Deals like this don’t usually pop up this early, especially for brand-new flagship gear. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) just got their first discount, dropping to $249 at Amazon, and if you care about top-tier noise cancellation, rich sound, and wireless charging, now’s the time to act. These are some of the best ANC earbuds you can buy, especially at this price.

That may not sound like a jaw-dropping discount, but here’s the thing—it’s the first time these earbuds have ever gone on sale since they launched earlier this summer. Let me walk you through why this deal caught my eye, and why these earbuds might be the pair you’ve been waiting for.

I’ve tested a dozen earbuds over the past year—Sony, Sennheiser, Beats, you name it—but there’s something about Bose’s tuning and noise cancellation that hits differently. The QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it smooths out the ride in all the right ways.

From the moment I popped them in, the fit felt secure and balanced. They’re not the smallest buds on the market, but they’re surprisingly comfortable even after hours of wear. And the Active Noise Cancellation? It’s the real deal.

Whether I was walking through a noisy train station or working in a café with clanking espresso machines, the Ultra Earbuds let me retreat into my music. You get that familiar “Bose bubble” of quiet, but with a little more finesse this time around.

Now if you already own the first-gen QuietComfort Earbuds, you might be wondering: is this upgrade worth it?

The short answer? Yes! Especially at this price.

The second-gen model keeps all the good stuff (top-notch ANC, rich sound, solid call quality), but adds a few welcome upgrades:

• Wireless charging is now built-in (finally).
• The ANC feels smarter—more adaptive to sudden noises.
• Call clarity has improved, especially in noisy environments.
• Bose’s new “Immersive Audio” mode creates a more spatial, three-dimensional soundstage. It’s subtle, but definitely adds to the experience when you're watching movies or listening to well-mixed music.

One thing that hasn’t changed is battery life: you still get around 6 hours per charge with ANC on, and about 24 hours total with the case. Not class-leading, but more than enough for most people’s daily use.

I’m not the only one who’s impressed. Our editor Indiana Lang reviewed the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) and awarded them the Highly Recommended badge. And Indiana doesn’t hand those out lightly.

In his review, he called the earbuds a "powerful update that brings meaningful improvements to an already excellent product." You can read the full review here.

So if you want a second opinion before pulling the trigger, that’s a solid place to start.

This is the lowest price these earbuds have seen since launch. And while $50 might not sound massive compared to the deep cuts we sometimes see on older gear, it's rare for brand-new premium earbuds like these to go on sale this soon after release.

If history is any indication, Bose products tend to hold their value. So don’t expect this deal to get that much better any time soon, not even during Black Friday.

Should you buy now or wait? That depends.

If you’re a commuter, traveler, or just someone who appreciates true quiet in a noisy world, the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are a solid buy at full price, and an even better one at $249.

If you already own the previous generation and are happy with them, you could probably skip this round. But if you're ready to upgrade—or if this would be your first high-end pair—this early Black Friday discount is a great time to get in.

And if you’ve been on the fence because of the price, this new $249 tag makes the decision easier. You’re getting flagship noise-canceling performance, better call quality, wireless charging, and excellent comfort, all from a brand that has basically written the book on ANC.

There’s no shortage of wireless earbuds on the market, but very few deliver the combination of sound, comfort, and silence that the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) offer.

This early Black Friday deal might not last long—especially with the holidays coming up—so if you’ve had these on your radar, now might be the perfect time to buy.

Personally? I wouldn’t wait. Deals this early, on something this good, don’t come around often.