The high-end prices of Apple's first-generation products never cease to amaze me—just look at the $3,500 Apple Vision Pro or its $5,000 display. The AirPods Max were also probably a bit more expensive than they should have been with their $549 launch price, but that's relatively moderate compared to the competition Apple is targeting with its luxury noise-cancelling earbuds. Thankfully, they're now down to $398 ($151 off) in select colors at amazon.com/New-Apple-AirPods-Max-Space/dp/B08PZHYWJS/?tag=theverge02-20″>amazon and Walmartwhich is a historic low.
As for features, the Max are designed with Apple users in mind. They offer a well-balanced soundstage and Apple’s immersive spatial audio feature, plus excellent noise cancellation that rivals premium earbuds from Sony and Bose. Their Transparency mode is also second to none, given how natural it sounds. Apple users even get built-in Find My tracking, one-tap pairing, and quick switching between Apple devices — features you won’t find on many pairs of headphones, aside from perhaps the Beats Studio Pro.
The luxurious metal build further justifies the high price, where similar options from Bose and Sony can feel a bit plasticky (only the new Sonos Ace really compare). They also feature large, comfortable earcups that detach magnetically and a handy Digital Crown, which lets you manage volume, calls, playback, and Siri more easily than with gesture- or swipe-based controls. That said, you might find the Max bulkier than the competition, which can make them annoying to carry around on the go.
