The bigger complaint is the price. $549 is a lot to ask mainstream consumers to spend on a pair of headphones, especially when you’ve got the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 and the Sony WH-1000xM4 out there for $329 and $349, respectively.

Gorgeous design, Great audio quality, Powerful ANC, Seamless integration with Apple devices

Expensive

For many buyers used to $99-$300-dollar headphones, the AirPods Max will seem pretty high-end. For Audiophiles, it is a mid-range product. If you’re part of the Apple ecosystem and a serious music listener, I think the AirPods Max is a winner.

Very good sound quality, Charges rapidly from a USB port, Easy pairing to Apple devices and decent pairing to non-Apple devices, Excellent Bluetooth range, Siri integration, The Digital Crown knob is far better than touch controls on competitors.

A case that fully encloses the headphones for maximum protection, Apple needs to include a high-quality cable for wired connections., Apple needs to include a charging brick.

The AirPods Max are exceptional noise-cancelling headphones with a luxurious design, sophisticated soundstage and clever computational features. But the $549 price and unconventional case are difficult to overlook.

Luxurious design and feel, Easy-to-use controls, Crisp and balanced sound, Spatial audio is a game-changer, Fantastic noise cancellation

Expensive, No on/off switch, Smart case provides no protection

Like every Apple product that is released, there has been a lot said about the AirPods Max. Whatever you might think of Apple, they’ve done an excellent job of marketing their brand. Because they’ve done such an excellent job at marketing, their devices sell very well.

Amazing design, Amazing build quality, Simple to use and setup, especially with other Apple products, The sound is outstanding, The best ANC of any over-ear headphone that I've used, Amazing call quality and reception, The best Transparency Mode of any headphone, Great battery life, Very comfortable

These boys are expensive, silly expensive, The clacking of the two ear cups together might cause wear over time, The lifespan of the headband mesh is questionable, The smart case is ugly, just ugly

AirPods Max deliver in the audio department, and are some of the best-designed and built consumer headphones you can buy. But they cost way more than is justified, especially as they don’t include a proper case nor a 3.5mm audio cable.

Very pleasing sound quality, Industry leading active noise cancelling, Excellent materials and construction

A bit on the heavy side, Not water or sweat resistant, Too pricey

Apple’s $550 headphones cost hundreds more than models from Sony or Bose, but they’re the best wireless headphones I’ve ever heard.

Noticeably higher build quality than peers. Excellent controls. Very comfortable. They work seamlessly with iOS devices. Industry-leading fidelity. Actually repairable.

Expensive! 20-hour battery life is good, but it’s 10 hours shy of the competition. The case is stupid and useless. Never fully power down.

As an “ audiophile ” the AirPods Max intrigued me. They’re priced a bit high for a set of consumer headphones, and as most audiophiles know, active noise cancelation (ANC) degrades sound quality in one way or another.

Class-leading ANC performance, Great, almost-balanced sound, Superb comfort and premium design, Physical buttons for ANC and media control, Near-infinite headband adjustment

Lightning for charging and wired audio, Worse battery life than other ANC headphones, Smart Case offers almost zero protection

Apple's first headphones Airpods Max are expensive, but amazingly good. On everything. Almost.

Perhaps the best noise reduction in the class. Large, rich, dynamic and open sound image with crystal clear reproduction. Comfortable despite the weight. The quality.

Neither splashproof nor waterproof. Half the case - and the price.

People have been in expectation of the first over-ear headphones from Apple. Now, they have been announced by the company as Apple Airpods Max . These are released after the well-known Airpods Pro .

The premium over the wireless over the ear headphone category is chalk full of devices and price points. Popular products include Philips PH805, the Sony WH-1000XM4, the Bowers & Wilkins PX7, and the Sennheiser PXC 550-II. If you are an Apple user, the AirPods MAX is one of the most compelling.

Fantastic noise cancellation, Crisp and balanced sound, Spatial audio is a game-changer, Brilliant extra features for iOS, Headband breaths good in hot weather

Smart case provides no protection, No on/off switch, Expensive, No 3.5mm audio port, Limited features for Android