Sparkling sound with excellent ANC; seamless integration with other Apple devices; comfortable headband; solid battery life

The price; the weirdly designed charging case; no 3.5mm cable; did I mention the price?

Apple’s first pair of over-ear headphones are a luxury aimed solely at those who entrench themselves fully in Apple’s ever-expanding ecosystem. They’re packed with good ideas, clever design elements and wonderfully versatile audio but the price, when compared to the big rivals, will make them a hard...

Wonderful; versatile sound; Many clever design elements and strong build quality; Spatial audio is very immersive for the apps that support it; Strong connection to the Apple ecosystem

Lack of ‘off’ button is annoying; The included case is bad in just about every way; Heavy and can’t be folded down; The high price can’t be ignored

Apple’s first over-ears are big, heavy, often brilliant, and far too expensive

Rich and detailed sound; Superb noise-cancelling; Spatial audio enhances TV and movies; They just work

Very expensive; Uncomfortable if worn for long periods; So-so battery life; Really bad case

Maybe it’s slightly reductive to keep bringing the argument back to price, but it’s extremely difficult not to with the AirPods Max. Apple has made some fantastic headphones, but they’re not going to pull in the proper audiophile chin-strokers, and they’re not close to being worth £200 more than Sony’s XM4s, which remain the best overall noise-cancelling headphones for our money. They also come with a proper case. You might well argue that the AirPods have the edge when it comes to audio, but there’s not a lot in it, and while Apple definitely wins on build quality, metal is heavier than plastic, and it’s not long before the AirPods Max remind you of that. If you’re an Apple lifer with cash to burn, the AirPods Max will not let you down, and their ease of use should not be overlooked. But, as brilliantly fun as these headphones undoubtedly are, there are smarter ways to part with your cash.

Rich and detailed sound; Superb noise-cancelling; Spatial audio enhances TV and movies; They just work ;

Very expensive; Uncomfortable if worn for long periods ; So-so battery life ; Really bad case;

The Apple AirPods Max are among the best-sounding headphones we've ever tested, they're easy to use, and their noise cancellation can easily stand up to the likes of the Sony WH-1000XM4 and the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. However, their high price, limitations for Android users, and lack of 3.5mm audio port means we'd only recommend them to iOS users with a lot of money to spare – and no interest in Hi-Res Audio.

Unbelievable audio performance; Fantastic user experience; Brilliant extra features for iOS; Great noise cancellation;

Very expensive; No 3.5mm audio port; Limited features for Android; Ineffective carrying case

The AirPods Max are outstanding over-ear headphones for iOS users, boasting exceptional audio quality, great ANC capabilities and one of the most true-to-life transparency modes I've experienced, but software frustrations and the lack of a power button may irk some - especially at such a high price.

Incredible sound quality; Premium build; Great ANC; Impressive smarts;

Limited Android support; No power button; An ill-designed Smart Case; Occasional glitches;

Apple’s first pair of over-ear headphones are a luxury aimed solely at those who entrench themselves fully in Apple’s ever-expanding ecosystem. They’re packed with good ideas, clever design elements and wonderfully versatile audio but the price, when compared to the big rivals, will make them a hard a sell for many.

Wonderful, versatile sound; Many clever design elements and strong build quality; Spatial audio is very immersive for the apps that support it; Strong connection to the Apple ecosystem;

Lack of ‘off’ button is annoying; The included case is bad in just about every way; Heavy and can’t be folded down; The high price can’t be ignored;

While the Apple AirPod Max headphones are a great pair of headphones with best in class active noise cancelling and a good sound signature, they also have a few annoying quirks that make them very obviously an Apple product.

Nice design and solid build quality; Amazing active noise cancelling and transparency mode; Comfortable ear pads and fabric headband; Decent battery life; Button and digital crown are great to use; Good sound quality with no distortion; Great connection strength with Bluetooth 5.0

No 3.5mm headphone jack becomes a pain; Uses a Lightning connector instead of USB-C; Proximity sensors and voice assistant activation don't work on Android or Windows; No aptX or LDAC high quality codec support; The smart case is absolutely terrible and provides no protection; Spatial Audio doesn't...

The high asking price will make the over-ear AirPods a luxury rather than a mass-market product, which is a shame as the sound quality and active noise-cancelling (ANC) is superb - but much of the competition offers such features for a cut of the cash.

Great sound and active noise-cancelling (ANC); No plastics; Ease of setting up and running; Spatial Audio delivers convincing three-dimensional audio;

Not foldable; Weighty due to metal; Carry case could be more robust; Very expensive; No 3.5mm jack; Spatial Audio not for Apple TV;

If you’re an audiophile Apple devotee who has money to burn and wants everyone else to know, then the Apple AirPods Max were made with you in mind; waste no time, and go grab yourself a pair.