Bose Ultra Open

The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds have a mic in the 91st percentile and sound in the 86th, making them a top pick for calls and open-ear audio. But battery life is a rough 17th percentile at just 7.5 hours, and comfort lands at the 28th. At $254, it's a niche buy for people who need to hear the world around them.

Let's talk about what this thing does well. The mic setup is the headline: 4 mics with noise cancellation, and our testing puts it in the 91st percentile. That's near the top of the charts for call quality. If you take a lot of calls while walking around or working, this is one of the best open-ear options we've tested. Sound quality is also strong at the 86th percentile, which is genuinely surprising for an open design. Bose's OpenAudio tech and the dual driver setup are doing real work here. You get SBC and AAC codecs, which is fine but not exactly cutting-edge for a $254 pair of earbuds.

ANC is present and lands at the 85th percentile, which is solid. But here's the thing: it's an open-ear design. ANC on open earbuds is always fighting physics. You can't block out the world when there's literally no seal. The ANC helps with low rumble, but don't expect AirPods Pro levels of isolation. Connectivity is also strong at the 81st percentile with BT 5.3. Battery is where things fall apart. 7.5 hours on the earbuds drops to 4.5 hours with Immersive Audio enabled. The case adds 19.5 hours. That 17th percentile battery ranking is a real weak spot, especially when competitors are pushing 8-10 hours on the buds alone.

Against the Sony WF-1000XM6, the Bose wins on mic quality but loses badly on battery and comfort. Sony's flagship buds are sealed, so they'll isolate better and last longer on a charge. The Technics EAH-AZ100 is another strong competitor that offers better overall balance. The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro and Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation both beat the Bose on comfort and battery, though the Bose's open design is a genuinely different use case. If you specifically want open-ear with good call quality, the Bose is near the top. But if you're flexible on form factor, the JLab JBuds Pods ANC offers ANC at a fraction of the price, though with weaker sound and mic performance.

At $254 USD from US retailers, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are asking a lot. The budget score in our database is a rough 38.8 out of 100, which tells you the price-to-performance ratio isn't great. You're paying flagship money for a product that excels at calls and open-ear sound but stumbles on battery and comfort. The included silicone case cover is a nice touch, and the Qi charging case is convenient. But when you look at what $254 gets you elsewhere, like the Technics EAH-AZ100 or Sony WF-1000XM6, both of which offer better battery and comfort scores, the Bose feels overpriced for what it delivers.

The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds land in a weird spot. They're open-ear, so you hear everything around you, but Bose still packed in ANC and Immersive Audio. The mic quality is the real star here, sitting in the 91st percentile of our database. Sound quality is also a standout at the 86th percentile, which is impressive for an open design that doesn't seal your ear canal. But comfort is a rough 28th percentile, and battery life is even worse at the 17th percentile. At $254 USD, you're paying flagship money for a product that makes some serious trade-offs.

Bose is clearly aiming this at people who want to stay aware of their surroundings without sacrificing audio quality. The ear-hook design with the flexible joint is meant to feel light and secure. And for calls, this thing is genuinely excellent. But the numbers tell a story of a niche product that nails a few things and struggles with the basics.

Skip these if battery life matters to you. The 17th percentile battery ranking means you'll be reaching for the charging case more often than you'd like, especially if you use Immersive Audio and watch that 7.5 hours drop to 4.5. Also skip if comfort is a priority. The 28th percentile comfort score suggests the ear-hook design doesn't work for everyone, and at $254, you shouldn't have to gamble on fit. If you want sealed earbuds with better isolation and longer battery, the Sony WF-1000XM6 or Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation are safer bets.

The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are a niche product that nails their niche. If you need open-ear earbuds with excellent call quality and surprisingly good sound, this is one of the best options in our database. The 91st percentile mic and 86th percentile sound are genuinely impressive. But the 17th percentile battery and 28th percentile comfort are hard to ignore at $254. This is a buy for people who prioritize situational awareness and calls above all else. For everyone else, there are better-rounded options at this price.