How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want the most polished noise cancellation with voice-assistant convenience and a proven travel-friendly design, choose Bose QuietComfort 35; if you need marathon battery life, customizable audiophile-grade sound, and a more modern feature set, choose Sennheiser Momentum 4.
• Bose QuietComfort 35 — biggest strength: Three adjustable levels of active noise cancellation plus Alexa voice control and a lightweight 8.32-ounce over-ear build that's built for frequent flyers.
• Bose QuietComfort 35 — biggest trade-off: Around 20 hours of battery life and a 20-hour charge time, which trails the Momentum 4 significantly, and its control scheme leans on voice rather than touch.
• Sennheiser Momentum 4 — biggest strength: Up to 60 hours of playback with fast charging (roughly 6 hours from a 10-minute top-up), adaptive ANC, transparency mode, and a 42mm transducer system you can tune with an EQ.
• Sennheiser Momentum 4 — biggest trade-off: Heavier at 293 grams, a 1-year manufacturer warranty, and a 470-ohm impedance rating that signals it's tuned more for wireless listening than for wired gear matching.
• Bose QuietComfort 35 is for you if: you want set-and-forget noise cancellation, Alexa at the press of a button, and a featherweight fit for long flights.
• Sennheiser Momentum 4 is for you if: you want to go a week or more between charges, personalize your sound, and switch between ANC and transparency on the fly.
The QuietComfort 35 II is the classic "get on a plane and disappear" headphone. Bose built its reputation on noise cancellation, and this model gives you three selectable levels of it, so you can dial in how much of the world you want to shut out rather than living with a single on/off setting. That granularity matters on a long-haul flight, where you might want maximum blocking during engine drone but a lighter setting when you're waiting at the gate and still need to hear announcements.
Where it asks you to compromise is endurance. A 20-hour average battery life and a 20-hour charge time mean you'll be plugging in regularly, and a full recharge is an overnight affair. The build is plastic, which keeps the weight down to 8.32 ounces — comfortable for hours — but it won't feel as premium in the hand as metal-and-leather alternatives. In my opinion, the QC35 is the right pick for the traveler who prizes lightweight comfort, dependable noise cancellation, and hands-free voice control over raw battery numbers. If you're someone who forgets to charge things, or you want to fine-tune your sound signature, you'll want to look at the other option.
Sennheiser Momentum 4: Who It's For
The Momentum 4 is the headphone for people who hate charging. Sennheiser rates it at up to 60 hours of playback, and fast charging gives you roughly 6 more hours from just 10 minutes on the cable — a full charge takes about 2 hours. For a commuter, a student, or someone who works from cafés all week, that's the difference between treating charging as a weekly ritual and treating it as a daily annoyance.
Audio is the other headline. The 42mm dynamic transducers paired with aptX Adaptive are aimed squarely at listeners who care about dynamics and clarity, and the Smart Control Plus app lets you build a custom EQ profile, save presets, and even run a sound-personalization routine that tailors output to your hearing. Adaptive noise cancellation adjusts to your surroundings automatically, and a touch-activated transparency mode lets you hear the barista call your name without pulling the headphones off. Four beamforming microphones handle calls with wind-noise suppression, which is a real advantage if you take a lot of voice calls outdoors.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best battery life → Sennheiser Momentum 4. Up to 60 hours versus roughly 20 hours on the Bose.
• Fastest top-up → Sennheiser Momentum 4. About 6 hours of playback from a 10-minute charge; the Bose needs around 20 hours for a full charge.
• Lightest on the head → Bose QuietComfort 35. 8.32 ounces versus 293 grams.
• Best noise-cancellation control → Bose QuietComfort 35. Three selectable levels let you choose exactly how much of the world to block.
• Best sound customization → Sennheiser Momentum 4. Built-in EQ, presets, sound modes, and a personalization feature in the app.
• Best for voice-assistant users → Bose QuietComfort 35. Alexa is built in with a dedicated action button.
• Best for situational awareness → Sennheiser Momentum 4. One-touch transparency mode for hearing your surroundings without removing the headphones.
• Best for frequent flyers who want to pack light → Bose QuietComfort 35. Lower weight and a compact carry case make it easier to live with on the move.
I'd buy the Sennheiser Momentum 4. Sixty hours of battery, fast charging, adaptive ANC, transparency mode, and a genuinely customizable sound signature cover more of what most people actually need day to day, and the app support makes it feel like a headphone that will keep improving. The Bose QuietComfort 35 still earns its place for anyone who wants the lightest possible fit, three-step noise control, and Alexa on tap — that's a real, specific advantage. But if I'm spending my own money and picking one, I'm taking the Momentum 4 for its battery life and tuning flexibility.
It depends on what you value. The Momentum 4 wins on battery life (up to 60 hours vs. about 20), sound customization, and transparency mode. The QuietComfort 35 wins on weight and its three-level noise cancellation control.
Sennheiser rates the Momentum 4 at up to 60 hours with roughly 6 hours added from a 10-minute fast charge. Bose lists about 20 hours of average battery life with a 20-hour charge time.
Yes. The Bose QuietComfort 35 offers three levels of active noise cancellation you can adjust. The Sennheiser Momentum 4 uses adaptive noise cancellation that adjusts automatically, plus a transparency mode.
The Bose is lighter at 8.32 ounces, which favors it for extended wear. The Momentum 4 counters with a padded headband, memory-foam earpads, and an adjustable low-friction hinge, so it's built for comfort too — just heavier.
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See also: bose headphones, bose vs beats headphones, headphones surround sound