Apple AirPods Max vs. Bose Headphones: Which Ones Are Best?

While wireless headphones have been around for more than two decades now, they have just recently begun to see a resurgence in popularity. As wireless smart earbuds grow ever-popular, there’s a sizable amount of audio enthusiasts who would like to see a collective return to the superiority of wireless headphones. For this reason, many top audio brands have begun to redesign the wireless headphones of yesteryear and make them smart-enabled. However which ones are the best? Take Apple AirPods Max vs. Bose Headphones, for example. Which of these two smart headphones options is best?

Apple AirPods Max vs. Bose Headphones: Side-By-Side Comparison

Best for Apple Users/ Over-Ear

Apple AirPods Max (Space Gray)

$479.00

• Apple-designed dynamic driver for high-fidelity audio
• Active Noise Cancellation
• Transparency mode
• Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking
• Designed with a knit-mesh canopy and memory foam ear cushions

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10/03/2023 11:25 am GMT

Apple AirPods Max vs. Bose Headphones: Key Differences

With this array of specs laid out in plain view, it’s easy to see the number of ways the Apple AirPods Max vs. Bose Headphones differ from one another. But what does all this mean? What are the specs we should be paying attention to the most? In other words, which ones are the most important to the actual user experience of these rival headphones? Let’s take a closer look at the key differences between the two, paying close attention to their batteries, charge times, internal software, physical specs, and overall price.

Battery Life and Charge Time

Firstly, we should examine the battery life and the charge time of the Apple AirPods Max vs. Bose Headphones. The Apple AirPods Max give listeners 20 hours of battery life before needing a charge. When it comes time to charge, the headphones will be back to 100% in about two hours. The Bose QuietComfort 45s, on the other hand, offer a little bit more battery life at a longer charge time. These headphones boast 22 hours of listening time, but need two and a half hours to charge back to 100% again. Typically, most would prefer a longer battery life over a shorter charging time.

Internal Specifications

Secondly, there are the internal specs of the Apple AirPods Max vs. Bose Headphones worth taking into account. The Apple AirPods Max are equipped with Bluetooth 5.0 and Siri functionality. They also offer high-fidelity audio, active noise cancellation, and spatial audio. The Bose QuietComfort 45s, alternatively, offer Bluetooth 5.1 functionality and support for numerous voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant alike. Couple this with Bose’s “Aware Mode” and other unique software features, and they definitely have the advantage in this category.

Size and Weight

Thirdly, we should consider the size and weight of these rival headphones. It’s never a bad thing to have great battery life and impressive internal specs, but what’s it all good for if the headphones are too big or too heavy to wear comfortably? With this, the Apple AirPods Max measure 6.64 inches across, 7.37 inches tall, and 3.28 inches deep. They weigh 13.6 ounces. The Bose QuietComfort 45s, by comparison, measure 6 inches across, 7.25 inches tall, and 3 inches deep. They weigh 8.5 ounces. All in all, a major advantage for the Bose QuietComfort 45s.

Price

Lastly — but perhaps most importantly — is price. How do the two price tags on the Apple AirPods Max vs. Bose Headphones compare? As we can see above, the difference is pretty significant. Apple’s AirPods Max are priced at $549. It’s a price point that makes them quite unattainable for a decent portion of their customer base. The Bose QuietComfort 45s are also pretty expensive, tagged at $329, but the $210 difference between the two definitely gives the Bose headphones an advantage over the Apple headphones.

The History of Apple AirPods Max

Apple’s AirPods Max are undoubtedly the company’s most high-end audio product to date. Priced at a staggering $549, the cost of these smart wireless headphones blew even the most expensive products from rival brands — like Bose, for instance — completely out of the water. Apple spent two years developing the headphones. In spite of rumors and leaks alike, but Apple did not confirm the product until a week before launch. With a press release on December 8th, 2020, they made it official: The AirPods Max were real, and they’d be available for purchase the very next week.

As to be expected from a company of Apple’s stature, the astronomical price point was not entirely for nothing. Sure, it got people talking, but the tech giant didn’t do it solely to be controversial. The actual specs of the headphones proved to be more than enough justification. The AirPods Max came equipped with a custom acoustic design, including a 40mm driver. This custom design not only provides high-fidelity audio, but also active noise cancellation and immersive spatial audio. (Not to mention, they boast an impressive battery life of up to 20 hours.)

