Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC vs Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II)
Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC | Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) |
|---|---|---|
| Battery — buds | 5 h | 6 h |
| Battery — with case | 20 h | 18 h |
| Driver size | 10 mm | 9.3 mm |
| Weight per bud | 4.3 g | 6.2 g |
| Spatial audio | true | false |
| Water resistance | IP54 | IPX4 |
Between the AirPods 4 with ANC and QuietComfort Earbuds (II), the AirPods 4 with ANC comes out ahead in battery — with case / driver size, while the QuietComfort Earbuds (II) wins on battery — buds. Overall, the AirPods 4 with ANC scores 71.1 and the QuietComfort Earbuds (II) scores 70.9 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (71.1 vs 70.9). The decision is not about overall quality — both clear the bar — it is about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the AirPods 4 with ANC if you care most about battery — with case / driver size. The biggest gaps in its favor are battery — with case, driver size, weight per bud, among others. The single most decisive one: Battery — with case — 11.11% more. 20 h vs 18 h.
Pick the QuietComfort Earbuds (II) if your top frustration with your current device is running out of charge before the day ends — endurance is the lead spec here. Its strongest claims are battery — buds. The single most decisive one: Battery — buds — 20.00% more. 6 h vs 5 h.
Both ship with comparable active noise cancellation, multipoint, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC or Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II)?
Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC leads the current Mars Score by 0.2 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare driver size, battery — buds, weight per bud against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC if…
Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC has the measurable edge on battery life case h, driver size mm, weight per bud g.
Choose Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) if…
Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) has the measurable edge on battery life buds h.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC wins
- ▲Battery — with case — 11.11% more. 20 h vs 18 h.
- ▲Driver size — 7.53% more. 10 mm vs 9.3 mm.
- ▲Weight per bud — 1.90 g less. 4.3 vs 6.2.
- ▲Has Spatial audio.
- ▲Water resistance: IP54 (vs IPX4).
Why Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) wins
- ▲Battery — buds — 20.00% more. 6 h vs 5 h.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC | Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | openlead | in-ear |
| Weight per bud | 4.3 glead | 6.2 g |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP54lead | IPX4 |
Audio
| Spec | Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC | Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) |
|---|---|---|
| Driver sizeⓘ | 10 mmlead | 9.3 mm |
| Active noise cancellationⓘ | true | true |
| Transparency mode | true | true |
| Spatial audioⓘ | truelead | false |
Battery
| Spec | Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC | Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) |
|---|---|---|
| Battery — buds | 5 h | 6 hlead |
| Battery — with case | 20 hlead | 18 h |
| Wireless case chargingⓘ | true | true |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC | Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetoothⓘ | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Codecsⓘ | AAC,SBC | AAC,SBC |
| Multipointⓘ | false | false |
| In-ear detection | true | true |
Frequently asked
Which has longer battery, AirPods 4 with ANC or QuietComfort Earbuds (II)?+
QuietComfort Earbuds (II) lasts 6h per charge vs 5h.
Do AirPods 4 with ANC or QuietComfort Earbuds (II) support multipoint?+
Neither supports multipoint pairing.
Which has ANC, AirPods 4 with ANC or QuietComfort Earbuds (II)?+
Both models have active noise cancellation.