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Headphones comparison

Bose QuietComfort vs Apple AirPods 4

Compare sound, battery life, fit, controls and connections.

Compared products
01Selected
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds

  • In-ear design uses sealing ear tips.
  • Up to 31.5 hours with the case.
  • Bluetooth 5.3 connection.
  • Can stay connected to two devices.
  • Noise cancellation for listening.
KSh 24,500In Stock
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02
Apple AirPods 4 ANC

Apple AirPods 4 ANC

  • In-ear design uses sealing ear tips.
  • 4.3 g.
  • Uses USB-C for charging.
  • Noise cancellation for listening.
  • Up to 4 hours per charge.
KSh 26,000In Stock
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2 spaces available

Sony WF-1000XM4KSh 29,500
Apple AirPods Pro 2KSh 28,500
Sony WF-1000XM5KSh 27,000
Apple AirPods 4KSh 19,500
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FEKSh 12,000
Powerbeats FitKSh 34,000
Sony WF-1000XM6KSh 50,000
2 of 4 products

Our quick verdict

Choose the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds if you want longer rated battery life (8.5 hours per charge) and a lower price (KSh 1,500 less). Choose the Apple AirPods 4 ANC if you want IP54 water resistance and faster recharging (5 minutes).

Fit

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
S, M and L ear tips and stability bands
Apple AirPods 4 ANC
Open-fit design

Weight

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
10.9 g per earbud
Apple AirPods 4 ANC
4.3 grams

Battery life

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
Up to 31.5 hours with the case
Apple AirPods 4 ANC
Up to 4 hours per charge

Controls

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
Customizable tap, swipe and hold controls
Apple AirPods 4 ANC
Press once to play or pause media

Water resistance

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
IPX4 water and dust resistance
Apple AirPods 4 ANC
IP54 water and dust resistance

Key differences

The main differences to help you choose.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds

  • Rated for up to 8.5 hours per charge (vs 4).
  • Lower price: KSh 24,500 (vs KSh 26,000).
  • Case type: Wireless charging case.

Apple AirPods 4 ANC

  • IP54 water and dust resistance (vs IPX4).
  • Recharges faster: 5 minutes (vs 1.5 hours).
  • Case type: Charging Case (USB-C) with speaker.
  • Supports spatial audio.
  • Active noise cancellation.

What matters most to you?

Choose any priorities

How each product answers the questions buyers ask most. Tick a topic to add it, untick one to hide it.

More topicsFewer topics
6 priorities selected.
How each product answers the selected priorities
PriorityBose QuietComfort EarbudsApple AirPods 4 ANC
Weight10.9 g per earbud4.3 grams
Battery lifeUp to 31.5 hours with the caseUp to 4 hours per charge
ConnectionsBluetooth 5.3Bluetooth 5.3
Water resistanceIPX4 water and dust resistanceIP54 water and dust resistance
Charging20 minutes provides up to 3 hours of playback5 minutes in the case provides around 1 hour of listening time
SoftwareWorks with the Bose QCE appBuilt into supported Apple operating systems

Detailed comparison

Explore the full specifications, section by section.

General

General specifications comparison
SpecificationBose QuietComfort EarbudsApple AirPods 4 ANC
BrandBoseApple
ModelQuietComfort EarbudsAirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
Announced18 September 20242024
TypeTrue Wireless In-Ear EarbudsTrue Wireless In-Ear Earbuds
Color—White

Design

Design specifications comparison
SpecificationBose QuietComfort EarbudsApple AirPods 4 ANC
Weight0.024 lb per earbud4.3 grams
Dimensions1.14 × 0.99 × 0.83 inches per earbud30.2 mm x 18.3 mm x 18.1 mm

Battery & Charging

Battery & Charging specifications comparison
SpecificationBose QuietComfort EarbudsApple AirPods 4 ANC
Battery LifeUp to 8.5 hours; up to 31.5 hours including charging caseUp to 4 hours of listening time on a single charge with Active Noise Cancellation enabled; Up to 5 hours of listening time on a single charge with noise control off
Charging Time1.5 hours—
Fast Charging20 minutes provides up to 3 hours of playback5 minutes in the case provides around 1 hour of listening time
Charging PortUSB-C on charging caseUSB-C
Wireless ChargingYes, charging caseYes

