Over-ear wireless headphones aren’t for everyone, but if you’re looking for killer sound and top-tier active noise cancellation (ANC), it’s often worth adding a bit of bulk to your personal audio experience. The problem is, where does one even start? There are lots of pairs in the world, and dropping upwards of $300 on wireless headphones is probably a daunting prospect for most.
As Gizmodo’s resident wireless headphones reviewer, I can tell you Apple and Bose aren’t bad places to start if you have the budget—and it’s not just because of name-brand pedigree. Apple’s new AirPods Max 2 and Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) both have strengths, but with a significant difference in price point, there are some pros and cons to keep in mind. So, which pair of ANC deserves your hard-earned cash? Let’s break it down.
AirPods Max 2 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Design
© Raymond Wong / GizmodoLooks are probably one of the biggest differences between these two pairs of wireless headphones. While Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) are fairly benign in the design department, the AirPods Max 2 (which are unchanged from the original look) definitely have a large footprint on your head.
There’s no getting around it: AirPods Max 2 are big, and unlike the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), the earcups are metal, which gives them some weight—Apple’s pair is 386g compared to Bose’s, which is about 264g. That’s a big difference. The ear cushions are also notably different, with Bose opting for memory foam pads covered by fake leather and Apple using a mesh cover with memory foam inside. Both are removable and replaceable.
There are functional design differences, too. The AirPods Max 2, for instance, have Apple’s “Digital Crown,” which is a scroll wheel on the top of the right earcup that can be spun to lower or increase volume or pressed down to play/pause or skip tracks. There’s also a pill-shaped button on the top-right earcup for switching between noise-cancellation modes.
The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), on the other hand, have a standard button on the right earcup for track skipping and play/pause and switching between noise cancellation modes, and then a touch-sensitive pad on the right earcup for controlling volume.
While I like Apple’s Digital Crown over Bose’s button combination, the AirPods Max design is a bit much for me. I personally vibe with something that’s lighter and less weight on my head. Though Apple does a good job of trying to mitigate the weight of the AirPods Max 2 with a mesh, lightweight headband, if I had to pick one pair to wear consistently, it would be Bose’s, even despite Apple’s slightly nicer buttons.
Winner: QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
AirPods Max 2 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Sound
© Raymond Wong / GizmodoLet me start by saying that both pairs are known for their sound quality, so there isn’t a wrong choice here necessarily—notice I wrote “necessarily.” That’s because while the $450 QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) sound good, the AirPods Max 2 sound excellent. Sure, $550 is an astronomical sum to spend on a pair of wireless headphones, even for people willing to swallow the Apple premium, but there’s no denying that the AirPods Max 2 are some of the best-sounding over-ear wireless headphones I’ve put on my head. Period.
As a refresher, I compared the two wireless headphones back-to-back by listening to Pink Floyd’s “Fearless” all the way through, and the AirPods Max 2 do indeed outshine the Bose ANC headphones. The soundstage is bigger, and each frequency range just feels a little better represented. And for $100 more than the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), they ought to excel in the sound department. On top of that, the AirPods Max 2 also improve on the already great-sounding AirPods Max from 2024. I don’t know that you need to rush out and get AirPods Max 2 if you already have an older pair, but if sound is your biggest metric on a pair of headphones, it’s worth considering the Apple premium this time.
Winner: AirPods Max 2
AirPods Max 2 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Comfort
© Raymond Wong / GizmodoI think we can all acknowledge that while AirPods Max are known for having great sound, ANC, and transparency, the build is not a major selling point for most. The AirPods Max 2, like prior generations, are bulky, and while I wouldn’t call them uncomfortable, they just have a presence on your head. Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), on the other hand, are lightweight and form-fitting. They’re still wireless headphones, so they’re noticeable when you wear them, but nowhere near the same obnoxiousness as AirPods Max 2.
Bose puts comfort right in the name, in this case, and the inclusion feels earned. If you’re looking for a pair of wireless headphones that are fairly lightweight, comfy, and can be worn all day without fatiguing your head, then the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) are definitely the winner in this race.
Winner: QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
AirPods Max 2 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Battery life and features
© Raymond Wong / GizmodoAnother benefit of over-ear wireless headphones is that they typically have longer battery life, and while neither of these pairs is breaking any records, they’re solid by most people’s standards. The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) do have a notable edge here, getting 30 hours with ANC on as opposed to AirPods Max 2, which get 20 hours with ANC activated.
Features, however, are a different story. Both pairs have spatial audio, adaptive ANC, and transparency modes, but Apple pulls ahead in some of these categories and expands the feature set beyond what Bose’s wireless headphones can do. One area where AirPods Max 2 are still excellent is transparency. QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) have “Aware Mode,” which is solid, but the AirPods Max 2, like previous generations, still have the best transparency in town. Things just sound loads more natural.
On top of that, the AirPods Max 2 have some stuff that the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) don’t, such as Live Translation, which uses Apple Intelligence to translate languages in real time, and Conversation Awareness, which automatically quiets music when you speak so you can have a conversation without removing your headphones.
Because both have an edge in their respective departments, I’m going to have to call this one a tie, though, depending on what you value in a pair of wireless headphones, your opinion will differ.
Winner: tie
AirPods Max 2 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): ANC
© Raymond Wong / GizmodoIn this case, I’ve saved the most competitive category for last. While I’ve been championing the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) as my favorite pair of ANC headphones since I first reviewed them in October 2025, they appear to have finally met a more-than-worthy competitor in the AirPods Max 2. ANC was one of the biggest selling points of Apple’s newest pair of wireless headphones (they’re allegedly 1.5x better at noise-cancelling than the previous generation), and after using them myself, I can tell you that it’s not just marketing.
The AirPods Max 2 rival the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) in the ANC department, and sometimes maybe even feel a little bit better. Both wireless headphones are beasts against super noisy environments like the subway, and while I haven’t tested the AirPods Max 2 on a plane, I wouldn’t think twice about relying on them to drown out crying babies and the like. Having used the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) on a plane, I can tell you for certain that they’re formidable.
Ultimately, though, without frequency charts and specialized equipment at my disposal, the ANC competition may be too close to call. The bottom line is that if you’re looking to cancel a ton of noise, you’ll most likely be pleased with either pair.
Winner: tie
Bottom line
© Raymond Wong / GizmodoThese are two of the best pairs of wireless headphones I’ve tried in recent memory, and if you’re in the market for something premium that comes with great sound and great ANC, you can’t go wrong. With that said, Apple’s AirPods Max 2—despite being ridiculously expensive—have a notable edge in one of the most important categories (if not the most important category) a pair ofwireless headphones can excel in: sound.
For $100 more, you’ll get ANC that rivals the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) with a significant sound improvement and more features. If you can forgive the heft and the price, the AirPods Max 2 are a winner, even if the haters tell you you’re just an Apple fanboy. For those without budget constraints, the AirPods Max 2 are the way to go, and for everyone else, Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) are a premium option that you won’t have to take out a home loan for.
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