AIRPODS MAX: OPULENT AUDIO THAT SHOULDN'T COST SO MUCH

APPLE’S HIGH-END HEADPHONES LOOK, SOUND, AND FEEL GREAT, BUT THE PRICE ISN’T RIGHT.

- JASON CROSS

Apple’s latest expansion of the AirPods brand is a set of large over-the-ear wireless headphones. The AirPods Max look great, sound great, and are quite comfortable despite their heavy weight. They’re also $549, a difficult price to justify when the competition (primarily the Sony WH-1000XM4 [go.macworld.com/1xm4] and the Bose 700 [go.macworld.com/ b700]) are around $200 to $250 less.

In some ways, the AirPod Max give you what you pay for. Build quality is unmatched at any price, and there are some clever design flourishes. But there are also a few compromises worth noting, like a “Smart Case” that is anything but.

For those embedded in the Apple ecosystem, the AirPods Max will be worth considering when they’re on sale for $449 or less, but it’s otherwise hard to justify the price tag, and those who regularly dip outside Apple’s product ecosystem should probably look at alternatives.

DESIGN AND COMFORT

It comes as no surprise that Apple designed a set of headphones that looks fantastic and is made from premium materials. But Apple doesn’t always knock it out of the park with ergonomics. (I’m looking at you, Apple TV remote.) Fortunately, the AirPods Max are both great-looking and a delight to use.