Connectivity

Connectivity specifications comparison
SpecificationBose QuietComfort EarbudsApple AirPods 4 ANC
ConnectionBluetooth wirelessBluetooth
Bluetooth5.3Bluetooth 5.3
Bluetooth RangeUp to 30 feet—
Multipoint ConnectionYes—
Cable Length30 cm charging cableNo audio cable included
App SupportBose QCE appBuilt into supported Apple operating systems; no separate app
Connector—Wireless audio connection

Features

Features specifications comparison
SpecificationBose QuietComfort EarbudsApple AirPods 4 ANC
Voice AssistantNative voice assistant access through Bose QCE appSiri
Special FeaturesVoice ID; voice commands; remote selfie controlLive Translation for communicating across languages
Sensors—Optical in-ear sensor; Motion-detecting accelerometer; Speech-detecting accelerometer; Force sensor

Audio

Audio specifications comparison
SpecificationBose QuietComfort EarbudsApple AirPods 4 ANC
Active Noise CancellationAdjustable active noise cancellationYes
Transparency / Ambient ModeAware modeAdaptive Audio; Transparency mode; Conversation Awareness
MicrophonesThree microphones per earbud; six totalDual beamforming microphones; Inward-facing microphone
Audio FeaturesAdjustable five-band EQCustom high dynamic range amplifier; Adaptive Audio; Conversation Awareness; Voice Isolation; Adaptive EQ; Vent system for pressure equalization; H2 headphone chip
Drivers—Custom high-excursion Apple driver
Spatial Audio—Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking

Charging Case

Charging Case specifications comparison
SpecificationBose QuietComfort EarbudsApple AirPods 4 ANC
Case TypeWireless charging caseCharging Case (USB-C) with speaker
Case Battery LifeUp to 31.5 hours total including earbudsUp to 20 hours of listening time with Active Noise Cancellation enabled; Up to 30 hours of listening time with noise control off
Case Charging PortUSB-CUSB-C
Case Wireless ChargingYesYes
Case Dimensions1.38 × 2.76 × 1.90 inches46.2 mm x 50.1 mm x 21.2 mm
Case Weight0.104 lb34.7 grams
Case Charging—Works with USB-C connector, Apple Watch charger, or Qi-certified chargers
Case Features—Includes a speaker for use with Find My proximity view

Design & Controls

Design & Controls specifications comparison
SpecificationBose QuietComfort EarbudsApple AirPods 4 ANC
ControlsCustomizable tap, swipe and hold controlsPress once to play or pause media; Press once to answer a call or mute or unmute; Press once for camera remote; Press twice to end a call; Press twice to skip forward; Press three times to skip back; Press and hold for Siri; Say "Hey Siri" or just "Siri"to do things like play a song, make a call, or get directions
Water & Dust ResistanceIPX4Dust, sweat, and water resistant (IP54)
Ear Tips / Ear CushionsS, M and L ear tips and stability bandsOpen-fit design

What's in the Box

What's in the Box specifications comparison
SpecificationBose QuietComfort EarbudsApple AirPods 4 ANC
Headphones / EarbudsBose QuietComfort EarbudsAirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
Charging CaseWireless charging caseCharging Case (USB-C) with speaker
Charging Cable30 cm USB-A to USB-C cableUSB-C charge cable sold separately
Audio CableTrue wireless designNot included
Ear Tips / AccessoriesThree sizes of ear tips and stability bandsOpen-fit design
DocumentationSafety sheetDocumentation

Similarities

  • Both charge over USB-C.
  • Both have built-in microphones for calls.
  • Both connect over Bluetooth.
  • Both use In-ear design uses sealing ear tips.

In summary

Choose Apple AirPods 4 ANC for IP54 water and dust resistance and faster recharging; Bose QuietComfort offers longer rated battery life at a lower price.

Back to compared products ↑

In-stock alternatives

Beats Fit ProFor Bose QuietComfort EarbudsBeats Fit ProView product ↗JBL Tour Pro 2For Bose QuietComfort EarbudsJBL Tour Pro 2View product ↗Apple AirPods 5For Apple AirPods 4 ANCApple AirPods 5View product ↗Sony WF-1000XM5For Apple AirPods 4 ANCSony WF-1000XM5View product ↗

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