AirPods Max (USB-C)
The over-ear headphones get USB-C and a fresh set of colours.
Overview
Apple left the design of its premium headphones nearly untouched in 2024. The aluminium cups, knit mesh canopy and Digital Crown look as before, and the sound hardware is the same pair of H1 chips and 40 mm drivers.
The changes are practical. A USB-C port replaces Lightning, so the headphones charge from the same cable as an iPhone 15 or a Mac, and the included USB-C cable supports wired playback. With the cable plugged in, listeners can enjoy lossless audio at up to 24-bit and 48 kHz and a delay low enough for music production and gaming.
Five new colours replaced the first set, with Midnight and Starlight joining Blue, Purple and Orange. Battery life remains 20 hours with ANC, and the Smart Case continues to switch the earcups into a low-power state. Critics noted that the price and lack of H2 features such as Adaptive Audio kept it from being a major upgrade.
Why it mattered
Brought the over-ear line to USB-C and the era of wired lossless playback.
At a glance
- Announced
- September 9, 2024
- Released
- September 20, 2024
- Launch price
- $549
- Status
- Available
Highlights
- USB-C charging and wired audio
- Lossless over cable
- Five new colours
- Same H1 chips and drivers
- Up to 20 hours with ANC
Tech specs
Specifications as published at launch. Some values (like battery life) are manufacturer estimates.
Audio
- Driver
- 40 mm Apple-designed dynamic driver
- Noise control
- Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode
- Spatial Audio
- Yes, with dynamic head tracking
- Lossless
- Up to 24-bit/48 kHz over USB-C cable
Chip
- Chip
- Apple H1 (one per ear cup)
Battery
- Listening time
- Up to 20 hours (ANC or Transparency on)
- Total with case
- Not applicable (Smart Case does not charge)
Connectivity
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Charging
- USB-C port
- Wired
- USB-C to USB-C cable included; 3.5 mm adapter sold separately
Design
- Water resistance
- None
- Weight
- 384.8 g
- Materials
- Aluminium ear cups, stainless steel frame, knit mesh canopy
Features
- Controls
- Digital Crown and noise control button
- Sensors
- Optical sensors, position sensors, case-detect sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope
Software
- Launch OS
- iOS 18
