These are perfect. Extremely comfortable. Great sound and great noise canceling. Don't have to recharge constantly.

I would never have been able to afford a pair of headphones like this, so I am delighted to be able to review them here. The quality is amazing, really solid, great use of materials, and well constructed. I really like the black finish, although a smoky white is also available if you prefer. They look, and feel expensive straight out of the box. You get a charging lead (charging is quick and the battery lasts for ages), a 3.5mm connector lead, if you want to use them wired, and a really smart carry case to store the folded headphones in. They were really easy to pair to my phone, and the BOSE app is excellent, and really easy to use.
First impressions are that they are really comfortable to wear, so much so that it almost feels as if you aren't wearing headphones at all. I've worn them for 6 hours straight, and not experienced any of the usual discomfort associated with headbands. The ear cups are exceptionally well cushioned, and don't make you hot like so many headphones do.
Sound quality is brilliant, and really well balanced, with an absence of the horrible pounding bass you get with some headphones, and brilliantly clear mid range, and trebles. Bass is still good, but it doesn't overwhelm the rest of the sound field. I have tested these with a selection of different music types, and they perform superbly. Listening through these headphones brings an entirely new dimension to so much of my music, and reveals details in the sound that I never realised were there.
Noise cancellation works a treat too, effectively blocking out all annoying background noise, and allowing you to enjoy your music. The headphones have an "Aware" feature, which allows you to keep safe when out and about, and aware of what is going on around you. The control buttons take a bit of getting used to, but they work well, and are relatively easy to master. Functions are standard (volume, call control, moving through your music library) Sound on calls is really clear. I am really impressed with these BOSE headphones, they totally eclipse everything I already own, and anything I have ever heard.
I note some say they are inferior to other earlier BOSE models, but I am unable to comment on that. As far as I'm concerned, they are superb.

These are the only headphones I have found that can adjust big enough to fit my head. They sync up fast to my cell. It tells you the battery status everytime it turns on. They are great in every way. Wish I got a pair a long time ago.

Received these and was not happy. ended returning them, there is a sound limiter on the headphones that wont make it go to high. Also felt flimsy putting on and off.

I’ve had QC 35 headphones for several years and also had Bose 700 ‘phones for a few weeks last year. These QC 45s offer a significant step up from the QC 35s in terms of noise cancellation, even though the 35s were already very good. They’re said to be better than the 700s as well. I understand Bose have increased the number of microphones, to achieve that. It’s probably as good as noise cancellation gets, but some users may be unhappy that the level of cancellation can’t be adjusted – you need the 700s for that – but I've never felt the need to reduce the level.

They’re surprisingly lightweight and comfortable on the ears and head, with enough clamping to keep them in place but not so much that it hurts. They’re similar to the QC 35s and better than the 700s, in that respect. I use my QC 35s on long-haul flights, with occasional breaks to let my ears cool down, and feel the QC 45s will be equally comfortable. Battery life is more than up to long-haul, with 4 hours more than 35s and 700s. These would get you to Sydney. I’ve been using them for more than a week now, at least two hours every day, and they still don’t need charging.

Audio performance is all you'd expect of Bose, with a deep bass response and clearly defined treble. Vocals are particularly impressive, with all types of music and also speech. There’s a good, wide soundstage too. Sound is subjective, of course, and Bose sound doesn’t seem to suit everyone, but I’m very happy with it. The ‘phones are superb for voice pick-up too, cancelling out almost all background noise, so are perfect for phone calls.

They look very similar to the QC 35s but the earpads are now smooth instead of pleated. Like the 700s, they use USB-C instead of micro-USB for charging, so are faster. The controls are unchanged.

Equalisation is automatic, based principally on volume. It works well but can’t be over-ridden via the otherwise useful Bose app. Maybe that will change – I read somewhere that adjustment may be offered in a future firmware upgrade. In the meantime, you may be able to use a phone app to modify the sound.

Bottom line? If noise cancellation is your top priority, as it is for me, don’t hesitate to order these or Bose 700s. If, however, sound is key, for you, you might want to compare them with alternatives before committing. Me? I love these QC 45s and will be sticking with them. I’ll be generous and award five stars, even though there’s no user management of ANC and Equalisation.

If you want a set of wireless over-ear headphones you can put on, deploy noise-cancelling on your commute or at your desk and largely extinguish the outside world for up to 24 hours, the Bose QC 45 has the edge over most of the competition at the price. And for many, that will be the end of the story.