Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) vs Nothing Headphone (1)

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QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) compared with Headphone (1)

	BoseQuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)	NothingHeadphone (1)
Overview
Released
Released	September 2025	July 2025
Sound
Type
Type	Over-ear	Over-ear
Noise cancelling
Noise cancelling	Yes	Yes
Transparency mode
Transparency mode	Yes	Yes
Spatial audio with head tracking
Spatial audio with head tracking	Yes	Yes
Driver size
Driver size	–	40 mm
Bluetooth codecs
Bluetooth codecs	SBC, AAC and aptX Adaptive	SBC, AAC and LDAC
Lossless over USB-C
Lossless over USB-C	Yes	Yes
Drivers
Drivers	–	40 mm dynamic driver with PU diaphragm surround, 16 Ω; 20 Hz to 40 kHz; sound tuned by KEF
Noise cancelling detail
Noise cancelling detail	Quiet Mode (full noise cancelling) and Aware Mode with ActiveSense, now smoother at damping sudden noise spikes; noise cancelling adjustable or fully off in the Bose app; CustomTune tailors sound and noise cancelling to your ears; wind block in custom modes	Real-time adaptive noise cancelling, up to 42 dB depth (Nothing's figure); Transparency mode
Audio features
Audio features	Bose Immersive Audio (Still keeps the virtual speakers in place as you turn your head; Motion lets them follow) and Cinema Mode; up to seven custom modes; adjustable EQ in the Bose app; lossless USB-C audio at 16-bit, 44.1 or 48 kHz; aptX Adaptive with Snapdragon Sound devices, which Bose says adapts to lossless audio and low latency; Gaming Mode	LDAC with Hi-Res Wireless certification (24-bit/96 kHz); USB-C audio; spatial audio with head tracking; Personal Sound profile from a hearing test in the Nothing X app; 8-band equaliser; Low Lag mode
Battery
Listening time (maker's claim)
Listening time (maker's claim)	Up to 30 hours	Up to 35 hours
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	Up to 23 hours with Immersive Audio on; up to 45 hours with noise cancelling and Immersive Audio off; tested by Bose at 75 dB SPL; low-power standby when laid flat or put in the case; can be used while charging	1040 mAh battery; with AAC, up to 35 hours with noise cancelling on or 80 hours off; with LDAC, up to 30 hours on or 54 hours off; talk time 37 hours with noise cancelling on, 53 hours off
Fast charging
Fast charging	15 minutes gives up to 3 hours with noise cancelling on and Immersive Audio off (Bose's test footnote gives 2.5 hours); full charge in up to 3 hours	5 minutes gives 2.4 hours of playback with noise cancelling on, or 5 hours with it off; full charge in 120 minutes over USB-C
Design
Weight
Weight	264 g (better)	329 g
Water and sweat resistance
Water and sweat resistance	–	IP52
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	5.4	5.3
Two devices at once
Two devices at once	Yes	Yes
Headphone cable
Headphone cable	Yes	Yes
Controls
Controls	On the right ear cup, a Bluetooth/power button, a multi-function button (play, pause, skip, calls and modes) and a capacitive volume strip (swipe for volume; touch and hold for a shortcut to Immersive Audio settings, Spotify Tap or the voice assistant); on-head detection pauses and resumes audio, answers calls and wakes the headphones	Roller (roll for volume, click to play or pause); Paddle (click to skip, hold to scrub); customisable Button with Channel Hop for recent media and favourites; power switch; on-head detection
Microphones
Microphones	Four microphones for calls, two on each ear cup	Three microphones on each side (six in total); four-microphone ENC for calls with Clear Voice Technology
Fit and ear tips
Fit and ear tips	Around-ear (circumaural) with an adjustable headband; removable protein leather cushions; plastic and aluminium build with polished metal yokes; folds for the carry case	Formed aluminium structural parts with precision-moulded plastics and a transparent casing on each ear cup; 189.25 × 173.85 × 78.0 mm
Water resistance detail
Water resistance detail	–	IP52 dust and water resistance
Works with
Works with	Bose app for iOS and Android; multipoint connection to two devices; Google Fast Pair; Spotify Tap; SimpleSync with a Bose Smart Soundbar or Bose Smart Speaker	Nothing X app; iOS 13 and above, Android 5.1 and above; dual connection to two devices; Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair; 10 m range
Colours
Colours	Black, White Smoke, Driftwood Sand and Midnight Violet at launch; Bose UK now also sells Cherry Chocolate, Desert Gold and Olive Green	White, Black
In the box
In the box	Headphones, carry case, 3.5 mm to 2.5 mm audio cable, USB-C to USB-C cable (99 cm), safety sheet	Headphones, softshell case (264 g), USB-C cable, 3.5 mm to 3.5 mm audio cable, user guide, safety and warranty information