The Space Q45 is Anker's mid-range flagship over-ear headphone, positioned as a lower-cost alternative to Bose and Sony's premium ANC lines. Reviewers are unusually consistent on this one: strong noise cancellation, excellent battery life, and comfortable build, at a price well under what similarly-specced headphones from bigger brands typically cost.
What reviewers consistently praised
Battery life is the most measurably strong point — Anker advertises up to 50 hours with ANC on and 65 hours with it off, and independent lab testing from SoundGuys actually measured 55 hours and 48 minutes with ANC on, beating the official claim. Reviewers across multiple outlets praised the noise cancellation as genuinely effective for the price, handling steady background noise (engines, HVAC, transit hum) well, with Tom's Guide calling it a real rival to the Bose 700 at roughly half the price. Comfort came up repeatedly too — Audioholics specifically noted feeling "zero discomfort" after multiple hours of wear, and reviewers consistently liked the sturdy included carrying case, LDAC hi-res codec support, and fast charging (5 minutes of charging for about 4 hours of playback).
What reviewers consistently pushed back on
Sound quality drew more mixed reactions than battery or ANC — Head-Fi's review noted bass impact can sound "a tad distant" and that pressure or movement can affect bass response, while SoundGuys felt sound quality wasn't a standout strength compared to noise cancellation and battery life. Multiple reviewers flagged that switching between multiple paired Bluetooth devices feels clunky and has to be done from the source device rather than the headphones themselves. Tom's Guide's review also mentioned the digital assistant integration "needs work" and that there's no Find My Headphones feature, which matters if losing track of headphones is a real concern for you.
What reviewers liked
- Battery life that beats Anker's own advertised claim in independent testing
- Effective ANC for the price — a real rival to $300+ competitors
- Comfortable for multi-hour wear; sturdy included carrying case
- LDAC hi-res codec support and fast charging
What reviewers flagged
- Sound quality solid but not the standout feature — some bass imprecision noted
- Switching between multiple paired devices is clunky
- No Find My Headphones feature
- Digital assistant integration described as needing work
How it compares to alternatives
Against Bose and Sony's flagship ANC headphones, reviewers are consistent that this doesn't quite match their noise cancellation in the loudest, most broadband environments — but Tom's Guide specifically framed it as "great ANC for half the price of Bose 700," and several reviews treat the gap as smaller than the price difference would suggest. Within Anker's own lineup, SoundGuys notes the newer Soundcore Space One Pro has replaced the Space Q45 as the brand's flagship with similar noise cancelling performance, while the cheaper Soundcore Life Q35 offers comparable ANC and battery life at a lower price if the Space Q45's extra features aren't essential to you. If you're also considering an on-ear pair like the Beats Solo 4, the trade-off is straightforward: the Q45 leans into active noise cancellation and over-ear comfort, while the Beats leans into all-day battery and cross-platform pairing simplicity.
Before you buy: what to check
Since this is an over-ear design, checking head-size fit notes in other reviews is worth doing before buying, particularly if you have a smaller head — clamping force is a common variable across over-ear headphones generally. If multi-device switching matters to your daily routine, go in aware that reviewers found it less convenient here than on headphones with a dedicated switching button. Buyers specifically prioritizing hi-res audio should confirm their source device and files actually support LDAC, since that's where the format's benefit shows up — SBC and AAC are also supported as fallbacks. If losing track of headphones has been an issue for you before, note the lack of a Find My Headphones feature before buying.
Quick answers to common questions
Does it support aptX? No — reviewers note it supports SBC, AAC, and LDAC, but not any of Qualcomm's aptX codecs, which matters if your source device specifically relies on aptX.
Can you use it wired if the battery dies? Yes — it includes a wired connection option, so a dead battery doesn't leave you without sound, just without ANC and wireless features.
Is it worth the price?
Amazon prices shift regularly, so check the live price on the button below rather than relying on a fixed number here. Reviewers consistently positioned this as strong value relative to premium-brand ANC headphones costing significantly more, which is the main reason it keeps showing up in "best ANC headphones" roundups years after its original release.
Our take, based on the roundup
The consistent thread across reviews — including independent lab battery testing that beat Anker's own claim — is that this is a genuinely strong ANC headphone for the price, with battery life and noise cancellation as the clear strengths and sound quality and multi-device switching as the areas reviewers were more mixed on.
Sources referenced for this roundup
- SoundGuys — lab-measured battery testing and ANC performance
- Tom's Guide — full review, pros and cons, Bose comparison
- TechHive — sound quality and build testing
- Head-Fi.org — audiophile-focused sound signature review
- Audioholics — comfort and everyday usability review
Keeping this review current
Headphones like this get firmware updates, running changes, and occasional color or bundle refreshes over their lifespan, so we revisit this review periodically rather than treating it as a one-time snapshot. If Anker updates the Space Q45's features, specs, or lineup position in a way that changes what's written here, we'll update this page rather than leave outdated claims up.