I love my AirPods Max, but I have a terrible time recommending them. They're quite comfortable, sound fantastic, and pair automatically with all my Apple devices. What's not to love? Well, the price: $549 is almost criminal to charge for a pair of wireless headphones, however good they are, considering there are plenty of competing products on the market that are way less expensive.
However, drop the price by enough, and AirPods Max suddenly become a very enticing option, especially if you're already as deep into the Apple ecosystem as I am. If you've been tempted to buy a pair, but were put off by the ridiculously high price tag, there's good news: These headphones are massively on sale alongside October Prime Day—assuming you're OK with the older model.
That's not to say Apple's latest version of its over-the-ear headphones aren't on sale, either: They are, just at a much smaller discount. You can pick up the newest AirPods Max for $499.99, 9% cheaper than the MSRP. That's not a terrible discount if you were going to spend the $549 anyway, but it's not the deal I would recommend. Seriously, if you're going to buy these things, buy the older model for $349.99. Amazon had them on sale for this same price during July's Prime Day, but other than that, this is the lowest price these headphones have ever been.
The main reason I recommend this older model is simple: These headphones are nearly identical to the new ones. AirPods Max fans had been waiting for a refresh for years, as the original headphones came out in December 2020. When Apple finally did launch a "new" AirPods Max, those fans were massively disappointed to learn the only changes were new colors and USB-C support. USB-C support is great, don't get me wrong: If you have an iPhone 15 or newer, you'll enjoy carrying around a single USB-C cable to charge your devices, instead of packing both USB-C cables and Lightning cables in your bags.
However, is USB-C worth an additional $150? Are new colors worth that price? In my opinion, no, especially when you're still getting the same headphones with the same H1 chip, with no new features. Apple didn't even add some of the AirPods Pro 2's exclusive features, like conversation awareness or Adaptive Audio. It's a bummer.
All that said, for $349.99, AirPods Max is a valid option for Apple fans, alongside similar choices from Sony and Bose. The sound quality is fantastic, perfect for both music as well as watching shows and movies. If you have an Apple TV, it is by far my favorite way to watch TV, as my headphones are miles above my soundbar. They're also excellent for travel: They block out sounds on an airplane, train, cityscape, what have you. Sometimes, I don't even flip on the noise cancellation, because the seal from the ear cups is good enough.
The choice is yours, but if you're dead set on AirPods Max, I think you should live with another Lightning device for a little while and save that $150. The original colors are just fine.
