The Sony ULT Wear and Bose QC45 both land in the $150–$200 range, and both are decent headphones. Neither is the best choice at that budget.

The Soundcore Space One Pro sits around $80 and beats both on ANC performance and battery life. LDAC support is a bonus most headphones at twice the price don’t offer. It folds flat, travels easily, and doesn’t ask you to pay a premium for the brand name. If the ceiling is $200, this is where the money goes.

The QC45 has class-leading comfort — Bose still owns the fit experience for long-haul sessions. But it’s been superseded by the updated Bose QuietComfort Headphones, which run roughly the same price and add multipoint Bluetooth. If you want Bose specifically, get the current model, not the QC45.

The Sony ULT Wear is a bass-tuned consumer headphone. The ANC is functional, not exceptional. It’s fine for commuting; it’s not the tool for focus work or deep listening sessions where room isolation actually matters.

If the budget bends to $280–$300, the Sony WH-1000XM5 is the straightforward answer — best-in-class ANC, 30-hour battery, light enough to wear all day. It’s the headphone this entire category comparison is really working around.

Sony WH-1000XM5 Amazon ↗ Soundcore Space One Pro Amazon ↗ Bose QuietComfort Headphones - Wireless Bluetooth Headphones Amazon ↗

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Related Reviews

  • Sony WH-1000XM5

    Sony's flagship ANC headphones with best-in-class noise cancellation, strong call quality, and 30-hour battery — but a non-folding design that divides buyers who travel with them.

  • Soundcore Space One Pro

    A budget-tier ANC headphone that punches well above its price — 40-hour battery with ANC on, LDAC support, and a foldable design that makes the Bose and Sony price gap hard to justify for a lot of buyers.

  • Bose QuietComfort Headphones

    Comfort-heavy ANC headphones that make a strong case for long focus sessions, travel, and all-day wear without turning every listening session into a tech negotiation.

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