Bose QuietComfort 45 vs Soundcore Life Q35

Many know who the premium players are in the arena of noise-cancelling headphones. The Bose QuietComfort 45 is definitely in that group. The Soundcore Life Q35 takes aim at them all with its new budget ANC headphones. We see if the Q35 is up to the task in this head-to-head comparison.

Soundcore’s Q30 ANC headphones provided users with an option for affordable ANC headphones to block out background noise. Many consumers liked this option compared to more expensive ANC competitors from Bose and Sony. Anker’s Soundcore Q35 looks to accomplish the same feat, but it packs more features and a bigger price tag. Will users still show interest in wireless noise-cancelling headphones from Anker at this price point? Bose meanwhile refreshed their QC line. The Bose QC45 still carries the same big price tag, but does the refresh make enough improvements? You can find the highlights of our findings below followed by a detailed comparison.

You can check out all our tip recommendations for the best ANC headphones here.

Soundcore Life Q35 vs Bose QC45: Key Factors

Battery Life and Charging

The importance of long battery life will vary for different users. Long battery life is even more important for over-ear headphones with active noise cancelling (ANC) though. The Bose QuietComfort 45 provides 24 hours of battery life with ANC enabled. The QC45’s quick charge provides 3 hours of battery life with a 15-minute charge.

How does the Soundcore Life Q35 compare? It nearly doubles the battery life at 40 hours with noise cancellation enabled. Even the headphones without ANC struggle to achieve that. You will get a ridiculous 60 hours without noise-cancelling enabled. Quick charge capability provides 4 hours of playback time with a 5-minute charge. This is really a no-contest if long battery life is a priority. This is great for those who have long commutes. Or those who don’t want to worry about charging often.

Verdict: Soundcore Life Q35

Design and Form Factor

Audio gear design will often come down to a matter of opinion. You’ll notice that the Bose QC45 looks very much like the QC35’s design. The somewhat plain design can seem a little outdated for that reason. The black Bose QuietComfort QC45 still has a no non-sense professional design some will like. On the other hand, its other white smoke option does have a little flair. The Bose QC45 feels like a small step back in build quality. The plastic and hinges definitely feel cheaper than the Bose QuietComfort 35.

The Soundcore Life Q35 headphones come in black, pink, and blue. It’s clear to me Anker attempted a more bold design with the Q30. The Q35 Bluetooth headphones are a step in the other direction with solid results. I still don’t find the design anything to write home bout. I’m not a huge fan of the way the center of each ear cup protrudes out. Neither of these two devices does a very good job of creating a very appealing design.

Being lightweight is something these two devices do have going for them. The QC45 matches the old model Bose QuietComfort 35 at 8.5 ounces. The Soundcore Life Q35 comes in at 9.3 ounces. The Bose QC45 definitely maintains its reputation for comfort. They don’t clamp very much and the padding on the earcups is super smooth. Soundcore’s Q35 has moderate comfort qualities. Its thick memory foam padding performs well, but it can’t compete with the QC45 for comfort.

Verdict: Bose QuietComfort 45

Connectivity & Playback Control

The Bose QuietComfort 45 has a USB-C port and physical buttons on each ear cup. On the right earcup, there is a multi-function button straddled by volume control buttons. One tap will play or pause playback. Double pressing will skip playback forward. A triple press will skip playback backward. Holding the button will activate the voice assistant. The same Power/Bluetooth switch from the Bose QC35 can be found on the outside of the right ear cup. On the left ear cup, you will find a 2.5mm headphone port and a button to switch between noise-cancelling modes. A 3.5mm to 2.5mm audio cable is included. Noise cancelling modes include Quiet and Aware (or transparency mode).

The Soundcore Life Q35 has a play/pause button and volume control on the right ear cup. Holding the volume up button will skip playback forward. Holding down the volume down button will skip playback back. Holding the play/pause button will activate your preferred voice assistant. The Soundcore Life Q35 also has a USB-C port charging port on the right ear cup. On the left ear cup, you will the port for a 3.5mm AUX cable. The Q35’s left ear cup also has a power button and a button for switching ANC modes. Pressing that button shuffles between Transport, Outdoor, and Indoor noise cancelling modes. It should be noted the Soundcore Life Q35 supports wear detection for automatic pause and play. The Bose QC45 does not.

The Bose QuietComfort 45 wireless headphones have Bluetooth 5.1. The Soundcore Life Q35 has Bluetooth version 5.0. The Soundcore Life Q35 can also be paired with NFC. The Bose QuietComfort 35 had this feature, but not the QC45. The standard AAC and SBC codecs are supported by both of these noise-cancelling headphones. The Soundcore Life Q35 adds LDAC codec support for improved HiFi playback quality. Both of these wireless headphones have Bluetooth multipoint capability and a microphone for phones calls.

