Bose QuietComfort Headphones: What Reviewers Say About the 2023 Model

QuietComfort is the name that built the noise-cancelling category, and the 2023 QuietComfort Headphones are Bose’s mainstream flagship: the successor to the QC45, sitting a tier below the QuietComfort Ultra. Reviewers across five outlets agree on the essentials. These are among the most comfortable headphones you can put on, the noise cancelling is excellent and now adjustable, and the trade-offs are specific enough to list.

This listing is the Bose QuietComfort Headphones in black. Bose prices this model below the QuietComfort Ultra, which makes it the more accessible way into a current Bose flagship line; check the current price on Amazon.

One clarity note: Bose’s naming is genuinely confusing. This article covers the model called simply QuietComfort Headphones, released in 2023. It is not the older QC45 and not the pricier QuietComfort Ultra. Every source below reviewed this exact model.

The short version

The formula is classic Bose. Quiet mode is full noise cancelling, Aware mode is transparency, and unlike the QC45 you can now tune the ANC level and save two custom presets, including a wind block setting. SoundGuys measured real-world low-frequency noise reduction that cuts engine and cabin rumble to a fraction, and TechGearLab’s bench put average reduction around 27 dB. Battery tests bracket the 24 hour claim: TechGearLab got 23 hours, SoundGuys ran 27 plus.

Comfort is the headline everywhere. At roughly 240 grams with a gentle clamp, TechGearLab called all-day wear realistic and specifically noted they play nicely with glasses. Trusted Reviews ranked comfort above nearly everything else in its verdict.

Sound is warm and bass-forward. Tom’s Guide, TechRadar and Trusted Reviews all heard an improvement over the QC45; SoundGuys disagreed, measuring uneven treble and elevated sub-bass, and preferred the older model’s tuning. If your library leans acoustic, that split is worth knowing about.

Who this is for

The consensus buyer is a frequent flyer, commuter or open-office worker who wants set-and-forget noise cancelling and comfort first. Multipoint pairing to two devices works reliably, there is a real 3.5 mm wired option with an inline mic, and the physical buttons drew praise over finicky touch panels.

The honest caveats: codec support stops at SBC and AAC, so there is no hi-res path here; Bose reserves that for the Ultra. There is no wear detection or spatial audio. You cannot fully switch ANC off without saving a custom preset. And two separate labs flagged mediocre call quality, so take important calls on something else.

The bottom line

Reviewers kept saying some version of the same thing: great, but the Ultra exists. The case for this model is the comfort and noise cancelling that made the line famous, with the adjustable ANC the QC45 never got, without paying Ultra money. Check the current price on Amazon; the wider the gap to the Ultra, the easier a pick this is for travel comfort from a known brand.