are the only areas where I’d say the QC Ultra Headphones are a clear winner. Even though I don’t mind the weight and construction of the AirPods Max in any other situation, they are heavy and bulky for running and home workouts. The QC Ultra Headphones’ lightweight design is much better for this – or long-haul plane journeys.
If you have enough money to get the Apple AirPods Max, buy them. Will a new version with an H2 chip, built-in heart rate monitoring and lossless audio support be launched this year or next? It’s impossible to tell. Even if that does happen, that won’t take away from the excellent qualities of the updated headphones.
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