As if launching the $600 MacBook Neo to near-universal praise, refreshing the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lineups with M5 and M5 Pro/M5 Max chips, releasing two Studio Displays (including the XDR model with HDR and 120Hz), and updating the E-series iPhone with the 17e weren’t enough, Apple is keeping the product release train rolling with the new AirPods Max 2.
Better ANC and sound quality
The sequel to its first over-ear wireless headphones, the AirPods Max 2 have a few much-needed upgrades. One of the biggest highlights is improved active noise cancellation (ANC), which Apple says is up to 1.5x more effective than the last generation. That improvement is thanks to the H2 chip—the same one found in AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3—which is better at identifying environmental noise and blocking it out with a new “digital signal processing algorithm.”
On top of that, Apple is also touting better sound this go-around. The AirPods Max 2 have a new high dynamic range amplifier, which Apple says should equate to “cleaner audio” with less distortion. Apple says that the new amp will also benefit Spatial Audio with “improved localization of instruments, more accurate and consistent bass response, and more natural-sounding mids and highs.” Latency is also improved, which is ideal if you’re using your AirPods Max 2 for gaming—though that’s something I’ve never personally seen happen in my life.
H2 chip AirPods Pro 3 features to AirPods Max 2
Naturally, the H2 chip will usher more software features, too. The AirPods Max 2 now come with Adaptive Audio, which can change ANC levels and adjust transparency by using microphones to listen to your environment. This isn’t a novel feature in the world of personal audio, but it’s nice to have on your very expensive Apple headphones. AirPods Max 2 are also getting other AirPods features like Conversation Awareness, which can automatically lower the volume of your audio playback when someone is speaking, and Live Translation, which is Apple’s real-time translation feature powered by Apple Intelligence.
AirPods Max price and release date
Colors are the same as before: blue, midnight, orange, purple, and starlight. As was the case with Apple’s first-gen AirPods Max, the AirPods Max won’t come cheap, with a starting price of $550. Preorders start on Wednesday, March 25, and Apple says they’ll start arriving “early next month.”
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