“The chip by itself is not really the story. The H2 from a few years ago is not the H2 that we’re introducing into the AirPods Max 2 today, because it’s been enhanced with so much embedded firmware that has really enabled this growth of features across the years.”

Tim Millet, Vice President of Platform Architecture at Apple, is explaining how the brand's most powerful H2 silicon chip has been "purpose-built for audio application", and has evolved over the years, along with the challenges of implementing it into an over-ear design.

First introduced in 2022 with the AirPods Pro 2 wireless earbuds, the H2 chip is now available for the first time in the new AirPods Max 2 over-ears. It's been the main focus of the second-generation model, as with that new chip comes plenty of advanced features such as Conversation Awareness, Adaptive Audio, and updated Adaptive EQ, as well as improvements to ANC and, of course, sound quality.

I've been using the AirPods Pro 2 and Pro 3 since their respective launches, and am familiar with many of these features – it seems almost strange that Apple's premium over-ears haven't had half of them until now. That they're finally available on the Max 2 is welcome news, especially to iOS fans.

But is it a simple matter of adding the same chip to the new headphones and calling it a day, or is there more going on beneath the surface to tailor the experience to the over-ear AirPods?

H2 chip: a constant evolution

The H2 also powers so many of the AirPods Max 2's features and performance; but these new additions and sound/ANC improvements aren't done in isolation.

As I speak to Tim Millet and Eric Treski, Apple's director of Audio Product Marketing, they both confirm that the various teams involved – the acoustic team, the hardware engineering, product engineering, software engineering, firmware teams – all work together, continually communicating to create and develop what they want to achieve in every headphone product.

That's possible thanks to the silicon base, which Millet says has "evolved and grown" from the first time we encountered it four years ago in the Pro 2.

"When we were imagining H2 many years ago," says Millet, "we appreciated that the team was going to be focused on this range of products, not just one product." And so the aim was to offer the acoustic team a rich platform that was extensible – one where new capabilities and functions could be added over the years.

"We really go down to the fundamentals," says Millet. "We go and sit down with the acoustic engineers and with our firmware engineers – the folks who live and breathe audio – and we try to figure out what are the essential tools [they] need to be able to deliver not only the short term version of what maybe your initial feature set might be, but how do we build an extensible platform on which you can build over time?"

Apple doesn't use off-the-shelf components or chips. The H2 chip is unique to Apple and custom-built for its products, with energy efficiency and the lowest possible latency being a big part of its architecture to offer a seamless experience.

On top of that, Treski says that in the AirPods, "the amplifiers, the drivers, the whole architecture system – all of that is custom-made. They're not taken off the shelf and pieced together – everything is purpose-built".

That's a very privileged position to be in compared with most of its rivals, meaning that Apple has full control and visibility over every element of its audio products, without having to rely on third-party suppliers.

Adapting H2 features from in-ears to over-ears design

In the AirPods Max 2, the H2 chip has allowed the brand's engineers the opportunity to tweak its existing features, and bring new ones in too. The 40mm custom drivers return, but powering them is a new high dynamic amplifier – the very same amplifier, Treski tells me, as the one used in the AirPods Pro 3.

Alongside that, the additional bandwidth of the H2 chip allowed Apple to deliver "next-generation" Adaptive EQ.

Adaptive EQ might be the secret, silent ingredient of AirPods. This always-on feature uses the inward-facing microphone to constantly adjust the frequency in real time (48,000 times a second, in fact) to optimise the sound to the wearer's ear shape and fit of the headphones/earbuds at all times.

We've experienced Adaptive EQ in the in-ear designs of the Pro 2 and Pro 3 buds before, so surely it's a matter of simply sticking the same feature onto the over-ears? Not quite.

Treski explains that in an in-ear product, that inward mic crucial for Adaptive ANC is much more directed into your ear canal and towards your eardrum, whereas on the over-ear Max 2, that mic sits much further out of your ear. The mic is situated in the centre of the earcups (in the Max 2), so even though it is pointed right at your ear, it's much further away.

“So there are advantages to having bigger headphones and bigger drivers and such, but at the same time, it’s really tricky for the algorithms to get Adaptive EQ to work very, very well with a mic that’s sitting so much further away," he says. “So that took a lot of effort and work in a different way than it would with an in-ear product.”

It's one of the many examples of where the advanced features made possible thanks to the H2 chip – but so far only experienced on in-ear models – have been tailored to the over-ear performance.

“Getting these many familiar features to function in this new form factor requires a level of specialisation across all the algorithms and firmware," says Millet. "So yes, it is the same piece of silicon, but really, by itself, it's nothing without adding on all the layering of audio expertise that was put into the algorithms."

ANC improvements had a surprise inspiration

Active noise cancellation and Adaptive Audio were other areas that had their challenges.

The AirPods Max 2 claim to offer 1.5 times more ANC than their predecessor (a number measured "across an average of all frequencies," says Treski) and that was made possible by the additional computational algorithms made available inside the H2 chip.

What's more, Treski says a lot of the learnings for improving ANC in the Max 2 came from a surprising place: the AirPods 4 with ANC.

"That product was insanely challenging to do, to get ANC that good in a product that doesn't have ear tips. And that was a massive undertaking and challenge for our acoustic engineering team... So all those learnings essentially contributed to AirPods Pro 3, and then applying that into AirPods Max as well."

One of my favourite AirPods Pro features in recent years has been Adaptive Audio, which adjusts the level of ANC according to your surroundings without compromising the sound quality of what you're listening to.

I've found the effect to be so natural that it's almost invisible in use – the shifts in noise modes are so subtly done that you can't hear or feel the seams, and it works a treat in daily use. That experience is repeated with the Max 2, where you're able to stay aware of your surroundings – on your commute, for instance – while still being able to enjoy the music being played.

“Being able to do that from a technical capability is more or less pretty straightforward," says Treski. "What's challenging to do, is to do that in a way that's enjoyable. What’s interesting about that is, even though the tuning and how you do it between the in-ear product and over-ear product is the same, what's so difficult about that is making sure that it's actually a good experience. Because we need to ensure that we're doing it in a way that's not annoying, and in a way that you would like."

There are rivals from Sony, Bose, Technics, Sennheiser and more that feature various different noise modes, especially Transparency or adaptive modes, but in my experience, none of them sounds quite as natural in their implementation as AirPods do.

While rivals might outdo the 'Pods in some areas, such as outright sound and ANC, the way Apple balances its sonic signature and deploys its noise modes so naturally is quite remarkable.

To me, it never sounds artificial or like it's working too hard – which is an accomplishment in its own right. It's gratifying to hear that, alongside the technical aspects, 'enjoyment' is high on Apple's list of priorities for headphones.

"A very balanced sound signature"

And what about sound quality? Apple has a stellar record in recent years of maintaining a similar sonic balance across its products, from the AirPods 4 with ANC to the AirPods Pro 3 buds, and even the AirPods Max over-ears.

“Ultimately, the goal is to find a very balanced sound signature that has very clear separation of frequencies, that’s enjoyable to listen to for all different types of media and (by) all different types of people,” says Treski.

Millet reinforces this statement by saying that his team's job is to create a flexible, programmable and adaptable platform that allows the acoustic and product teams to maintain that familial audio quality across the AirPods product range, and meet the big challenges across different form factors.

"I think Apple's silicon story is a really great secret weapon for us," says Millet.

"But there's no cheating on sound quality. You can’t stick a DSP in and go short on some other thing. It really does require careful engineering across the entire platform.”

Do the long-awaited second-generation Apple over-ear headphones live up to the hype? Read our AirPods Max 2 review to find out.

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Well, the day finally came. After months of speculation, rumours and mutterings on the grapevine, the Apple AirPods Max 2 wireless over-ears have officially landed, and they've got quite the shoes to fill.

The AirPods Max 2 headphones are one of the most anticipated sequels of recent memory – with the original launching in 2020, six years is more than a lifetime in this fast-moving market.

They've promised a whole raft of improvements to sound and ANC performance, plus fresh features, thanks to the inclusion of Apple's latest H2 chip.

Excitement abounds, but for all that excitement, it's hard not to also be a little disappointed at the hoped for changes that haven't materialised.

Apple describes the AirPods Max 2 as delivering "the ultimate over-ear listening experience" – those teased improvements will likely move things forward, but has the tech giant left a few blind spots which could hinder the success of its flagship wireless cans?

Excited: potentially better sound

This is, of course, the most important question to ask of the AirPods Max 2: how will they sound?

Not only do the Max 2 have to sound superior to their five-star predecessors, they also need to head off competition from the premium over-ears which have raised the sonic bar in the years since the original AirPods Max launched in 2020.

At this premium level, that includes the slightly cheaper Sony WH-1000XM6 (currently £329 / $400 / AU$699), the Dali IO-8 (currently £499 / $500 / AU$1000), and the benchmark-setting Sennheiser HDB 630 (£400 / $500 / AU$1000).

This means that the AirPods Max 2 seriously have their work cut out for them, and while the advanced H2 chip, the custom 40mm drivers and new high dynamic amplifier are promising a step-up in sound quality, it may not be enough.

Much as we like the clear, pristine and natural sound of the original over-ears, Apple must raise its game significantly if it's going to keep up with the competition that has moved on a lot in the last six years.

Don't believe us? Just take the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) as a case in point. The second-gen over-ears are better than their predecessors in every sonic sense, yet they missed out on a fifth star for sound for failing to keep up with flagship rivals from the likes of Sony, Dali and Sennheiser.

Apple has the resources and know-how to keep up, but it can't let complacency win the day. The much-anticipated Max 2 now house a new high dynamic range amplifier in pursuit of clearer, cleaner audio, while updated DSP and Adaptive EQ aims to improve sound quality even further.

We're testing the Max 2 very soon, so let's hope we hear significant improvement here.

Disappointed: same battery life as before

This feels like a bit of a shame. Apple's second-gen over-ears promise up to 20 hours of listening time from a single charge with noise cancelling on, which is identical to the figures boasted by the older model.

That's not a terrible number, but the original AirPods Max's battery life was never truly outstanding, and it's certainly an area we'd love to have seen improved – especially when rivals such as the Sony WH-1000XM6 (30 hours) and Sennheiser HDB 630 (60 hours) offer more hours.

While the more advanced H2 chip is more power-hungry, it still feels like a wasted opportunity that Apple decided to forego any bump in battery life.

Excited: improved noise cancelling

This could be a real ace up the Max 2's sleeve.

Active noise-cancellation has reportedly been given a significant boost thanks to the implementation of the H2 chip and revised audio algorithms, with Apple teasing ANC performance that’s "up to 1.5x more effective than the previous generation".

Transparency mode, too, is claimed to sound more natural thanks to a newly optimised digital signal processing algorithm. Considering how good the transparency mode of the original Max was, it will be interesting to see how Apple plans to top that benchmark this time around.

There are also new Apple features on the menu to make noise cancelling the best it's ever been. Adaptive Audio, for instance, automatically adjusts levels of noise cancelling in response to environmental noise, something we've seen used to great effect on the Apple AirPods Pro 3 wireless earbuds.

The ANC of the outgoing AirPods Max was excellent, offering a natural yet highly effective experience in shutting out the outside world. Refining this performance and taking it to new heights could see the Max 2 take the fight to their noise-cancelling rivals from Sony and Bose.

Disappointed: that ridiculous case is back

Oh, that darned case. They just couldn't help themselves, could they?

We might be wrong, but we can't imagine that there was a huge clamour among even the most dedicated of Apple acolytes to see the return of the headphones' frankly ridiculous 'holster-style' carry case.

