Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Bose - QuietComfort Ultra 2 | Sony - WH-1000XM5 |
|---|---|---|
| Driver size | 35 mm | 30 mm |
| Weight | 253 g | 250 g |
| LDAC | false | true |
Between the QuietComfort Ultra 2 and WH-1000XM5, the QuietComfort Ultra 2 comes out ahead in driver size, while the WH-1000XM5 wins on weight / ldac. Overall, the QuietComfort Ultra 2 scores 70.8 and the WH-1000XM5 scores 69.4 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (70.8 vs 69.4). The decision is not about overall quality — both clear the bar — it is about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the QuietComfort Ultra 2 if you care most about driver size. The biggest gaps in its favor are driver size. The single most decisive one: Driver size — 16.67% more. 35 mm vs 30 mm.
Pick the WH-1000XM5 if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. Its strongest claims are weight, ldac. The single most decisive one: Weight — 3.00 g less. 250 vs 253.
Both ship with comparable battery life, active noise cancellation, spatial audio, 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: Bose - QuietComfort Ultra 2 or Sony - WH-1000XM5?
Bose - QuietComfort Ultra 2 leads the current Mars Score by 1.4 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare driver size, weight against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Bose - QuietComfort Ultra 2 if…
Bose - QuietComfort Ultra 2 has the measurable edge on driver size mm.
Choose Sony - WH-1000XM5 if…
Sony - WH-1000XM5 has the measurable edge on weight g, supports ldac.
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 Bose - QuietComfort Ultra 2 wins
- ▲Driver size — 16.67% more. 35 mm vs 30 mm.
Why Sony - WH-1000XM5 wins
- ▲Weight — 3.00 g less. 250 vs 253.
- ▲Has LDAC.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Bose - QuietComfort Ultra 2 | Sony - WH-1000XM5 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | over-ear | over-ear |
| Weight | 253 g | 250 glead |
| Water resistance | none | none |
Audio
| Spec | Bose - QuietComfort Ultra 2 | Sony - WH-1000XM5 |
|---|---|---|
| Driver sizeⓘ | 35 mmlead | 30 mm |
| Impedanceⓘ | 32 Ω | 48 Ωlead |
| Sensitivityⓘ | 98 dB | 102 dBlead |
| Active noise cancellationⓘ | true | true |
| Transparency mode | true | true |
| Spatial audioⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Bose - QuietComfort Ultra 2 | Sony - WH-1000XM5 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery lifeⓘ | 30 h | 30 h |
| Fast chargeⓘ | true | true |
Connectivity
| Spec | Bose - QuietComfort Ultra 2 | Sony - WH-1000XM5 |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetoothⓘ | 5.4lead | 5.2 |
| Multipointⓘ | true | true |
| 3.5mm jack | true | true |
| LDACⓘ | false | truelead |
| aptX HDⓘ | truelead | false |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery life, QuietComfort Ultra 2 or WH-1000XM5?+
WH-1000XM5 lasts 30 hours vs 30 hours.
Do QuietComfort Ultra 2 or WH-1000XM5 have active noise cancellation?+
Both models have active noise cancellation.
Which supports LDAC, QuietComfort Ultra 2 or WH-1000XM5?+
WH-1000XM5 supports LDAC; QuietComfort Ultra 2 does not.