I’ve always been surprised by the high-end pricing of Apple’s first-generation products — just look at the $3,500 Apple Vision Pro or its $5,000 monitor. The AirPods Max may also cost a little more than they should at $549, but that’s relatively modest compared to Apple’s luxury noise-canceling headphone rivals. Thankfully, it’s currently down to a record low of $398 ($151 off) in select colors on Amazon and Walmart.
In terms of functionality, Max is built specifically for Apple users. They support a balanced soundstage and Apple’s Immersive Spatial Audio features, not to mention excellent noise cancellation that rivals premium headphones from Sony and Bose. Their transparency mode is also second to none considering how natural it sounds. Apple users even get features like built-in “Find My” tracking, one-click pairing, and quick switching between Apple devices that you won’t find on many headphones, except maybe the Beats Studio Pro.
The luxurious metal construction further justifies its high price tag, whereas similar products from Bose and Sony can feel a bit plasticky (only the new Sonos Ace can really compare to that). They also feature large, comfortable earcups that magnetically detach and a convenient Digital Crown, which lets you manage volume, calls, playback, and Siri more easily than gesture- or swipe-based controls. That said, you may find that the Max is bulkier than its competitors, which can make them annoying when traveling.