To quote from our original review: "Not only does it look daft, it doesn’t perform even the most basic function of a typical case, which is protecting the product contained within from knocks, scratches and dirt. The case doesn’t cover the headband or the tops or bottoms of the cups, so is only vaguely more protective than simply shoving them naked into your bag." That just about sums up our misgivings.

Apple has not heeded those warnings, and so the holster returns for the sequel, so we'd advise getting a third-party case if you want to keep your new headphones safe and sound. Just be aware that the official carry case does put your AirPods Max into a handy ultra-low-power mode that will preserve that battery life, something which you won't get from third-party providers.

It's also sad to note that the AirPods Max 2 don't fold away, either. Even Sony bowed to this customer demand and made its WH-1000XM6 foldable, which makes them more convenient for portable use, commutes and simply carrying them in your bag. Considering the AirPods Max 2 are fairly heavy premium designs, this would've been a nice update. But alas, no dice.

Excited: new and improved H2 features

The implementation of the H2 chip (an update from the original model's dated H1 chip) unlocks Apple's most up-to-date raft of features, many of which we've already experienced in the brand's recent AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 with ANC and Pro 3 earbuds.

These include Adaptive Audio, which automatically adjusts levels of noise cancelling in response to surrounding noise, and Apple's 'Live Translation' feature, which will transcribe conversations in real time for iOS users. We've already seen these features in the five-star AirPods Pro 3 earbuds, and are big fans of how adaptive audio adjusts our ANC experience effectively on the fly.

Other useful features have also transferred across from the newer generations of AirPods, including 'Conversation Mode', which automatically pauses your music when you start speaking or take your headphones off.

Voice calls should be better, too, as the new voice isolation tech promises to emphasise human speech while more effectively blocking out ambient noise during phone or video calls.

Apple also promises that Spatial Audio content will sound better than ever, with "improved localisation of instruments, more accurate bass response, and more natural-sounding mids and highs".

We found the spatial audio capacities of the outgoing AirPods Max cans to be superb in creating a virtual surround experience from 5.1, 7.1 and even Dolby Atmos content, so the idea of this already-excellent feature getting a boost has us desperate to give it a go. Movie night, anyone?

While we have a few misgivings, it's hard not to be excited about the arrival of the AirPods Max 2.

In the last few years, Apple has done a fine job in meeting expectations as overall standards of performance continue to rise, especially across its wireless earbuds.

Can the brand repeat that success in the over-ear category? The performance of premium rivals has improved significantly since the original AirPods Max were released, so the AirPods Max 2 certainly have their work cut out.

Still, the integration of that H2 chip, the updated acoustics and a premium design all point to a potentially impressive upgrade for the AirPods Max 2. Stay tuned for our full review next week to find out how they fare.

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Out of nowhere, Apple has announced a new pair of AirPods Max headphones. The original pair launched at the end of 2020, followed by a minor refresh in 2024. And then in March 2026, with no warning whatsoever, Apple announced a new flagship.

While the 2024 refresh switched the connector port from Lightning to USB-C, very little else changed. The AirPods Max 2, however, promise new features, more effective ANC and enhanced sound quality.

Let's see what's actually new.

Apple AirPods Max 2 vs AirPods Max: price

The original AirPods Max launched at £549 / $549 / AU$899, which at the time was an unprecedented price for a pair of wireless consumer headphones (though similarly-priced rivals soon emerged). The 2024 refresh dropped the UK price to £499, while the US and Australian price tags remained unchanged.

The AirPods Max 2 cost the same in the UK and US, though the price has risen by AU$100 in Australia. You'll pay £499 / $549 / AU$999 for the sequel.

Coupled with the higher chance of a discount now that they're being replaced, this round just goes to the original AirPods Max.

** Winner: Apple AirPods Max **

Apple AirPods Max 2 vs AirPods Max: build & comfort

The original AirPods Max set new standards in terms of luxurious materials and comfort levels, but Apple is curiously quiet on the build of the second-gen model. Apart from bigging up the product's environmental credentials (they're made with "100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets," for example), it doesn't say anything about the comfort or fit. So it's safe to assume it's stuck with the same design as the original Max.

That's no bad thing, as the originals excel in this area, making rival pairs feel cheap in comparison. They boast single-piece anodised aluminium ear cups connected by a stainless-steel headband with a breathable mesh canopy. The memory foam ear cushions prove comfortable while also sealing you off from outside sounds.

The AirPods Max 2 weigh the same 386.2g as the first-gen pair. That's pretty heavy, but thanks to some very clever weight distribution, the headphones never weigh you down.

They offer the same winning digital crown control method as the original pair, but they also have the same much-derided Smart Case – on the plus side, it keeps them in an ultra-low-power mode to preserve battery, but on the other hand, it looks like a bra. And it won't protect vast areas of them if dropped.

In summary, very little has changed in terms of design, and that's both good and bad news. The AirPods Max 2 even come in the same five finishes as the 2024 refresh: Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple and Orange.

** Winner: Draw **

Apple AirPods Max 2 vs AirPods Max: features

So far, very little has changed. But it's in the features department that Apple has supposedly made some real strides. The AirPods Max 2 have an H2 chip, compared to the original pair's H1. This enables features previously seen in Apple's AirPods Pro 3 earbuds.

Adaptive Audio automatically adjusts levels of noise cancelling to account for environmental noise, while Live Translation translates conversations in real time.

Voice Isolation brings voices to the fore while minimising ambient noise, so you can hear the person you're calling more clearly. And you can press the Digital Crown to activate your iPhone's camera shutter.

And you can respond to Siri announcements by nodding or shaking your head.

These join the original AirPods Max's feature set, which includes Bluetooth (version 5.0 on the original, 5.3 on the AirPods Max 2), active noise cancellation (ANC) and Transparency mode, as well as wired listening over USB-C.

Sadly, the battery life remains at 20 hours. That's borderline pitiful, considering the Sennheiser HDB 630 manage three times that.

** Winner: AirPods Max 2 **

Apple AirPods Max 2 vs AirPods Max: noise cancellation

Until we've reviewed the AirPods Max 2, we can't comment on the noise cancellation. But it has supposedly improved since the original pair.

Apple says that thanks to the H2 chip and revised audio algorithms, the AirPods Max 2 offer active noise cancellation that's up to 1.5x more effective than their predecessors. Transparency mode – which allows in outside sounds to keep you more aware of your surroundings – should also sound more natural thanks to the optimised algorithm for processing digital signals.

The AirPods Max 2 have the same total of nine microphones, eight of which are employed for ANC duties.

In our Apple AirPods Max review, we described the original's noise cancellation as "excellent". They let very little noise through, and are very good at combatting chit-chat. It's a subtle, natural effect which many people will prefer over the vacuum-like feeling of some more effective pairs.

** Winner: TBC **

Apple AirPods Max 2 vs AirPods Max: sound

The original AirPods Max earned five stars and a What Hi-Fi? Award, so they obviously sound pretty amazing. And the AirPods Max 2 should sound even better, according to Apple.

While they maintain the same sonic signature as the originals, there's a new high dynamic range amplifier that should make the audio cleaner. Spatial Audio should sound better with improved instrument placement, "more accurate and consistent bass response, and more natural-sounding mids and highs."

You get the same 24-bit/48kHz lossless audio over the USB-C cable as their predecessors, while we're also promised reduced audio latency over wireless.

In our review we praised the original AirPods Max's "super-crisp and spacious" delivery. "Light on their feet, rhythmically nimble and exciting, they feel like a significant step up in terms of sonic sophistication, as well as build quality, from most headphones that came before them," we noted.

It's worth noting that this was in 2020, before the premium class of wireless headphones really existed. But they still stand up six years down the line – in fact, Apple didn't see fit to adjust the audio for the 2024 refresh.

"Trials Of The Past positively crackles with energy and the Apples add an extra layer of sizzle and attack that’s impossible to ignore," we wrote.

They bring a sense of texture and solidity to any track they convey. But be warned: they will show up flaws in lower-quality recordings.

We're very much looking forward to testing the AirPods Max 2 and will update this section once we have.

** Winner: TBC**

Apple AirPods Max 2 vs AirPods Max: early verdict

The AirPods Max 2 look better than the originals in several ways. They have a handful of new features and promise advances in both the crucial areas of sound quality and active noise cancellation. Add the same premium design, and we could have quite a proposition on our hands.

It's just a shame about the battery life. And the case.

We'll have a full review of the AirPods Max 2 as soon as possible, and will update this article once we do.

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Stop what you're doing, Apple fans, because the day has finally come: the AirPods Max 2 are here!

After months, even years, of speculation, the fully-fledged sequel to the original five-star AirPods Max over-ear headphones have officially landed, teasing more effective ANC, better sound and new features powered by Apple's forward-looking H2 chip.

The much-anticipated headphones house a new high dynamic range amplifier in pursuit of clearer, cleaner audio.

Apple also promises that Spatial Audio content will sound better than ever, with "improved localisation of instruments, more accurate bass response, and more natural-sounding mids and highs".

If you want to go for the highest fidelity possible, the AirPods Max 2 support 24-bit/48 kHz lossless audio when connected to the included USB-C cable.

Noise-cancelling has been given a boost, too. Thanks to the H2 chip and revised audio algorithms, the second-gen AirPods Max promise ANC that’s "up to 1.5x more effective than the previous generation", while Transparency mode claims to sound more natural thanks to a newly optimised digital signal processing algorithm.

There are also new Apple features on the menu. Adaptive Audio automatically adjusts levels of noise cancelling in response to environmental noise, while active 'Live Translation' translates conversations in real time – two features we've already seen implemented in the five-star AirPods Pro 3 earbuds.

For voice calls, the Max 2 make use of Apple's voice isolation tech powered by the H2 chip, with the aim of emphasising human speech while effectively blocking out ambient noise from intruding on your conversations.

The second-gen cans promise up to 20 hours of listening time from one charge with noise cancelling on, matching the figures of the outgoing model.

Hands-free features also aim to make the new wireless headphones more accessible on the go. A camera remote lets users take pictures or record videos by pressing the 'Digital Crown' while using the Camera app or compatible third-party camera apps on iPhone or iPad.

'Siri Interactions', conversely, allow users to respond to Siri announcements by nodding or shaking their head.

According to Apple's director of Audio Product Marketing, Eric Teski: "With the incredible performance of H2, AirPods Max are upgraded with up to 1.5x more effective ANC for the ultimate all-day listening experience. The sound quality is remarkably clean, rich, and acoustically detailed, and when combined with capabilities like Personalised Spatial Audio, AirPods Max 2 deliver a profoundly immersive experience". But then he would say that...

The Apple AirPods Max 2 will be available to order on 25th March, priced at £499 / $549, in a choice of Starlight (the gold/silver finish seen on other Apple devices), Orange, Purple or Blue colourways.

We've been anticipating the second-gen headphones for quite some time now, so to see the Max 2 arrive – at the same price as their predecessors, no less – is something of a big deal.

Will they live up to our expectations? We'll let you know once we get hold of a pair for testing.

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We're halfway through this summer's four-day Amazon Prime Day sales event, and we've spotted some excellent deals on budget Sony earbuds, premium B&W headphones, and even great savings on select hi-fi products.

However, there has been one product that has been missing from any of the Prime Day deals action: Apple's AirPods Max.

While there is a fantastic Prime Day deal on the five-star AirPods Pro 2 wireless earbuds (£179 at Amazon) and a good drop on the newer AirPods 4 with ANC buds (£149 at Amazon), there is absolutely no discount whatsoever on the premium AirPods Max over-ears.

