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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want active noise cancellation with a wired, foldable headset you can wear all day and still flip into an aware mode when you need to hear the room, choose Bose QuietComfort 20; if you need open-ear, waterproof true wireless earbuds with a charging case, long battery life and a secure hook fit for basketball, choose Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2.
• Bose QuietComfort 20's biggest strength: genuine active noise cancellation with an Aware mode, plus a wired 3.5 mm connection and a rechargeable battery rated up to 16 hours.
• Bose QuietComfort 20's biggest trade-off: it's a wired in-ear design with an inline remote, so there's no true wireless freedom and the mic/remote is aimed at Android, BlackBerry and Windows phones.
• Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2's biggest strength: an open-ear hook design that keeps your ears open to the world, with up to 42 hours of total listening time from the charging case and an IP55 rating.
• Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2's biggest trade-off: there's no active noise cancellation at all — the whole point is that you hear your surroundings — and there's no headphone jack.
• Who each pick is for: pick the Bose if you want to block noise out and let it back in on command; pick the AeroFit 2 if you want open-ear awareness, wireless convenience and a fit built for movement.
The QuietComfort 20 is the older-school answer to the aware-mode question, and it's a genuinely interesting one. Bose built these in-ear headphones around two modes: turn noise cancelling on to reduce the distractions around you, or switch to Aware mode to keep your music playing while still hearing what's going on. That second mode is the whole reason this model stays relevant — it's the original "let the world in" button, and it works without you having to pull an earbud out.
The spec sheet backs up the intent. Bose rates the noise reduction as rivaling a full-sized headphone, which is a bold claim for something that sits in your ear, and it comes from the company's own TriPort and noise-cancelling technologies. The fit relies on proprietary StayHear+ tips in three sizes (small, medium and large), designed to sit softly and securely without forcing them in. You get a dynamic driver covering 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, an inline mic and remote for volume and calls, and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery rated at up to 16 hours — with a USB charging cable included, which matters if you're the type who wants one cable for everything.
Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2: Who It's For
The AeroFit 2 takes the opposite approach: instead of cancelling the world, it deliberately keeps it audible. The open-ear design is meant to let you hear traffic while running, a coworker's question across the desk, or someone calling your name, while your music, podcasts or calls keep playing. If "aware mode" is what you're shopping for, this is awareness as a permanent state rather than a mode you toggle.
The fit is the standout feature on paper. There are four adjustable ear-hook positions, so you can dial in the angle that works for your ears — Anker describes it as lightweight, secure and pressure-free, and that adjustability is exactly what you want from something you'd wear through a long session on the court or a full workday. On the audio side, 20 mm × 11.5 mm racetrack drivers and BassTurbo acoustics are paired with Bluetooth 5.4 and LDAC support for high-resolution wireless audio. Directional acoustic technology aims sound into your ear so the person next to you isn't hearing your playlist, while four beamforming mics with AI noise reduction handle calls, including in wind.
Battery is the other headline: roughly 10 hours in the buds, up to 42 hours total with the charging case, a 10-minute quick charge adding up to about 3 hours, and the case itself supports wireless charging. They're rated IP55, which covers sweat and splashes — worth knowing if you're looking for waterproof true wireless earbuds for basketball. There's also real-time two-way AI translation in over 100 languages through the Soundcore app, though that requires app version 3.8.7 or later and updated firmware. No headphone jack here, and no active noise cancellation.
Who should buy it? Anyone who wants to stay aware of their surroundings, hates the plugged-ear feeling, or needs earbuds that stay put during movement — runners, gym-goers, cyclists, and people who take calls all day. Who should skip it? If you want to silence a plane cabin or a loud office, this is the wrong tool. The open-ear design lets sound in by definition.
• Best for noise cancellation → Bose QuietComfort 20. It's the only one of the two with active noise cancellation and an Aware mode you can switch on and off.
• Best for staying aware of your surroundings → Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2. The open-ear design keeps you connected to the world without any mode switching.
• Best for battery life → Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2. Up to 42 hours total with the case versus up to 16 hours on the Bose, plus a quick charge that adds hours in minutes.
• Best for a wired, no-charging-required setup → Bose QuietComfort 20. A 3.5 mm jack and an included USB charging cable make it the simpler plug-in option.
• Best for sport and movement → Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2. Four adjustable ear-hook positions and an IP55 rating suit sweat and motion far better than a wired in-ear with a cable.
• Best for calls in wind → Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2. Four beamforming mics with AI noise reduction are built for that scenario.
• Best for travel and translation → Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2. Real-time two-way translation in over 100 languages through the app is a genuinely unusual extra.
• Best for plugging into a laptop or in-flight system → Bose QuietComfort 20. No Bluetooth pairing and no case to keep charged.
If I were buying for basketball — or for any activity where I need to hear the court, my teammates and what's around me — I'd buy the Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2. The adjustable ear hooks, IP55 rating, up to 42 hours with the case and the fully wireless design fit that use case far better than a wired in-ear. I'd choose the Bose QuietComfort 20 instead if my priority were actually silencing noise and toggling Aware mode on demand, especially for commuting, flying or working near a 3.5 mm jack. Different jobs, different tools — but for movement and awareness, my pick is the AeroFit 2.
FAQ
how to turn on aware mode on bose headphones
how to turn off aware mode bose headphones
Turning Aware mode off means switching back to the noise-cancelling setting on the inline control, which returns the headphones to reducing surrounding distractions. If you'd rather hear nothing at all, you can also simply remove the earbuds, since the QuietComfort 20 is a wired in-ear design.
what is ambient aware on headphones
Ambient or aware mode is a setting that pipes outside sound into your ears — or, on open-ear designs like the AeroFit 2, simply never blocks it in the first place — so you can hear traffic, voices or announcements without removing your headphones. It's the opposite of active noise cancellation, which reduces what you hear.
No. The AeroFit 2's spec sheet lists no noise control at all, because the open-ear design is intentionally built to let outside sound in. If active noise cancellation is what you want, the Bose QuietComfort 20 is the one of these two that provides it.
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