Anker Soundcore Space Q45 vs Life Q35

In a battle between two generations, these two Anker Soundcore ANC both have a lot to offer. We compare both to help buyers decide which wireless active noise-cancellation headphones present the best value. Good ANC headphones are hard to find and so are affordable headphones. While both of these Soundcore models offer impressive ANC performance for their price, we’re breaking down if the higher price of the Q45 is worth it.

Anker Soundcore Life Q35 vs Space Q45: Key Factors

Battery Life and Connectivity

The battery life on both of the Anker headphones is exceptional. The Soundcore Space Q45 provides an impressive 65 hours of battery life and 50 hours when using active noise cancelling. It even tops the Soundcore Life Q35 which offers an excellent 60 hours and 40 hours with ANC. Pushing the volume higher or enabling other features can reduce that battery power. Luckily, the fast-charging capability available on both models can add some much-needed juice in a pinch. Both wireless headphones add 4 hours of battery life from a 5-minute charge. While the battery life is exceptional for both over-ear headphones, users who want more battery power should opt for the Anker Soundcore Space Q45.

Control of both headphones works through a mixture of physical buttons and the Soundcore app, available on iOS and Android devices. Active noise cancellation with multiple modes is also available on the Q45 and Q35. The Q45’s Bluetooth version 5.3 brings some small advantages over the Q35’s older 5.0, but it doesn’t notably impact performance in most cases. Both Bluetooth headphones also allow for wired listening via a 3.5mm headphone jack. While Near-Field Communication (NFC) pairing is available on the Soundcore Life Q35, it was dropped from the Space Q45. This is a disappointing trend, but NFC could just be a niche feature at this point. Both ANC headphones are capable of Bluetooth multipoint connection. This makes both great options to connect two devices simultaneously for productivity and multitasking.

Sony’s LDAC codec is also included on both of these Soundcore headphones, which makes hi-res audio possible when streaming wirelessly. The more standard Bluetooth codecs of SBC and AAC are also available on both headphones.

Verdict: Anker Soundcore Space Q45

Design and Form Factor

The look and design of the Soundcore Space Q45 show clear inspiration from the Life Q35. A closer look reveals the polish that Anker has added to the Q45. They look much a little more sleek and refined even if they can’t match the premium Sony XM5 design. When it comes to building quality, both feel very sturdy even if the plastic on both doesn’t feel like the strongest. Neither pair of Bluetooth headphones have any ratings for water resistance.

The Soundcore Space Q45 is slightly heavier (0.65 pounds) compared to the Life Q35 (0.59 pounds). Both are lightweight enough to be fairly portable even if the protruding earcups make them a slightly bulky design. The Soundcore Life Q35’s headband is slightly thicker than the Space Q45. We would have preferred a little more padding on both headbands. It can make extended periods of listening a little less comfortable than other over-ear headphones. Neither has overbearing clamping force and we also found sufficient padding on both earcups.

Both Anker headphones can be folded flat which helps cut down their bulk for storing in a hard case, bag, or backpack. Both the Q45 and Q35 come with similarly-sized hard cases, which is a pleasant surprise at this price point. Using the hard case is still a good idea when packing these headphones for travel.

Verdict: Tie

Sound Quality

The Anker Soundcore Space Q45 and Life Q35 both have bass-heavy sound signatures by default. Both also pull it off with fairly good sound quality. It’s the v-shaped sound profile many people love. There’s enough bass and low-end punch to please fans of bass-heavy genres. More importantly, the mid-range and treble still manage to come through with impressive clarity. Both of the Anker headphones truly sound incredible for the price. But they aren’t perfect. While the sound quality is impressive, they are definitely bass-forward headphones. Those who want a more neutral sound profile should consider something like the flatter EQ like Bose. There is one key difference between the sound quality of the Anker Soundcore Space Q45 and Life Q35. The midrange sounds a little more dialed on the Anker Soundcore Life Q35. By comparison, vocals and higher frequencies tend to sound a tad more forward on Soundcore Space Q45. This leads to a slightly brighter EQ for the Q45s.

Luckily, there are a plethora of options within the Soundcore app to adjust EQ settings. In addition to EQ presets, users can also completely customize EQ via a full equalizer. Therefore, listeners looking to get a different sound profile are in luck. Both of these Anker Soundcore headphones are greatly improved through the Soundcore app including ongoing updates. Hi-res audio is also available via the LDAC codec for both over-ear headphones. For those looking to stream via Bluetooth, this should result in improved audio quality.

Both the Anker Soundcore Space Q45 and Life Q45 excel greatly at producing accurate sound considering their price point. Despite the small difference in sound profile, both Anker Soundcore headphones have impressive sound quality for the price range.

Verdict: Tie

Anker Soundcore Space Q45 vs Life Q35: Which Has Better Noise Cancelling?

While the Soundcore Life Q35 had pretty good active noise-cancellation, the advancements in Anker Soundcore ANC technology show up in the Q45. Both Anker Soundcore models get our recommendation for commuters and travelers in search of quality wireless headphones with active noise canceling. Either will perform admirably in blocking background noise like the low rumble of nearby trains or airplanes. Reducing ambient sounds like nearby chattering is also possible. But we noticed, especially with higher frequencies, the Anker Soundcore Space Q45 was slightly better at blocking unwanted noise.

The Q45 also has Soundcore new adaptative active noise cancellation technology. This new ANC system adapts on the fly to block ambient noise based on your current surroundings. While we can recommend both headphones, those who want superior active noise cancellation should opt for the Anker Soundcore Space Q45. Both ANC headphones will be useful for daily commuting and travel.

Both ANC headphones allow for the adjustment of ANC settings through the Soundcore app. We should also mention that both have an ambient-aware transparency mode. For situations when situational awareness is needed, users can hear more ambient noise with this mode enabled. On both headphones, you’ll be able to toggle between noise-cancelling mode and ambient aware transparency mode on the left earcup or through the Soundcore app.

Verdict: The Soundcore Space Q45

Final Verdict: Soundcore Life Q35 vs Space Q45

The Space Q45

It’s easy to recommend either of these ANC headphones. Both provide active noise cancellation and sound quality above that’s not normal at this price point. Active noise cancellation performance on the Soundcore Space Q45 has definitely improved though. And the design and battery life are slightly improved with the upgrade to the Space Q45. The difference in active noise cancellation is the main difference though. If blocking background noise is your main priority in this purchase, the extra money spent on the Soundcore Space Q45 will be worth it. Shoppers just looking for an all-around pair of good ANC headphones will be happy with either though. They’re both among the best noise-cancelling headphones for shoppers on a budget. Be sure to also consider looking for used headphones options which can save shoppers money too.

Both offer great battery life, sound quality, and app support. While the superior ANC performance on the Anker Soundcore Space Q45 ANC headset comes with a higher price, the Soundcore Life Q35 is a worthy competitor. They can sometimes be found at about half the price of the Q45 too. Those looking for more premium ANC headphones should consider the Sony WH-1000XM4. With class-leading ANC performance, those Sony headphones also have better design and comfort than many other headsets. The Bose QC45 is also a quality option even if they have a slightly more neutral sound profile than the Sony XM4s.