Apple AirPods Max 2
By Apple · Noise-Cancelling Headphones · Audio & Electronics
- Up to 1.5x more Active Noise Cancellation than the previous generation
- Up to 20 hours of listening time with Active Noise Cancellation and Spatial Audio
- H2 chip with a new high dynamic range amplifier
- Six outward-facing and two inward-facing microphones
- USB-C charging with Lossless Audio and ultra-low latency audio via USB-C
Lowest price seen
~$549.00 (approx.)
from $549.00 at Amazon
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Prices are snapshots. Check the current price with the store.
Summary
The AirPods Max 2 is Apple’s second-generation over-ear headphone: the same milled-aluminium design and $549 US price as the 2020 original, now with an H2 chip in each ear cup, Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C lossless audio and the AirPods Pro 3 software features. Check whether you actually want over-ear headphones before you buy, because reviewers found the cheaper AirPods Pro 3 sound nearly identical over Bluetooth, and the original’s battery, power-button and EQ complaints carry over unchanged.
Strengths
- Noise cancellation is class-leading, and reviewers rate it the strongest part of the refresh.
- Sound is improved over the original, with deep bass, clean vocals and a wide soundstage.
- Transparency mode is a standout that reviewers describe as close to taking the headphones off.
- The Apple ecosystem features, including Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, automatic switching and spatial audio, work fluidly.
- Bluetooth 5.3 is noticeably more stable in crowded wireless environments.
- The magnetic ear cushions are user-replaceable, and the aluminium build feels premium.
Weaknesses
- Battery life is unchanged at about 20 hours, behind Bose (about 24 h) and Sony (about 30 h), and WIRED measured closer to 15 hours of active use.
- There is no power button, so the headphones cannot be switched fully off, and standby drain is worse for it.
- There is no custom equalizer; the tuning is fixed.
- Bluetooth codecs are limited to AAC and SBC, and there is no standard multipoint.
- There is no water or sweat resistance, so they are not a workout headphone.
- At 386.2 g they are heavy, and the Smart Case is a sleeve rather than protection.
Verified specifications
| Chip | Apple H2 headphone chip, one in each ear cup. |
|---|---|
| Microphones | nine in total; eight for noise cancellation and three for voice pickup, two of them shared. |
| Noise cancellation | Apple claims up to 1.5x more than the previous generation. |
| Connection | Bluetooth 5.3, with USB-C for lossless and ultra-low-latency wired audio. |
| Battery | up to 20 hours of listening with noise cancellation on; a 5-minute charge gives about 1.5 hours. |
| Charging and standby | USB-C; the Smart Case holds the headphones in an ultra-low-power state. |
| Dimensions | 6.64 × 3.28 × 7.37 in (168.6 × 83.4 × 187.3 mm). |
| Weight | 386.2 g (13.6 oz) with cushions; the Smart Case adds 134.5 g (4.74 oz). |
| Controls | a Digital Crown and a listening-mode button; there is no power button. |
| Water resistance | none; Apple publishes no IP rating. |
| In the box | the headphones, Smart Case, USB-C charge cable and documentation; a USB-C-to-3.5 mm cable is not included. |
| Price | $549 US list; £499 UK RRP (Trusted Reviews, Sep 2026). |
Full research notes and sources
Noise cancellation and sound
Apple says the Max 2 cancels up to 1.5x more noise than the previous generation, and reviewers agree the change is real rather than a spec-sheet bump. PCMag calls it a class-leading choice for noise cancellation and says it handles steady aircraft drone and chaotic street noise alike. WIRED, testing on a propeller plane, found roughly 80% of the drone blocked. Trusted Reviews was impressed on public transport and in general chatter, though some traffic noise leaked in. Treat the 1.5x figure as Apple’s own claim: PCMag notes it is hard to verify independently.
Sound gets a similar lift. PCMag describes better instrument separation and a wider soundstage than the original, still tuned with crisp highs and boosted bass, and WIRED ranked them among the most enjoyable headphones she had tested. The counterpoint is 9to5Mac, which found the Max 2 sounds roughly 99% the same as the AirPods Pro 3 over Bluetooth and that only wired USB-C lossless was clearly better. Read the two together: a clear step past the old Max, a small one past Apple’s earbuds.
Battery, power and the missing off switch
Apple rates the Max 2 at up to 20 hours with noise cancellation on, the same figure as the 2020 model and short of Bose (about 24 h) and Sony (about 30 h). WIRED measured closer to 15 hours of active listening across two days. A 5-minute charge buys about 1.5 hours. The deeper annoyance is that there is no power button: the headphones drop into an ultra-low-power state after about five minutes idle or when stored in the Smart Case, and reviewers blame that for standby drain. Trusted Reviews named the missing off switch its strongest criticism.
The software basics are otherwise unchanged: no custom EQ, and Bluetooth support is AAC and SBC with no standard multipoint, though Apple’s automatic switching inside one iCloud account covers the common Apple case. Buyers on Android lose several features and the better codec options.
Comfort, build and repair
The Max 2 weighs 386.2 g, official and unchanged from the original; PCMag notes that it is the mesh canopy headband, not the weight itself, that keeps it wearable. The ear cushions are magnetic and replaceable, and the aluminium ear cups come off the same way they did in 2020, which reviewers count as a repairability plus. Battery and electronics serviceability is not documented for this model, and Apple publishes no maintenance schedule. There is no IP rating, so rain, sweat and gym use are all risks.
Price and value
The US list is $549, and discounts were common during the review period: WIRED and PCMag both recorded $429 at major retailers, and 9to5Mac reported the headphones on sale for $529 in April 2026. UK RRP: £499.
WIRED and PCMag put strong value at about $429 or less, a fair zone is roughly $450–500, and at the $549 list it is hard to justify on sound alone against the far cheaper AirPods Pro 3, which 9to5Mac found nearly identical over Bluetooth. If you already own the original AirPods Max, the reviewers consulted call this an incremental upgrade and say skipping it is reasonable. Android users should look elsewhere.
Which model this is
This page covers the AirPods Max 2, the 2026 second-generation over-ear headphone with an H2 chip in each ear cup, Bluetooth 5.3 and USB-C wired lossless audio, sold in Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple and Orange. It is a different product from the 2020 AirPods Max and its later USB-C refresh, which used the H1 chip, Bluetooth 5.0 and came in Silver, Space Gray, Sky Blue, Pink and Green. Match on the H2 chip and the new colors before buying.
The Amazon listing for this model is ASIN B0GSS4SGZR.
Sources
Manufacturer:
- AirPods Max 2
- AirPods Max 2 technical specifications
- AirPods model comparison
- AirPods Max (2020) technical specifications
Independent reviews:
- WIRED review
- PCMag: AirPods Max 2 vs the original
- Trusted Reviews: Beats 360 vs AirPods Max 2
- 9to5Mac: AirPods Max 2 vs Pro 3
- RTINGS: AirPods Max 2 review
Owner reports:
No exact-model owner threads surfaced in the sources used for this review.
