The QuietComfort 45, a new set of wireless noise-canceling headphones from Bose, was introduced on Tuesday. The new headphones are available for preorder now for $330, with shipment set to begin on September 23. The QuietComfort series has proven successful for Bose over the years, so it’s not surprising that the QuietComfort 45 is quite similar to its predecessor, the QuietComfort 35 II, which was released about four years ago. Their design is quite similar to that of the earlier pair, with a few small tweaks to the sides and ear cushions to smooth out the appearance, and a foldable design.
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There are still physical controls for volume, playback, and noise cancelling, as well as taking calls, but the previous micro USB connector has been replaced with USB-C, which is a welcome change. For wired listening, Bose continues to employ a 2.5 mm connection rather than the more ubiquitous 3.5 mm socket, but it does supply a 3.5 mm to 2.5 mm cable in the package if necessary. The headphones are available in two colours: Black and White Smoke.
Apart from clever marketing, the major reason people buy QuietComfort is Bose’s Acoustic Noise Cancellation (ANC) technology, which has regularly ranked among the most effective on the market. Bose claims that the QuietComfort 45 now has a “new electronics package” that helps it identify and remove mid-range sounds better than before.
There are two noise-cancelling capabilities: a “Quiet” mode for classic active noise cancellation and an “Aware” mode that appears to operate similarly to competitor headphones’ ambient sound modes.
In terms of microphone performance, the QC45s are likewise a step forward. A beam form array has been incorporated by Bose for enhanced speech isolation on conversations, as well as a “rejection array” that prevents distracting adjacent noises from being picked up and sent to whoever you’re speaking with.
Bose’s QC series has always made it to our roundups of the best accessories for flagship smartphones like the latest
Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Flip 3. Moreover, they work seamlessly as the perfect wireless headphones for desktops and Mac Mini
The QuietComfort 45s are said to last up to 24 hours on a charge. This is an improvement over the QuietComfort 35 IIs’ 20-hour battery life, but it still falls short of competitors like Sony’s WH-1000XM4, which has a battery life of more than 30 hours. A 15-minute charge, according to Bose, would provide three hours of playing.
Image credits: Bose