Head to their Amazon listing and you'll see that the current AirPods Max with USB-C are still at their full UK price of £499 across all five colours.

We normally spot a deal or two on Apple's premium over-ear wireless headphones during these big sales events, so why have there been no deals this time? We've seen prices drop during Black Friday before, even some big savings on the original 2020 Lightning connector model during last year's October Prime Day (£429 at Amazon: a £130 saving from its £549 launch RRP).

But deals have been scarce on the current, updated model that came out in September 2024 (eight months ago!)

Apple doesn't drop the price of newly released products that easily, but considering this was a very light upgrade – five fresh colours, USB-C connection and charging – with no material design or performance upgrades, I am very surprised that we haven't seen any discounts this week.

In the UK, the price of the new AirPods Max with USB-C has remained firm at £499 all year. But I've been checking Amazon every day this week for a surprise Prime Day deal – but with no luck.

Best Apple AirPods Max USB-C deal

I have, however, scoured the internet and found a genuine saving on the new AirPods Max in the UK – and you won't find it on Amazon.

Head to online retailer Laptops Direct, and you can nab yourself a fresh pair of the current AirPods Max headphones for just £458 – a £41 saving.

This biggest saving is on the purple finish, however. You can get the blue, midnight and starlight colourways for £494 – a mere £5 discount compared to anywhere else.

Apple caused a stir when it released its first over-ear, noise-cancelling, wireless headphones, the AirPods Max, in 2020, with an unprecedented high price tag for its product type.

Many rivals have followed suit since – we are inundated with superb premium wireless headphones from Sony, Bose, Bowers & Wilkins, Dali, Focal, Mark Levinson and more – but the Apple headphones remain luxurious in build and performance.

With a five-star review and a 2021 What Hi-Fi? Award to their name, the Max offer exceptional build quality, superb noise-cancelling and, most importantly, some of Apple's best-ever sound.

Their authenticity, detail, crispness and spaciousness elevate their wireless audio quality enough to be considered alongside genuine hi-fi products at this price point. They also work seamlessly with iOS devices – one of their most appealing selling points, especially for dedicated Apple users.

The current AirPods Max with USB-C offer wired audio listening (lossless up to 24-bit/48kHz) with the bundled USB-C charging cable. You also get cinematic spatial audio and various Apple-only features.

I've been using the current model all year in my daily life, and while the new Sony WH-1000XM6 and B&W Px7 S3 offer greater portability and clearer detail and greater transparency, the AirPods Max are still a hugely attractive proposition. They are lovely to use, are comfortable to wear over long hours, and still deliver a wonderfully engaging and likeable balance that makes listening to music a pleasure.

While we may have to wait even longer for a genuinely bigger price drop to make them a bit more affordable, the current deal price of £458 at Laptops Direct (for the purple finish) is the best saving I've seen so far.

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Apple’s WWDC 2025 conference introduced a new Liquid Glass visual design language that will appear across its devices once the upcoming iOS 26 software update lands this September. Mostly offering a new look and dynamic feel to the way you interact with apps, iOS 26 will also bring some new features to AirPods, tvOS and Apple Music.

One Apple Music update caught my attention.

Yes, it’s nice that lyric translations will be available so we can fully understand what Bad Bunny or the latest K-Pop sensation are saying when singing in their native languages. The dynamic, animated album art that will take over your iPhone’s lock screen is also a nice touch – I'm sure it will look pretty.

But the one feature update I’m looking forward to is something more practical: Music Pins. Come iOS 26, you’ll be able to pin your favourite albums, playlists and artists to the top of the Apple Music app to access your favourite and oft-played music quickly.

I was genuinely thinking last week that this was exactly what I was missing from my Apple Music experience. Right now, your saved tracks/albums/artists are neatly stored away in their respective folders, alphabetically, and every time you save a new track or album, it joins a never-ending list in the Recently Added section of the Library tab.

What if you want to play a song you saved a few weeks ago, but can’t scroll back far enough to find it? Apple currently limits how many new additions are displayed in the Recently Added section, so if you can’t remember the name or haven’t saved it in a curated playlist, it’s going to be a pain to find it again. Or it’s lost for ever.

One-off songs or albums I have saved – such as H3LLB3ND3R’s soundtrack to indie horror film Where The Devil Roams, or Chilly Gonzales' lovely piano composition Whist – are now too far back to easily access. Some songs just don't fit a specific playlist, but I want to listen to them over and over again.

Being able to pin my most frequently played songs or playlists to the top for easy access will be super helpful for my daily listening.

Reportedly, you get up to six pins in iOS 26 – but this number may change in the final release. You can also mix up the pins – song, album, playlist, artist – think of it as presets on a radio for quick access to your go-to choices or current favourites.

I have been using Apple Music for 10 years – ever since it launched in June 2015 – and I've generally enjoyed the experience overall; but it is due a more thorough update.

This ability to pin favourites is a small but useful addition – I just wish I didn’t have to wait until September to get it.

MORE:

Read our Apple Music review

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The arrival of any new Bowers & Wilkins product is always notable at What Hi-Fi?. The British brand is responsible for some of the finest hi-fi products ever made, so when its Px7 S3 wireless noise-cancelling headphones arrived recently, it only made sense to pit them against the highly rated rival pair from Apple.

Both the B&W Px7 S3 and AirPods Max are what we would class as premium headphones with price tags to match. Both were awarded five stars when we reviewed them individually and represent some of the best wireless headphones you can currently buy at this lofty level.

But that doesn’t help you to decide which ones you might want to own, does it? That’s why we’ve sat down with both pairs and directly compared them on everything from design and build to sound quality and noise-cancelling.

So, which pair of premium headphones most deserves to be on your head?

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 vs Apple AirPods Max: price

To paraphrase the great Tom Jones, it’s not unusual for Apple to charge a premium for its products, and the AirPods Max are no different.

In the UK, they currently sell for £499 (they’ve had £50 knocked off their original £549 asking price), but in the US and Australia you’ll have to shell out $549 / AU$899 for a pair.

While the Px7 S3 certainly aren’t what you’d call cheap, they launched at £399 / AU$699 (the US price is yet to be confirmed) and are a good deal more affordable than the AirPods Max.

**Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3**

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 vs Apple AirPods Max: build and design

You might think that the price difference would be noticeable in the build quality and materials used, and that is true to an extent, but both pairs of headphones are very nicely made indeed.

The AirPods Max do feel slightly more premium, with their larger earcups and metallic finishes. The Digital Crown dial for controlling volume and playback remains beautifully engineered and responsive, while the headband pressure and hinges are both sturdy and well judged.

That the AirPods Max are slightly heavier (385g vs 300g) is more noticeable in the hand than on the head, but B&W's more lightweight and less-bulky design is likely to find favour as a more portable pair.

The AirPods Max's oversized earcups make quite the overt design statement compared to B&W's subtler profile. Both earcups are roomy enough for our reviewers, but the difference in cushion material makes a difference. The more breathable mesh fabric material on the AirPods Max stay cooler for longer listening periods, while the soft leather pads on the B&W can make our ears get sweaty rather quickly.

Neither pair folds up, but the pouch supplied with the Px7 S3 is much more serviceable than the so-called ‘Smart Case’ that you’re supposed to transport a pair of AirPods Max in, which doesn’t even cover them entirely.

It’s a bit like comparing an Audi and a Mercedes: both are well built and feel worth the money, and for many people it will just come down to personal preference, but we think the B&W Px7 S3 are just that little bit more portable and practical.

**Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3**

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 vs Apple AirPods Max: features

A lot of Apple products work best when used with other Apple products, and that’s particularly true of the AirPods Max, which are seamless in use with multiple connected iOS products. Some of their features, such as personalised audio, head-tracking with spatial audio, and the use of Apple’s ‘Find My’ network, should your headphones go AWOL, are only available if you connect them to an Apple device.

They may be limited to a certain extent for Android users, then, which the Px7 S3's feature list is not.

Still, there are various features of the Px7 S3, including spatial audio and Auracast support, that are due to be added via a software update, although B&W hasn’t announced a specific date for this beyond a rather vague “later in 2025”.

As things stand, they still have far more comprehensive Bluetooth codec support than the AirPods Max, which only offer baseline AAC and SBC. The Px7 S3’s list includes those two, plus the higher quality aptX HD, aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless codecs, with next-gen Bluetooth features LC3 and LE Audio set to be part of the aforementioned update.

Both pairs of headphones support wired listening, which makes them sound even better. In the AirPods Max case, the cable required depends on which model you have. If you have the original Lightning connector edition, you'll need to buy a separate Lightning to 3.5mm audio cable; with the current USB-C edition, the included USB-C to USB-C charging cable will let you listen to lossless wired audio from other USB-C-compatible sources. However, a USB-C to 3.5mm audio cable does need to be bought separately, for £39 / $39 / AU$65. B&W includes the USB-C-to-3.5mm audio cable in the box.

When it comes to battery life, the Px7 S3 are the clear winners. You’ll get 30 hours out of them before they conk out, and you only need to plug them in for 15 minutes to add seven hours of play time. If you get caught out by a dead battery on these, you’ve only got yourself to blame.

The AirPods Max have a little less staying power. Apple claims they’ll last up to 20 hours between charges, although our testing actually found that estimate to be a touch conservative. That’s still a lot less than you’ll get from the Px7 S3, but in reality you’re unlikely to find it problematic.

A five-minute charge adds 90 minutes of listening time – handy if you’re about to leave for work and find that they’re running low.

**Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3**

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 vs Apple AirPods Max: noise-cancelling and call quality

Noise-cancelling performance has become a key battleground for premium wireless headphones, and there is only one runaway winner here.

Neither of these pairs bothers the class-leading Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones on the ANC front, but both have different effects.

Both have a pretty natural approach to noise-cancelling, instead of that intense, vacuum-like suction effect you get with some models. Both do a solid job of blocking out low-level rumbles around you, but the AirPods Max are far better at cancelling out general noise like voices, traffic and damping down the sharp edge of higher-frequency noises. With the B&W, you still hear quite a lot of those mid-frequency noises come through that bleeds into the music you're listening to, whereas the AirPods Max are better are putting you in a cocoon of subdued noise so you can concentrate on the music.

Both have effective transparency modes, which can be handy when you need to remain aware of what’s going on around you. Overall, we prefer the AirPods Max approach to noise-cancelling.

Those noise-cancelling mics also come in handy for making calls, and speech sounds natural through the Px7 S3, with background noise sufficiently suppressed. Voices come through with greater clarity and fullness through the B&W. Our voices sound more upfront through the AirPods Max, but there is a slight synthetic quality around the edges of our voices, and more environmental noise comes through than with the Px7 S3. Both are perfectly fine for voice calls, with B&W sounding just that bit more natural and clear.

For their more effective noise-cancelling talents, the AirPods Max are the clear favourite here.

**Winner: Apple AirPods Max**

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 vs Apple AirPods Max: sound quality

These are both five-star headphones, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that they are both very sonically capable.

When the AirPods Max launched back in 2020 with such a premium price tag, we certainly didn’t expect them to be quite as good as they are. Our review highlighted their authenticity, detail, crispness and spaciousness – all qualities befitting such a nicely built pair of cans.

The AirPods Max are exceptionally well-organised and are great with vocals, but they have a particular talent when it comes to digging into the details of a track. They really shine in the mid-to-upper ranges. Put on Radiohead’s exquisite Pyramid Song and the cymbal hits really ring through nicely. These are headphones that really make your music sparkle.

