In July, we got our first glimpse of the Bose QuietComfort 45, the noise-canceling headphones that are expected to replace the existing QuietComfort 35 II. Those images were part of filed Federal Communications Commission (FCC) documents, but shortly after they had been published, Bose apparently asked the FCC that they be removed from the site. Now, thanks to a newly leaked set of images and details from WinFuture, we know a lot more about Bose’s next wireless cans.
As with the FCC photos, these new leaked images confirm that the new headphones borrow heavily from the design of the QuietComfort 35 II, instead of following the path laid out by Bose’s current flagship, the Noise Cancelling Headphones 700.
Specifications
The similarities to the QC35 II require a close look to see what’s changed. The good news: Bose has finally switched to USB-C format charging from the QC35 II’s MicroUSB port. What we can’t see is another change — WinFuture claims that Bose has used new materials to make the QC45 even lighter than its predecessor. Bose apparently refers to the new cans as “shockingly light” thanks to the use of synthetic leather and glass-filled nylon.
The foldable design will be accompanied by Bose’s Active EQ, which adjusts automatically as you raise and lower the volume. Also returning is Bose’s TriPort architecture and Bluetooth multipoint for pairing the headphones to two Bluetooth devices at the same time. Active noise cancellation (ANC) is expected to be improved; the leak claims that Bose refers to the QC45’s ANC as “world-class.”
Another improvement is longer battery life. The leak claims that the QC45 should be able to get as many as 24 hours of playing time on a single charge, which is up from 20 hours on the QC35 II. You’ll be able to fully charge the battery in 2.5 hours, while a fast-charging option will deliver an extra 2.5 hours of playtime with just 15 minutes of charging. This still puts the QC45 behind Sony’s WH-1000XM4, which can achieve 30 hours with ANC on and 38 hours with it off. Using the QC45’s available 3.5-millimeter jack connection could help extend battery life even further.
Price and availability
WinFuture claims that the QC45 will have a slightly more expensive regular price than the QC35 II. The QC45 will be announced at $329 in the U.S. That’s $30 more than the QC35 II’s regular price of $299.
We don’t know exactly when Bose will announce and release the QC45, but the leak says the new headphones will be arriving “soon.” Given how many details are now available, we expect they will appear as early as September, and they’ll definitely hit stores long before the 2021 holiday season.
Earlier in 2021, Bose launched a gaming edition of the QC 35 II, which comes equipped with an optional boom mic for multiplayer online games. Unfortunately, their high price and lackluster gaming features didn’t impress our reviewer. Let’s hope the QC 45 doesn’t make the same mistake.
