Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds – noise cancelling on a cable, no battery

By Ricardo de Jong ·

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Black Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds with a blue-buttoned inline remote and a USB-C plug, on a pale blue background

Wireless earbuds have one weak spot: the battery. They’re at 4% when the train leaves, the case is dead too, and the cable to charge it is at home.

The Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds are wired earbuds with real active noise cancelling that plug into the USB-C port of your phone, tablet or laptop. There’s no battery inside. They take their power from whatever they’re plugged into, so they’re never empty.

Wired earbuds with proper noise cancelling are rare, and for 99 bucks from Bose, I’m tempted.

Black Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds with clear stability wings and grey eartips

What are the Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds?

Bose announced them on September 28, 2026, and they started shipping on October 15. Gear Patrol calls them Bose’s first wired earbuds in over a decade, and points out that they look a lot like the QuietComfort 20 from 2013. Bose leans into that. The Black pair has bright blue buttons, the White Smoke pair has lime green ones, and a limited Dewdrop Mint version goes for full 90s nostalgia.

Bose’s own pitch, from Raza Haider (president of Bose Premium Consumer Audio): “Wired earbuds are experiencing a cultural renaissance.” Bold words from a company that sells a lot of wireless ones.

What you get, according to Bose:

  • USB-C plug. No Bluetooth, no pairing, no app, no charging.
  • Four microphones (two per earbud) for noise cancelling, with three modes: Quiet, Aware (lets the world in) and ANC Off.
  • USB Audio Class 2 with lossless support. Playback is fixed at 24-bit/48kHz.
  • A three-button inline remote for volume, play/pause, calls and skipping tracks. Hold the middle button to cycle through the noise cancelling modes.
  • A call microphone on the back of the remote, placed so your shirt doesn’t rub against it.
  • A 4.2-foot cable, IPX4 splash resistance, S/M/L eartips, optional stability wings and a zippered case.

The Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds with their USB-C cable, inline remote and black zippered carry case

How does noise cancelling work without a battery?

Noise cancelling needs power for the microphones and the chip that makes the “anti-noise”. Normally that’s what eats your earbud battery. Here the USB-C port does the job. Your phone feeds the earbuds, the same way it feeds a USB-C stick.

The flip side: they only work with a USB-C port. Bose says non-USB adapters won’t work because of the power the earbuds need, and Gear Patrol notes there’s no 3.5mm adapter in the box. Old iPhones with Lightning and your airplane seat’s headphone jack are out of luck.

The good and the not-so-good

What I like:

  • Nothing to charge, ever. They’re as full as your phone is.
  • Real noise cancelling with three modes, for about a third of the price of Bose’s wireless flagships.
  • Wired means no Bluetooth lag, which Bose pitches for video, gaming and recording.
  • The retro look with the colored buttons. I’m a sucker for it.

What could be better:

  • USB-C only. No adapter for a 3.5mm jack, and Bose says one won’t work anyway.
  • Your phone now powers the noise cancelling, so expect some extra drain on its battery. Bose hasn’t said how much.
  • WIRED tested a late prototype for four days. It beat Apple’s EarPods on sound and noise cancelling, but the reviewer found the inline remote heavy enough to pull down on the cable.
  • Bose’s 24-bit/48kHz cap is fine for most people, but audiophiles with hi-res files won’t get more than that.

Who are the Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds for?

People who are tired of charging earbuds, commuters who want a quiet train for under a hundred bucks, and anyone who keeps a “backup pair” in their bag that is always dead when they need it. They’re also a nice gift for someone who misses the QC20.

Skip them if your phone doesn’t have USB-C, if you want to plug into a plane’s entertainment system, or if you hate cables for good reasons (running, the gym). For no cables at all, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds clip onto your ear and leave it open. If you want big over-ears with a retro twist, look at the Nothing Headphone (1).

Where can I buy the Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds?

Not on Amazon yet. At launch Bose sells them itself and through Best Buy, for 99 bucks at the time of writing (October 2026). Black and White Smoke are the regular colors. Dewdrop Mint is a limited edition, so don’t wait too long if you want the minty one.

See it at Bose or see it at Best Buy. They’re a nice pick for minimalists too: one cable, no charger, no app. Take my money!