Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2. nesil) / Apple AirPods Max (Lightning, 2020)

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2. nesil): True wireless in-ear · wireless charging case

Apple AirPods Max (Lightning, 2020): AirPods Max 1, the first version with a Lightning charging port (2020); Silver, Space Grey, Sky Blue, Pink and Green. The 2024 USB‑C version and AirPods Max 2 are separate models.

SpecificationBose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2. nesil)Apple AirPods Max (Lightning, 2020)
Release year20252020
TypeIn-ear true wireless earbuds Bose—
Noise cancellingAdaptive active noise cancelling (ANC) · Aware (ambient) mode

ANC picks up outside sound with microphones and cancels it with an opposing signal. Bose says this generation changes cancellation levels more smoothly when sudden noises occur.

Bose		—
Microphones4 microphones per earbud · AI-powered call noise suppression BoseNine microphones in total: eight for noise cancellation; three for voice pickup (two shared with noise cancellation) Apple
MultipointTwo source devices at once Bose—
BluetoothBluetooth 5.3 · range up to 9 m

Bose states the earbuds do not receive LE Audio content.

Bose		—
CodecsSBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive (Snapdragon Sound)

aptX Adaptive adjusts quality and latency to connection strength; the phone must also support this codec.

Bose		—
BatteryEarbuds up to 6 hours (4 hours with Immersive Audio on) · up to 24 hours in total with the case

Immersive Audio is Bose's spatial audio mode and shortens battery life.

Bose		Up to 20 hours of listening with Active Noise Cancellation or Transparency on; up to 20 hours of movies with Spatial Audio on; 5 minutes of charge gives about 1.5 hours of listening

Apple’s figures come from pre-production tests with an iPhone 12 Pro Max in November 2020.

Apple
ChargingUSB-C · wireless charging case · up to 2 hours of use from a 20-minute charge

The earbuds take about 2 hours and the case about 3 hours to charge fully.

Bose		—
Water resistanceEarbuds IPX4 · case not water resistant

IPX4 is protection against splashing water, not against immersion.

Bose		—
Weight0.017 lb (about 7.7 g) per earbud · case 0.132 lb (about 60 g) Bose—
DimensionsEarbud 2.99 × 1.25 × 2.49 cm · case 6.63 × 5.97 × 2.69 cm Bose—
ColoursBlack, White Smoke, limited-edition Deep Plum Bose—
Audio technology—Apple-designed dynamic driver; Active Noise Cancellation; Transparency mode; Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking; Adaptive EQ

A Personalised Spatial Audio profile is created with an iPhone that has a TrueDepth camera; the feature needs compatible content and apps.

Apple
Chip—Apple H1 headphone chip in each ear cup Apple
Sensors—Optical, position and case-detect sensors plus an accelerometer in each cup; gyroscope in the left cup

The position and optical sensors detect when the headphones are put on or taken off to pause and resume playback.

Apple
Controls—Digital Crown (volume, play/pause, calls, track skip, Siri) and noise control button

Turning the Digital Crown changes the volume; the noise control button switches between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode.

Apple
Charging and case—Charging via Lightning; the battery enters an ultra-low-power state in the Smart Case

The box contains the headphones, the Smart Case and a Lightning to USB‑C cable. There is no separate power button; the Smart Case handles power saving.

Apple
Connectivity—Bluetooth 5.0 Apple
Size and weight—187.3 × 168.6 × 83.4 mm; 384.8 g with cushions; Smart Case 134.5 g Apple
Compatibility—Apple devices running the latest iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS or tvOS

They work as Bluetooth headphones with Apple devices on older software and with non-Apple devices, but functionality is limited.

Apple