AirPods Max 2: release date, price and specs for the 2024 Apple headphones

Blue AirPods Max 2 in hand
(Image credit: Future)

Rumours of a sequel to Apple's 2020-released AirPods Max wireless headphones have been flying around for years. Many Apple launch events have come and gone without so much as a mention of a second-gen Max, but the time of their unveiling finally came at the iPhone 16 event on Monday 9th September.

Indeed, the AirPods Max 2 are now official, succeeding the originals which are a massive hit among the What Hi-Fi? reviews team and among the best wireless headphones you can buy. That said, the second-generation Max aren't quite the evolutionary leaps many of us hoped for, arriving as rather 'soft' updates that overlook much of the rumoured features and upgrades. Below we sum up what has changed, what was rumoured and what we would like to see in the next generation.

AirPods Max 2: release date

Different colours of AirPods Max 2 linedup

(Image credit: Future)
  • As expected, the AirPods Max 2 launched at Apple's September iPhone event
  • Pre-orders are open now; shipping begins on 20th September

There was a lot of back and forth about when the AirPods Max 2 would appear, but Bloomberg’s serial Apple tipster, Mark Gurman, tweeted the day before the 9th September iPhone 16 event that the new over-ears would be unveiled alongside the handsets and AirPods 4 then.

He was, of course, correct. CEO Tim Cook announced the second-gen Max on stage. AirPods Max 2 pre-orders are open now, with availability beginning on Thursday 20th September. The original Max will be discontinued.

Before that last-minute rumour, the AirPods Max 2 were actually expected to launch later this year, as their predecessors did in December 2020. Ming-Chi Kuo, another highly respected Apple analyst, suggested months prior that a new Max would arrive in either the second half of 2024 or early 2025.

Apple kept us waiting for the original AirPods Max: they were expected to debut alongside the iPhone 12, which launched on 12th October 2020, but "complications" in the design and manufacturing process put paid to that. Instead, the AirPods Max were finally unveiled on Tuesday 8th December, before going on sale on Tuesday 15th December 2020.

Still, the timeline puts the AirPods Max and AirPods Max 2 almost four years apart, which is a significant period of time considering rivals such as Bose and Sony often entertain gaps of only two years between model refreshes.

AirPods Max 2: price

  • Same price as the original AirPods Max

The first-generation AirPods Max hit shelves at £549 / $549 / AU$899. That was more expensive than we had hoped – and even imagined – but it didn't seem to matter: they sold out almost instantly. At one point, the waiting list ballooned to 12 to 14 weeks. That's Apple customers for you!

Apple will now discontinue the originals in light of the new Max, which are priced exactly the same except in the UK, where the 2024 Max will cost £449. It is unlikely the new model will see discounts for a while – we wouldn't hold your breath for Black Friday or Christmas deals this year – but the good news is that the original model will likely be sold off by retailers at a decent discount in the coming weeks and months.

We have seen these premium cans fall to around £449 / $449 / AU$799 several times before, so that should give you an idea of the price to look out for.

We've listed today's best AirPods Max deals just below.

With the Max, Apple was the first brand to position a pair of wireless headphones at such a high price point, a significant step above the 'premium' pairs like the Award-winning Sony WH-1000XM5. It gave the green light to other brands to release high-end models, such as the five-star Bowers & Wilkins Px8, Focal Bathys and Mark Levinson No. 5905. Bose not long ago launched the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones at £450 / $429 / AU$649, too, and the new Sonos Ace and Dyson OnTrac headphones are fall within that ballpark.

Some rumours suggested that the new AirPods Max would be cheaper than the originals due to concerns that the first generation was priced too highly. Indeed, some speculated that Apple might have dropped the cost for the second-gen model to $449. But honestly, it is no surprise that Apple decided to continue to play firmly in the high-end playground by keeping the price the same. Perhaps it will eventually add a second, lower-cost model to its over-ear lineup – AirPods Max Lite or AirPods Max SE, anyone?

We should also say that we are relieved Apple didn't go higher in price, although that would have been harsh considering the modest upgrades the new Max bring...

Apple AirPods Max 2: design

Orange AirPods Max 2 on a grey worktop

(Image credit: Future)
  • New colourways and USB-C port
  • No redesigned case or touch-based controls

Apple is renowned for its sleek designs, but it really pulled out all the stops for its first pair of over-ears. From its pristine anodised aluminium ear cups to its perfectly weighted steel headband, the AirPods Max makes some of the best wireless headphones feel cheap by comparison. It isn't the end of the world that Apple has largely kept the same design for the Max 2, then.

The Max 2 bring just two changes: new colourways and a USB-C charging port.

