After a five-year wait, the AirPods Max 2 has officially been released. There are no dramatic changes in the product or form factor, but it brings some much-needed modernizations thanks to the new H2 chip inside.

I've been using the AirPods Max for the past six days, and here are my thoughts.

Buy AirPods Max 2: $529 (Regular Price: $549)

What Remains the Same

Before diving into what has changed with the AirPods Max 2, it’s important to highlight what has not changed.

First of all, the design of the AirPods Max 2 is identical to previous models. The weight and dimensions remain unchanged:

  • Height: 7.37 inches (187.3 mm)
  • Width: 6.64 inches (168.6 mm)
  • Depth: 3.28 inches (83.4 mm)
  • Weight: 13.6 ounces (386.2 grams)

Personally, I have been using the AirPods Max almost every day since its release in December 2020, often for several hours a day. I must admit that I have a large head, and perhaps that’s why I find the weight less uncomfortable than others do.

Visually, I think the AirPods Max looks great. The aluminum ear cups fit perfectly within the broader Apple ecosystem, and the stainless steel arms give a premium feel, also making it easier to adjust the size and fit of the AirPods Max 2.

One thing is clear: If you didn’t like how the original AirPods Max fit, you won’t like this model either. There are no changes in response to common criticisms like weight and size.

However, there is one aspect of the AirPods Max that I dislike; they are unbearable compared to almost all other over-ear headphones. This means they take up astronomical space in your backpack. In fact, I thought the only reason the AirPods Max wouldn’t fit under the seat in front of me was because of their size.

The AirPods Max is designed to be stored in the "Smart Case" when not in use, which puts them into an "ultra-low power mode." Technically, this isn’t an issue. The Smart Case protects the aluminum ear cups and technically preserves battery life.

In real-world use, I wish the AirPods Max had a more flexible design and offered better case and bag storage options.

The AirPods Max 2 offers the same interaction mechanisms with the Digital Crown and top button. The connectivity hasn’t changed; it has a USB-C port, but no 3.5mm audio jack. However, when connected with the included USB-C cable, you can listen to 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio.

As someone coming from the original AirPods Max, finally getting rid of the Lightning cable is a big plus for me.

AirPods Max 2: What’s New?

There are three main hardware changes inside the AirPods Max:

  • The H2 chip replaces the H1 chip
  • A new high dynamic range amplifier
  • A new 5GHz wireless chip for improved wireless audio latency

Apple claims that the H2 chip offers "1.5% more effective" Active Noise Cancellation for the AirPods Max 2, along with "new computational audio algorithms."

I think this is a feature that’s quite difficult to quantify, but I found that the Active Noise Cancellation of the AirPods Max 2 is noticeably better than my original version. Is it “1.5% more effective” than the previous version? I don’t know, but when I put on the AirPods Max 2, they definitely block out more noise.

For example, last week, some landscaping work was done at my home. While wearing the original AirPods Max, I could clearly hear the sound of the equipment working. The AirPods Max 2 did a much better job of blocking out almost all the noise.

I am looking forward to trying the AirPods Max 2 on my next flight. I felt that the original version didn’t do a great job of blocking out the constant hum of the airplane engines. In my recent flights, I actually think the AirPods Pro 3 did a better job than the AirPods Max. I hope this isn’t the case with the AirPods Max 2.

Interestingly, I think the transition from H1 with the AirPods Max 1 to H2 with the AirPods Max 2 isn’t as significant as the transition from H1 with the AirPods Pro 1 to H2 with the AirPods Pro. I suspect this is due to the natural differences between the passive noise cancellation provided by the in-ear design of the AirPods Pro and the over-ear design of the AirPods Max.

Thanks to the H2 chip, the AirPods Max 2 offers many new features compared to previous generations:

  • Adaptive Audio automatically responds to the environment, adjusting ANC and Transparency levels to optimize the audio experience.
  • Conversation Awareness reduces media volume and background noise when a user starts talking to someone nearby.
  • Live Translation, powered by Apple Intelligence, helps users communicate face-to-face.
  • Sound Isolation prioritizes voice during calls using advanced computational audio supported by H2 and blocks out environmental noise.
  • Camera Remote: Users can take photos by pressing the Digital Crown and can start or stop video recording with the Camera app on iPhone or iPad or compatible third-party camera apps.
  • Studio-quality audio recording allows interviewers, podcast producers, singers, and other content creators to record their content with higher quality audio and a more natural vocal texture.
  • High Sound Reduction helps prevent users from being exposed to high environmental noise while preserving the sound signature of the audio they are listening to.
  • Personalized Volume automatically adjusts the listening experience according to user preferences.
  • Siri Interactions allow users to respond to Siri announcements easily and privately by nodding their heads for yes or gently shaking their heads for no.

All these features will be familiar to you if you have used AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods Pro 3. However, this is the first time they are coming to over-ear AirPods Max.

Adaptive Audio was a feature I missed while using the original AirPods Max compared to using the AirPods Pro 3. This feature intelligently adjusts ANC and Transparency levels according to your surrounding environment. The arrival of this feature is one of the biggest upgrades I’ve noticed while using the AirPods Max 2 for the past week.

The H2 also brings overall performance and reliability improvements to the AirPods Max 2. The audio switching between devices is faster, overall connection stability is better, Siri interactions are quicker, and more.

Finally, the new high dynamic range amplifier reinforces what Apple claims that the AirPods Max provides cleaner sound while maintaining its "amazing sound signature."

I notice a slight improvement in sound quality on some tracks, especially hearing a more distinct space between different layers of a song. However, ultimately, this isn’t a huge change. I wouldn’t recommend buying the AirPods Max 2 solely on the promise of improved sound quality.

9to5Mac's Opinion

As someone who wears AirPods Max every day, I’m pleased with this AirPods Max 2 revision. Like the Mac Pro, I believe Apple needs to either properly update the AirPods Max or discontinue it. Continuing to sell it for $549 with the H1 chip released in 2019 was a bad situation for the otherwise great AirPods lineup.

What we get with the AirPods Max 2 doesn’t reinvent the wheel. It doesn’t even address the biggest criticisms regarding the product’s design, comfort, and price.

Therefore, the AirPods Max 2 will not convince anyone who didn’t like the original version to upgrade. However, if you were on the fence, I can now say they are a better product. If you were hoping for a dramatic redesign with the AirPods Max 2, you should look elsewhere.

Also, while I couldn’t recommend anyone buy a $549 headphone with a 2019 chip before this update, I’m happy to recommend them now, of course, provided those individuals like the design and are willing to spend money on a premium over-ear headphone.

For me, the AirPods Max 2 is a meaningful update. With better ANC, Adaptive Audio support, and the overall quality of life improvements offered by the H2 chip, the AirPods Max 2 checks off many of the long-awaited update boxes.

The AirPods Max 2 is currently available for order from Amazon at $529, with the first deliveries coming this week. If you think the AirPods Max isn’t right for you, the AirPods Pro 3 is currently selling for $199.

Buy AirPods Max 2: $529 (Regular Price: $549)

Buy AirPods Pro 3: $199 (Regular Price: $249)

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