Despite knocking on for five years old (the 2024-released AirPods Max model with USB-C introduced in 2024 has the same sound), their sound quality remains surprisingly competitive despite the fresh competition that has arrived since.

Switch to the B&W Px7 S3, and almost all of the above remains applicable – just even more so. The B&W are clearer and more detailed. They have more punch and muscularity than the AirPods Max, with better bass reproduction and just a bit more solidity all round, but especially at the lower end of the frequency range. There’s more grip to textures, too.

The AirPods have a richness to their sound that is immediately likeable and are a touch more open, but the B&W are subtler, more precise and more dynamic. As we said in our Px7 S3 review: "The effect of being immersed in the centre of your tunes is thrilling, amplified by those remarkable levels of detail the Bowers & Wilkins over-ears unveil. The earthy strings on Nick Cave & Warren Ellis’s Song For Bob have real bite and grip as the track’s forlorn heart is revealed, while the varying components of John Williams’ Duel Of The Fates – rumbling drums, punchy horn stabs, operatic vocals – blend authenticity with a thrilling sense of drama."

**Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3**

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 vs Apple AirPods Max: verdict

This isn’t a case of one pair beating the other into submission; you could buy either of these products and be very happy with your purchase. But we’re not here to sit on the fence. After a while, it starts to get very uncomfortable.

After lengthy deliberation, it becomes clear that the new Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 are slightly ahead in more areas: they’re better endowed in the features department (and will become even more so when that firmware update arrives) and get one over it comfortably for battery life, too. We prefer the way they sound, and while their ANC isn't quite as good, they are crucially a meaningful amount cheaper.

You will have your own opinions on which ones look better, but this is a good example of more premium materials not necessarily translating to a more premium experience. We do love the Digital Crown dial on the AirPods Max and the fresh range of colours that the 2024 (soft) update brought, but the Px7 S3 is a better overall portable package with that bit more subtlety and class.

It goes down as a win for B&W, then, with its sonic strengths and less premium price making them the better value buy overall. However, if you do you opt for the pricier AirPods Max – especially if you're a dedicated iOS user – you won't be disappointed.

MORE:

Read our Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 review

And our Apple AirPods Max review

Sony WH-1000XM5 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: which five-star wireless headphones are better?

Check out our pick of the best wireless headphones

Beats headphones have improved a lot since the company was acquired by Apple in 2014. Once the brand stopped cranking up the bass and started focusing just as much effort on every other part of the frequency range, its headphones became more balanced and favourable.

As well as being more affordable than Apple's own over-ear equivalents, Beats headphones work much better with Android devices (AirPods do play ball with Android phones, but Android users still miss out on a lot of their features).

So if you're eyeing up an over-ear pair, which should you buy? Do you spend big on the AirPods Max or save some money by opting for the Beats Studio Pro?

Beats Studio Pro vs Apple AirPods Max: price

There's quite a difference between the two pairs in terms of price.

In 2023, we reviewed the Beats Studio Pro at £350 / $350 / AU$530, but that price has since dropped considerably. They currently go for as little as £180 / $250 (the Australian price has remained stubborn).

You might expect the AirPods Max, as the older pair, to have received an even bigger price reduction, but you'd be disappointed. They currently sell for around £500 / $500 / AU$899 – only £50 / $50 cheaper than their launch price. (Again, the Australian price has mostly remained constant.)

Beats headphones are more likely than Apple pairs to be discounted come sales time, though the AirPods Max have seen some great deals over the years (admittedly mostly just before the 2024 USB-C model launched in order to clear old stock). But still, you never know your luck.

** Winner: Beats Studio Pro **

Beats Studio Pro vs Apple AirPods Max: design and build

When they launched in 2020, the AirPods Max set a new bar in terms of over-ear headphone design. In fact, they pretty much invented a new category of super-premium cans that sit above the likes of the once-'premium' Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones.

Indeed, such headphones feel positively cheap next to the Apple over-ears. Once you experience the AirPods Max's pristinely machined, single-piece anodised aluminium ear cups, stainless-steel headband and memory foam ear cushions, you start to understand why they cost so much.

They are over 100g heavier than the Beats Studio Pro. But the design distributes the weight so well that they don't feel their weight. You can comfortably listen for hours on end.

The physical controls are a joy to use, especially the dial that takes inspiration from the Apple Watch's digital crown. It's just a shame the case is so poor – not only does it look silly, it's not particularly effective at protecting the headphones. Sadly, this wasn't remedied with the 2024 AirPods Max refresh.

The Beats Studio Pro's design is very clean and chic, but they're not as premium-feeling as their AirPods Max stablemates. Which is hardly surprising given the difference in price.

Truth be told, they are a little dull to look at, mostly due to just one colour being used throughout the design. But they are robust and flexible, and they have one key design feature that the AirPods Max lack: they fold down for easier storage.

** Winner: Apple AirPods Max **

Beats Studio Pro vs Apple AirPods Max: features

The AirPods Max are well-specced in most areas, but battery life isn't one of them. Their 20 hours of use pales in comparison to the likes of the cheaper Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3, both of which offer 30 hours of use.

Again, Apple sadly did not choose to improve on this when it refreshed the cans at the end of 2024.

The Beats Studio Pro fare a little better, with 24 hours of runtime. But that's still not fantastic, given the aforementioned rivals. Oh, and the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless deliver a staggering 60 hours!

The Beats have the superior fast-charging feature. Just 10 minutes of plug time gets you four hours of use, whereas the AirPods Max deliver 90 minutes of runtime from a five-minute charge.

Both pairs support wired listening, but only the Beats Studio Pro include an audio cable in the box. This is USB-C-to-USB-C, so if you own an older iPhone, you'll need a Lightning adapter to allow wired listening through the Beats cans. Both pairs require power to work, even when listening wired.

Wired listening gives the Beats lossless playback (up to 24-bit/48kHz), and lets you select from a list of sound profiles. But oddly, you can't select these when listening wirelessly, which seems like a rather large omission.

Another omission is the lack of a dedicated Apple-made chip so that they work better with Android devices.

Meanwhile, the AirPods Max are powered by an Apple chip, the H1, which analyses information coming in from eight microphones around the headphones to perform active noise cancellation and tailor the sound in real-time to the fit and seal around your ears.

Apple has also kitted them out with its own 40mm driver featuring a dual neodymium ring magnet motor. This allows the Max to maintain total harmonic distortion of less than one per cent across the entire audible range.

Like the AirPods Max, the Studio Pro support Apple's immersive Spatial Audio technology, with dynamic head tracking working to 'anchor' the sound to the source from which it is coming.

Like other Beats headphones, they gain full Android support via the Beats app, but they are missing a couple of features common to most of their rivals: on-head detection and Bluetooth Multipoint. Curious.

They do support Apple's audio sharing feature, though, which lets you share a wireless audio stream with another pair of headphones. Though this only works with other Apple headphones – an odd decision for a supposedly Android-friendly pair of headphones.

** Winner: Apple AirPods Max **

Beats Studio Pro vs Apple AirPods Max: noise cancellation

The AirPods Max are very good noise cancellers, even if they do fall short of greatness. They block a lot of unwanted sounds, though the Sony WH-1000XM5 do a better job of silencing constant drones like engine noise.

Transparency mode does what it is intended to do – let in outside sound – though it does sound a little synthetic and processed. A mode like this is also more useful on earbuds, which you would wear while exercising. But it can come in handy and works well when needed.

The earpads are also nice and big, covering your ears and blocking out a decent chunk of sound. So even without activating the noise cancellation feature, they do a decent job of dulling the world around you.

Again, the Beats Studio Pro fare decently in this regard. They have both fully adaptive and Transparency modes, and both work well. But across the frequency range, they're not quite as effective at blocking external noise as their pricier Apple siblings.

** Winner: Apple AirPods Max **

Beats Studio Pro vs Apple AirPods Max: sound

To listen to, the Apple pair is "very special indeed", to quote our five-star Apple Max review.

The delivery is crisp and spacious, with plenty of clarity and energy. They're an engaging listen, sounding precise and exciting.

Listening to The Road by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, our expert reviews team noted: "The AirPods Max nail the beautiful inconsistencies in the timing and pressure of the piano notes that come from the live nature of the recording. They're both organic and precise, with lovely, subtle degradation to the tail of each note, but a definite, precise end when the vibration of the strings is stopped."

They add a physicality to the performance that's missed by lesser headphones.

Watching a movie in Spatial Audio, the effect is superb. The presentation is completely immersive, and the tracking is amazingly smooth and accurate as you move your head. Combining the AirPods Max with one of the best iPads will give you the most convincing portable cinema experience going.

The Beats Studio Pro only earned three stars in our review, and that's largely down to the sound quality.

Listening to Thin Lizzy’s Whiskey In The Jar, there's a feeling of sonic detachment and a real lack of rhythmic drive. It's all a bit monotonous and dull, which is not at all the Thin Lizzy we know and love.

Bass notes can feel fat and muddled, and while listening via the supplied cable does mean an uplift in quality, they still lack subtlety.

Lossless listening via USB-C does add some sparkle, though. "A hi-res recording of Fleet Foxes' Wading In Waist-High Water hits with real force, and while greater dynamic peaks and troughs would be nice, we're treated to a clearer, more confident showing with the cable attached," we wrote in our Studio Pro review.

In summary, the Studio Pro by no means disgrace themselves, but they don't perform as well as the best at their price level, not to mention a very good and more expensive pair such as the AirPods Max.

** Winner: Apple AirPods Max **

Beats Studio Pro vs Apple AirPods Max: verdict

The Beats Studio Pro do have some advantages over the AirPods Max. They're cheaper, for one thing, and are a better fit for Android devices.

In a choice between the two, however, the AirPods Max are the clear winner. And if you can't afford them, we would recommend a price-suitable pair in our best wireless headphones buying guide over the three-star Beats Studio Pro, which don't even make our list of best Beats headphones.

MORE:

The best AirPods money can buy

And the best AirPods alternatives

Apple AirPods Max tips: how to pair, reset, charge and more

Sony WH-1000XM5 vs Apple AirPods Max: which are better?

Is there any category in the world of audio more competitive than wireless headphones? Everyone wants a slice of the wire-free pie, with brands as diverse as Sony, Technics, JBL, Bose, Dali, Apple, Mark Levinson and many, many more duking it out across the full gamut of prices and specifications. From budget-friendly options to big-money heavyweights, you aren't spoiled for choice when it comes to finding the best wireless headphones around.

Making it onto our list of the best in the business, then, is no mean feat. There's heaps of competition to contend with, so it usually takes something rather special for us to pull back the velvet rope and admit entrance to our exclusive club.

The thing is, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 are just too good to ignore. There are no trainers or drunken antics to be found here; the Px7 S3 are coming right into the VIP section, wowing us by excelling across the board and putting most headphones around their premium price point in the shade. It's over to the likes of Sony, Bose and the rest to take them on, because right now, they are easily some of the best wireless headphones we've tested in 2025.

The best B&W wireless headphones ever?

The Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 hasn't had an easy route to the top. Standing in their way for the 'best headphones for audiophiles' slot were the Dali IO-8, a reasonably new pair of over-ears that we thought would sit in that space for a long while. Dynamic, detailed and an all-around delight, they are hardly a soft touch. Considering their higher price tag (£499 / AU$999), we were quietly expecting the IO-8 to take the win against the cheaper Px7 S3 (£399 / AU$699).

