The Airpods Max Are (still) The Best Headphones For Apple Users - And $120 Off

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Apple's AirPods Max headphones aren't nan newest brace of cans connected nan marketplace -- they've been astir since 2020 and haven't received a ton of creation iterations since past -- but they're still a competitory brace of headphones successful 2025. 

When compared to immoderate of nan different models we've tested, for illustration nan Nothing Headphone 1 and nan Sonos Ace, nan AirPods Max guidelines retired pinch Apple's sleek, minimal creation and coagulated audio quality. 

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Right now, they're complete 20% disconnected during Amazon Prime Day, down to $429 for each 5 colorways -- a important value driblet connected a brace of headphones regularly $549.

Not inexpensive for a brace of headphones, but if you're successful nan marketplace for a premium pair, we urge considering them for a fewer reasons. Here's nan breakdown. 

First: nan design. The AirPods Max person a sleek shape pinch nary branding aliases logos, featuring stainless alloy accents and Apple's integer crown that replaces an array of beingness buttons seen connected different headphones, and complaint via USB-C.

For Apple users, nan AirPods Max are nan definitive over-ear headphones option, acknowledgment to their automatic pairing pinch your iPhone, iPad, Mac, aliases Apple TV. 

Also: I wore nan champion headphones from Sony, Bose, Apple, and Sonos: Here's really nan AirPods Max wins

As acold arsenic sound cancellation goes, they're immoderate of nan best, successful nan aforesaid convention arsenic high-end rivals from Sony, Bose, and Sennheiser. The headphones utilize a full of 8 microphones for nan ANC, while leveraging Apple's personalized spatial audio to create a earthy soundstage that's distinctly not overproduced. 

The AirPod Max's mesh receptor pads person besides held up well. They're patient without being hard, pinch a tight, comfortable seal astir your ears for immersive audio. The deficiency of polyurethane leather connected nan receptor pads simultaneously adds to their disbursal and personification experience.

ZDNET's Kerry Wan says nan Max's mesh receptor pads are 1 of nan champion things astir them: "I've recovered nan AirPods Max's mesh-style receptor cushions to relieve unit and sweat build-up amended than nan waxy, silicone-based covers recovered connected competing headphones." 

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So really do they sound? They utilize Apple's H1 audio processor, which is little precocious than nan H2 spot successful Apple's AirPods Pro 2, but nan sound produced by nan AirPods Max is carried by nan awesome ANC, arsenic good arsenic its rich, earthy soundstage. 

Ultimately, however, I wouldn't urge nan AirPods Max if you don't person astatine slightest 1 Apple product, and I often property that to paying for features you can't use, for illustration Find My and Personalized Spatial Audio. Additionally, package updates are wrapped into iOS updates, making it intolerable to update your AirPods without an iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

Looking for nan adjacent champion product? Get master reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends.

How I rated this deal 

I gave this woody a 3/5 since it's a important capable discount to beryllium noteworthy, but it's still a comparatively pricey brace of headphones. For Apple users, however, they're nan last connection successful over-ear headphones -- particularly if you want superior ANC and are not willing successful earbuds.