Though the Apple AirPods Max are said to be compatible with any Bluetooth-enabled listening device, there’s no denying they’re best suited for Apple products over any other similar offerings from Android, Windows, or the like. They’re specially designed to automatically switch between Apple devices, making it easy for Apple users to switch from their iPhone to their iPad or Mac. The headphones also support hands-free Siri commands and can customize their EQ and sound specs using the Apple Music app. All in all, an Apple product is designed for other Apple products.

How Bose Headphones Compete

Now, there’s the other contender in the Apple AirPods Max vs Bose Headphones debate to consider: The Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones. These popular noise-canceling headphones were first introduced in August of 2021. Despite the newness of the product, the headphones are actually part of a long line of Bose QuietComfort headphones dating all the way back to the beginning of the 21st century. You see, Bose first introduced the QuietComfort line in 2000. They were the brand’s very first consumer-level headphones.

The first QuietComforts — now dubbed the QC1s — quickly became popular among frequent travelers who wanted to block out ambient noise during flights. The QuietComfort line has since evolved over the years, with new models introduced every number of years to keep up with advancements in audio technology. (For example, The QuietComfort 45s were introduced as the successor to the QuietComfort 35 IIs, which were released in 2017 but had since grown somewhat outdated in the years that followed.)

The QuietComfort 45s feature next-level noise-canceling technology. (Bose claims it’s their most advanced noise-canceling technology to date.) Additionally, the headphones feature Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity and wide-ranging support for voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant. The QuietComfort 45s are also smart enough to adjust their level of noise cancellation based on the environment around the listener. They also include a new “Aware Mode” that allows users to listen to their surroundings without having to remove their headphones.

#1 Best Overall

Bose QuietComfort 45

$329.00

• Excellent and comfortable design
• High-fidelity audio
• Active noise cancelation
• Get up to 22 hours of battery life

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10/03/2023 03:25 pm GMT

5 Must-Know Facts About Wireless Headphones

1. While we think of it as a thoroughly modern invention, Bluetooth technology was actually developed back in 1994. Spearheaded by Ericsson, a Swedish telecommunications company, the technology was intended to be a wireless alternative to RS-232 data cables (which were commonly used to connect computers to other devices at the time).
2. Though developed in 1994, it took a number of years for the first wireless Bluetooth headphones to appear on the consumer marketplace. The Bose QC1s were one of the earliest of its kind. These headphones used Bluetooth technology to connect to listening devices, allowing users to listen to music or make phone calls without being tied to a wired device.
3. As with any early technology, these early Bluetooth headphones from the turn of the 21st century were plagued by a number of limitations. From sound quality to battery life to charging time, there were plenty of problems that kept Bluetooth headphones from truly catching on. It took around a decade for the technology to catch up with the software.
4. With so many tech brands focused on perfecting wireless Bluetooth headphones, Apple’s introduction of the AirPods in 2016 caught everyone by complete surprise. No one had anticipated such technological advancement. This spurred a wireless earbuds craze that continues to this day.
5. Today, wireless Bluetooth headphones are extremely popular and can be found at a wide range of price points ranging from under $50 to well over $500. They are commonly used for listening to music, making phone calls, and — in one of the most popular instances — for gaming. Many gamers prefer wireless headphones for their convenience and freedom of movement.

Apple AirPods Max vs. Bose Headphones: Pros and Cons

Apple AirPods Max vs. Bose Headphones: Which Are the Best?

So, when all is said and done, it’s clear the Apple AirPods Max vs. Bose Headphones are two top-tier names in the wireless smart Bluetooth headphones space. However, which of these two competitors is best? If you judge based on size, weight, battery life, or price, the winner would have to be Bose and their QuietComfort 45 headphones. However, judging by sound quality or other internal specifications, you’d have to hand it to the Apple AirPods Max. Overall, we have to give the win to the AirPods Max. However, the QuietComfort 45s are still a great (and more affordable) option.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Random NZ Photography/Shutterstock.com.