The AirPods Max were available in five finishes: Silver, Blue, Space Gray, Pink and Green (similar to the 2021 iMac Pro lineup). As was heavily rumoured before the announcement, the new Max are available in five new colours: Midnight (black), Starlight (beige), Blue, Orange and Purple.

Rumours of an 'AirPods Max 2 Product (RED)' edition are at this time unfounded.

The AirPods Max 2 have migrated from Lightning to USB-C for their charging port, in line with EU law. During last year's September iPhone event, Apple announced that USB-C sockets would feature on the iPhone 15 as well as on new charging cases for the AirPods Pro 2. The universal connection is standard for Apple products going forward.

Side-on view of the AirPods Max 2 in black on a white background

(Image credit: Apple)

So what rumoured design upgrades didn't we get? Well, there was plenty of talk of Apple tweaking the Max's control mechanism. According to Patently Apple, the Cupertino brand has been attempting to perfect a set of gesture-based touch controls to replace the Digital Crown, a dial inspired by the digital crown of the Apple Watch. Our expert in-house reviews team called the Crown "a tactile joy... a particularly neat and intuitive solution". That said, we did find it a little too easy to knock when adjusting the headphones, and its low resistance means you can accidentally adjust the volume by rather large degrees. 

Overall, we like the physical control and are pleased it stays. Touch controls are, in our experience, hit and miss for accuracy and intuitiveness, although if anyone is going to implement it well or introduce a sophisticated gesture control system in the future, our bets would be on Apple.

Lastly, there was strong speculation that Apple planned to rejig the AirPods Max carry case, which has been rather humorously compared to a bra or a gun holster. Not only does it look strange, but we think it does a poor job of protecting the headphones from knocks, scratches and dirt as it doesn't even cover the whole product. We are therefore disappointed that this wasn't addressed by the Max 2; ramping up the protection for what is a very expensive item should, in our minds, be a priority next time around.

An Apple patent uncovered in July 2022 seems to suggest that Apple was working on a far more substantial case that snaps shut using a series of "magnetic clasps" – so where is it?

Apple AirPods Max 2: specs and features

Close up of digital crown control on Apple AirPods Max headphones with a small house plant in background

(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)
  • No new features or spec upgrades
  • Rumours included Adaptive Audio, improved ANC and new processor

With such a high launch price, the original AirPods Max needed to deliver a lot. Thankfully, they did. Our experts said that, compared to the Sony class leaders at the price point below, "The AirPods Max are undeniably more crisp, precise and spacious. The sound is that bit more engaging on account of that precision, and more atmospheric thanks to the added openness and the space given to each instrument. It’s a more transportative experience: it feels as if you’re sitting in the room as the musicians play around you." The Max, in a word, impressed.

The Max 2 should sound exactly the same as their predecessors, meaning that they will remain class leaders until something else comes along and trumps them. Bose and Focal have so far come very close to giving them a run for their money, but the Max model still holds its own.

As well as no performance upgrade, the Max 2 don't offer any feature upgrades or new features either. Yep, apart from new colours and a USB-C port, they are identical to the originals they replace. See what we meant by a 'soft' update?

Rumours certainly suggested more action here, although some seemed unlikely from the get-go. One of those rumours we took with a pinch (or handful) of salt was the introduction of game-changing audio transmission.

When Apple added lossless audio quality tracks to Apple Music in mid-2021, it emerged that none of the company's AirPods, including the Max, could deliver lossless audio wirelessly. Not even over the Max's wired connection. Patently Apple suggested Apple could be working on new better-than-Bluetooth optical audio transmission technology that would enable wireless lossless audio. That would be a big evolutionary step for portable wireless audio.

Close-up of the purple AirPods Max 2's earcup

(Image credit: Apple)

Apple recently announced a new "groundbreaking wireless audio protocol" that "unlocks powerful 20-bit/48kHz Lossless Audio" in the AirPods Pro 2, although this only works when the Pro 2 (USB-C model) is connected to the Apple Vision Pro headset. If wi-fi headphones are where gains in wireless sound quality are possible instead of the restricted Bluetooth, this could be the path that Apple takes in the future if it's serious about higher-quality audio. But evidently not for the Max 2.

Apple was also said to be sprucing up its active noise-cancelling technology. In February 2022, the folks at Patently Apple revealed an interesting AirPods Max patent that covers the detection of "audio howl" (unwanted feedback created by noise-cancelling microphones). Apparently, Apple is working on a better way to detect and mitigate this interference, which could result in a more natural noise-blocking experience.

Apple also announced a new Adaptive Audio mode at WWDC 2023. This is a hybrid listening experience that gives you a mix of transparency mode and ANC to provide the best of both listening technologies in one place. Surprisingly, it came to the AirPods Pro 2 but not the AirPods Max... or the Max 2.

