In recent times, earbuds featuring an open-ear design have surged in popularity. This trend appears to be a response to the advancements in active noise-canceling technologies, which have caused many to lose touch with the ambient sounds of their surroundings. A notable entry into this market is the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, which manage to bring something exciting to the table. Currently priced at $179.99, reduced from an original price of $299.99, they present a compelling deal, especially when purchased through Woot. Historically, these earbuds have not dropped below the $200 threshold on Amazon, but they are available “unopened” from Woot, boasting the lowest price recorded according to various price monitoring tools.

Woot’s shipping is limited to the contiguous United States. For those with Amazon Prime, shipping is complimentary; others will incur a shipping fee of $6.

The open-ear design may not cater to everyone’s preferences, particularly not for purists who prioritize sound quality. Similar to bone conduction headphones, this design allows external noises to seep in, leading to compromises in bass and medium frequencies. Nevertheless, this design offers distinct advantages, such as heightened awareness for runners sharing pathways with cyclists.

While the Bose Ultra Open earbuds are not fully waterproof, they feature a water resistance rating of IPX4, making them resilient to minor splashes; however, they should not be submerged. For convenience, a wireless charging case is available separate from the USB-C charging option. Users can expect approximately 7.5 hours of playback when utilizing the Immersive Audio feature sparingly, with the charging case providing around 27 hours of total usage through two additional charges.

Although these earbuds lack a full multipoint connection feature, they do allow for pairing with two devices at once, enabling transitions between devices with a simple button press. They support Bluetooth 5.3 technology and are compatible with various audio codecs, including AAC, AptX Adaptive, and SBC, resulting in superior audio quality for Android users as compared to those using Apple devices. Both groups can personalize their audio experience via the accompanying app, which offers features discussed further in CNET’s detailed review.