Comparative Reviews: Bose QuietComfort 20i vs QuietComfort 35 vs Apple AirPods vs Airpods Pro
I’m far from being a specialist in audio devices but I’ve realized that I’ve used a number of them in recent years. Here’s a quick description of the advantages and disadvantages I’ve seen while using them.
If you prefer to watch the comparisons on video, here is our YouTube video dedicated to the subject. Otherwise, keep reading.
Bose QuietComfort 20i wired headphones (with noise reduction)
Price: 190 € (Amazon link). Be careful, there is a different version for Apple and Android. If you don’t use the right version, the remote control won’ t work.
These are the first noise-reducing headphones I’ve ever had. Bought second hand just before going around the world in anticipation of long and noisy trips by plane, bus, boat, …
As a reminder, noise reduction is a software process that “listens” to outside noise to send the “opposite” sound to your ears to attenuate it.
| Benefits | Disadvantages |
| – Small footprint (fits in your pocket). – Large autonomy. – Noise reduction can be activated or deactivated. – If the battery is discharged, you can continue to use the earphones (without noise reduction, however)- Good sound quality | – Wired – Fragile (the cable began to be seriously stripped after a year while I was taking care of it by systematically storing it in its cover) – Intra auricular, we like or we don’t like it |
Bose QuietComfort 35 headphones (wireless, with noise reduction)
Price : 277 € (Amazon link)
Bought at the end of our first trip around the world when my QuietComfort 20i gave up the ghost. A friend had given it a try and I was immediately impressed by the comfort, sound quality and noise reduction efficiency.
| Benefits | Disadvantages |
| – Wireless – Very large autonomy– If the battery is empty, you can connect a cable to use it in wired mode (without noise reduction)– Long life (still works as well after 3 years of intensive use)– Excellent sound quality– The noise reduction is amazing: the “physical” isolation of the headphones is added to the software noise reduction. It’s like being in a bubble. | – Quite bulky – The ear pads wear out quite quickly (but are replaceable). – Impossible to disable noise reduction (except when using it off in wired mode) |
Apple AirPods headphones (first generation)
More available for sale
We bought them in Asia a few months after their release at Anh’s insistence. I was quite skeptical but I was quickly seduced.
| Benefits | Disadvantages |
| – Very small size – Comfortable (we forget about them)– Very practical to use, Bluetooth particularly powerful– The box that also serves as a charger is very smart – Controllable (pause, play, next song, …) by tapping on the earphones– You can make the Airpods ring if you lose them via iCloud | – Normal sound quality (like regular Earpods ) – Very disappointing lifespan: after 2 years of use, the earphones only last about an hour without recharging them with the case. – Slight feeling of insecurity: we are afraid that an earphone might fall – Bug on the sound notification that warns that the battery is almost empty: it can be very loud and startle- Not easy to link with Windows devices |
Anh wrote a full review of Airpods 1 here
Apple AirPods Earphones (second generation)
Price: 148 €(Amazon link), normal case, charging with lightning cable
Anh did a complete article on the differences with the first generation of AirPods
Hair: there are very few of them.
The bug related to the sound notification seems to be fixed. We don’t have enough hindsight to know if the battery has a longer lifespan.
Compatibility with Windows seems to be improved
Apple AirPods Pro Earphones (with noise reduction)
Price : 244 € (Amazon link)
| Benefits | Disadvantages |
| – Very small footprint – Very convenient to use, Bluetooth particularly powerful – The case that also serves as a charger, it’s very smart. – Noise reduction can be activated or deactivated as required. – The in-ear hearing aid is available in 3 sizes. All 3 are supplied in the box- The noise reduction is very effective for such a small device. | – Normal sound quality (like regular Earpods )- No more possible to control them by “tapping” on the earphone, you have to press a specific place: less convenient. – Even at its maximum, the volume isn’t loud enough when used outdoors! I can’t listen to some podcasts. – The in-the-ear design (essential for noise reduction) makes them less comfortable for me than classic AirPods |
Conclusion: my perfect combo
It’s a big budget but my ideal combo is the following:
- For work: the AirPods 2 (Amazon link, Fnac link). Very pleasant to use: the phone rings, you take them out of the box and you are immediately operational. Their very small size also makes them very handy for short trips, when I go out alone to run errands for example.
- For travel: as nomads, we make many long and noisy trips by plane, bus, boat, … That’s why the Bose QuietComfort 35 headphones(Amazon link, Fnac link) is the best of the best. Comfortable to wear, sound quality, impressive noise reduction and very long autonomy. The top of the top !
- For sports: no need for noise reduction and sound quality isn’t too much of an issue. I use the JBL T110(Amazon link): the in-ear earphones fit well in the ears and the quality of the cable guarantees a good life span. And if I break them when I fall (already happened), I won’t cry for the 10 € they cost me.
For the moment: big disappointment for the AirPods Pro. Before I bought them, I was hoping they would replace my Bose QuietComfort headset. Unfortunately, the sound quality isn’t as good, the noise reduction is much lower, and the problem of too low volume is prohibitive. I hope that this will be corrected by an update in the near future.