Yet for us, the B&W are our new top pick. Their lower price does actually work in their favour, as they are a more appealing sound-per-pound set, but even with all other things being equal, we think that the Px7 S3 are objectively a more detailed and informative performer than the Dali. We don't say that lightly, but we certainly believe it to be true, especially through the mid-range.

Elsewhere, their sound is exceptional and easily some of the best we've heard from any B&W Bluetooth headphones. To quote from our review: "The Px7 S3 drop you deep into a performance, breaking the boundary between you and your music and insisting that you become a part of the experience. The B&W have an intimate character that puts you in the eye of the musical storm no matter what you choose to feed them."

They are great across the board, from their nicely judged low-end reproduction to the way they tease our tricky rhythmic patterns with skill and nuance. Clarity and detail are high on the agenda, yet the robustness and solidity the Px7 S3 bring to the party make tracks sound thrillingly muscular and robust.

It doesn't hurt that this is an exceptionally well-made pair of headphones, or that the features on offer, from extensive aptX Adaptive hi-res codec support to a very healthy 30-hour battery life, won't leave you feeling short-changed. If you want the best experience possible, you can also listen via USB-C and 3.5mm cable connections for handling rates up to 24-bit/96kHz.

However you choose to listen to them, we think that the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 are an outstanding pair of wireless headphones that will delight audiophiles everywhere. Now it's up to the likes of Sony (with the potentially incoming WH-1000XM6 over-ears) to challenge their might.

MORE:

Also consider the Sony WH-1000XM5

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: should you upgrade?

Sony WH-1000XM5 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: which five-star wireless headphones are better?

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: which noise-cancelling pair is better?

Here's some long-awaited good news for AirPods Max users. Following a software update in April, you will finally be able to listen to the current (USB-C) AirPods Max headphones in wired mode.

Not only that but wired audio playback will also support 24-bit/48kHz lossless audio transmission.

Apple updated its £499 / $549 AirPods Max wireless over-ears last September with a USB-C charging port and a fresh assortment of colour finishes, with no other design or hardware upgrades to speak of.

But we discovered it had quietly dropped the wired listening feature that was available in the original Lightning connector-equipped model – a rather disappointing move.

Thankfully, Apple is finally rectifying this (a good six months after the new Max's launch, mind) and at no cost. The included USB-C to USB-C cable can be used to listen to audio from your USB-C iPhone or MacBook, while the firmware update for the headphones is free.

If you want more flexibility, Apple is now selling a USB-C-to-3.5mm audio cable for £39 / $39 / AU$65 that allows you to plug the AirPods Max into a wide variety of sources for 'lossless' wired listening.

Apple also sells a Lighting-to-3.5mm audio cable that facilitates wired listening on the original AirPods Max, a feature which was available at its launch in 2020, although the limited analogue-to-digital conversion in the cable meant that playback wasn't completely lossless (i.e. free of compression).

Apple says: "With this update, AirPods Max will unlock 24-bit/48kHz lossless audio, preserving the integrity of original recordings and allowing listeners to experience music the way the artist created it in the studio."

It goes without saying that 24-bit/48kHz is considerably higher quality than the standard Bluetooth AAC codec used when listening wirelessly, but it also coincides with Apple Music's 'lossless' audio tier.

So if you have an Apple Music subscription, you can fully enjoy its 100-million-strong 'Lossless' streams using the wired connection on the AirPods Max. Just make sure that your Apple Music's audio quality settings are set to 'lossless' (24-bit/48kHz ALAC).

Note that this update still won't enable AirPods Max playback of Apple Music's 'Hi-Res Lossless' streams, which Apple defines as above 24-bit/48kHz, up to 192kHz.

In addition, this upcoming update will bring ultra-low latency to the AirPods Max, which "significantly lowers lag time" when gaming, live streaming and creating music.

Apple also claims that the AirPods Max "will become the only headphones that enable musicians to both create and mix in Personalised Spatial Audio with headtracking" – when using USB-C and Logic Pro for Mac software.

When will this update come through for AirPods Max? The headphones will update alongside the firmware updates for iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4 and macOS Sequoia 15.4 sometime in April.

We'll be sure to update our AirPods Max sample and test this feature in detail to confirm that it works as soon as it's available.

MORE:

Read our original AirPods Max review

Did Apple drop wired listening on the new AirPods Max? (Until now...)

Best wireless headphones: reviewed and rated by our in-house experts

AirPods not working properly? Stuck in the social land of speaker listening only or about to pray the old headphones that have been sitting in a drawer for years still work? Don't worry, you could soon be back in your audio wonderland by using this handy troubleshooting guide.

We've identified a handful of the most common issues and ways to fix them. With any luck, one of them will have your AirPods working again soon. Failing that, you'll have at least tried most avenues before needing to contact Apple to check if something more sinister is at play.

By the way, these issues and fixes apply to the range of AirPods, from the originals right up to the current generation of AirPods Pro. The good news is that Bluetooth can be a fiddly friend at times and often the solution can be a simple one. You may even find it's the source device that is the issue...

1. Reconnect your source device if the connection drops

One of the most common issues is a dropped connection between your source device and AirPods. Whether your source is an iPhone, Android phone, tablet, portable music player, laptop or TV, an unstable connection can often be fixed by going back to the start.

Firstly, turn Bluetooth off on the source device, wait at least 15 seconds, and then turn it back on. If this doesn't work, try a total restart of the device. Failing that, move on to a total reconnection.

To reconnect your AirPods, find the AirPods listed on your device (usually the Bluetooth or connectivity section of its settings) and delete or 'forget' them. You'll then want to reconnect them as though pairing them for the first time. Make sure your AirPods earpieces are placed in their cradle and charged with the lid closed, and check your device is charged too. Then simply hold the setup button on the case for 15 seconds until the LED flashes, open your AirPods case and select them when they appear as an option in the device's Bluetooth menu.

2. Reconnect both AirPods if only one works

If only one AirPods earpiece is connecting, there are a few ways to fix this issue. Primarily, check they are both charged up – if you often listen through only one, you may find only one of them has enough charge as the other hasn't had time to get properly juiced up.

If charging both for over an hour in the case hasn't worked, you should check that one AirPod isn't blocked in some way. The bottom of the AirPod piece, where it makes a connection to the case, may be dirty and this could stop charging – clean both the AirPod and the connectors inside of the case before trying a charge again.

Alternatively, the issue could be software-based, where the balance between the two is off. This can be changed with an iPhone by going into its settings, and then into accessibility. Under the audio/visual section, you can select the balance and ensure the slider is set to the middle.

3. Reset or check what devices are paired

The classic 'turn it off and on again' technique often works. You may have already done this on some level, but be sure to do it across the range of devices. That means turning off your source device, leaving it for at least a minute, and then powering it back on again. Taking the AirPods out of the case for 15 seconds and then putting them back in with the lid closed can also help.

It's also worth considering how many devices the AirPods may be trying to connect to. If there is more than one, make sure to turn off Bluetooth on the other devices so that the AirPods are only connecting to one device at a time.

4. Get cleaning!

As mentioned, cleaning can be an important part of fixing AirPods. Since the earpieces each have their own battery it is important that they can both charge. This relies on a metal-to-metal connection where the tip of the AirPod can touch against the metal inside the case.

A good way to clean both connections is to take a cotton swab, flosser pick or similar and wipe down the case and AirPod. You may need to apply a little alcohol-based cleaner, like hand sanitiser, to help get any grime off – just be sure to use very little to be safe.

Another useful tool is Blu Tack, which can be used to dab the case or AirPods to lift off any excess dirt or grime that may be affecting the connection. If you'd like more advice before you get cleaning, check out our comprehensive guide to how to easily clean your AirPods at home.

5. Turn off auto ear detection

While auto ear detection is a really useful AirPods feature, automatically pausing music when they detect they aren't being worn, it can sometimes play up and you may find only one ear works, or calls are dropped, due to this malfunction. To find out if this is the issue, disable auto ear detection.

To do this, go into the settings on your iPhone and select the microphone option. It's worth checking if that is set to right or left, so you can assess if that is the issue when using one earpiece. Then go into the automatic ear detection setting and switch that off. Make a call and see if that has fixed the issue. 

If it does work, you may need to clean the AirPods so they can better detect their environment. If the issue persists, however, it could be a hardware problem, in which case contacting Apple is your best course of action.

MORE:

The best AirPods for sound quality

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I haven't been more excited about a Bose headphone release in years. The just-announced QuietComfort Ultra are the wireless noise-cancelling over-ears I've been hoping for since Apple's AirPods Max arrived and consequently spurred on this new generation of premium premium models – those above your Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700s and your Sony WH-1000XM5s. That they replace the former and crawl back to the company's iconic QuietComfort naming, which the 700 surprisingly shunned in favour of their irritating full name, is further good news.

But I'd be lying if I said that excitement wasn't tinged with a little anxiety – the kind you feel when you're about to sit down for a movie you've been excited to see for ages, just in case it doesn't meet your expectations. Because Bose will have to have come a pretty long way in advancing the sound quality of its recent models for the Ultra to make their mark in this hugely competitive industry.

You might be sitting there thinking “well duh, every pair of headphones should evolve performance over the outgoing model”. And most of the time, they do. Look at the Sennheiser Momentum and Sony WH-1000 ranges – as far back as I can remember, generations of those models have notably advanced audio performance, keeping them at the forefront of the premium wireless headphones field. I know, as I’ve been fortunate to listen to (and, most of the time, live with) generation to generation over the years. But Bose’s hasn’t. At least, not for a while.

The quantum leap necessary

The 2017-released Bose QC35 II brought notable sonic changes over the previous QC35, but since then the company has focused more on advancing features, making design tweaks and ensuring its noise cancellation remains the best on the market – all things it has been very successful in. Audio, however, seems to have taken a backseat. 

Bose admitted that the sound quality of its Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 was comparable to its QC35 II (which upon hearing both pairs, I and others in the What Hi-Fi? reviews team agreed with), and even the succeeding QC45 kept the same drivers. I'm not saying sound quality has stood completely still in the move for these generations, but it’s hardly come on leaps and bounds in the past six years either. And that’s why the last few Bose over-ears have received four, as opposed to five, star reviews; they simply haven’t kept up with the sonic progression their Sony and Sennheiser peers have demonstrated. It’s been disappointing and, quite frankly, rather puzzling.

After all, Bose is more than capable of producing class-leading headphone audio – it’s done it many times in the past, and it is doing so presently with its flagship wireless earbuds, the QuietComfort Earbuds II. The Ultra not only have to move on the performance of the 700 and QC45 considerably to catch up to class-leading Sony XM5 quality, but they have to go beyond that level to justify their extra expense – £449/$429 compared to £380/$399. Indeed Bose is looking to knock the AirPods Max off their lofty perch too, and to fall much short of that would be a damn pity.

A spatial audio priority?

They will need to make sonic gains over the 700 and QC45 that are significantly bigger than is typical for a single generational jump. And I hope a focus on spatial audio – or 'Immersive Audio', as Bose is calling it – hasn't distracted Bose from that. Because if my experience of the fledgling immersive audio tech so far has told me anything, it's that its enjoyment is pretty hit-and-miss depending on the content. That said, I can't wait to see what Bose has done in this space.

What Hi-Fi?'s deputy editor (and headphones guru) Andy Madden was gifted some hands-on time with the Ultra during a Bose press event this week, and reports in his hands-on QuietComfort Ultra review that "a large chunk of Bose’s demo was, understandably, its new Immersive Audio tech". He seems impressed (and he isn't easily!) by the greater sense of immersion it produces – "open and spacious, but also full of detail". First impressions of the general sound quality were also pretty favourable, though I know as well as anyone that it's difficult to form a lasting opinion from a brief demo session in a less-than-ideal environment, often without benchmark pairs for comparison. 

