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.

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 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

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.

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

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.

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;

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 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;