Skip to main content

Sennheiser Momentum 3 vs. Bose Noise Cancelling 700: Over-ears, head-to-head

Looking for the perfect blend of style, sound, and portable audio quality? Then you’ve probably been looking at products from Sennheiser and Bose, two of the best-known headphone brands on the planet. But how do both companies’ current flagship wireless noise-canceling headphones — the Sennheiser Momentum 3 and Bose Noise Cancelling 700 — compare, and which pair should you buy? Well, that depends on your requirements. Here’s everything you need to know to decide which is the better fit for you.

Design and fit

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5yub9gyi9le2dis/AACUKIYIgbMoaeJ0tEIBVkX8a?dl=0

We’ve got to hand it to both pairs of headphones in the looks department: Both the Bose 700 and Sennheiser Momentum 3 feature beautiful rounded earcups, classy metal headbands, and sleek lines.

Those after a more vintage, leather-laden look will likely gravitate toward the Momentum 3, while those who are a bit more modern and business-class will probably prefer the looks of the Bose 700. Regardless of which you choose, you will look objectively classier than virtually all headphone wearers around you.

In terms of fit, we’ve got to give a slight edge to Bose here. The Sennheisers have super-plush earpads, just like the Bose 700 do, but they are a bit harder in the headband than the Bose, making them tougher to leave on for all-day (or all-flight) listening sessions.

Winner: Bose Noise Cancelling 700

Features, controls, and battery life

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

From app-based adjustments of noise-canceling levels and voice assistants to the ability to pair to multiple devices at once, there’s very little that both of these headphones won’t do.

In terms of controls, we prefer the analog buttons on the Momentum to the touch-based pad on the Bose 700, but we prefer the sleek and easy-to-use Bose app to the slightly cumbersome (mostly when it comes to EQ adjustment) Sennheiser model.

In terms of noise cancellation itself, we’ve got to hand it to the Bose 700. They reduce all outside sound to a whisper, regardless of the environment. The Sennheisers, while they have solid noise reduction, feel engineered to offer a squeaky-clean soundstage in an office or on public transit, but our review team found them a bit underpowered on loud flights.

Speaking of flights, both headphones offer great battery life for long-haul trips, with Sennheiser boasting 17 hours to Bose’s 20, giving Bose another slight edge. Given that, and the fact that Bose has better noise cancellation, we’ll toss this one to Bose.

Winner: Bose Noise Cancelling 700

Sound Quality

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

After the Bose swept the first two categories, you may think that they’re clearly the best headphones of the bunch. But that’s where you’d be wrong because the Sennheisers have a big trick up their sleeve: Incredible sound.

The latest Momentum model easily bests the Bose when it comes to how they shape the sound of your favorite music. They are incredibly detailed, vibrant, and fun to listen to, with the noise reduction helping contribute to a pristine and very wide soundstage.

The Bose 700 have great bass response and a warm top end, but they just don’t match the detail of the Sennheiser option.

One thing we like about both headphones is call quality, which is absolutely excellent when using either pair. Bose uses some very fancy technology to limit background noise, so the Bose 700 are a bit better than the Sennheiser on calls, but both are miles better than most headsets.

Winner: Sennheiser Momentum 3

Overall

When it comes to picking an overall winner, it’s a tough one indeed. In fact, it may be best to think of these as two different types of headphones entirely; the Bose 700 are perfect for those who want to wear headphones all day, who travel a lot, and who make a lot of calls, where the Sennheiser Momentum 3 are meant for those who want excellent audio quality and features, and who plan to use their headphones to get the absolute most out of their music.

Winner: Tie

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700:

Sennheiser Momentum 3:

Editors' Recommendations

Both of Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds II can now be used independently
Close-up of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II.

Bose is pushing out a software update that will grant users of its QuietComfort Earbuds II (QCE II) the ability to use either earbud independently. At launch, only the right earbud could be used on its own. To get the new software, you'll need to open the Bose Music app and connect the QCE II to your phone. If you don't see a notification to perform the update, check back later in the day as Bose says the updates will be going out on a rolling basis starting February 16.

Once the update is complete, you'll be able to use either just the left or right earbud for listening to content and taking or making calls. You'll also be able to seamlessly switch between your earbuds and if one earbud runs out of battery life or disconnects from Bluetooth, you can continue listening with the other earbud without interruption, according to Bose.

Read more
The best cheap headphones and earbuds for 2023
Side view of the 1More SonoFlow.

Everyone needs a great pair of earbuds to soundtrack their commute or workout or whatever with music or interesting podcasts — it's a necessity of life, people! We know better than most that the best headphones and best earbuds around right now tend to be of the AirPods, Galaxy Buds, or Sony WH-1000XM5, variety, but not everyone can shell out the cheddar for those premium brands.

This is where we can earn our supper. If you fall into that category, the good news is that we’ve compiled a list of the most affordable earbuds and headphones that can also provide great value and quality ... without going beyond $100. If true wireless earbuds is your specific jam, check out our roundup of the best budget true wireless earbuds.

Read more
The best Roku TVs of 2023: which should you buy?
TCL 6-Series TV displaying colorful image of an apple tree against a blue sky background.

If you've ever used a Roku streaming stick or set-top box, then you know that the popular Roku TV OS platform is one of the most user-friendly ways to get access to streaming apps such as Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max, as well as tons of other apps and games.

But if you happen to be in the market for a new TV and are pretty set on Roku as your operating system of choice, Roku also partners with a handful of TV makers, like TCL and Hisense, to offer up a solid lineup of sets with the OS built right in. Roku itself recently announced that it, too, will be designing and making its own Roku-branded TVs beginning in the spring of 2023, so if you don't see something on this list, you can wait to see what Roku offers.

Read more