Apple launched AirPods Max 2 after six years of waiting

The product we all thought Apple had forgotten about is finally getting a long overdue update. The new AirPods Max 2 will be available for pre-order from 25 March 2026, will cost £499 and is packed with new features and capabilities.

The original AirPods Max debuted in 2020 to worldwide acclaim and we give them a great review, too, giving them 4/5 stars and a recommended award. But despite the six years that have passed since the first model, the design of AirPods Max 2 does not look like it has changed at all.

The anodised matte-finish, squarish earcups look the same, the rotary crown control and button are in the same place at the top of the right earcup, and the headband still has the same split headband design with the elastic material hanging in the middle. It looks like the highly distorted handbag case that the headphones were previously supplied with is the same, too.

Headphones the will it can be found in exciting new colors, however, with orange and purple including blue, midnight and starlight. And, of course, they now have a USB-C connector instead of lightning for charging.

What new features does AirPods Max 2 come with?

The main upgrade, however, is all inside and this comes courtesy of the new Apple H2 chip. This new silicon brings better ANC (active noise cancellation) that is “up to 1.5x more effective than the previous generation” – we already liked the noise cancellation in older headphones, so that’s good news.

There’s better transparency, too, with audio from the earcups sounding more natural. The sound quality increases, thanks to the new loudspeakers that drive the transducers of AirPods Max 2. Also, there is support for lossless 24-bit 48kHz audio when the headphones are connected to the source via USB-C, and low latency, which makes the Max 2 better for gaming.

Elsewhere, AirPods Max 2 gains a new inventory of “smart” features that should bring it up to par with the best ANC headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM6. These include adaptive audio, conversational awareness, live translation, voice isolation, noise reduction, and the ability to nod and shake your head to accept or reject calls.

AirPods Max 2 is also equipped with something called Volume Personalized, a feature that learns your preferences over time and “fine-tunes the listening experience”. You will also be able to use them to trigger the camera shutter on your iPhone.

Perhaps the most interesting new feature of all, however, is that the microphones on the new AirPods Max 2 get “studio-quality” audio recording capabilities. Similar to the studio microphones on Apple’s MacBook Pro laptops, this will provide budding content creators with a way to make their voiceovers and podcasts sound professional without needing a professional microphone.

How much does AirPods Max 2 cost and when will it be available?

Unlike most Apple product announcements, the new Apple AirPods Max 2 headphones will not be available for pre-order right away. You’ll have to wait until March 25th to do that, and they will

The good news, however, is that the new AirPods Max launch for £50 less than the original: £499. That’s due to the top end of the headphone ladder, though, with our current favorites – the Sony WF-1000XM6 – £170 cheaper at £329.

Written by

Jonathan Bray

Head of reviews at Expert Reviews, Jon has been testing and writing about products since before most of you were born (well, only if you were born after 1996). During that time he has tested and reviewed hundreds of laptops, PCs, cell phones, vacuum cleaners, coffee machines, doorbells, cameras and more. He has worked on websites since the early days of technology, writing game reviews for AOL and hardware reviews for PC Pro, Computer Buyer and other publications. He has also had work published in Trusted Reviews, Whither Computing? and the Observer. However, even after so many years in the industry, there is nothing he likes more than getting to know a new product and introducing it to its categories.

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