Bose
Bose QuietComfort Ultra
CustomTune ANC · Immersive Audio · LDAC
93
/ 100
From $429
VS
Bose QuietComfort Ultra wins by 5
Apple
AirPods Max (USB-C)
H1 · Spatial Audio · Dynamic Head Tracking
88
/ 100
From $549
Specdex verdict
Bose QuietComfort Ultra takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Bose QuietComfort Ultra lands at 93 and AirPods Max (USB-C) at 88. That puts Bose QuietComfort Ultra ahead by 5 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Bose QuietComfort Ultra if…
- ✓Best comfort in class
- ✓Excellent ANC
- ✓Immersive Audio spatial feature
Pick AirPods Max (USB-C) if…
- ✓Premium aluminum build
- ✓Seamless Apple integration
- ✓Head-tracked spatial audio
Score breakdown
Bose QuietComfort Ultra
93 anc 96
sound 92
comfort 98
battery 86
features 90
AirPods Max (USB-C)
88 anc 92
sound 92
comfort 82
battery 82
features 86
Specs side-by-side
Spec
Bose QuietComfort Ultra
AirPods Max (USB-C)
Driver
35 mm dynamic
40 mm dynamic
Battery
24 h (ANC on)
20 h
Weight
254 g
384 g
Codecs
SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive
AAC, SBC
Connectivity
—
BT 5.0, USB-C lossless
Bose QuietComfort Ultra
Pros
- +Best comfort in class
- +Excellent ANC
- +Immersive Audio spatial feature
Cons
- −Bose app fiddly
- −No USB-C audio
- −Plastic build
AirPods Max (USB-C)
Pros
- +Premium aluminum build
- +Seamless Apple integration
- +Head-tracked spatial audio
Cons
- −Still uses H1 (not H2)
- −Heavy at 384 g
- −No power button / auto-pause
FAQ: Bose QuietComfort Ultra vs AirPods Max (USB-C)
Which is better, Bose QuietComfort Ultra or AirPods Max (USB-C)? +
Bose QuietComfort Ultra scores 93 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 5. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Bose QuietComfort Ultra worth the price? +
At $429, Bose QuietComfort Ultra delivers a Specdex score of 93 — strongest in comfort.
Is AirPods Max (USB-C) worth the price? +
At $549, AirPods Max (USB-C) delivers a Specdex score of 88 — strongest in anc.
Does Bose QuietComfort Ultra or AirPods Max (USB-C) last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.