Apple AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case vs Bose QuietComfort Earbuds (2024)
Get the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds. They seal your ears, block far more noise and last longer. The AirPods 5 are the best earbuds with no tips, and better on calls.
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Which one is for you?
AirPods 5
Ear tips are torture, an iPhone, lots of calls? The AirPods 5.
Is the Apple AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case worth it?Bose QC Earbuds
Real quiet on trains and planes, longer battery, AirPods never stay in? Then it's the Bose.
Is the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds (2024) worth it?Key differences
Fit
Noise cancelling
Battery
Calls
What owners say
Verified buyers only; every 1–3 star review read by us. How we do this
AirPods 5
Nearly every verified owner gives them 4 or 5 stars. Complaints are rare.
- Good sound and noise cancelling
Nothing came up often enough to list.
Bose QC Earbuds
Owners love the noise cancelling and the sound. The main complaint is the connection: one bud drops out or loses Bluetooth for a fair number of buyers.
- Good sound
- Strong noise cancelling
- Comfortable fit
- Bluetooth drops or one bud cuts out
- Fall out or hard to fit
Related pages
How we reached this verdict
We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.
Sources: RTINGS, RTINGS, What Hi-Fi, manufacturer specifications.
Owner reports for the AirPods 5: 55 verified buyer ratings at Costco (Canada), Harvey Norman (NZ, Australia) and Takealot (South Africa), read November 2026.
Owner reports for the Bose QC Earbuds: 241 verified buyer ratings at Takealot (South Africa), Costco (US) and Costco (Canada), read October 2026.