I've used Bose's QC Ultra Headphones for hundreds of hours, but is the cheaper QC Headphones 2 a better buy? I've tested both side by side

Recently, Bose launched the QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) – sometimes abbreviated as 'QC Headphones 2' or, per the app, 'QC 2 HP' – and I've been using them for a full week.

However, over the years I've used the original Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones for hundreds of hours since their launch.

Whether at home, on walks, commuting, or flying dozens of hours on a plane – those headphones have been with me every step of the way.

Thing is, the 'basic' QC Headphones 2 are mighty similar to the pricier QC Ultra Headphones 2. So what exactly is the difference and which one wins?

I've side-by-side tested Bose's two QC Headphones so you don't have to, highlighting their differences to help in your purchase decision.

Price

The Bose QC Ultra Headphones 2 went on sale in September 2025, priced at £449 ($449). They've since dropped in price in the UK, however, and you can buy for £349.

The newer Bose QC Headphones 2 (i.e. not the Ultra) went on sale this month, in August 2026, priced at £299 ($359).

Even with price drops, however, the Ultra ultimately still cost more – so just what more do you get and is the extra outlay actually worth it?

Design & Controls

I'll caveat this section by saying that I really don't like the silver finish of the Ultra headphones that I possess – I think they look tacky. Go with one of the other colourways would be my suggestion.

In terms of weight – and I put each pair on my digital kitchen scales to check this – the Headphones 2 come in at 239g, while the Ultra are a little more, at 263g.

That weight difference ultimately comes down to the material choices in construction. While the Ultra may look plasticky in places, it's the only product with aluminium as part of its build makeup – the QC 2 HP is all plastic.

The weight difference is marginal for comfort, with both headphones using protein leather coatings on their earcups and headband areas. Both offer the same slide-adjustable headband mechanism, too, which feels great.

So which is more comfortable? I prefer the Ultra, for the simple reason the earcup openings are deeper. The base QC 2 HP have a 'step' behind the mesh within, and I find them slightly inferior as a result. It's a close race, though.

Controls are another considerable part of the difference: the Ultra has touch controls, whereas the base model has a trio of buttons for play/pause and volume up/down; it also has a physical switch for Bluetooth pairing – the Ultra opts for a simple button instead.

Sound Quality

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As you might have guessed by my earcup depth comment above, the Bose QuietComfort Headphones 2 and the Ultra 2 don't possess the same drivers – although Bose doesn't state that anywhere on its website.

I'm claiming this on the basis of listening, because these two headphones do not sound the same. They both sound great, granted, but the sound profile is different.

In short, the Ultra is the better-sounding pair, with greater expansiveness across the higher frequencies. It just delivers a bit more bite and depth – which I've checked again and again by switching between the two headphones across various tracks.

However, whichever you choose you can guarantee great bass and great overall clarity. Both are also USB-C compatible for wired listening should you prefer.

Active Noise-Cancelling (ANC)

When I first received the QC Ultra Headphones 2, I was disappointed by the active noise-cancelling (ANC) – as my side-by-side tests against the first-gen QC Ultra Headphones proved it to be a downgrade in blocking out external sounds.

Software updates have progressed, though, with Bose's systems and app now in a greater place of parity. And it's fair to say that's largely the case with the ANC systems on both the QC Ultra Headphones 2 and QC Headphones 2.

Both are very good at blocking out external sounds, as I've tested at home with various degrees of fans whirring, TV noise in the background, and when commuting out and about through London.

However, the Ultra visibly feature more microphones, so ultimately have the more advanced setup. The only way I've perceived this, however, is with the QC 2 HP getting gazumped by pressure changes when on the Tube network in London – the Ultra model seems to withstand this better (although not always entirely).

Battery Life

While both these headphones are pretty close in their runtime, the official take is that the Ultra offer 30 hours of use to the QC 2 HP's 24 hours of use. The Ultra therefore take it.

Note, of course, that battery longevity will depend on listening volume and whether you activate Bose's Immersion feature within the app – which depletes the battery even more quickly (but gives an awesome three-dimensional sound stage enhancement effect).

In Conclusion

For me, both these headphones deliver 5-star sound and active noise-cancelling (ANC).

The Ultra is the better product, however, on account of its sound profile delivering slightly more bite, its higher battery offering, and greater comfort due to interior earcup structure.

Side by side the two look very similar, aside from the extra physical buttons on the QC Headphones 2 – which may be an upsell if you don't like touch-based controls – and I'd think carefully about which colourway you choose, too.

So it's a close run race, but the Ultra take the crown. Whether those slight gains are enough for you to pay the extra is another question entirely, though – because the lower price point adds obvious appeal too.