One of the more logical update rumours was the implementation of an upgraded processor. The original Max use the H1 chip, whereas the newer AirPods Pro 2 are equipped with the superior H2. According to Forbes, there was a chance of a switch to H2 for the second-gen AirPods Max, although taking into consideration the design upheaval involved in integrating a new chip lessened the chances. An even newer chip (H3?) will undoubtedly allow for improved noise-cancelling, battery life, audio quality and better computational power– perhaps that will debut in the AirPods Pro 3.

There was also talk of a new "Find My" feature, as featured in recent iPhone models. This would keep track of where your Max are, allowing you to pinpoint their exact location when they go walkabout and you're fretting you've just left hundreds of pounds' worth of headphones in a gym locker room.

They're great, but...
About Us
They're great, but...
Becky Roberts

The AirPods Max were innovative in pushing wireless audio quality (and price!) when they arrived in 2020, and four years on it is surprising how competitive their sound and ANC performance still is, despite the handful of very good rivals that have arrived to bolster the emerging premium market. That said, they lag notably behind in battery life, still come with a naff case and can't be listened to passively via a wired connection, so I'm disappointed Apple hasn't furnished its Max model with such design and functionality upgrades for the new sequel.

AirPods Max 3 wishlist: 5 features we'd like to see

1. Better battery life
AirPods Max battery life is "up to 20 hours" with noise cancellation and spatial audio enabled. That's plenty for a commute or five, but significantly less than you get from the class-leading Sony WH-1000XM5, which offer 30 hours, and the five-star Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, which manage a staggering 60 hours.

2. Wired listening when the battery is dead
If you want to use the AirPods Max 2 in a wired capacity, the only way to do so is with a USB-C-to-3.5mm cable. Even then, the AirPods Max won’t work in passive mode: if the battery’s dead, the headphones are useless. Not ideal if you're stuck on a plane at 30,000 feet. Apple was the one guilty of killing the 3.5mm headphone jack in smartphones (from the iPhone 7) in the first place so we may not see this appear any time soon, but we can only hope for a way to listen to these headphones in passive, wired mode.

3. Improved Android support
Unsurprisingly, you need an iPhone or iPad in order to get the most out of the AirPods Max. Sure, they'll work with non-Apple products using standard Bluetooth 5.0, but you’ll miss out on almost all of the unique iOS features such as spatial audio with head-tracking, conversation mode, adaptive audio, audio sharing and more. Don't hold your breath on this one, but better Android support would certainly widen the appeal of the AirPods Max model.

4. Foldable design
A better battery case is technically the #1 requested feature from team What Hi-Fi?, but a design that's also foldable would do wonders when it comes to portability. We imagine Apple's design team might disagree, but a folded design that can be packed into a more sensible and protective carry case would be invaluable for high-end headphones.

5. Waterproof resistance
Wouldn't it be nice if you knew that getting hot and sweaty at the gym or getting caught in a mild shower while out pounding the streets wouldn't damage your Apple over-ears? There is no official IP rating for the Max's waterproofness, so we would welcome an IPX4 rating or better, which would be more than enough for dealing with drizzly conditions, splashes/sweat and dust ingress.

Should you upgrade to the AirPods Max 2?

Woman wearing Apple Airpods Max while looking at Apple iPad in a dark room

(Image credit: Apple)

If you own the original AirPods Max, we would skip this update – unless, of course, USB-C charging will massively improve your life, or you have simply fallen in love with the new orange colourway. The AirPods Max 2 don't offer any major improvements over the originals whatsoever, so you are best waiting for a superior sounding rival to come along... or the AirPods Max 3 in, gosh, 2028?

That said, if you are looking to upgrade other wireless headphones to a more premium pair and wondering whether the AirPods Max 2 should be that purchase, our answer is a lot more positive.

Despite the Max 2 essentially rolling with their predecessors' 2020-released specification, and the fact that similarly priced rivals from Sonos, Bose, Bowers & Wilkins and Focal have subsequently arrived, the Max model remains surprisingly competitive in the field. It has unrivalled aesthetics, strong ANC and sound performance, and a niche execution of spatial audio. If you're an Apple fan who can live with a 20-hour battery life and can afford the significant outlay, the Max 2 are a great buy. 

If you can live with a Lightning port, however, the original Max might be the better buy if you can find them at a decent discount.

MORE:

The best AirPods Max alternatives to consider

AirPods 4: everything you need to know about price, design and new features

How do they stack up against the competition? Read our comparisons:
AirPods Max vs Sony WH-1000XM5
AirPods Max vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
AirPods Max vs B&W Px8

Apple AirPods 4 vs AirPods 3: what's new?

