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Headphones

Apple AirPods Max

Purple · Over-ear · Released 2024

Apple AirPods Max, product view 1

Specifications

Active

Noise cancelling

Built-in

Microphone

Bluetooth

Wireless

3.5 mm, USB audio

Wired

Overview

Noise-cancelling over-ear headphones

The 2024 USB-C version of Apple's over-ear noise-cancelling headphones, which gained wired lossless audio in a 2025 update. It keeps the original H1 chips, so it lacks the Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness of Apple's H2 models.

  • Wired lossless audio

    Over the included USB-C cable it plays 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio, with latency rated on par with the built-in speakers of a Mac, iPad or iPhone. Neither works over Bluetooth.

  • No adaptive mode

    A button switches between noise cancelling and Transparency, with no adaptive mode that blends the two. Reviewers found the noise cancelling unchanged from the 2020 original.

  • Smart Case standby

    Placing the headphones in the Smart Case puts them into an ultra-low-power state to save battery. The case is a slim cover over the ear cups rather than a full travel case.

Battery

Rated up to 20 hours with noise cancelling on. A 5-minute charge gives about 1.5 hours.

Wired listening

The included USB-C cable charges the headphones and carries audio from USB-C devices. Analogue sources such as in-flight systems need Apple's USB-C to 3.5 mm Audio Cable, sold separately.

Family guide

AirPods Max
  1. 2024
    AirPods Max (USB-C) H1 chip; switches between noise cancellation and Transparency without Adaptive AudioThis model
  2. 2026 AirPods Max 2 H2 chip, with up to 1.5x more effective noise cancellation and Adaptive Audio

Colours

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Price history

Price history excludes Amazon sources

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Listings

Listings sorted by Price, ascending.

Apple AirPods Max Wireless Over-Ear Closed-Back Headphones (Purple, USB-C) B&H Photo $409.99 Apple AirPods Max Wireless Over-Ear Headphones, Pro-Level Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency Mode, Personalized Spatial Audio, USB-C Charging, Bluetooth Headphones for iPhone - Purple Out of stock Amazon USA —
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