Only proper testing time by our expert reviews team will reveal how they stack up sonically against the competition, but for now I'll remain quietly confident. Everything else – the sleek, foldable design, 24-hour battery life, support for the higher-quality aptX Adaptive, and, of course, the intriguing Immersive Audio – looks promising at least.

Hopefully, then, the QuietComfort Ultra seize the opportunity to allow Bose to take back the wireless over-ear market, not least as it arguably already leads the class in the aesthetic and noise-cancelling sides of things. If they do right by the Bose QC line's legacy here, I'm here for them.

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Check out the other new Bose headphones: Bose's new QuietComfort Ultra range of wireless headphones goes big on spatial audio – and includes Sony XM5 rivals

Well, hasn’t Bose been busy? Following recent reports which pointed to a brand new pair of premium wireless over-ears and earbuds being readied for launch, Bose has officially whipped off the covers for the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds.

Available in Black or White Smoke, the former replace the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, while the latter take the place of the five-star QuietComfort Earbuds II.

Bose Immersive Audio makes its debut on both Ultra pairs. The tech is designed to make “spatial audio accessible to all” thanks to some powerful new onboard processing. According to Bose, the mode reveals music’s “true depth, spatialising what you're hearing by virtually placing it in front of you” and “virtually seating you in the acoustic sweet spot.”

• Hands On: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones review

There are two modes of Immersive Audio to switch between – Still and Motion. Still is recommended for when you are stationary and you want your music to be in a fixed position. Motion “allows the audio to move with you, so it’s always out in front of you - great for staying immersed on the go,” according to Bose.

The Ultra models also get Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Sound Technology suite which gives them both aptX Adaptive support.

On top of the new spatial audio processing and aptX Adaptive, the QuietComfort Ultra models also feature Bose’s CustomTune calibration and Bose Aware Mode with ActiveSense which automatically adjusts the amount of ANC being used automatically, so your music isn’t drowned out by particularly loud noises

Bose claims to have improved the call quality of the over-ears too, with more advanced microphones in a beamform array that reduces the impact of external noise.

The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones fold flat like the old 700 model but they have been given a cleaner design. On the right earcup there is a button for power/Bluetooth pairing, a capacitive touch strip for volume and accessing shortcuts, and a multifunctional button which can be used for various tasks, including switching listening modes, answering calls or playing your music.

The left earcup has an LED indicator, 2.5mm jack, and USB-C charging port. Bose claims battery life is up to 24 hours with Immersive Audio turned off and 18 hours with it turned on.

So what do the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones cost? Well, the pricing makes for interesting reading. They are more expensive than their predecessors and will cost £450 / $429 / AU$649 when they go on sale in October. This places them at a higher price point than the excellent Sony WH-1000XM5 £380 / $399 / AU$550 but still keeps a decent amount of distance between themselves and the Apple AirPods Max £549 / $549 / AU$899.

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds get Immersive Audio, CustomTune, touch controls and an IPX4 rating. Again, Bose claims to have improved call quality in tricky environments – the headphones can prioritise the mic on each bud that is experiencing the least noise, and also filter noise out so your voice sounds clearer.

Look closely and you will see that the buds have a new metallic treatment, while the fit of the stability bands that wrap around the edge of each earbud has been tweaked too.

Battery life comes in at an average of six hours when Bose Immersive Audio is turned off and this drops to four hours when it’s turned on. This seems like quite a sacrifice – hopefully the experience will be worth it.

The new earbuds are also getting a price increase over the outgoing model. They will be available for £300 / $299 / AU$450 from early October. In comparison, the Sony WF-1000XM5 cost £259 / $299 / AU$419 and Apple AirPods Pro 2 £249 / $249 / AU$399 at launch.

Bose also now offers a £50 / $49 optional wireless charging case for the earbuds cover which slips over the normal case. It goes on sale on the 20th October and is also compatible with the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II.

But two new headphone models aren’t enough for Bose. It has also launched another pair of over-ear headphones that do without ‘Ultra’ status and their associated features. They are simply called the Bose QuietComfort Headphones. They replace the QuietComfort 45 and add the ability to adjust levels of ANC and set custom noise-cancelling modes. There’s also multipoint Bluetooth and up to 24 hours of battery life.

They are available in Black and White Smoke and a limited edition Cypress Green colourway and will launch on September 21st for £350 / $349 / AU$550.

Well, that’s quite a lot to take in. We have to say it’s a little surprising that Bose is replacing the QuietComfort Earbuds II so soon. They are barely 12 months old, but launching the complete ‘Ultra’ range in one go does make sense.

When it comes to the over-ears, it always seemed a little strange that Bose had a flagship model without QuietComfort in the title given the rich history of the sub-brand. And given the Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 launched way back in 2019, a new flagship pair has arguably been a long time coming.

We will hopefully be going hands-on with all the new pairs in the near future, so stay tuned to What Hi-Fi? for our first impressions.

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Apple has confirmed that its AirPods Pro 2 wireless earbuds will now come with a USB-C charging case, replacing the old case with a Lightning connector.

As revealed during the company’s annual Apple Event on 12th September, AirPods Pro 2 users will be able to get their hands on a USB-C charging case in the near future and we hope that this new feature will carry over to future models. However, for now, Apple has only confirmed the change for the AirPods Pro 2.

The move was rumoured to be on the cards for the last few months and was announced alongside the inclusion of USB-C on the newly-launched iPhone 15.

The change follows pressure from EU regulators for Apple to fall into line with the increasing majority of consumer technology products and do away with its proprietary connection in favour of the more common USB-C. 

What's the upside for consumers? Fewer cables, hopefully, and less material waste in the long run. 

There could also be a hi-res audio upside to the addition of USB-C, though we will have to wait until we have our hands on the new AirPods before we can be sure of that.

Sadly there was no other audio news at the event. Despite pre-event rumours Apple didn't so much as mention the AirPods Max 2, AirPods 4 or AirPods Lite during the iPhone 15 launch event.

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Apple has just revealed the date and time for the company's next big online event, and it’s coming next month.

Scheduled for 12 September at 6pm BST (10am PT / 1pm ET), the biggest Apple announcement of 2023 is shaping up to mention a few very highly anticipated products.

There’s no official word yet on which products will be announced during the event, but it’s likely that we’ll see mention of the iPhone 15 and latest models in the AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max ranges.

When is it?

Apple’s next showcase event is scheduled for 12th September at 6pm BST (10am PT / 1pm ET)

Apple’s last big Event was 7th September 2022, so with over a year having passed, we’re expecting to hear some big news this time around. 

How to watch?

The next Apple Event will be broadcast online at apple.com or via the Apple TV app.

There’s also a useful Add to Calendar option to ensure you don’t miss out on this year’s announcements.

What to expect?

iPhone 15

Apple hasn't formally announced the iPhone 15 lineup yet. However, Apple typically unveils its new line of iPhones in September so this event would be roughly in line with the company’s usual release cycle.

If the iPhone 15 family does appear on 12 September, it would be likely that the phones will go on sale a week later on 22 September, based on our experience covering previous Apple launches. This would be in keeping with Apple's past launch strategy.

According to renders obtained by 9to5Mac, the iPhone 15 Pro will have slimmer bezels than the 14 Pro. A new USB-C port can also be seen in place of the Lightning port, which is in line with the company’s move away from its proprietary connection. It looks to also feature capacitive volume buttons instead of physical ones.

According to top Apple analysts Ming-Chi Kuo and Mark Gurman, the iPhone 15 Pro Max will be renamed the iPhone 15 Ultra. Apparently, Apple’s intention is to create a new 'top-of-the-range' moniker to match the Apple Watch Ultra. 

You can get our expert take on all the latest rumours on our iPhone 15 guide page.

AirPods 4

Apple has not yet stated an official release date for the latest version of AirPods. Based on previous launch dates, we could expect to see them hit shelves sometime in mid-2024.

The company has set launch cycles and previous generations have usually had roughly two and a half years between releases, with the originals releasing in December 2013, Gen Two in March 2019, and Gen Three in October 2021.

There are a few things we’d like to see from the fourth-gen AirPods, including a more universal fit, USB-C charging, on-bud controls and Apple’s H2 chip.

We expect the fourth-gen AirPods to retail for roughly the same as the third-gen did at launch – which was around $179 / £169 / AU$279. 

Read up on the five things we'd like to see from the next AirPods 

AirPods Pro 3 

The five-star flagship AirPods Pro 2 presented a huge leap in performance, giving some best-in-class competitors a run for their money. We’re not expecting a massive upgrade to appear on 12 September, though it would make sense for Apple to give the Pro line a minor spruce given the state of the market.

With the recent release of Sony’s WF-1000XM5 earbuds, Apple is going to have to step up its game once again. The AirPods Pro 2 may have been five-star performers, but they weren't perfect. We’d like to see higher-quality audio codec capabilities and more ANC modes available to users, for starters.

In terms of price, it’s not yet clear how much the third-gen AirPods Pro will cost. The AirPods Pro 2 cost the same as the original Pro model, so we’re hoping that trend may continue. However, Sony raised the price of its new WF-1000XM5 earbuds over the previous model, so there’s no reason Apple won’t do the same.

The current AirPods Pro 2 would set you back £249 / $249 / AU$399 at the time of their release, although prices have dropped a little since then. We do not suspect that prices will rise significantly, with most insiders and outlets agreeing that the Pro 3 will likely stay at around a similar price point. 

You can stay up-to-date with all the latest news and rumours on our AirPods Pro 3 guide page.

AirPods Max 2

We loved the AirPods Max when they launched back in December 2020, giving the headphones a five-star review. However, almost three years have passed, which is a long time in ‘headphone years’. 

Bearing this in mind, we’re expecting to hear some news on the second generation of AirPods Max sometime soon, and this event could be it. 

The original AirPods Max original retailed £549 / $549 / AU$899, which was more expensive than we'd hoped. This didn’t stop them flying off shelves, however. 

Some have speculated Apple could drop the cost for the second generation to $449, in part due to concerns that the first generation were priced too highly, but we’re still waiting for any official word on what to expect in terms of price.

Alongside a 3.5mm audio port, we’d also like to see improved battery life over the 20 hours the original Max offer. Other companies' flagship headphones offer much more. Sony’s WH-1000XM5 offer 30 hours, and the class-leading Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless manage a very impressive 60 hours.

Keep your eyes on our AirPods Max 2 guide for all the latest news and rumours.

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As we expected, Apple has launched the new AirPods 4 at its annual iPhone launch event on Monday 9th September. Unexpectedly, they come in the shape of two versions: an entry-level standard AirPods 4, and a step-up AirPods 4 with ANC.

That's right, Apple is bringing active noise-cancelling to its standard AirPods line for the first time, along with updates to the acoustic architecture, the charging case, the design and plenty of new features.

The AirPods 4 wireless earbuds replace the outgoing AirPods 3 and the older AirPods 2, but there were no 'cheaper' AirPods Lite announced this year. The AirPods 4 remain Apple's 'standard' wireless earbuds, with no eartips included and sit below the flagship AirPods Pro 2.

Below is a rundown of everything we know so far about the new AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC, including confirmed pricing, updates to the design and performance, new features and more.

