The AirPods Max are exceptional noise-cancelling headphones with a luxurious design, sophisticated soundstage and clever computational features. But the $549 price and unconventional case are difficult to overlook.

If you love fantastic sound and you’re a fan of the clever little touches Apple puts into its products, there’s a lot to love in the AirPods Max.

They're big and expensive, but Apple's AirPods Max over-ear headphones impress with their sound quality and the same extra features found in the AirPods Pro.

Noticeably higher build quality than peers. Excellent controls. Very comfortable. They work seamlessly with iOS devices. Industry-leading fidelity. Actually repairable.

I’m only slightly miffed that there’s no compatibility with Apple Music’s hi-res lossless audio quality, but that’s the nature of wireless headphones anyway. I’m still saving exploring the world of DACs and reference headphones for another time.

The AirPods Max sound exponentially better than any noise-canceling headphones I’ve ever used, and feel much more like I’m not wearing headphones at all. They’re a far bigger leap forward than the iPhone 13 was from the 12, yet they’re out in the world with far less awareness.

But there’s still no world where I recommend the AirPods Max to your average headphone shopper, especially when the AirPods Pro offer a lot of the same features for less. Many consumers will be perfectly happy sticking with the tried-and-true options from Sony, Bose, Microsoft, and elsewhere. At the very least, it’s probably worth waiting for Apple Music HD or spatial audio on the Apple TV or, for god’s sake, a better case.

With the AirPods Max, Apple successfully built a set of premium over-ear headphones with a unique design that’s all its own. There’s no doubt they look much better than the mostly plastic options I typically test from Sony, Bose and others thanks to a mix of aluminum, fabric, mesh and Cupertino aesthetics. The company has also brought the best parts of AirPods to noise-cancelling headphones, including spatial audio and easy access to Siri. Right now, spatial audio is limited to iPhone and iPad, plus there’s no high-res music streaming. If the company can fully integrate these headphones with the Apple TV, and perhaps open them up to immersive sounds of Dolby Atmos Music or Sony 360 Reality Audio (or add them to its own service), there would be a better case for these. But at $549, Apple needs to check all the boxes to make the AirPods Max a must-buy. And even then, the price will still be prohibitive.

While the Apple AirPod Max is a great pair of headphones with best-in-class active noise cancelling (ANC) and a good sound signature, it also has a few annoying quirks that make it very obviously an Apple product. If you live in the Apple ecosystem and already love your AirPods Pro, then the AirPods Max is more of the same just in a pair of over-ears.

The Apple AirPods Max are among the best-sounding headphones we've ever tested. They're easy to use, and their noise cancellation can easily stand up to the likes of the Sony WH-1000XM4 and the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. However, their high price, limitations for Android users, and lack of 3.5mm audio port means we'd only recommend them to iOS users with a lot of money to spare—and no interest in Hi-Res Audio.

The Apple AirPods Max are big, expensive and flashy noise cancelling-headphones that manage to stand out in a crowded market. They sound fantastic with most genres of music, brilliant with movies including some fancy virtual surround tech, plus superb noise cancelling that matches the best in the business.

These headphones have Adaptive EQ, which adjusts the audio as you're listening to it based on fit and seal. Their sound profile has a neutral mid-range that ensures detailed vocals and lead instruments. Their slightly overemphasized bass range also adds just a hint of extra warmth, as well as thump and rumble. However, the treble range is mostly underemphasized, resulting in a veiled sound with dull sibilants. You may also experience a drop in bass delivery if you have thick hair or glasses.

the AirPods Max don't hold quite as much shine as they once did in comparison to other headphones options — even the newest AirPods Pro 2 give them a run for their money.

Sonically speaking, the AirPods Max don’t put a foot wrong – these are hands-down the best wireless noise-cancellers you can buy for the money

The AirPods Max are a distinctly Apple take on noise-canceling headphones. They’re not perfect by any means, but they look good, sound great, and offer all the features you would want from a product in the Apple ecosystem, including some features that will roll out later this year alongside iOS 15 and tvOS 15.