We may earn compensation from reviewed products. Learn about our editorial policies.
Need-to-knows
- AirPods Max 2 are more expensive and noticeably heavier than the QC Ultra 2
- Both have USB-C lossless audio
- Bluetooth 5.3 (Apple) vs 5.4 (Bose), battery life is ~10 hours shorter on the AirPods Max 2
- AirPods Max 2 win on transparency mode and mic quality
- QC Ultra 2 win on comfort, EQ, and cross-platform usability
I’ve already pitted Apple’s AirPods Max 2 against the Sony XM6, that’s on the channel and the website if you missed it. But the comparison request landing in my YouTube comments more than any other has been this one: AirPods Max 2 vs the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2.
So, here we are. Expect fireworks in the comments section.
A quick reminder on what we’re comparing here. The AirPods Max 2 are the long-awaited proper successor to the original AirPods Max, and they’re a meaningful step up. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 are more of a sensible mid-season refresh, not a wild departure from the previous generation, but still very, very good.
The question isn’t really which is better. It’s what’s right for you.
Specs and pricing
Two very different headphones at two very different price points. I’ve popped a full comparison table below for you to digest at your leisure.
| Category | AirPods Max 2 | Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $549 / £499 | $449 / £449 |
| Driver size | 40mm | 35mm |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.4 |
| Codecs | AAC | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive (incl. aptX Lossless) |
| Lossless audio (wired) | 24-bit / 48kHz via USB-C | 16-bit / 44.1–48kHz via USB-C |
| Battery life (ANC on) | Up to 20 hours | Up to 30 hours |
| Battery life (Immersive/Spatial off) | Up to 20 hours | Up to 45 hours |
| Quick charge | ~1.5 hrs playback from 5 min charge | ~2.5 hrs playback from 15 min charge |
| Weight | 386.2g (13.6 oz) | 263g (9.3 oz) |
| Multipoint pairing | No | Yes (2 devices) |
| ANC modes | ANC / Transparency / Adaptive Audio | Quiet / Aware / Immersive / Cinema |
| Spatial audio | Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking (Dolby Atmos) | Bose Immersive Audio (Still / Motion / Cinema modes) |
| EQ | Adaptive EQ only (no manual adjustment) | Full adjustable EQ + presets via Bose app |
| Controls | Digital Crown + listening mode button | Power/BT button + multifunction button + capacitive touch volume strip |
| Microphones | 9 total (8 for ANC, 3 for voice) | Noise-rejecting mics with AI noise suppression |
| On-head detection | Yes | Yes |
| Wired analog input | No | Yes (2.5mm TRS on left earcup) |
| Charging port | USB-C | USB-C |
| IP rating | None | None |
| Ecosystem | Apple ecosystem optimised | iOS and Android |
| Colours | Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, Orange | Black, White Smoke, Midnight Violet, Driftwood Sand, Desert Gold |
The interesting bits: the AirPods Max 2 are more expensive, they’re noticeably heavier, and their battery is around ten hours shorter than the QC Ultra 2’s.
Both also have USB-C lossless audio, which is rather lovely and will please the increasing number of people who seem to be attaching their listening devices via a cable. Both have on-head detection, too, which is a personal favourite feature of yours truly. Take them off, and the music pauses; put them back on, and it picks up where it left off.
Let’s get into the nitty-gritty, shall we?
Design
The AirPods Max 2 look and feel exactly like a flagship pair of headphones from Apple should. Aluminium casing, that beautiful, shiny, telescoping arm mechanism for size adjustment; it’s the same obsessive attention to industrial detail that Apple has always had. They are, undeniably, premium in a way nothing else in the category really is.
The QC Ultra 2 are from a different school of design. More plastic, more practical, less “look at me”. There’s some metal in the headband and a leather-feel finish on the cushions that pulls them up a notch, and I do prefer the way they look to the Sony XM6. Next to Apple’s cans, though, they’re still not quite as top-end looking. That’s where a lot of the extra money goes when you buy the AirPods Max 2.
Seen the full Sony showdown? Check out my AirPods Max 2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6 breakdown
However, if you don’t have hair (like me), the AirPods Max 2 just sit better on your head. The earcups are relatively shallow, the headband settles flat against your bonce, and they look less like a pair of headphones bolted to your skull. The Bose stick out a bit further because the earcups are deeper.
Those who aren’t follicly-challenged won’t be as bothered about this particular point of comparison, but it’s worth noting.
Weight and comfort
The AirPods Max 2 are a heavy pair of headphones. It’s never bothered me personally, but I know it bothers a lot of people, and on a long flight or a four-hour writing session, you’re going to feel them.
The QC Ultra 2 are lighter, softer on the head, and one of the most comfortable over-ears I’ve ever worn.
This is the trade-off that defines the whole comparison. Premium build quality and Apple-grade industrial design come with a weight penalty. The Bose feel (slightly) less special the moment you pick them up, and considerably better the moment you’ve had them on for an hour.
It’s a case of picking your priority.
And that’s an awesome segue into my next section.
