Get the Bose QC Ultra (2nd Gen) if…
You wear headphones for hours, you watch a lot of video, and you'd rather plug into USB-C than fiddle with settings.
Skip it if Noise canceling is the whole point. PCMag gives the Sony the edge in tougher spots.
Head-to-head · Headphones
Bose QC Ultra (2nd Gen)Image: Bose 
Sony WH-1000XM6Image: Sony
Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen)
Quietest commute and a 10-band EQ: Sony WH-1000XM6. PCMag gives it the noise-canceling edge. Softest fit, standout spatial audio and USB-C wired listening: Bose QC Ultra (2nd Gen), per What Hi-Fi? and PCMag. Pick by what you use every day.
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Alternatives first. The recommended use-case pick is last; these are not lab scores.
Jump to the final pick ↓Why we picked it
Get the Sony WH-1000XM6 if…
You commute or fly, you want the strongest noise canceling PCMag measured, and you like tweaking a 10-band EQ.
Skip it if You want USB-C wired audio or the smallest case in your bag.
Store links checked Oct 10, 2026, 1:35 PM ET. Check current prices at the store.
Pick for comfort and spatial audio
Softer clamp. Bigger soundstage.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) · 1 of 2
265 gWeight (PCMag, 9.33 oz)
30 hBattery (Bose)
USB-CWired lossless audio
aptXAdaptive codec
Get it if You wear headphones for hours, you watch a lot of video, and you'd rather plug into USB-C than fiddle with settings.
Skip it if Noise canceling is the whole point. PCMag gives the Sony the edge in tougher spots.
Full specs & caveats
Strengths
- Plush fit with less clamping force (What Hi-Fi?)
- Spatial audio PCMag calls one of the best it has heard
- USB-C wired audio, lossless from a phone or PC (Bose)
Keep in mind
- Noise canceling trails the Sony in harder scenarios (PCMag)
- Basic 3-band EQ (PCMag)
- aptX Adaptive needs a Snapdragon Sound phone for its best mode (SoundGuys)
| Weight | 9.33 oz / about 265 g (PCMag) |
|---|---|
| Battery (ANC on) | 30 h (Bose) |
| Bluetooth | 5.4, multipoint (Bose) |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive (PCMag) |
| Wired | USB-C digital audio or 3.5 mm analog (Bose, SoundGuys) |
| Folding | Yes, cups fold inward (What Hi-Fi?) |
| EQ | 3-band plus presets (PCMag) |
| Launch price | $449 at launch (PCMag; checked 2026-10-10) |
Our top pick for quiet and control
The one that shuts the bus up.
Sony WH-1000XM6 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones · 2 of 2
254 gWeight (Sony)
30 hBattery, ANC on (Sony)
3 minCharge for 3 h (Sony)
LDACHi-res codec
Get it if You commute or fly, you want the strongest noise canceling PCMag measured, and you like tweaking a 10-band EQ.
Skip it if You want USB-C wired audio or the smallest case in your bag.
Full specs & caveats
Strengths
- PCMag rates its noise canceling ahead of the Bose, especially on buses and in noisy spots
- Deeper app control, with a 10-band EQ (PCMag)
- Folds flat again, unlike the XM5
Keep in mind
- Cups fold flat only, so it packs bigger than the Bose (What Hi-Fi?)
- Analog-only wired listening, no USB-C audio (SoundGuys)
- No water resistance rating (SoundGuys)
| Weight | 254 g (Sony) |
|---|---|
| Battery (ANC on) | 30 h (Sony) |
| Quick charge | 3 min = up to 3 h (Sony) |
| Bluetooth | 5.3, multipoint (2 devices) (PCMag) |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3, LDAC (PCMag) |
| Wired | 3.5 mm analog cable (SoundGuys) |
| Folding | Yes, folds flat (Sony) |
| EQ | 10-band in Sound Connect app (PCMag) |
| Launch price | $449.99 at launch (PCMag; checked 2026-10-10) |
Side by side.
Pick two. Compare the numbers—not the marketing.
| Specification | Pick for comfort and spatial audioBose QC Ultra (2nd Gen) | Our top pick for quiet and controlSony WH-1000XM6 |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Weight | 9.33 oz / about 265 g (PCMag) | 254 g (Sony) |
| Battery (ANC on) | 30 h (Bose) | 30 h (Sony) |
| Bluetooth | 5.4, multipoint (Bose) | 5.3, multipoint (2 devices) (PCMag) |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive (PCMag) | SBC, AAC, LC3, LDAC (PCMag) |
| Wired audio | USB-C digital audio or 3.5 mm analog (Bose, SoundGuys) | 3.5 mm analog cable (SoundGuys) |
| Folding | Yes, cups fold inward (What Hi-Fi?) | Yes, folds flat (Sony) |
| EQ | 3-band plus presets (PCMag) | 10-band in Sound Connect app (PCMag) |
| Launch price | $449 at launch (PCMag; checked 2026-10-10) | $449.99 at launch (PCMag; checked 2026-10-10) |
Bose QC Ultra (2nd Gen)
- Weight
- 9.33 oz / about 265 g (PCMag)
- Battery (ANC on)
- 30 h (Bose)
- Bluetooth
- 5.4, multipoint (Bose)
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive (PCMag)
- Wired audio
- USB-C digital audio or 3.5 mm analog (Bose, SoundGuys)
- Folding
- Yes, cups fold inward (What Hi-Fi?)
- EQ
- 3-band plus presets (PCMag)
- Launch price
- $449 at launch (PCMag; checked 2026-10-10)
Sony WH-1000XM6
- Weight
- 254 g (Sony)
- Battery (ANC on)
- 30 h (Sony)
- Bluetooth
- 5.3, multipoint (2 devices) (PCMag)
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC, LC3, LDAC (PCMag)
- Wired audio
- 3.5 mm analog cable (SoundGuys)
- Folding
- Yes, folds flat (Sony)
- EQ
- 10-band in Sound Connect app (PCMag)
- Launch price
- $449.99 at launch (PCMag; checked 2026-10-10)
How we chose
Specs from Sony and Bose. Noise canceling, comfort and sound verdicts from PCMag, What Hi-Fi? and SoundGuys. We don’t run our own lab tests.
Where they actually differ
Noise canceling. Close, but Sony wins. PCMag says the XM6 outperforms the Bose in more challenging scenarios and adds slightly less background hiss.
Comfort. Bose clamps less. What Hi-Fi? calls the QC Ultra one of the comfiest over-ears it has used. The Sony feels more secure on the head.
Packing. Bose cups fold inward into a compact case. The Sony folds flat, so its case stays wider (What Hi-Fi?).
Phone codecs. Android with LDAC? Sony. A Snapdragon Sound phone? Bose’s aptX Adaptive. iPhone? Both fall back to AAC, so ignore this row.
Wired listening. Bose plays digital audio over USB-C, lossless from a phone or laptop. The Sony is analog 3.5 mm only.
Spatial audio. PCMag rates Bose’s version one of the best it has heard, especially for video.
Same on both
30 hours of rated battery with ANC on. Bluetooth multipoint for two devices. Neither has a water-resistance rating, so leave both out of the gym (SoundGuys).
Sources
- PCMag — Sony WH-1000XM6 review
- PCMag — Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) review
- What Hi-Fi? — Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
- SoundGuys — Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) vs Sony WH-1000XM6
- Sony — WH-1000XM6 specifications
- Bose — QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) specifications
- RTINGS — Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) review
- RTINGS — Sony WH-1000XM6 review
Image credits: Bose QC Ultra (2nd Gen) — Bose · Sony WH-1000XM6 — Sony.
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