Verdict: Soundcore Life Q35

Sound Quality

It can be difficult to compare sound quality. People have different preferences and you also need to consider other features. The Bose QuietComfort 45 over-ear headphones have less bass than most consumer headphones. You’ll find a more balanced EQ with good clarity and detail. If there is any overemphasis, it’s on higher frequencies. This can be particularly noticeable on badly mixed tracks. Luckily, Bose finally added EQ adjustment to the Bose Connect app recently. With EQ adjustment, users now have the option to dial in the sound signature a little. The QC45 wireless headphones have all-around great sound quality.

The Anker Soundcore Life Q35 has a bass-heavy sound signature by default. This overemphasis can result in vocals taking a backseat at times. It’s definitely a vibrant and dynamic sound signature, but it has its drawbacks. The sound quality doesn’t have the same clarity you will find on more premium options. The Q35 does have LDAC codec support. With the LDAC codec, streaming audio up to 990kbps and 32-bit/96kHz over Bluetooth. You will need the right source device and files, but this is much easier these days. Many streaming services have adopted higher-quality files. The Soundcore app also allows EQ adjustment and a ton of presets. We’ve raved about the Soundcore app before. Anker specializes in affordable headphones with their Soundcore line. They still manage to deliver one of the best companion apps out there.

While the Soundcore Life Q35 has LDAC and EQ adjustment features, hardware is still important. The Bose QC45 is the better-sounding pair of wireless headphones, as their price tag suggests. Any qualms with their default sound signature aren’t as relevant with the addition of EQ adjustment in the Bose Connect app.

Verdict: Bose QuietComfort 45

Bose QC45 vs Soundcore Life Q35: Which Has Better Noise Cancelling?

The Bose QuietComfort 45 wireless noise-cancelling headphones tout their ability to block out background noise as a top feature. It’s for good reason too, as it performs active noise cancelling exceptionally well. The Bose QC45 doesn’t just block out low-frequency noises like plane engines or AC at home. It also excels a mid-range and high frequencies. Noise cancellation of mid to high frequencies won’t be as pronounced as lower frequencies. There is still a definite improvement though. When in an office or coffee shop, this should result in slightly more muted background chatter.

Noise-cancelling headphones typically have different levels at which they block out background noise. Unfortunately, the Bose QuietComfort 45 doesn’t allow you to adjust these levels in the Bose Connect app. It’s even more disappointing when you realize this is possible on the Bose 700. There is a “quiet mode” and an “aware mode” on the Bose QC45. Quiet mode restricts the max amount of noise and does it very well. Aware more is better known as transparency mode. It will allow you to hear external noise to increase situational awareness. The Bose QuietComfort 45 has top-tier active noise cancelling no matter how you slice it. It’s still a little disappointing that there isn’t more flexibility with its noise cancellation.

The Soundcore Life Q35 are budget headphones with active noise-cancelling abilities. They are also relatively new to the active noise cancellation arena. The Q35 headphones can’t match the QC45’s ANC abilities. That being said, we were surprised that it wasn’t a completely unfair fight. They performed well suppressing low-frequency background noise. That means it will do a solid job of suppressing the hum of the AC or train. The gap widens as the frequencies increase. They’ll be less effective for that use case, but still provide some value. While you can’t expect ANC performance of expensive headphones like Sony’s WH-1000XM4, they hold their own. The Soundcore Life Q35 just can’t rival the Bose QC45 as a pair noise-cancelling headphones.

Verdict: Bose QuietComfort 45

In Conclusion

It’s important to limit exposure to loud noises to avoid hearing loss. A good pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones block out background noise. While it can’t combat very loud noises, it can block out enough that you won’t have to blast music to hear it. Unfortunately, premium active noise-cancelling headphones are usually expensive headphones. While the Soundcore Life Q35 doesn’t have top-tier ANC, they perform well enough to add value. Of course, if longer battery life is important, the Q35 should definitely be considered. The Soundcore Q35 headphones also have solid sound quality, great features, and good app support. They just can’t compete with the Bose QuietComfort 45 for active noise cancellation or sound quality.

If you would like to spend less for good active noise canceling, you’re better off seeking out an old model like Sony’s WH-1000XM3. For the latest and greatest, the Bose QuietComfort 45 is one of the best. We do prefer the Sony WH-1000XM4 over the Bose QC45 as wireless noise-cancelling headphones. We just think the WH-1000XM4 clearly has the better feature set and app support. Both have similarly great active noise cancelling.