Bose QuietComfort 35 II
There may be a new noise-canceling kid on the block since the release of the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 in summer 2019, but that doesn’t mean that the QuietComfort 35 II should be written off – in fact, they’re still among the best noise-canceling headphones we’ve tested. If you want a top of the line pair of headphones, then you’ll definitely want a pair that offer both wireless operation and active noise cancellation – which is no easy feat considering the issues that frequently arise around Bluetooth and audio quality. Bose already offered a pair of such headphones (the impressive Bose QuietComfort 35), but with the increased importance of voice assistants, it’s seen fit to update its flagship headphones with built in support for Google Assistant. Enter the Bose QC35 II NC, which were the first pair of headphones in the world that integrate’s Google’s voice assistant – and since their 2017 release, lots of other brands have followed suit. With Google Assistant onboard, you can simply press and hold a button to interact with Google without yelling, “OK Google.” The headphones will also read back notifications to you so you don’t have to dig in your pocket or bag for your smartphone. The addition of the Google Assistant is appreciated – it is – but it comes at the expense of other, more useful features like auto play/pause or instant mute. While the QC35 II NC remain a solid recommendation for travelers and commuters, a few nagging feature omissions that prevent it from being at the top of the pack, especially for the $350 / £330 / AU$500/ R9,500) price it commands. The Bose QC35 II NC look exactly like the previous generation headphone save for the new Google Assistant button located on the left earcup. The headphones come in black or silver and its design is… well, stiflingly generic. This makes them perfect for modest business class travelers, but less perfect for those who like their headphones to make an impression. Also disappointing is its plastic build, which is nice for saving weight but feels extremely cheap especially compared to luxury headphones like the Master & Dynamic MW50, which bathes your head with lambskin leather and aluminum. Thankfully, the plastic build doesn’t affect the headphone’s ability to take punishment as it feels very solid. The headphones also come with a hard case for traveling, which is nicer than the pouches that many headphone makers opt to include. The plastic build does help the QC35 II NC in terms of comfort and we were impressed by just how comfortable the headphone was to use for extended periods.
