Display & Audio Setup
Apple AirPods Max 2 Over-Ear Headphones
By Nick Miles · Updated 2026-10-03 · 9 expert sources
Pros
- +PCMag: "I have not experienced clearer calls on any other pair of headphones," including on Google Meet and Zoom
- +Pressing the Digital Crown answers a call or mutes and unmutes in compatible apps (Apple)
- +Automatic Switching moves audio between Apple devices, so a call on your iPhone can be answered while music plays on your Mac (Apple)
- +Nine microphones, three of them for voice pickup, with Voice Isolation and an H2 chip in each ear cup (Apple)
- +PCMag calls the knit mesh canopy the most comfortable headband it has encountered in decades of wearing over-ear headphones
Cons
- −At 386.2 g (Apple) it weighs more than the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) (SoundGuys), and SoundGuys found the clamping force strong enough to be uncomfortable in long sessions
- −Rated for 20 hours with ANC on (Apple); PCMag notes Apple trails Bose and Sony by 10 hours
- −Multipoint and firmware updates are only available on compatible Apple devices (SoundGuys)
- −No 3.5mm jack; lossless and ultra-low-latency audio require a wired USB-C connection (Apple)
Score breakdown
- Expert consensus8.3
- Effectiveness8.5
- Build safety9.0
- Durability8.0
- Value8.0
Build safety is provisional. Our 2026-10-03 search of CPSC recall data found no recall for this product, and no safety, heat or failure reports turned up in our sources, but we have not yet verified its UL/ETL or equivalent safety certification. The 9.0 is a placeholder until that evidence is reviewed, not a certified rating.
What the experts say
“I have not experienced clearer calls on any other pair of headphones. This applies to FaceTime, Google Meet, and Zoom calls, too.”
“Basic capabilities, like multipoint and firmware updates, are only available on compatible Apple devices.”