GoKawiilAvailable in midnight, starlight, orange, purple and blue, Apple's new flagship over-ear AirPods Max 2 headphones were greeted with mixed reactions on social-media platforms when they were announced out of the blue on March 16. Some pundits were excited to see them finally getting a meaningful upgrade after several years. Others lamented that they cost $549 when Apple's new Macbook Neo -- a full-fledged laptop -- could be had for as little as $500 with Apple's education-pricing discounts.
The AirPods Max's high price was a source of contention when the original model launched in 2020, but that didn't stop people from buying them and helped set a new benchmark for pricing for premium noise-canceling headphones (top models from Bose, Sony and Bowers & Wilkins have all received price hikes in recent years). The list price for the AirPods Max 2 hasn't changed from the original, and neither has the design. But the new headphones now feature a new "dynamic range" amplifier and are powered by Apple's H2 chip rather than the H1, which brings the Max up to date with other AirPods models, including the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods 4.
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Those are the biggest differences between the Max 2 and the Max 1, which was updated with USB-C connectivity in September 2024 and USB-C audio in 2025 (with a firmware update). But the more powerful H2 chip does bring a host of new features and some performance upgrades that are more meaningful than they look at first glance. Read my full review.
What are the AirPods Max 2 feature upgrades?
The Max 2 now has most of the same features as Apple's latest earbuds, including the following:
Adaptive Audio: Based on the noise levels in your environment, the Max 2 automatically adjusts the levels of ANC and transparency to optimize the audio experience.
Based on the noise levels in your environment, the Max 2 automatically adjusts the levels of ANC and transparency to optimize the audio experience. Conversation Awareness: When you start speaking to someone, the volume of whatever you're listening to is reduced, and the headphones enter transparency mode so you can have a conversation without taking the headphones off.
When you start speaking to someone, the volume of whatever you're listening to is reduced, and the headphones enter transparency mode so you can have a conversation without taking the headphones off. Studio-quality audio recording : Allows you to record content with higher-quality audio and a more natural vocal texture (as noted previously, Apple pitches this feature toward content creators).
: Allows you to record content with higher-quality audio and a more natural vocal texture (as noted previously, Apple pitches this feature toward content creators). Camera Remote: You can capture content at a distance by pressing the Digital Crown to take a photo and start or stop video recording while using the Camera app or compatible third-party camera apps on iPhone or iPad.
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