• Read our full AirPods 4 with ANC review
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Apple AirPods 4: price

We expected the fourth-gen AirPods to retail for roughly the same as the third-gen AirPods did at launch in October 2021 – £169 / $179 / AU$279 – and our assumptions were largely correct. 

The AirPods 4 with ANC will cost $179 / £179, while the standard non-ANC AirPods will cost $129 / £129.

During the swirl of rumours leading to the launch, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman (a reliable source of Apple rumours and predictions) teased that Apple would be launching two versions of the AirPods 4, one cheaper and one pricier but with active noise-cancellation. Turns out he was right that this would be the first time a non-Pro model features sound blocking.

We were hoping the prices to go a bit further down (with the introduction of a rumoured AirPods 'Lite' at the £99 / $100 mark, for instance), but these two AirPods 4 models effectively replace the older AirPods 3 and AirPods 2, at nearly identical prices.

Apple AirPods 4: release date

The new AirPods 4 were announced on 9th September 2024 during the iPhone 16 launch event. 

You can pre-order both models now, and they will begin shipping and be available globally from 20th September 2024.

Apple is known for its set launch cycles, and previous generations have typically had around two and a half years between them; the original AirPods were released in December 2016, the AirPods 2 appeared in March 2019, and the AirPods 3 came in October 2021. The AirPods 4 slightly break that pattern as they replace both 2019 and 2021 models. 

Apple AirPods 4: key designs and features

1. Same design (refined), but no eartips

Apple has said it has refined the design of the AirPods 4, having precisely mapped and analysed thousands of ear shapes and using over 50 million data points to create a better, universal fit for all. These AirPods don't have the changeable eartips as the flagship Pro 2 model does, but Apple claims the AirPods 4 are "most comfortable AirPods ever".

This "open-ear" design goes all the way back to the free bundled wired 'EarPods' that would be included with the many iterations of the iPod, from the Classic to the Shuffle. The comfort and fit has varied between members of the What Hi-Fi? team: some get on with it immediately, while some don't find it practical at all. 

2. Improved sound quality

Apple can produce class-leading headphones – the AirPods Max over-ears and the AirPods Pro 2 are testaments to this.

We awarded both pairs five stars, noting their competitive audio quality that impressed us with subtle detail, engaging dynamics, snappy timing and open, spacious sound. If some of this superior quality is carried over to the newer, less-pricey AirPods 4, we will be very pleased. Apple will certainly need to improve sound quality over the four-star AirPods 3, as they weren't the very best wireless earbuds in late 2021, and the competition has moved on considerably since then.

We've been promised an entirely new "internal acoustic architecture" in the AirPods 4 that provides "massive improvements in audio quality". This includes a new low-distortion driver and a high dynamic amplifier, with promises of improving sound performance over the AirPods 3. Let's hope this is the case, when we get a review sample in to test.

3. No on-bud volume adjustment

Like the flagship Pro 2 earbuds, the AirPods 4 features force sensors on the short stems to control music playback and calls. You can also interact with Siri using gesture controls (shake your head for 'no', nod your head for 'yes' for hands-free calls), but they still don't feature a way to change volume on the buds themselves. 

The AirPods Pro 2 brought in on-bud volume adjustment by way of a touch-capacitive layer on the stems, which you slide up and down with your finger. It's intuitive to use and we had hoped this would have ported over to the new AirPods 4, but not this time. We also don't think that the long-press action to change noise modes on the Pro 2 will be present in the AirPods with ANC model. 

4. USB-C charging case, battery life is lower on AirPods with ANC

Following pressure from governing bodies, Apple has been transitioning away from its proprietary Lightning connectivity over the last few years. We’ve seen the USB-C port appear in most of their products from 2023 onwards, such as the iPhone 15 and new iPhone 16, and the Siri Remote which comes bundled with the third generation of Apple TV 4K. We also saw Apple change the charging case of the flagship Pro 2 to include USB-C port last year.

As expected, the new AirPods 4's charging case has a USB-C connection. The AirPods with ANC version's charging case has additional features: built-in speakers and wireless charging with Qi-certified and Apple Watch chargers. Both models have a 30-hour battery life in total, with five hours on a single charge for the buds. That reduces to just four hours with ANC turned on... which isn't great.

5. H2 chip for ANC and extra features

The AirPods 4 are powered by Apple's H2 chip, and this could be the best news for the new earbuds. The H2 chip is at the heart of the five-star AirPods Pro 2 and is responsible for its advanced (and extra) features, the twice as effective active noise-cancellation, and improved sound quality. In the AirPods 4, the H2 chip brings with it personalised spatial audio and voice isolation for clearer call quality. In the AirPods with ANC, it unlocks noise-cancelling abilities alongside a Transparency Mode – how effective the ANC will be in an open-ear design is something we're curious to investigate once we get our hands on a review sample.

Other features previously exclusive to the flagship Pro 2 that are now available in the AirPods 4 with ANC are Adaptive Audio (which adjusts the level of ANC automatically depending on the noise around out) and Conversation Awareness (which lowers the music volume when it realises you are speaking so you can have a chat).

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AirPods have become something of a cultural phenomenon since they were first introduced back in 2016, easily becoming Apple’s most popular accessory.

And it’s not hard to see why. If you have an iPhone, AirPods are some of the best wireless earbuds on the market, working intuitively with your iOS device for snappy user-friendliness and offering exclusive features such as adaptive audio, conversation awareness and personalised Spatial Audio.

So we’ve rounded up the best deals on all the current models, including the tech giant’s latest flagship: the AirPods Pro 3.

Apple generally reserves its biggest price drops for Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day, and even then the savings can be a bit hit-or-miss. Luckily, even the fresh-faced Pro 3 has seen some early discounts.

We’ve also got the latest deals on the AirPods 4 (with and without ANC) as well as the premium over-ear AirPods Max, as well as expert advice on each model.

We will also add the recently announced AirPods Max 2 once we've reviewed them, so watch this space!

For now, though, scroll down for the best AirPods deals, including live prices in the widgets.

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AirPods Pro 3 deals

Apple AirPods Pro (3rd Generation)

Apple’s flagship AirPods Pro 3 are a step forward from their predecessors in nearly every way that counts, resulting in another five stars from us.

Noise cancellation is one area that’s seen a significant improvement, with new ultra-low noise microphones, advanced computational audio, and foam-infused eartips that claim to offer twice the noise-cancelling capability as the Pro 2. During short-haul flights and daily commutes, we found mid and low frequencies were quietened down further.

A fifth XXS ear tip is included for an even better fit, while internally, a new "multiport acoustic architecture" claims to precisely control the airflow into your ear to deliver greater bass and a wider soundstage.

New features include a heart rate sensor to track health and workout stats, and an IP57 water- and sweat-resistance rating. The battery life of the earbuds has increased to eight hours, though the overall battery life with the charging case is down to 24 hours.

Though perhaps most importantly, the sound has also gotten a boost. The Pro 3 have the same balanced sonic character we have come to expect from Apple AirPods, but they now sound clearer, more detailed, more spacious-sounding and more dynamic to boot.

Voices in particular are clean with greater richness, while the Pro 3 manage the balance of frequencies not sticking out nor overly smoothed out, allowing songs to sound enjoyably punchy yet still deliver ample subtlety.

If your budget can stretch to them, then the Pro 3 are the best in-ear AirPods you can get and one of the most user-friendly wireless earbuds if you’re an iOS user.

Read our full AirPods Pro (3rd generation) review

AirPods 4 deals

Apple AirPods 4 with ANC

The Apple AirPods 4 are the newest 'standard' AirPods. The fourth-gen AirPods opt for an 'open' design, sporting no eartips and a refined design that we found fit easily to the contours of our ears. At just 4.3g each, they're also feather-light, although be warned there are still many who don't quite get along with the fit.

The AirPods 4 come in two variants: one with active noise-cancelling and one without, both now sporting the H2 chip. The standard, non-ANC model will set you back $129 / £129, while the AirPods 4 with ANC retail at $179 / £179.

The ANC AirPods 4, aside from noise cancelling, come equipped with a slightly different charging case that supports wireless charging and has a small built-in speaker which can play a noise to help you find it. Both models features USB-C charging.

We didn't think an open design would work that well with active noise cancelling, but the result is seriously impressive. The AirPods 4 with ANC target low-level noises specifically, so the rumble of traffic, engine hums and such are cancelled out effectively.

While some noise still comes through, it does a great job of keeping droning noises away so you can hear your music clearly – while still being aware of your surroundings. Pro 2 features such as adaptive audio, conversation mode and personalised volume are included in the ANC model.

Both versions of the AirPods 4 are equipped with personalised spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, as well as clear voice call capabilities and hands-free gesture controls for responding to Siri.

Battery life hasn't changed much since the last iteration, sitting at 30 hours in total with the charging case, a figure which lags a little behind the competition; the Cambridge Audio M100, for instance, offer a whopping 52 hours in total with ANC switched on.

Sonically, the AirPods 4 with ANC have a similar balance to the Pro 2, serving up the clarity, detail and balance that made those exceptional buds such a pleasure to listen to.

Voices are particularly impressive, with the updated drivers offering a nimble and clean sound that is nice to hear, although it doesn't quite have the heft or dynamic subtlety of the flagship Pro models.

The AirPods 4 with ANC (and the standard models without) are decent earbuds for iOS fans, however, and their mix of price and features will certainly appeal.

Read our Apple AirPods 4 with ANC review

AirPods Max deals

Apple AirPods Max

In 2020, Apple finally delivered its first over-ear, noise-cancelling, wireless headphones: the AirPods Max, and while we found them to be large, rather heavy and very expensive, we also thought they were some of the finest headphones of any type produced by Apple.

With a five-star review and a 2021 What Hi-Fi? Award to their name, the Max offer exceptional build quality, superb noise-cancelling and, most importantly, some of Apple's best-ever sound.

Their authenticity, detail, crispness and spaciousness elevate their audio quality enough to be considered alongside genuine hi-fi products at this price point. They work best with iOS devices, naturally, with cinematic spatial audio and Siri voice control amongst the many Apple-only features.

If you're an Android user, you might want to consider worthy rivals such as the Focal Bathys, the Sony WH-10000XM5 or the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones.

While the discounts on Apple's over-ears were never usually major, that has really started to change as the Max have aged and, more importantly, a new 2024 update – a sort of Max 1.5 – arrived with USB-C charging and some new finishes.

Do note that whichever you choose – with USB-C or Lightning charging – you'll get the same audio quality, though, so there's no fear that you're missing out on better sound if you opt for the original pair.

Read our full AirPods Max review

AirPods Pro 2 deals

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation)

Apple's previous generation flagship AirPods Pro 2 earbuds earned the brand its first five-star review for the in-ear models. Thanks to the powerful new H2 chip, the noise-cancelling is improved twofold, sound quality is now on par with the class leaders, and there are plenty of additional user-friendly features.

Battery life has increased to six hours in the earbuds, with 24 extra hours with the charging case, which now has a built-in speaker to emit tones. A fourth XS ear tip is included for an even better fit, and a new "Adaptive" Transparency Mode damps down loud and sudden harsh noises to great effect.

Thanks to the iOS 17 software update, you also get nifty new features like Adaptive Audio (which dynamically adjusts the ANC according to our surroundings) and Conversation Mode (which pauses music when it recognises that you're speaking).

But it's the excellent sound quality that's king here. Weighty, detailed, open and with plenty of dynamic subtlety, these really are accomplished performers.

Voices in particular sound natural, there's more power than before, and overall it's an airy sound that is easy to listen to for hours. For iOS users, they might be the only wireless earbuds you'll ever need.