Becky Roberts

Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of Australian Hi-Fi magazine. During her 10+ years in the hi-fi industry, she has reviewed all manner of audio gear, from budget amplifiers to high-end speakers, and particularly specialises in headphones and head-fi devices. In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.

  • bazzalad
    I own a pair of Apple’s AirPod Pros & Max headphones and I have just ordered the updated AirPod Pro 2 earbuds because the feedback from users has been so incredibly favourable. Plus, I’ve got the added benefit of having the perfect person in mind to pass on my still near perfect gen.1 AirPod Pros too !

    My biggest annoyance with some industry commentators, who really should know better, is their constant criticism that the AirPod Max were/are somehow too expensive. Such rhetoric continues to perpetuate this myth about how headphones should be something that is super low cost, regardless of quality. The fact is that headphones are one area where most ppl have a completely unrealistic and impoverished attitude, when it comes to price.

    Basically we all understand quality costs more; don’t we? And I doubt there’d be many of us out there complaining about a Hifi system delivering fantastic audio quality including Dolby Atmos & Spatial Audio if it cost only $500US would we (the exact features in the AirPod Max). The trouble is we’ve got used to headphones being throw away & being of ultra cheap sound quality, Apple itself helped create this idea with its cheap earbuds it gave away with every phone, tablet and computer for years and years. Industry caught on and suddenly all you could see is the thousands of alternate no-brands copies of corded earbuds. But then things started to change, we began migrating to wireless and now noise cancellation headphones but the trouble is we took this same low budget outlook with us.

    The quality of headphone we were been given was increasing hugely from the days of throw away corded earbuds but not our understanding of cost and our appreciation of the additional value we were being given. Try it for yourself, go plug in one of those old $20 corded earbuds to your iPhone and compare it’s sound quality to your AirPod Pros or Max - it’s like Night and Day, the difference, isn’t it?

    The truth is Apple’s hardware designers first attempt at the AirPod Max was actually rejected my upper management because it would have cost twice the amount retail. Personally, I so wish we’d also had that option available to buy. I’d love it if version 2 of the Max included 2 models - a revised Max & a much higher audio quality version, and I don’t just mean the addition of lossless here, I mean actual audio quality. A model for all of us who understand better sound quality costs more to research, design, test & produce.

    When I criticise everyone about their attitude towards headphones and our reluctance to see sense, I admit I’m just as guilty. Even as a kid I spent over $2000 on a Hifi system for myself so why did I expect headphones only costing $50 to deliver the same experience? It just doesn’t stack up now does it?.

    In fact, it took me years to slowly research and upgrade both my own Hifi and headphone systems. I now understand and truly appreciate that, better sound quality is such a wondrous and joyous experience. And as with most things in life, higher quality comes with a cost - although at a certain price point and above, the difference starts to become a lot more granular and one of personal taste. And of course there are the brands that try price gouge but they invariably don’t last long.

    ‘So personally I think the AirPod Max is an extremely well priced headphone & great value once you consider its features, design, build quality and performance. The only way to get something better would be if you’re willing to spend considerably more money. So please no more talk about how these are over priced, it’s just such a ludicrous statement.

    Like o said earlier, try buying a $500 Hifi system that delivers you the same overall & audio experience? You can’t of course, so why on earth would you expect Headphones to be exponentially cheaper?
    Reply
  • IanBlackburn
    I have AirPods Max and AirPods Pro Gen 2. I actually find the noise cancellation better on the AirPods Pro Gen 2, which isn't surprising because it has an updated H2 chip and adaptive transparency mode. But just generally, the ANC is better, and they don't suffer from the occasional "audio howl" I get on the Max. Sound quality-wise for music, though, the Max is much better than the Pros to my ears (the Pros are still really good, though).

    I'll almost certainly move to gen 2 Max, with an updated H2 (or H3?) when available. I lose myself sitting at home with the AirPods Max on - total relaxation. The Pros are always in my pocket, ready for calls, podcasts, music, and going for a run and are great, but the AirPods Max are really special and are what I reach for when I want to zone out and relax.
    Reply
  • cryanhorner
    pretty hard to justify buying any kind of new wireless headphones right now. it feels like we're on the cusp of people finally figuring out lossless wireless sound, and so every product coming to market now is basically just a sightly polished version of what already exists and is just holding space until that breakthrough comes to market.

    my cheapo soundcore wireless over the ear headphones are falling apart, but i'd rather just keep using them until that technology is available because nothing else any manufacturer is offering really seems exciting or necessary to me. lossless is literally the only compelling new feature that would get me reaching for my wallet, particularly as someone who is already a frustrated apple music subscriber.

    now the matter is just, can i keep my current cans alive and kicking until then...
    Reply