Apple Introduces the AirPods Max 2

Back in 2020, Apple set a new bar in the world of portable audio with the release of their over-the-ear AirPods Max. They quickly became both an essential audio on-the-go accessory and a symbol of status and taste. Now, just shy of four years later, Apple has released an updated version with the AirPods Max 2 or 2024,  or whatever you want to call them. The upgrade comes in the form of the technology inside the device, with the only “change” to the design being the much-needed upgrade to USB-C for charging instead of the increasingly obsolete Thunderbolt. Oh, and there are some fun new colours as well.

The AirPods Max 2024 has the same sleek aesthetic of minimalistic aluminum and stainless steel combined with sophisticated and trendy colours. While the original AirPods Max was available in space grey, silver, green, pink, and sky blue, the new version introduces midnight, starlight, blue, purple, and orange options. This colour refresh aligns the AirPods Max with the current product colour palette Apple is working with.

Now, the only “downside” we can see, although to be fair, not really hear, is that Apple didn’t upgrade the audio processor chip after four years. The original AirPod Max was powered by the brand’s proprietary Apple’s H1 chip, one in each earcup. The updated AirPod Max 2(024) still has the same chip, whereas the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4 contain the Apple H2 chio. We’re unsure why that decision was made, but we guess it has to do with battery life.  We say this because, according to the specs, both generations of AirPods Max offer up to 20 hours of listening time with ANC enabled, and both have fast charging with roughly 1.5 hours of use from five minutes of charge.

The physical control layout of the new AirPod Max also remains the same, with a Digital Crown for volume and a physical button for switching between ANC and Transparency modes.  Both have a superior set of sensors and nine microphones for noise-cancelling and voice-pickup functions.

After using the new generation of AirPod Max for a month or so, I can say that they remain superior over-the-ear headphones, easily sitting in the top 3 on the market. The real win, as with all Apple products, comes in the form of the aesthetic; nothing beats the clean, sleek design and colour scheme, which in today’s world goes the distance. We all want to look cool, don’t we?

The Apple AirPod Max is available now and retails for $779 CAD.