Apple AirPods Max

Apple’s first pair of over-ear headphones are a luxury aimed solely at those who entrench themselves fully in Apple’s ever-expanding ecosystem. They’re packed with good ideas, clever design elements and wonderfully versatile audio but the price, when compared to the big rivals, will make them a hard a sell for many.

The AirPods Max, like any $550 accessory, are obviously not for everyone. But despite their exorbitant price tag (and a few small quirks), the build quality, ease of use, and astonishing fidelity they offer make them worthy of the cost. Unlike other Apple products, these are objectively the best in their category. Somewhere in the ether, Steve Jobs is probably jamming out with pride.

Spatial Audio and superb noise cancelling are standouts for Apple’s AirPods Max - a great pair of headphones for Apple users.

The Apple AirPods Max are among the best-sounding headphones we've ever tested, they're easy to use, and their noise cancellation can easily stand up to the likes of the Sony WH-1000XM4 and the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. However, their high price, limitations for Android users, and lack of 3.5mm audio port means we'd only recommend them to iOS users with a lot of money to spare – and no interest in Hi-Res Audio.

The AirPods Max have excellent audio quality, easy-to-use controls, and good battery life, but their size isn't a good fit for everyone.

Apple went full Cupertino with its first wireless noise-cancelling headphones. The company offers great sound and features in a product that exudes style. Due to all the metal, the headphones are quite heavy and the “case” doesn’t do much to protect your investment. If Apple can bring spatial audio to Apple TV and add a high-res option to Apple Music (or even support Dolby Atmos Music on other services), the $550 price tag will be easier to swallow. For most people though, more affordable flagship models from Bose and Sony will suffice.

The AirPods Max are exceptional noise-cancelling headphones with a luxurious design, sophisticated soundstage and clever computational features. But the $549 price and unconventional case are difficult to overlook.

Apple's AirPods Max headphones deliver excellent audio performance, top-notch noise cancellation, and a bevy of useful features in an absolutely gorgeous design for a bit too much money.