Bose’s Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds made me miss simple tech

I’m someone who’s perpetually wearing earbuds or headphones. Whether I need a good jam session, to catch up on reels, or to shut out the chaos that is my home, these ears need covering.

Unfortunately, even with awesome options like the Nothing Headphone, my constant battle is keeping these devices alive.

However, with the resurgence of wired earbuds, I figured I would go back to my 90s roots and try out the Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds to see if wires were as annoying as I remember.

What I discovered is that wired earbuds have come a long way.

9/10

Battery Life

N/A

Microphones

4

Bluetooth

No

Price

$99

Wired is back with Bose’s Noise Canceling Wired Earbuds. Featuring Bose’s signature sound, easy plug-and-play design, and a comfortable fit, you can listen all day.

Price, Availability, Specs

The Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds are available at retailers such as Best Buy and on Bose’s website for $99. It might be a little steep for earbuds, but it’s much cheaper than many wireless options. Plus, the quality is great!

The earbuds also come in three colors: Black, White Smoke, and Dewdrop Mint (limited-edition).

Fit and setup

Ease and comfort are everything

Since I was a fan of Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra buds, I went in with high expectations, and its Noise Cancelling wired earbuds didn’t disappoint.

Let’s start with the best part of these earbuds: they are so comfortable and lightweight. They come with interchangeable wingtips and ear tips to ensure a snug fit, and I swapped them for the smaller size. I haven’t looked back!

The buds settled in my ears, and I promptly forgot they were there for several hours; so much so that I got up for some tea and accidentally yanked them out. Even with the force, they stayed put pretty well, though they gave me horrible flashbacks of skipping discs.

While I have a love-hate relationship with wires (more on that later), I have to say, the convenience of the buds’ plug-and-play design outweighed my disdain.

Since the buds have a USB-C connection, it was so easy to just plug into any device I was near. My laptop? No problem. My phone? Great! Nintendo Switch 2? No syncing needed.

I am shocked by how much I missed the simplicity. I didn’t have to set it up with any device, download an app, or check for compatibility. As long as you have a modern device with a USB-C port, the Bose Noise Cancelling earbuds should connect without trouble.

So, while it doesn’t have a multi-point connection, it doesn’t need it. Just unplug them from one device and plug them into another. It seems novel in this day and age, but I like the simplicity. Also, I love not having to worry about these earbuds dying on me.

Sound and controls

Love it when things are just simple

Since these buds are from Bose, it shouldn’t be a surprise that they sound great. The Bose Noise Cancelling wired earbuds deliver decent sound, though there isn’t a way to tweak the settings. (No app, remember?) Still, whether you’re listening to a show, audiobook, or music, the sound is great without it.

What’s better is the low-latency transfer, so that everything is pretty much in sync; there’s no delay. If you want to pull out certain parts of a song, though, you’ll want to invest in other earbuds. If you’re casually listening, though, everything sounds decent.

I’ve tested Instagram Reels, a hard rock cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” by Our Last Night, and some instrumental covers, and the sound was crisp and clear, even at high volumes.

As the name implies, the Bose Noise Cancelling wired earbuds have, you guessed it, noise-canceling, and it is great! With a simple button press on the blue control panel, I shut out the world. I didn’t even hear my kids fighting right outside my bedroom door, and I didn’t need to crank the volume!

The noise-canceling was handy for video and phone calls, too. Yes, these buds have a microphone, but the quality isn’t top tier. It’s a solid fine, though, so no need to yank out your buds to take a phone call.

Also, like with the convenience of the USB-C cord, I love that there’s an actual control panel for volume and noise-canceling. I loathe touch controls and have very little patience for them, so having tactile buttons is a win for me.

You’re still tethered

Wires are still awful

Okay, up to this point, you might think I’m letting my nostalgia take over in this review. Well, here’s the bad news: wired earbuds still have a wire.

Since the Bose Noise Cancelling wired earbuds are so comfortable, I legitimately forget I’m wearing them. So, I tend to yank my phone or get caught on things around me.

Also, photographing these buds was a nightmare. You can’t make wires look good. It’s impossible, even if you have a neat little blue panel to brighten things up.

Wired also means that you’re tethered to whatever device you’re plugged into. This might not be a problem if you’re sitting at your desk, on your couch, or in bed; it is if you’re trying to do something physical.

I can’t cook, exercise, or even clean the house. Maybe it’s just because I’m clumsy, but I’ll stick to wireless when it comes to physical activity.

That said, since I started testing them, I favor the wired earbuds when I don’t plan on moving, though I wish I could charge my phone and listen at the same time. You can’t have it all, I guess!

Should you buy the Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds?

For $99, I would definitely recommend these earbuds. The Bose Noise Cancelling wired earbuds are a comfortable and convenient option, especially for trips, work, or other activities where there’s limited charging available.

Though they tether you to a device, they sound great and are just simple. However, if you need more mobility, you might want to stick with wireless options.

9/10

Battery Life

N/A

Microphones

4

Bluetooth

No

Price

$99

Wired is back with Bose’s Noise Canceling Wired Earbuds. Featuring Bose’s signature sound, easy plug-and-play design, and a comfortable fit, you can listen all day.