Apple’s AirPods Max have dropped below $400 for the first time

The high-end pricing connected Apple’s first-gen products ne'er ceases to amaze maine — conscionable look astatine the $3,500 Apple Vision Pro oregon its $5,000 display. The AirPods Max were besides astir apt a spot much costly than they should person been astatine their $549 motorboat price, but that’s comparatively tame compared to the contention Apple is targeting with its luxe noise-canceling headphones. Thankfully, they’re present down to $398 ($151 off) successful prime colors astatine Amazon and Walmart, which is simply a grounds low.

Some whitethorn consciousness the AirPods Max are getting a spot agelong successful the bony since we archetypal reviewed them successful 2020, but Apple’s wireless headphones are inactive our apical proposal for Apple users and immoderate of the best headphones overall. They dependable astir arsenic bully arsenic the Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra, possibly lone yielding to much niche audiophile options that tin outgo 3 times arsenic much.

In presumption of features, the Max are built with Apple users successful mind. They enactment a well-balanced soundstage and Apple’s immersive spatial audio feature, not to notation large sound cancellation that rivals premium headphones from Sony and Bose. Their transparency mode is besides 2nd to nary fixed however earthy it sounds. Apple users adjacent get built-in Find My tracking, one-touch pairing, and accelerated switching betwixt Apple devices — features you won’t find connected galore pairs of headphones, speech from possibly the Beats Studio Pro.

The luxurious metallic physique further justifies the premium terms tag, whereas akin options from Bose and Sony tin consciousness a spot plasticky (only the new Sonos Ace truly compare). They besides athletics large, comfy receptor cups that magnetically detach and a useful integer crown, the second of which lets you negociate volume, calls, playback, and Siri easier than with motion oregon swipe-based controls. That said, you mightiness find the Max bulkier than the competition, which tin marque them annoying to question with.

Their biggest downside, different than the information that they deficiency a USB-C port, is that there’s nary 3.5mm audio jack. That means you’ll request to prime up the optional $35 Lightning to 3.5mm cable to usage them connected a level oregon take vantage of hi-res audio codecs successful supported apps.