When it comes to the best noise-canceling earbuds, none do it better than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra, which you can get right now for $249 (originally $299). I can say this is the best price they’ve been after checking my usual price tracking tools. (If you’d rather have noise-canceling over-ear headphones, check out our roundup to determine the best fit for you.)
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds are great at tuning out low and high frequencies alike. The included ear tip options make it easier to ensure a snug fit, which is crucial for noise canceling. After improving on 2022’s Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, the third generation of the QuietComfort earbuds from 2023 improved some aspects of an already very good pair of earbuds. The active noise cancellation (ANC) technology is the same, but Bose added spatial audio (they call it immersive audio), which is a way of hearing the world around you with your earbuds on. They also added AptX Adaptive codec, so that you can hear high-quality streamed media better.
Like most Bluetooth earbuds these days, the earbuds have touch controls, letting you tap or swipe to control your media. They also have an IPX4 rating, which means you can splash water or sweat on them without worrying they’ll get damaged. You can expect to get four to six hours of charge time after a full charge and 12 to 18 hours from the case, depending on usage. They take about two hours to fully charge.
