Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II Review

If you want the quietest commute and the most comfortable in-ear ANC at this price (£195), buy these — but skip them if you take lots of voice calls or need seamless multipoint switching.

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The quick answer

These earbuds are built for people who spend hours on trains, planes or in open offices and want quiet without compromising comfort. At £195 the QuietComfort Earbuds II deliver industry-leading, app-personalised ANC and tuned Active EQ that make listening feel consistently full; they’re worth the price if noise suppression is your priority.

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What we tested

We reviewed the Soapstone (light) finish over two weeks of daily use: morning and evening commutes, open‑plan office days, and a 6‑hour flight. Tests used the Bose Music app’s personalisation routine, streaming Spotify and taking routine phone calls on an iPhone and a MacBook.

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What it does well

Personalised ANC that actually works The Bose Music app measures your ear profile and tunes cancellation accordingly — rated 5/5 for ANC — and in our commute tests they reduced subway and airplane noise more effectively than the Sony WF-1000XM4 in the same environments.

Comfort and secure fit for long wear The Fit Kit (three ear tips and three stability bands) makes these noticeably more comfortable across long sessions; the seal improves ANC and keeps the buds from shifting on crowded commutes.

Sound tuned to your ears Volume‑optimised Active EQ and app-led personalisation keep vocals and detail balanced at varied volumes, giving fuller sound than generic presets without bloated bass.

Handy fast charging and USB‑C You get up to 6 hours per charge and a 20‑minute quick charge adds about 2 hours when you’re short; the case uses USB‑C so you won’t need a proprietary cable.

Stable modern Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.3 provides reliable connections for streaming and video; audio dropouts were rare in daily use.

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Where it falls short

Call quality is middling — avoid if you do many meetings Reviewers and our tests heard voices as recessed or boxy; the microphones are serviceable for occasional calls but not for frequent client meetings or podcasting (rating 2/5).

No true multipoint — awkward if you switch devices often Per Bose regional specs there’s no true multipoint. If you regularly hop between phone and laptop you’ll face manual switching delays other rivals solve (rating 3/5).

Battery life is good but not class-leading Six hours per charge is fine for commutes and many workdays, but rivals offer significantly longer single-charge run times if you prioritise endurance.

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How it compares

Closest rival: Sony WF-1000XM4. If your priority is the quietest, most comfortable ride and the best personalised ANC, pick the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II; if you value clearer call quality, longer battery life, or slightly better multipoint behaviour, the Sony WF-1000XM4 is the smarter choice for heavy callers.

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Score: 8.2/10

Verdict — buy if: You commute, travel or work in noisy places and want the most effective, personalised ANC and a comfortable, tuned listening experience.

Skip if: You take lots of voice calls or need seamless multipoint pairing between multiple devices because the microphones and multi-device switching lag better alternatives.

Buy them here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bose-QuietComfort-Cancelling-Personalized-Cancellation-Soapstone/dp/B0B7838HH6?tag=tomisindev-20