Cases
I’m a bit obsessed with headphone cases. Perhaps too obsessed, one might (fairly) argue.
The AirPods Max case (officially the Smart Case, I always forget what it’s called) is small, thin, and slips into a backpack compartment without fuss. Because the AirPods Max 2 don’t have a power button, dropping them into the case is what triggers the ultra-low-power mode. No matter what you think of the Smart Case, it does technically do the job it is intended for.
The QC Ultra 2 case is the proper, traditional sort — bigger, harder, and built around the fact that the headphones fold correctly (horray). It offers more protection, but the trade-off (there’s that phrase again) is that it takes up more room. It is, however, my preferred type of headphone protection and one of the best examples on the market.
Best Android earbuds? Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro review
Now, over the last couple of years, I’ve been told quite forcibly in the comments sections of my YouTube videos that a lot of you don’t bother with headphone cases at all. You just chuck the headphones in your bag. Naked.
Each to their own. I’m a “keep them pristine” type, so I lean towards the bigger Bose case for the protection. But I get the impression Apple unleashed the Smart Case on us precisely because they know a chunk of buyers don’t bother with traditional cases. That’s smart, even if it’s not what I’d pick.
Controls
The AirPods Max 2 have the best controls on the market, and Apple has proved that you only need two physical inputs: a button for noise-cancelling and transparency modes, and the digital crown for volume and playback. That’s it. No swipes, no taps, no accidental presses of touch controls. Because there aren’t any.
Bose is halfway there. There are buttons for power, ANC modes, and playback, which is more than the Sony XM6 offer, but volume is done through a touch surface on the right earcup. It works, but it also misfires when your hands are cold or when you’re walking down the road.
Just give us buttons all round, please!
Sound
The AirPods Max 2 have a new amp, a rebuilt DSP, and the H2 chip. They sound markedly better than the first generation.
The QC Ultra 2 are largely the same as the previous generation, with a small degree of polish on top. Once again: a sensible mid-season refresh.
When I A/B the AirPods Max 2 versus the Bose, the latter just edge it. They’re a touch more controlled. Both are bright in a pleasant way, but the QC Ultra 2 also have proper EQ controls in the app. Apple doesn’t really do EQ on any of their headphones or earbuds; you get a handful of presets, and that’s it. The Bose let you nudge things to taste.
We’re talking fine margins, though, guys. Both have a wide soundstage, both nail the midrange, both have detailed instrument separation, and the bottom end on either pair is satisfying — sub-bass burbles along nicely on whichever you choose. You won’t be disappointed by either.
For a different angle on the Bose: Sony XM6 vs Bose QC Ultra 2
Apple still wins when it comes to Spatial Audio and proper Dolby Atmos support, though.
Noise cancelling
The differences between flagship ANC headphones (when it comes to ANC itself) are now so small that comparing them has become a wonderful problem to have. If you buy either of these on the strength of the noise cancelling alone, you’re going to be delighted.
A/B the two and the AirPods Max 2 are the better canceller. Just. They feel less artificial — there’s a touch less of that pressurised, sealed-in sensation you sometimes get with very aggressive ANC.
The Bose are very close, though. In fact, the gap here is smaller than the one between the AirPods Max 2 and the Sony XM6 — the QC Ultra 2 are the closest thing to Apple’s ANC I’ve tested.
But — same caveat as the audio — you have to swap both pairs in real time to notice the minor differences. No one does that apart from us YouToobers.
They are both excellent at noise cancelling.
Transparency mode
This is where the AirPods Max 2 keep their crown. Apple’s transparency mode has been class-leading on both the AirPods Max and the AirPods Pro for years now, and I genuinely have no idea how they’re doing it. Tim must have employed every transparency-mode expert on the planet — it’s the only explanation.
The QC Ultra 2 are close to the AirPods Max 2 when it comes to transparency, but they’re still not quite there.
Need help picking between all the options? My best headphones guide rounds up everything I’ve tested
If you spend a lot of time wanting to hear yourself talk while wearing the headphones — calls, conversations, walking somewhere busy — Apple wins. Again.
Mic quality
AirPods Max 2, hands-down.
Go watch the YouTube version of this review and marvel at how good Apple’s cans are when it comes to mic quality.
Not that the Bose are bad, but… well, you’ll see what I mean.
Wrapping up
Buy the AirPods Max 2 if you’re already in the Apple ecosystem, you have the budget, and you want the best transparency mode, the best controls, the best spatial audio, and the most premium-feeling pair of over-ears on the market. They are that good.
Buy the QC Ultra 2 if you live across Apple, Windows, and Android, and you want a slightly cheaper pair of headphones that are noticeably more comfortable for long sessions, sound a tiny bit better (to my ears, at least), and give you proper EQ control.
If you forced me to pick one pair, it’d be the AirPods Max 2. I’m ensconced in the Apple ecosystem, I have no hair, and they look better sat on my bonce than anything else on the market. That’s the honest reason.
Let me know in the comments which one you’d go for — and which comparison you want me to tackle next.
