One of Our Favorite Bose Earbuds Just Got Their First Ever Discount Ahead of October Prime Day
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For a brand known for its top-of-the-line noise-canceling headphones and earbuds, releasing a pair designed to let noise in would always be risky. Bose took a big swing with the Ultra Open earbuds, the brand’s first pair of open ear earbuds — and we think the risk paid off.
While the design won’t be for everyone, we were impressed when we got a pair, calling them some of our favorite sports earbuds. Now the Ultra Open earbuds, released earlier this year, are on sale for the first time ever. Typically $300, you can pick up the Ultra Open earbuds for $250 on Bose.com and Amazon.
early prime deal
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
$249.00 $299.00 17% off
This deal applies to the black, white, and moonstone blue colorways. The Diamond edition colorway is not included.
While Bose has leaned into the luxury appeal of these earbuds and not marketed them as workout earbuds, we think they’re a great option for sports. They’re particularly handy for outdoor activities like running and cycling where awareness of your surroundings matters. These are far from the first pair of open ear earbuds on the market, but their impressive sound quality and highly compact carrying case set them apart from many other sport-focused open ear earbuds.
The earbuds lightly clip to the ear for a barely-there feeling, but we’ve found them to be surprisingly secure when we put them to the test. They managed to stay in place on a bumpy gravel bike ride on a hot day, and I was aware of the cars zipping by on the roads. Crucially, I was still able to enjoy my music, except on the loudest roads and downhills.
They aren’t just suited for workouts, either — the Bose Ultra Open earbuds come in handy in the office when you want to focus but still be aware of any important conversations happening around you. Plus, we’ve found that despite the open design, there was no sound leakage unless you held the buds very close to you. They’re also great for walking around a busy city when you want to stay aware of what’s happening, though they’ll likely struggle in especially noisy environments like public transit.
There’s a single button that handles playback, volume control, and skipping tracks through a somewhat confusing sequence of presses, and there’s no in-ear detection (meaning these earbuds won’t pause when you take them out). Despite these minor quirks, they still deliver when it comes to comfort and audio quality. The biggest drawback is the price, which is why this rare $50 discount is a great chance to try out one of Bose’s most innovative products.