{"id":137020,"date":"2026-05-01T20:07:33","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T20:07:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/appleinsider.com\/articles\/26\/05\/01\/airpods-max-2-one-month-review-spot-the-difference"},"modified":"2026-05-01T20:07:33","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T20:07:33","slug":"airpods-max-2-one-month-review-spot-the-difference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/2026\/05\/01\/airpods-max-2-one-month-review-spot-the-difference\/","title":{"rendered":"AirPods Max 2 one-month review: Spot the difference?"},"content":{"rendered":"

A month after Apple’s AirPods Max<\/a> 2 went on sale, there’s a lot to like, but little of it is new, and there’s not much reason to upgrade from the original model.\n<\/p>\n

That’s the uncomfortable truth that I came to after spending a few weeks with Apple’s premium headphones. But it also shouldn’t be a surprise for anyone who took even a cursory glance at the specs sheet.\n<\/p>\n

Any second-generation product takes what the first-gen model did well and then builds upon it. But with AirPods<\/a> Max 2, Apple took the easy way out. And it’s a real shame that it did.\n<\/p>\n

AirPods Max 2 do improve upon the original model, bringing some AirPods Pro<\/a> features along for the ride. Still, too many first-gen problems persist, setting users up for the same frustrations.\n<\/p>\n

And that’s the problem here. Those buyers will spend $549<\/a> for a pair of AirPods Max 2 headphones. What they’ll get is great audio, but with issues that shouldn’t be there.\n<\/p>\n

If you’re shopping for great audio with some striking design issues, I have good news for you. There are likely some great OG AirPods Max deals<\/a> available. You should probably buy those instead.\n<\/p>\n

AirPods Max 2 review: Familiar look, familiar mistakes<\/h2>\n

When I say that AirPods Max 2 look familiar, I’m not kidding. I’m not even exaggerating, because they’re identical.\n<\/p>\n

That even extends to the colors on offer. There are still five for you to choose from. And they’re still Blue, Purple, Midnight, Starlight, and Orange.\n<\/p>\n

\"Two<\/a><\/p>\n

AirPods Max 2 review: Space Gray and Midnight side-by-side<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

I’ve been using the Midnight headphones, and they have a slightly different hue from my original Space Gray model. Those also have a Lightning connector, but apart from that, they’re almost impossible to tell apart.\n<\/p>\n

AirPods Max 2, of course, have a USB-C port for charging this time around. You can also use a USB-C to USB-C cable if you want to enjoy lossless audio.\n<\/p>\n

Like the original and mid-cycle USB-C refresh, AirPods Max 2 use metal as their material of choice. That means they’re still heavy, weighing in at 386.2 grams or 13.6 ounces.\n<\/p>\n

As someone who isn’t a fan of plastic headphones, I’m happy with the metal construction Apple uses. I also don’t mind the weight because it adds an air of quality to the headset.\n<\/p>\n

What I don’t like is Apple’s continued use of a mesh headband. It’s notorious for stretching and sagging, and there’s little to suggest that AirPods Max 2 buyers won’t have the same issue.\n<\/p>\n

The good news is that there are aftermarket accessories<\/a> that help here. They attach to the headband and use another material to distribute the weight. You’ll likely spot one on my AirPods Max in some of the photos here.\n<\/p>\n

Controls-wise, nothing has changed here. You’ll find holes for the microphone and for air movement on the left ear cup. On the right, there’s a USB-C port on the bottom.\n<\/p>\n

Up top, Apple’s familiar Digital Crown is used for volume and playback controls. The remaining button is used to cycle between the active noise cancellation (ANC) and Transparency modes.\n<\/p>\n

Finally, there’s the case. It’s the same as the original AirPods Max case and one of the main things I expected Apple to fix with this second generation.\n<\/p>\n

Alas, it chose not to. And this case still does almost nothing to protect the headphones during transit. The top and bottom of the metal ear cups are left bare.\n<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the case is also the only way to put the AirPods Max 2 to sleep. Leave them out, and they’ll never slip into the deep sleep mode that preserves battery life.\n<\/p>\n

That means you’ll need to fiddle with the case and its magnetic flap a lot. The lack of a way to sleep the headphones outside of the case is another issue I expected to be fixed this time around.\n<\/p>\n

Again, alas.\n<\/p>\n

AirPods Max 2 review: The H2 makes its presence felt<\/h2>\n

One of the few places where Apple has tweaked things is the use of a new H2 chip. The same chip first debuted in Apple’s AirPods Pro 2<\/a> from 2022, so it’s not new technology.\n<\/p>\n

\"Black<\/a><\/p>\n

AirPods Max 2 review: The familiar Smart Case makes a return<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

It’s new to Apple’s headphones, though, and brings with it some new features. Apple says the new chip is capable of improved audio processing. But as Andrew O’Hara said in his initial review<\/a>, you’ll be hard-pressed to tell the difference.\n<\/p>\n

Apple also says that AirPods Max 2 offer 1.5x more active noise cancellation than the previous generation. I can’t refute the claim, but AirPods Max were already class leaders here, and I’ve found AirPods Max 2 to be just as good.\n<\/p>\n

Thankfully, you will notice a difference if you use any of these new features:\n<\/p>\n