Bose Soundsport Wireless vs. Powerbeats 4: Which Earbuds Should You Buy?

Sound Quality

Both of these headphones offer exceptional sound quality, Neither of the headphones really edge out the other in terms of sound quality, although some might argue that the Powerbeats 4 have a slightly more bass-heavy output. Both headphones do come equipped with their own dedicated apps that allow you to fine-tune audio playback and both offer a solid user experience.

Battery Life

This is probably the most glaring difference between these 2 models, while the Bose Soundsport Wireless can handle up to 8 hours of continuous playback, the Powerbeats 4 have nearly double the battery life, allowing for up to a whopping 15 hours of playback before needing to be recharged making them the clear winner in this regard. Although this can likely be attributed to its slightly bulkier frame.

Another key difference between these headphones, however, is the different charging protocols. The SoundSport Wireless still relies on micro-USB charging, whereas the Powerbeats 4 use Apple's proprietary Lightning cable, and while this will prove to be a slight nuisance to anyone not already in the Apple ecosystem, it does provide much faster charging, allowing you to top off your headphones much faster.

Features

One notable difference between these earbuds is the presence of Apple's H1 chip in the Powerbeats which makes them slightly more intuitive for Apple users, allowing you to invoke Siri without needing to push a button.

They each have multifunction buttons on the cable that keeps the headphones tethered to each other, allowing you to control media playback, as well as accept incoming calls.

Both come packaged with a variety of eartips to ensure a snug fit but rely on different designs to make sure they don't fly out of your ears when going for a brisk jog. The Bose earbuds use small hooks on the ear tips to keep them seated in your ears, whereas the Powerbeats have around the back earhook design, which feels slightly more secure.

Both headphones also feature an IPX4 resistance rating, allowing either pair to withstand even the sweatiest workouts, just don't let them stay submerged in water (or anything else for that matter). 

Design

The Bose Soundsport Wireless adheres to a more minimalist design, with very little actually visible while you're wearing them. The Powerbeats silhouette is a little more pronounced with its larger blade-like body attached to the sizeable ear hooks. While certainly not heavy or obtrusive, the Powerbeats are far more noticeable while you're wearing them.

Both of these earbuds are available in a trio of inoffensive colors, the Bose Soundsport is available in blue, white, or black, and the Powerbeats in black, white, or red. They each also come packaged with their own convenient carrying case.