Apple AirPods Max (now with USB-C)

This review, for obvious reasons, reuses large portions of our original review and the score remains the same, especially because despite criticisms at the time, AirPods Max has truly stood the test of time.

Apple's expensive AirPods Max headphones haven't changed much over the last three years or so. This may sound like laziness at first glance, but in this unique case, I see it differently. In my view, this is continuing proof that Apple, despite criticisms, hit the nail on the head in the first place and delivered a headset that was in many ways an industry leader. Now they've got USB-C, and a range of new colours, but other than the fact that you can finally, finally cut your Lightning cable to pieces, the verdict is the same.

Despite the USB-C port, there's still no case included, and I refuse to call the small carrying case protective in any way. The entire top is exposed and the aluminium cups are only partially protected - they can get scratched and worn down in a packed backpack, even in the case. That's downright unacceptable. And you know what doesn't make it better? The headphones can't be switched off manually, they can only be switched off by being placed into the small carrying case, otherwise they drain the battery at almost full blast.

This is where a critic would characteristically roll their eyes, say "classic Apple", snort and put on their THX Pandas, or a set of Sony WH1000-XM4s (which I own, it must be said). It's understandable too, it's downright anti-consumer design.

This is where I have to say that despite all these complaints and frustrations, AirPods Max are the best headphones, in the consumer field if nothing else, that I have ever tested.

And why is that? First and foremost because of the comfort. When Apple revealed that they would be using heavy materials like aluminium and canvas instead of plastic, which seems to be the favourite almost everywhere else, it didn't sound particularly comfortable, nor was it reassuring that there's no foam or elastic at the top. Yes, they are also significantly heavier than the competition at 384 grams, but all I can say personally is that when they sit on my head, it all disappears. In all likelihood it's the ingenious rubber construction at the top, which has a tight piece of mesh fabric strapped to it, but there's no pain at the top of the head, even after hours of use. Not only that, thanks to the canvas on the cups, instead of memory foam, there are no sweaty, red ears when you take them off after long periods of use.

They're also better, and easier, to control than any other headset. There's no touch-based navigation. There's an enlarged Digital Crown, straight from the Apple Watch, that increases volume with small tactile clicks. It can also be pressed to pause, play, all that stuff. And then there's another physical button right next to it that toggles between active noise cancellation and Transparency - which has the opposite effect. It's a breeze to operate, creates far fewer errors, and is generally more user-friendly than any competing model on the market.

And you'll want to switch between the two settings all the time, because both are more efficient, more comfortable, more seamless than anywhere else. Transparency uses all eight microphones to record and send the sound to you. It's found in countless other places, making it easier to have a conversation with your headphones on, or to hear announcements on a busy train platform, for example. With AirPods Max on, it feels like you're not wearing headphones at all, they almost disappear. I want to call it "magic", but that might be a cliché too far. The point is that with that single click of the button, the whole universe around you changes character and you can suddenly hear everything.

It sounds absurd, but the same can be said for headphone ANC. The openness you instantly experience with Transparency is instantly transformed when you press the button and the enveloping dimension is upon you like a shroud. The eight microphones (actually nine, but one is reserved exclusively for calls) pick up both loud noise and the more sudden cries of small children (of which I have one), and it's all effectively and instantly cancelled.

And then there are other great features. The H1 chip allows the headset to automatically and seamlessly switch between devices, if they're from Apple. The 20 hours of battery life is quite impressive, sensors in the cups are sharper to pause and play when you take them on and off. It all helps. The fact that you can choose from a variety of colours also helps.

They also just sound better than everything else. I own a pair of WH1000-XM4s, have tested Bose's NC700, as well as competitors from Denon, AKG and Jabra. These headphones have other advantages, the main one being price of course, but what they all have in common is that I prefer the sound profile of AirPods Max over all of them. Of course, as you know, there are more detailed experiences out there, like the aforementioned THX Pandas, but if you're looking for a set of consumer headphones, a product that combines style, ease of use, dexterity and features - well, I'm almost sorry to say that AirPods Max are better.

It's £470 that they should cost you, and you could easily argue that Apple was the frontrunner on this price increase, an increase that Bose and others have been more than happy to follow closely. It's still a... well, crazy price for headphones, and while the annoyances are many, the comfort, sound quality, noise cancellation - it's all so sublime that for some time to come, this will be Apple's most confusing, and perhaps best, product.