When Bose released its flagship QuietComfort Ultra Headphones in 2023, it slightly upgraded its QuietComfort 45 headphones, rebranding them as the numberless QuietComfort Headphones or QC Headphones for short. While they didn’t have quite as good noise canceling or sound quality as the Ultra model, they were targeted at fans of Bose’s iconic QC headphone design who didn’t want to pay the extra $90 or so for the flagship Ultra. They’re still among the most comfortable headphones ever made.

Late last year, we got the slightly upgraded $449 QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), but Bose has waited until now to unveil the QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen), which include some notable design upgrades along with updated features and slightly improved noise-canceling performance. Available in black, white smoke and three new limited-edition colors — eucalyptus green, dewdrop mint and rosewood mauve — the $359 QC Headphones (2nd Gen) will open for preorder on Aug. 8 and start shipping on Aug. 13.

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New design actually makes them seem next-gen

I was a bit disappointed with both the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) and QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen), largely because they didn’t offer any real hardware updates and only include relatively small feature and performance upgrades. They were slightly improved from their predecessors, but it was hard to call them true 2.0 products.

But at first glance, the QC Headphones do seem to merit their 2.0 designation. First and foremost, their design is different from their predecessor’s. There’s a new headband with smooth, adjustable sliders, more plush cushioning and oval-shaped earcups for a “more seamless profile and modern look.” That plush cushioning should help you get an even better seal for passive noise isolation, and Bose says the headphones’ six-microphone ANC system now better compensates for gaps in the earcup seal, enabling improved performance for listeners who wear glasses.

Bose’s Immersive Audio feature, previously exclusive to the Ultra series, has also been added, and so has two-way USB-C audio that allows for “high-quality listening as well as clear voice input for calls and videoconferencing apps.”

Battery life is unchanged. It’s rated at up to 24 hours with noise canceling on (or up to 18 hours with noise canceling and Immersive Audio activated) and a USB-C-to-3.5mm cable is included for analog sources, including in-flight entertainment systems.

As soon as I get my hands on a pair, I’ll let you know how the new headphones’ performance and fit compare to the previous QC Headphones and the QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), which are now selling for $370 at Amazon (in black). Bose didn’t mention anything about any upgrades to voice-calling performance, but I’ll be making some test calls from the noisy streets of New York City to check out how well callers can hear me.