Review · Over-ear ANC
Apple AirPods Max 2
AirPods Max 2 are the over-ears for iPhone owners who want the strongest noise cancelling and the tightest Apple integration, and reviewers broadly agree they deliver both. You pay for it in weight, a firm clamp, a 20-hour battery, and no user EQ. Even well below the $549 list, they're the hardest of the top over-ears to justify on value.
Our take
The short version
AirPods Max 2 put an H2 chip in each ear cup, and Apple claims up to 1.5x more effective noise cancelling than the original. Reviewers back up the noise cancelling: in SoundGuys' testing for its noise-cancelling guide, AirPods Max 2 had the strongest ANC, and PCMag, The Verge, Trusted Reviews, Macworld, and 9to5Mac all praise the noise cancelling, sound, and Apple integration. Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Live Translation, and Personalized Spatial Audio make it the most iPhone-native over-ear on our list.
The complaints are familiar ones. At 386.2 g it's still heavy, the clamp is firm, the Smart Case leaves the headband exposed, there's no power-off control, and there's no user EQ. Battery is rated at 20 hours with ANC, well short of the Sony WH-1000XM6's 30.
List is $549, and it was around $429 on Amazon in early October 2026. That's a real discount, but it still costs more than the Sony at ~$378 or the Bose QC Ultra Headphones in Desert Gold at ~$369. Where it pulls ahead for some buyers is wired listening: lossless and ultra-low-latency audio over USB-C, which is why it gets a 4 for gaming. If you're not on an iPhone, Apple's integration perks don't carry over, and the Sony is the better buy.
Pros and cons
What we like
- Strongest ANC in SoundGuys' noise-cancelling testing
- H2 in each ear cup; Apple claims up to 1.5x better ANC than the original
- Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, and Live Translation
- Lossless, ultra-low-latency audio over USB-C
- Reviewers praise the sound and Apple integration
Trade-offs
- Heavy at 386.2 g, with a firm clamp
- 20 h battery, no power-off control, and no user EQ
- The Smart Case leaves the headband exposed
- Even discounted, it costs more than the Sony and Bose
Who it's for
Buy it if…
- iPhone, iPad, and Mac owners who want the deepest Apple integration
- Flyers who want the strongest noise cancelling SoundGuys recorded
- Anyone who wants lossless, low-latency wired audio over USB-C
Skip it if…
- Android owners: the Sony WH-1000XM6 is the consensus pick
- Weight-sensitive listeners: the Sennheiser Momentum 5 is 290 g, and reviewers call it very comfortable
- Value shoppers: AirPods Pro 3 bring H2 and Live Translation for far less
Spec sheet
AirPods Max 2 specs
| Battery | 20 h with ANC |
|---|---|
| Noise cancelling | Yes (H2 chip in each ear cup; Apple claims up to 1.5x more effective than the original) |
| Weight | 386.2 g |
| Drivers | Not specified |
| Codecs | Not specified |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 |
| Multipoint | Not specified |
| Water resistance | Not specified |
| Wired / USB-C audio | Lossless and ultra-low-latency audio over USB-C |
| Microphones | 9 |
| App / EQ | No user EQ |
| Also notable | Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Live Translation; Personalized Spatial Audio; Smart Case |
From the manufacturer sources listed below. “Not specified” means those sources don't state it.
Watch
AirPods Max 2 on video
Video by MacRumors on YouTube. Their views are their own.
Cross-shop
Alternatives to consider
Sony WH-1000XM6
- Over-ear ANC
- ~$378
- May 2025
- Any phone
The safest over-ear noise canceller: the big reviewers' default pick, now well under list.
Pros
- Pro: Wirecutter's top pick and SoundGuys' best for most people
- Pro: 12 mics and multipoint make it a strong office-call headset
- Pro: LDAC and LC3 support plus a 10-band EQ
Trade-offs
- Trade-off: 30 h with ANC trails the Momentum 5 (57 h) and Space One (40 h)
- Trade-off: SoundGuys saw stronger noise cancelling from the AirPods Max 2
- Travel
- 5 out of 5
- Calls
- 5 out of 5
- Music
- 4 out of 5
Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published reviews and specs — not lab measurements.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
- Over-ear ANC
- ~$449
- 2025
- Any phone
Sony's closest rival, and a better deal than it looks if you'll take Desert Gold or White Smoke.
Pros
- Pro: SoundGuys' close runner-up to the Sony WH-1000XM6
- Pro: aptX Adaptive with Snapdragon Sound and lossless USB-C audio
- Pro: Multipoint and Bluetooth 5.4
Trade-offs
- Trade-off: Black was selling at full list price, above the Sony
- Trade-off: SoundGuys ranks it just behind the Sony
- Travel
- 5 out of 5
- Calls
- 4 out of 5
- Music
- 4 out of 5
Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published reviews and specs — not lab measurements.
Check priceAffiliate link to Amazon. Price approx., seen Oct 2026.
Read the review: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)Apple AirPods Pro 3
- Earbuds ANC
- ~$179
- Sep 2025
- iPhone
The default earbuds for iPhone owners, with ANC SoundGuys ranks among the best of any earbud.
Pros
- Pro: SoundGuys' best earbuds for iPhone
- Pro: ANC that SoundGuys measured among the best of any earbud
- Pro: Heart-rate sensing plus Hearing Test, Hearing Aid, and Hearing Protection
Trade-offs
- Trade-off: No user EQ
- Trade-off: Built around the iPhone; MacRumors steers Android owners to the Sony
- Travel
- 5 out of 5
- Value
- 5 out of 5
- Calls
- 4 out of 5
Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published reviews and specs — not lab measurements.
Check priceAffiliate link to Amazon. Price approx., seen Oct 2026.
Read the review: Apple AirPods Pro 3
Related guides and comparisons
Sources
Manufacturer specs
- Apple AirPods Max 2 tech specs (opens in a new tab) — Battery, weight, Bluetooth, mics, wired audio, and features
- Apple Newsroom: AirPods Max 2 announcement (opens in a new tab) — Mar 2026 launch: H2 in each ear cup and the ANC claim
Review consensus
- SoundGuys — Best noise-cancelling headphones, Apr 2026: strongest ANC in SoundGuys' testing
- PCMag — AirPods Max 2 review consensus: ANC, sound, and integration; weight and clamp
- The Verge — AirPods Max 2 review consensus: ANC, sound, and integration; weight and clamp
- Trusted Reviews — AirPods Max 2 review consensus: ANC, sound, and integration; weight and clamp
- Macworld — AirPods Max 2 review consensus: ANC, sound, and integration; weight and clamp
- 9to5Mac — AirPods Max 2 review consensus: ANC, sound, and integration; weight and clamp
Published reviews and manufacturer specs, researched October 5, 2026. We didn't test these headphones ourselves; judgments credited to an outlet are that outlet's.
Disclosure: Our picks are independent and editorial — a synthesis of published reviews and manufacturer specs, not our own lab measurements. Prices are approximate Amazon prices seen October 5, 2026, not live quotes. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.