Apple AirPods Max

The AirPods Max look unlike any other headphones on the market. Apple opted for radically different design with flat anodized aluminum earcups, stainless steel headband covered in woven mesh, and replaceable magnetic memory foam earcups covered in fabric. Five colors available: silver, space gray, green, sky blue and pink. Our blue test model displays impeccable finish worthy of Apple products.

The iconic design has a price: 386 grams on the scale. That's 136g more than the Sony WH-1000XM5 (250g) and 146g more than the Bose QC45 (240g). This difference is immediately felt and becomes problematic after 2h listening. Neck pain appears, particularly in sensitive users. The mesh headband distributes pressure well but doesn't compensate for the excessive weight of steel and aluminum.

The premium materials partly justify the price. The brushed aluminum earcups exude quality, the steel telescoping adjustments inspire confidence, the magnetic earcups remove and replace in a second. Apple thought of the details: discreet microphone grilles, perfectly integrated Digital Crown, ANC/Transparency button flush with the earcup. No creaking, no play, everything is millimeter-precise.

Controls are minimalist: Digital Crown on right earcup (volume, play/pause, Siri) and single button on left earcup (toggle ANC/Transparency). No power button. The AirPods Max never really turn off. When removed, they go into low power mode after a few minutes. The Smart Case (included) puts them in deep sleep... but doesn't protect them. This case has become the laughingstock of the tech community: ridiculous handbag shape, zero protection, total uselessness. Apple should have provided a real hard case like Sony or Bose.

The AirPods Max sound impresses from the first seconds. The 40mm dynamic drivers deliver rich, detailed and immersive rendering. The balanced signature pleases all musical genres: punchy bass without being boomy, present and textured mids, crystal-clear highs without sibilance. The spacious soundstage allows each instrument to breathe.

On Metallica's "One," Kirk Hammett's solo shines above the wall of distortion while the double kick drum hammers the lows. On Jeff Buckley's "Grace," vocal harmonies float above the chorus guitar and the bass line remains perfectly defined. The AirPods Max reveal the subtleties of a complex mix without ever saturating.

Adaptive EQ automatically adjusts frequency response based on your ear shape and earcup positioning. Result: consistent sound regardless of morphology. Too bad Apple offers no manual equalizer in iOS settings. You take what Apple gives you, without being able to adjust. Frustrating for audiophiles who like to customize their sound signature.

Spatial Audio constitutes the killer feature of AirPods Max. Activating this function on compatible content (Apple Music, Netflix, Disney+), the sound becomes three-dimensional. Integrated accelerometers and gyroscopes track your head movements to keep sound sources anchored in space. Turn your head left, voices stay in front of you, coming from the screen. Mind-blowing for movies, immersive for live concerts in Dolby Atmos.

ANC proves excellent, slightly behind the Sony WH-1000XM5 but largely sufficient. On the metro, 85% of noise disappears. Transparency mode lets external sounds through naturally, without excessive amplification. Useful to stay aware of your environment.

The advertised 20h battery life (ANC on) disappoints versus Sony's 30h, Bose's 25h, Jabra's 35h and Sennheiser's 60h (!). In 2026, 20h seems fair for premium headphones. Lightning charging (or USB-C on 2024 version) takes 2h for full charge. No fast charging mentioned by Apple.

Call quality sits in the good average. The 9 microphones (3 per earcup + 3 distributed) filter background noise correctly but don't match the Sony WH-1000XM5's 8 mics. Correct for occasional calls, not optimal for intensive remote work.

Apple integration remains the strong point for iOS users. Instant pairing, audio sharing with another AirPods headset, Find My for locating, automatic switching between iPhone/iPad/Mac. These features partly justify the price... if you already own multiple Apple devices. For Android users, the AirPods Max lose 50% of their appeal and become just expensive headphones with good sound.

Against the Sony WH-1000XM5 (~$300), the AirPods Max offer better sound and Spatial Audio but lose on battery, weight, price and features (no EQ). Against the Sennheiser Momentum 4 (~$300), they offer better ANC but lose on battery (60h vs 20h) and price. The AirPods Max are only justified in the Apple ecosystem and for comfortable budgets.