Bluetooth: 5.3 (SBC, AAC)
Noise-cancelling: Yes
Wireless charging: Yes
Waterproof rating: IPX4
Battery life: 8.5hrs (+21hrs from charging case)
Weight: 8.5g (per earbud)
Bose's latest pair are another proud entry into its wireless earbuds range. They might lack some of the features and quality of Bose's more premium 'buds, but they're bursting with features, comfortable to wear, and – crucially – provide excellent ANC and sound quality. Essential.
For
- Comfortable fit
- Good battery life
- Solid, musical sound
- Good noise cancelling ability…
Against
- …but not as good as the QC Ultras
- Chunky shape might not suit everyone
- No aptX support
- Call quality only okay
Bluetooth: 5.3 (SBC, AAC)
Noise cancelling: Yes
Wireless charging: Yes
Waterproof rating: IP54
Battery life: 4hrs (+16hrs from charging case)
Weight 4.3g (per earbud)
The AirPods 4 are another triumph, and proof that you can deliver decent ANC without eartips. They have seen less significant price cuts than the Bose though, and lose a lot of features when used with Android devices. We also prefer the fuller sound quality and noise cancellation of the Bose, though many may disagree (providing the AirPods 4 stay in their ears).
For
- Clean, detailed, agile, powerful sound
- Impressive ANC effect for an ‘open’ design
- Compact, lightweight and comfortable design
- Extensive feature set that borrows from flagship model
- Seamless use with iOS devices
Against
- Battery life lags behind the competition
- Fit won’t suit everyone
- Needs a greater dose of dynamic subtlety, solidity and punch to be a class leader
