Bose 901149-0020

The Bose Sport Open Earbuds nail the open-ear concept with top-tier connectivity and a solid mic. But build quality is below average and the fitness score is disappointing for sport earbuds. Worth it only if hearing your surroundings is a must-have.

Battery life is solid at 7 hours per charge with 29 total from the case, putting it in the 78th percentile. A 10-minute quick charge gets you back in the game fast. Sound quality lands at 72nd percentile, which means it's good but not going to blow your hair back. The open design means bass takes a hit compared to sealed earbuds, but the Auto Volume feature helps when your gym decides to blast terrible remixes. The mic scores 82nd percentile, so calls sound clear even when you're breathing hard after a set. The weak spot is fitness at 48.7 out of 100, which is ironic for a product with 'Sport' in the name.

Against the Technics EAH-AZ100 and Sony WF-1000XM6, the Bose Sport Open Earbuds lose on sound quality and build but win on the open-ear design, which neither competitor offers. The Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation will give you better ANC and ecosystem integration, but again, sealed earbuds. The Soundcore P31i and EarFun Air Pro 4+ undercut the Bose on price significantly while offering comparable or better sound. The Bose only makes sense if the open-ear format is non-negotiable for you.

At $199 USD, these sit in a weird spot. You're paying Bose money for open-ear earbuds that don't have ANC and score below average on build quality. The connectivity and mic are excellent, but the core fitness use case scores under 50. If you specifically need open-ear for safety while running outdoors, the price is easier to swallow. For everyone else, there are better-sounding, better-built options at this price point.

The Bose Sport Open Earbuds are for people who hate having things jammed in their ears but still want decent sound while they train. The clip-on design hooks around your ear and leaves the canal completely open, so you hear your music and the world at the same time. That's either a feature or a bug depending on where you work out.

Bose packed in Bluetooth 5.4, multipoint, wireless charging, and an IP54 rating. The connectivity is genuinely top-tier, landing in the 95th percentile in our database. But the build quality score is rough, sitting in the 34th percentile, which is a weird look for earbuds marketed at sweaty people.

Skip these if you want deep bass, noise isolation, or a premium-feeling product for your money. The open design means you'll hear everything around you, which is great for safety but terrible for immersion. If you lift in a loud gym and want to block out the noise, get sealed earbuds with ANC instead. And if build quality matters to you, the 34th percentile score here should give you pause.

Buy these if you're a runner or cyclist who needs to hear cars and other people while listening to music. The open-ear design is the whole point, and Bose executes it well enough. Skip them if you want immersive sound, strong bass, or a premium build for your money. These are a niche product that nails the niche but struggles everywhere else.