Real owners lean toward the Apple AirPods Pro 3: 51% of 343 owners recommend it, vs 34% of 50 for the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen).
Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score
“Yea, I compared them to my xm5 (over ear headphones)… and not kidding, the ANC is better, and so are the low ends and bass. It’s actually insane”— Bokchoyk on Reddit
“I find that the new Airpods Pro 3 have a more secure fit, at least on my ears, and the ANC performance was better compared to the Airpods Pro 2.”— DagobietRTINGS on Reddit
“They hurt my ear holes. I can’t wear them”— djbdb on Reddit
“I will be returning my AP3 and just sticking with the Bose gen 2.”— @triniflyer8685 on YouTube
“They’re my instant new favorite.”— @Thegonagle on YouTube
“I wish Bose would fix the microphone during calls most people tell me they hear excessive noise when I am on a call if I am in a noisy environment”— @ait0317 on YouTube