True Wireless
Apple AirPods Pro 3
86Outstanding
$180
Full review dataApple AirPods Pro 3 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds: which should you buy?
Specs, scores and condensed review verdicts for the Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, side by side. Where a product has no HearWiki score yet, not enough reviews have been aggregated to rate it.
True Wireless
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
Not yet scored
$300
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Apple AirPods Pro 3 leads on 7 of 7 measures.
- Apple AirPods Pro 3
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
HearWiki score
86
-
Sound
8.6
-
Noise cancelling
9.3
-
Battery
7.3
-
Calls
7.4
-
Value
8.3
-
Price (USD)
$180
$300
Generation & platform
The scores rank quality. This is the other question: is the newer one actually newer technology, or the same platform in a new shell?
Half a step newer
Apple AirPods Pro 3 (2025) against Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2023). The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds edges ahead on platform, but only just: Top codec aptX Adaptive against AAC. The Apple AirPods Pro 3 answers on convenience features: it adds Water resistance IP57 against IPX4.
- AirPods Pro 320252 yr newer
- QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds2023
What differsAirPods Pro 3QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
- Top codec
- AAC
- aptX Adaptive
- Water resistance
- IP57
- IPX4
Platform
Everyday features
Level on: Bluetooth, ANC type, Multipoint pairing, USB-C, Wear detection, Transparency mode, Companion app.
Specifications
AirPods Pro 3QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
- Type
- True Wireless
- True Wireless
- Price (USD)
- $180
- $300
- HearWiki score
- 86
- Not scored
- Released
- 2025
- 2023
- Availability
- Sold new
- Discontinued
- Driver
- 10.7 mm dynamic
- 2× driver
- Driver type
- dynamic
- -
- Driver size
- 10.7 mm
- -
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 2
- Frequency response
- 20 Hz - 20 kHz
- -
- Sensitivity
- 110 dB/mW
- -
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- 5.3
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC
- SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- Yes
- Wireless range
- -
- 9 m
- Battery life
- 8 h
- 6 h
- Battery life (ANC on)
- 8 h
- 4 h
- Battery incl. case
- -
- 18 h
- Full charge time
- -
- 120 min
- Quick charge
- -
- 20 min → 2 h
- Wireless charging
- Yes
- -
- Active noise cancelling
- Yes
- Yes
- ANC type
- adaptive
- adaptive
- Transparency mode
- Yes
- Yes
- Companion app
- Yes
- Yes
- Custom EQ
- -
- Yes
- Wear detection
- Yes
- Yes
- Controls
- touch
- touch
- Voice assistant
- Siri
- -
- Weight
- 5.5 g
- 6.2 g
- Case weight
- 44 g
- 59.9 g
- Water resistance
- IP57
- IPX4
- USB-C
- Yes
- Yes
- Microphones
- 3
- 4
- Microphone type
- beamforming
- -
What reviewers said
Apple AirPods Pro 3
The Apple AirPods Pro 3 are premium true wireless earbuds that combine adaptive active noise cancellation with a comfortable, secure fit. They deliver clear calls, robust battery life, and a balanced sound profile, all wrapped in an IP57-rated design that handles water and dust. With Bluetooth 5.3, multipoint connectivity, and wireless charging, they offer a polished experience for Apple and non-Apple users alike.
- Pro:Excellent adaptive noise cancellation
- Pro:Clear call quality with beamforming mics
- Pro:Strong battery life of 8 hours with ANC on
- Con:Fit may be tricky for some ears
- Con:Premium price point
- Con:Limited codec support (SBC, AAC only)
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are premium wireless earbuds that blend strong adaptive noise cancellation with a balanced, immersive sound profile. They offer a comfortable fit, solid battery life with the charging case, and support for high-quality audio codecs, making them a versatile choice for travel and daily use.
- Pro:Adaptive noise cancellation effectively silences background noise
- Pro:Detailed, well-rounded sound with aptX Adaptive support
- Pro:Comfortable, stable fit for extended listening sessions
- Con:Battery life is modest at 4 hours with ANC enabled
- Con:Charging case adds only 18 total hours, below some rivals
- Con:Touch controls may take time to master
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
Compare something else
Swap either side out, or start again from the picker.