Two flagship true wireless ANC earbuds. Sony WF-1000XM5: Dynamic Driver X 8.4 mm, 8 hrs music with NC ON (12 hrs off; up to 24 hrs with case), ~5.9 g per bud, Bluetooth 5.3, LDAC, $299.99 US MSRP. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (1st gen): CustomTune / ActiveSense, 6 hrs with Immersive Audio off (4 hrs on), Bluetooth 5.3, aptX Adaptive, IPX4, $299 US launch MSRP.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
| Spec | Sony WF-1000XM5 | Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds |
|---|---|---|
| Form | Truly wireless earbuds (ANC) | Truly wireless earbuds (ANC; 1st gen Ultra) |
| Driver | 8.4 mm Dynamic Driver X (Sony) | unknown on Bose press sheet we cite |
| ANC claim | Best noise-canceling earbuds claim; Integrated Processor V2 + HD NC Processor QN2e; dual feedback mics (Sony press) | World-class ANC; CustomTune; Aware Mode with ActiveSense (Bose press) |
| Battery (mfr.) | Max. 8 hrs music NC ON / 12 hrs NC OFF; up to 24 hrs total with case NC ON (Sony press)Higher | Up to 6 hrs Immersive Audio off; up to 4 hrs Immersive on (Bose press); ~24 hrs with case on common retail sheets |
| Quick charge | 3 min → ~60 min playback (Sony press) | unknown on Bose press sheet we cite (optional wireless case cover sold separately at launch) |
| Charging | USB-C case (~2 hrs); buds ~1.5 hrs; Qi wireless case (Sony) | USB-C case (Bose); optional wireless charging case cover at launch (Bose press) |
| Weight | Approx. 5.9 g per bud (incl. M tips); case ~39 g (Sony)Lighter | ~7.7 g per bud on common retail sheets; not restated on Bose press release we cite |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.3 (Bose press) |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 (Sony) | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive / Snapdragon Sound (Bose press) |
| Multipoint | Yes (Sony) | Yes on common retail sheets; Bose SimpleSync separately |
| Fold / case | Compact charging case; IPX4 buds (case not water-resistant) (Sony) | Charging case; IPX4 buds (Bose press) |
| Wired | No — truly wireless only | No — truly wireless only |
| Starting price | $299.99 US MSRP (Sony Electronics press, July 2023) | $299 US launch MSRP (Bose / PR Newswire, Sep 2023)Lower start |
| Finishes | Black, Silver, Smoky Pink (Sony store ladder — confirm live SKUs) | Black, White Smoke (launch); confirm live SKUs |
Sony — Sony WF-1000XM5 Amazon search (no ASIN)
Bose — Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Amazon search (no ASIN)
Sources
Sony Electronics PR Newswire (24 July 2023) WF-1000XM5 + Sony US/SG specification tables. Bose pressroom QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds announcement, 14 September 2023 + PR Newswire. Bose weight and case-total battery from common retail sheets where the press release omitted them — flagged in the matrix. Checked 30 September 2026.