Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)
vs
Quick take: The Apple AirPods Pro 3 costs $59 less; the Apple AirPods Pro 3 lasts longer per charge (8 hrs); only the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) supports multipoint (two devices at once).
| Spec | Apple AirPods Pro 3 | Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $190 | $249 |
| Rating | 4.6★ (12,000) | 4.3★ (2,500) |
| Type | Wireless Earbuds | Wireless Earbuds |
| Noise Cancelling | Adaptive ANC | Adaptive ANC |
| Battery (single charge) | 8 hrs | 6 hrs |
| Battery (with case) | 24 hrs | 24 hrs |
| Quick Charge | 5 min = 1 hr | 20 min = 2 hr |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Multipoint | No | Yes |
| Driver Size | — | — |
| Weight | 5.55 g | 7.7 g |
| Water Resistance | IP57 | IPX4 |
| Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes |
| Transparency Mode | Yes | Yes |
| Spatial Audio | Yes | Yes |
| App EQ | No | Yes |
Pros & cons
Apple AirPods Pro 3
- ✓ANC roughly doubled over Pro 2 — trades blows with Bose
- ✓8-hour ANC battery, up two hours over Pro 2
- ✓Foam-infused tips finally seal without third-party swaps
- ✓IP57 survives sweaty workouts and rain
- ✓Best-in-class transparency and call quality
- ✓Heart-rate sensing plus a genuinely useful hearing-aid mode
- ✗AAC only — Android loses hi-res and most features
- ✗No real EQ beyond Apple's presets
- ✗Slimmer case dropped total battery to 24 hours
- ✗Multipoint limited to Apple device auto-switching
- ✗Battery isn't user-replaceable — degradation gripes persist
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)
- ✓Strongest earbud ANC anywhere — low rumble just vanishes
- ✓CustomTune calibration adapts silencing to your ears
- ✓Gen 2 finally adds a wireless-charging case
- ✓Multipoint finally arrives in the second generation
- ✓AI suppression fixed gen one's mediocre call quality
- ✓aptX Adaptive on supported Android phones
- ✗6-hour battery trails Sony XM5 and Technics AZ100
- ✗Immersive Audio drops runtime near 4 hours
- ✗Chunky 7.7g buds fatigue smaller ears
- ✗No LDAC, and EQ is a basic three-band
- ✗Wind overwhelms the ANC outdoors, owners report