How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-23 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• Bose QuietComfort 35 — biggest strength: three adjustable levels of active noise cancellation in an over-ear design, plus a noise-rejecting dual-microphone setup and Alexa voice control.
• Bose QuietComfort 35 — biggest trade-off: around 20 hours of playback per charge and a 20-hour charge time, so it's the heavier, more power-hungry of the two, and it relies on micro-USB-era charging habits.
• SONY Headphones WH-CH510 — biggest strength: up to 35 hours of listening on one charge, a 4.5-hour charge time and USB-C, in a lightweight on-ear body that swivels flat for travel.
• SONY Headphones WH-CH510 — biggest trade-off: on-ear cups sit on your ears rather than around them, there's no headphone jack, and the noise cancellation is a far simpler affair than Bose's three-level system.
• Choose Bose if you fly, commute on loud trains, or work in a noisy room and want the world turned down while you take calls.
• Choose Sony if you want all-day wireless listening, easy packing and modern charging without paying for premium noise cancelling.
The QuietComfort 35 is the headphones-as-a-tool pick. Its whole personality is built around active noise cancellation with three selectable levels, so you can dial the outside world from "muted" to "gone" depending on whether you're on a plane, in an open office or just trying to read on a busy street. The over-ear cups and 32-ohm dynamic drivers covering 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz give you a full-size listening experience, and Bose's balanced-audio tuning means the sound doesn't collapse or get harsh when you push the volume up.
Call quality is clearly a design priority here. The dual-microphone system is built to reject surrounding noise and pick up your voice, which is exactly what you want when you're taking a meeting from a cafe or calling home from a terminal. Voice control is baked in through Alexa using a dedicated action button, and the Bose Connect app handles Bluetooth pairing, noise-cancellation levels, music sharing, connection management and firmware updates. In my opinion, that app layer is what makes the QC35 feel like a long-term companion rather than a one-trick pair of cans — you can keep shaping how it behaves.
Who should skip it? Anyone who mostly wants cheap, light, all-day wireless listening. The QC35 is heavier at 8.32 ounces, it's an over-ear design that takes up more room in a bag, and its roughly 20-hour battery with a 20-hour charge time is the weakest part of the spec sheet. If your routine is "podcasts on the bus, music at my desk, charge it once a week," you're paying for noise cancellation you may not fully use. If you do need that quiet, though, the QC35 is the more capable machine.
The WH-CH510 is the headphones-as-a-habit pick. Its headline number is up to 35 hours of playback on a single charge, and it charges in about 4.5 hours over USB-C — that combination is what makes it genuinely convenient. You plug it in on a Sunday, and it just keeps going through the week. Bluetooth 5 gives you a 10-meter line-of-sight range, and pairing to a phone or tablet is the standard, friction-free process.
The physical design is built for motion. The earcups are on-ear with a circular shape, and they swivel flat, so the whole thing slips into a bag or a suitcase without a fight. At 11.2 ounces it's not the featherweight you might expect, but the on-ear form factor and swivel hinge make it the easier of the two to carry. The 30 mm dynamic drivers cover the same 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz range as the Bose, though a smaller driver and 42-ohm impedance mean the presentation is aimed at everyday listening rather than critical sessions. Supported codecs are SBC and AAC, which covers the basics for iOS and Android streaming.
Hands-free calling is handled by a built-in microphone, and the headphones support voice-assistant commands, so you can take calls and trigger your phone's assistant without reaching for it. The noise cancellation is present as active noise cancellation, but it's a smart, simple implementation next to Bose's three-level control — think "takes the edge off" rather than "silences the cabin."
Who should skip it? Anyone who flies often, works in genuinely loud spaces, or wants the flexibility of a wired backup. There's no headphone jack on the WH-CH510, so once the battery is empty you're done listening until you charge. If deep, adjustable quiet is the reason you're buying headphones at all, the Sony won't scratch that itch.
• Best for noise cancellation → Bose QuietComfort 35. Three adjustable levels beat a single smart implementation, and the over-ear seal helps too.
• Best for battery life → SONY Headphones WH-CH510. Up to 35 hours of playback versus roughly 20 on the Bose.
• Best for charging convenience → SONY Headphones WH-CH510. USB-C and a 4.5-hour charge time versus the Bose's 20-hour charge.
• Best for phone calls and voice control → Bose QuietComfort 35. A noise-rejecting dual-microphone system and Alexa access on a dedicated button.
• Best for travel and packing → SONY Headphones WH-CH510. Swivel-flat earcups and a lighter, more compact on-ear shape.
• Best for wired listening → Bose QuietComfort 35. It has a 3.5 mm jack and ships with a backup audio cable, so you can keep listening without Bluetooth.
• Best for app-based customization → Bose QuietComfort 35. The Bose Connect app manages pairing, noise levels, sharing and firmware.
• Best for light, everyday wireless listening → SONY Headphones WH-CH510. Simple, long-lasting, and it doesn't ask you to manage anything.
If I were buying one of these for myself, I'd take the Bose QuietComfort 35. The three-level noise cancellation, the over-ear comfort, the dual-microphone call quality and the Bose Connect app make it the more versatile headphone — it handles flights, offices and calls, and the 3.5 mm jack is a real safety net when the battery runs down. I'd only switch to the SONY WH-CH510 if my priority were going as long as possible between charges, charging over USB-C, and keeping the whole thing light and packable. Both are honest, well-reasoned designs; they just solve different problems. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit.
Based on the specs, Bose has the more advanced system — three adjustable levels of active noise cancellation plus a noise-rejecting dual-microphone array. The Sony WH-CH510 offers smart noise cancellation, but it's a simpler implementation in an on-ear design, which naturally seals less than over-ear cups.
The Sony WH-CH510 wins clearly: up to 35 hours of playback and a 4.5-hour charge time over USB-C. The Bose QuietComfort 35 is rated around 20 hours of playback with a 20-hour charge time, so expect to plug in more often.
No. The WH-CH510 has no headphone jack — it's Bluetooth only. The Bose QuietComfort 35 does have a 3.5 mm jack and includes a backup audio cable in the box, so it can keep working wired.
Yes, that's one of their stronger points. The noise-rejecting dual-microphone system is designed to pick up your voice clearly and cut down background noise, and you also get Alexa voice control through a dedicated button.
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