Bose has officially announced the QuietComfort 45 noise-cancelling headphones. The latest in its line of well-regarded over-ear headphones were spotted a couple of times recently, but now we have all the details.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 basically more of the same, but (hopefully) better. They retain the same winning looks of their predecessors but with upgraded innards promising an improved experience. And they need it – Bose might have pioneered noise-cancelling technology in consumer headphones, but competition is fierce right now, with the Sony WH-1000XM4 ruling the roost in our list of best headphones.
But the Bose QC45 are gunning for them. The noise cancellation does a better job of blocking unwanted sound than the QC 35 II, according to Bose. Though they don't have the same 11 levels of noise cancellation as the more premium Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 – instead, there are just two: quiet and aware (the latter lets in some noise, so you can hear what's going on around you when required).
Call clarity should also get a boost, thanks to the beam form array meaning better voice isolation on calls. That partners with what Bose calls a "rejection array" to stop distracting sounds being picked up and intruding on your chat.
They might look a lot like their predecessors, the Bose Quiet Comfort 35 II, but the design has been tweaked. The ear cups have vents to add depth and fullness, so you get a more expansive sound without increasing their size. Synthetic leather on the cups and headband should make for a plush wear, while glass-filled nylon reinforces the headband to protect against drops and maintain the shape.
They claim to be good for 24 hours of use before needing a recharge, a full one of which will take two-and-a-half-hours. But a quick 15-minute charge will give you two-and-a-half hours of playback. They can also connect to two devices at once, so you can switch from listening to music on your tablet to taking a handsfree call on your phone.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 go on sale at the end of September (23rd in the US, "the week of the 20th" in the UK, and September 13th in Australia), and cost £319.95 / $329 / AU$499. Look out for a full review soon.
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