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The AirPods Max 2 are finally here after a 6-year wait versus the original model. So now that the brand-new Apple flagships are for sale, are they worth your money?
Yes and no. I reviewed the AirPods Max 2 and adored them. They will definitely be added to our best noise-cancelling headphones list, but they're not perfect. They may be my personal favorite headphones to date, but what works for me might not work for you.
So if you've been debating about splurging on the new Apple headphones, I'm here to help. I want to answer all your burning questions. Are the new AirPods Max 2 worth it? Is there enough of an improvement over the originals? What's actually different from the AirPods Max 1? I've selected my favorite features — and two reasons to skip — to help you decide.
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Reasons I'd buy the AirPods Max 2
The AirPods Max 2 are a fantastic upgrade from the 2020 Max: the sound quality, ANC, and smart functions are much improved.
1: Improved sound quality
I honestly thought the AirPods Max OG had already reached the pinnacle of sound quality. Of course, there are better overall headphones for sound — I'm thinking the Dali IO-8 and the Bang & Olufsen H95 — but both of those options are well over $1,000.
But the AirPods Max 2 take everything I loved about the originals and dial it up to 11. The AirPods Max had an expansive, immersive, and, most importantly, fun soundscape. The AirPods Max 2 take that and build it out, with richer, punchier bass, and supreme clarity.
Of course, you get hi-res playback with the provided USB-C cable (which also doubles up as an on-the-go charger if your headphones run out of battery).
I'm not saying the AirPods Max 2 are the best-sounding headphones money can buy overall, but in the $400-$600 price bracket? Yeah. Totally. The AirPods Max 2 have the best sound/features/price ratio of any headphones I've tested.
2: Stronger ANC
As good as the AirPods Max OG sounded, the ANC was ho-hum. Not anymore. The ANC on the AirPods Max 2 is excellent: it obliterates traffic noise when I'm walking around the city, dampens chatter on public transport, and even softens those pesky high-frequency office sounds like keyboards clacking and mice clicking.
Sure, the ANC isn't Bose-beating yet, but it's getting closer. Plus, I'd rather have the AirPods Max than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 — the latter look, feel, and sound pretty cheap to me.
The Sony WH-1000XM6 have stronger ANC than the AirPods Max 2, too, but don't think this means the AirPods Max 2 let in all ambient sound. You'd be very wrong. It just means the competition is fierce.
3: All-new smart features
You' may have heard a lot of chatter about the AirPod Max 2''s H2 chip.
The AirPods Max had a H1 chip, meaning the "brain" of the headphones. Think of it like a chihuahua brain. It's intelligent, but it's no border collie. The H2 chip is the border collie brain. It can herd sheep. It can solve puzzles. There's just a bit more going on.
The H2 chip was also used in the AirPods Pro 2 and Pro 3, and powers all of the "smart" features you expect from the Pro line. These include Live Translation, Head Gestures, Conversation Awareness and Siri integration.
The AirPods Max 2 are like the over-ear design and sound of the OG Max had an overly smart, precocious baby with the AirPods Pro 3. You can finally get these aforementioned smart features on your AirPods Max.
So, if you've wanted translation functionality, automatic head gestures (for answering calls), and better Siri support, you might want to check out the AirPods Max 2.
Reasons I'd skip the AirPods Max 2
Although I adore the AirPods Max 2, they might not be for everyone.
1: 20-hour battery life
In 2026, 20-hour battery life really isn't excusable. I was baffled when I read the AirPods Max 2's specs, and I remain baffled. Even after almost two weeks of using the AirPods Max 2, I'm still baffled.
I'm very confused as to why Apple didn't address the number one pain point with the original model. If Apple ever makes an AirPods Max 3, the battery life better be 30 hours, minimum.
The Bose QC Ultra Gen 2 and Sony XM6 both last for 30 hours; the Sennheiser Momentum 4 last for a whopping 60 hours; Marshall's Middleton III top them all with 70 hours. And the crème de la crème: the Nothing Headphone (a)'s huge 135 hours.
If Nothing and Sennheiser can do it, why can't Apple? I completely understand if battery life is a dealbreaker, and I don't blame you if it makes you skip the Max 2 altogether.
2: Still very expensive
Yes, the AirPods Max 2 are still $549. This is considerably pricier than other big-name flagships like the $459 Sony WH-1000XM6 and the $449 Bose QuietComfort Ultra. The only "main players" that demand more of your hard-earned cash are the $799 Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 and the $1,199 Bang & Olufsen H95. You can get the Sennheiser HDB 630 for around $499 and the Sennheiser Momentum 4 for $449.
I would only recommend buying the AirPods Max 2 at a discount. Sure, they're my favorite Bluetooth headphones ever made, but that doesn't mean they're worth $549. If you can grab them for $449 or $499, you'll be getting a much better deal.
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