Do note that in 2023, Apple swapped out the old Lightning connector charging case with a USB-C charging case and a new £229 price in the UK. There's no change to the earbuds or the sound quality, but be careful when buying online to make sure you pick the correct case option.

AirPods Pro 2 stock is starting to dry up following the release of the Pro 3, but there are some good discounts to be had if you're able to find a pair still on sale.

Read our full AirPods Pro (2nd generation) review

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Best AirPods: Apple's wireless headphones ranked and rated

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Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen): which noise-cancelling earbuds are better?

The success of Apple's AirPods cannot be denied. Not only did they make true wireless earbuds mainstream at a time when the technology was relatively niche and expensive, but they have also remained the dominant model of choice today when more or less every headphone manufacturer has produced rival pairs. 

While the earlier models didn't bowl us over in terms of sound quality, the AirPods Max, AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro 2 have made the line much more competitive. So if you own one of those models in particular, congratulations – you've made a fine choice.

If you have landed on this page, the chances are you are an AirPods owner who is searching for, or curious to know, ways to get more out of them. Because even if you are an experienced AirPods user, you may well only be scratching the surface of what they can do. Below are several AirPods tips and FAQ answers to help you get to know your Apple earbuds better, from how to care for them correctly to tracking them down if you've mislaid them.

Switch between devices automatically

You can switch your AirPods automatically between Apple devices, providing you're signed in with your Apple ID on each. For example, make a call on your iPhone, and your AirPods will switch to it from whatever you're listening to on your Mac or iPad.

Try Conversation Boost

Ever struggle to hear what someone is saying, despite the fact they're standing right in front of you? You're not alone. And your AirPods can help. Connect them to your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch and enable Headphone Accommodations on said device (it's in Settings  > Accessibility > Audio/Visual). Tap Transparency Mode, turn on Custom Transparency Mode, then turn on Conversation Boost.

And hey presto – your AirPods will pick up the dialogue from the person in front of you and boost it over background noise so you can hear what they're saying. Whether you'll like what they're saying is another matter...

Have Siri announce your notifications

Siri can announce your notifications from certain apps like Messages and Reminders, and you can reply by speaking. Turn it on in the Notifications sub-menu of the Settings menu. When Siri has read it out it'll listen for your reply. It'll then read it back to you to check before sending.

MORE:

Check out the best AirPods Max alternatives

And the best AirPods alternatives

These are the best AirPods deals going

AirPods have never been among the cheapest wireless earbuds available, but Apple might have a cheaper model up its sleeve. According to analyst Jeff Pu of Haitong Intl Tech Research (via 9to5Mac), Apple is working on a pair of 'AirPods Lite' to take on more affordable models priced under £100 / $100 like the Sony WF-C500, Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus and Earfun Air.

As well as the premium AirPods Max over-ear model, Apple currently sells the older second-generation AirPods, alongside the 2022-launched third-gen AirPods and the newest second-gen AirPods Pro. The second-gen AirPods cost around £129 / $99 (around AU$230), which any cheaper model would probably undercut.

Apple doesn't traditionally launch budget products, preferring to discount its older models instead. The firm is reportedly mulling a move into budget earbud territory due to falling demand for AirPods – shipments are expected to drop from 73 million units in 2022 to 63 million in 2023, according to Pu.

The analyst doesn't share any more details of what these AirPods Lite might entail, but we can guess they would have a shorter battery life than other AirPods. Other features like noise-cancelling, spatial audio and wireless charging could also be off the cards.

MORE:

Can't decide between AirPods? Check out our AirPods 3 vs AirPods Pro (1st Gen) and AirPods 3 vs AirPods Pro 2 comparisons

Read our review of the Sony WF-1000XM4

Check out the latest deals on all AirPods

Best wireless earbuds: budget and premium

For years, Sony has consistently produced some of the best noise-cancelling headphones we have tested. Its latest model in the premium wireless over-ear market, the WH-1000XM5, blew us away with their sensational sonic clarity and strong noise cancellation, and have won the What Hi-Fi? Award in their category two years on the trot.

Sony has invariably faced plenty of competition: Sennheiser and Bose have always knocked on the door. But in recent years, so has Apple. In 2020, the iPhone maker boldly released its first over-ear headphones, the AirPods Max, at a considerably higher price point, and they scored top marks for their exquisite design, cinematic spatial audio and next-level sound quality. This year, Apple updated the AirPods Max – but only with new colour finishes and a USB-C charging port, so our comparisons here between the Sony XM5 and AirPods Max remain relevant.

These two top-class headphones are class leaders at their price point to this very day – so which should you choose? Having thoroughly tested and lived with both pairs since their respective release dates, we have compared their specs, designs, comfort, noise-cancelling performance and sound quality below to help guide your buying decision.

Sony XM5 vs AirPods Max: price

Both pairs are flagship models. The WH-1000XM5 sit at the very top of Sony's wireless over-ear line, above the WH-C720N, while the AirPods Max are currently Apple's only over-ears.

The AirPods Max are – and probably always will be – the pricier pair. They launched in 2020 at £549 / $549 / AU$899, and despite their age that RRP has held up pretty well. We have seen them discounted by as much as £/$/AU$100 during sales events such as Black Friday (November) and Amazon Prime Day (July and October), but a price drop of around 10 per cent is more typical outside of these times.

That said, now that the refreshed AirPods Max 2 have arrived – and at the same price – we could soon see the originals discounted by an unprecedented amount as the final stock makes way for the new USB-C variant.

The Sony WH-1000XM5, meanwhile, are significantly more affordable. In 2022, they launched more in line with previous WH-1000XM models and rivals from Sennheiser and Bose at £380 / $399 / AU$550, but they can now often be picked up for around £260 / $280 / AU$500.

Today's best prices for both pairs are below.

**Winner: Sony WH-1000XM5**

Sony XM5 vs AirPods Max: design

• AirPods Max justify their premium price with a more luxury build
• AirPods Max come in a choice of colours; Sonys are black or silver
• Sonys sport a much better carrying case

The Sony WH-1000XM5 sport a different design from their predecessors, the multi-award-winning WH-1000XM4. Their radical revamp incorporates a "noiseless design" (old joints and hinges have been removed to create a seamless look) and eco-friendly plastic formed from recycled car parts. Our in-house reviews team noted that the XM5 look less premium than their predecessor as a result, but we couldn't fault their wearability: "Comfort levels are up there with the best and the Sonys deliver just the right amount of clamping force, so they feel secure without threatening to crush our ears," reads our Sony XM5 review.

The Sonys do, however, look and feel almost cheap compared with the AirPods Max, which boast pristinely machined, single-piece anodised aluminium ear cups connected by a stainless-steel headband. Between the cups and your head are memory foam cushions that easily surround even the largest ears, creating a seal that our expert reviewers described as "both gentle and surprisingly effective at physically blocking out sound" in our AirPods Max review.

Apple's extroverted styling may not be to everyone’s tastes, but hand someone a pair of AirPods Max and they will have no trouble believing that they cost a fair more than the Sony XM5.

Apple's use of premium materials means that the AirPods Max are significantly heavier than many wireless headphones at 385g; they weigh 135g more than the Sonys. That said, such is the effectiveness of the weight-distributing design that they don’t feel heavy on the head.

The Sonys are controlled using touch gestures on the surface of the right ear cup. You can tap and swipe to play/pause, adjust the volume and skip to the next track. It all works a treat – no concerns for us here.

Apple, on the other hand, has resisted the urge to integrate touch controls into the design of the AirPods Max. Instead, it uses physical controls: a button for switching between noise-cancelling modes and a volume dial inspired by the digital crown of the Apple Watch. The latter is an elegant solution, although it is a little too easy to knock when adjusting the headphones.

If style is important to you, you'll be pleased to hear that the AirPods Max come in a range of colours. The originals are available in five colours – Space Grey, Silver, Pink, Green, and Sky Blue – while the newly updated pair can be purchased in your choice of Midnight (black), Starlight (beige), Blue, Orange and Purple. Sony XM5 buyers are limited to just two rather sober finishes (black and silver).

The only design area where the Sonys pip the AirPods is with the supplied case. The WH-1000XM5 come with a decent, practical carrying case while the AirPods Max have a daft 'slip' case that barely covers the headphones.

**Winner: Apple AirPods Max**

Sony XM5 vs AirPods Max: battery life

• The Sonys are competitive; the AirPods lag behind

The Sony XM5 manage an impressive 30 hours of use with noise-cancelling enabled. Switch noise-cancelling off, and you should be able to squeeze 40 hours out of them. Those fairly generous are increasingly common figures in the wireless headphones market (even at the more budget end), albeit not class-leading; the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, for example, offer 60 hours with ANC on.

For the AirPods Max, Apple stipulates a run time of 20 hours with both noise-cancelling and spatial audio (Apple's immersive audio processing technology; more on that later) enabled. As headphone manufacturers have pushed ahead with battery life, that figure has felt pretty scanty for a couple of years now, and sadly the newly updated AirPods Max do not improve that aspect of the design.

Stepping out in a hurry? The Sonys will get you out the door quickest, too. They provide three hours of playback from a three-minute charge, while the Apples offer 1.5 hours from a five-minute charge.

**Winner: Sony WH-1000XM5**

Sony XM5 vs AirPods Max: features

• AirPods Max boast fantastic spatial audio
• AirPods Max are Apple device-centric; Sonys are more device agnostic
• Sonys support higher-quality Bluetooth transmission
• Sonys can be listened to wired without battery life; AirPods cannot

Both pairs have sophisticated processors that drive an impressive set of features. 

The WH-1000XM5 boast Sony's DSEE Extreme processing engine, which does a fabulous job of upscaling compressed music tracks to near hi-res quality. Not to be outdone, the AirPods Max boast an Apple H1 chip in each earcup, enabling them to make 200 adjustments per second to optimise noise-cancelling effectiveness.

One of the AirPods Max's USPs is their support for spatial audio, which provides a virtual surround sound experience from 5.1, 7.1 and even Dolby Atmos video content, and with music via Apple Music. The effect is truly stunning, particularly for movies, but you'll need an iPhone or iPad to experience it through the Max.

The WH-1000XM5 support the more fledgling Sony 360 Reality Audio immersive (music-only) format, but the effect isn't quite as compelling. More useful is their Adaptive Sound Control technology, which automatically switches noise-cancelling listening modes depending on your location (more on that in the noise cancellation section below), and their Speak-to-Chat feature, which allows you to talk to someone while the headphones are still on your head.

The Sonys also support LDAC Bluetooth for high-quality wireless transmission with a compatible (LDAC-supporting) Android device. The AirPods Max only support AAC transmission, which is a lower-quality Bluetooth codec. Neither pair, however, supports the popular, high-quality aptX codecs.

The Sony XM5 also have Bluetooth Multipoint so they can be paired with two devices simultaneously – ideal if you want to connect a laptop for playing music and a phone for taking calls. The AirPods Max don't support Bluetooth Multipoint, although they can switch between multiple Apple devices.

Lastly, the Sonys charge via USB-C and can be used as wired headphones when they are out of battery. The original AirPods Max use the Lightning connector, but the 2024 version uses USB-C. Unlike the Sonys, they require power even for wired listening (and don't come with an audio cable).

**Winner: draw**

Sony XM5 vs AirPods Max: noise-cancelling

• A close call; both ANC performances are excellent
• Both offer Transparency modes
• Sony can cleverly tailor ANC levels to your environment

Both pairs offer active noise cancellation that is up there with the very best on offer, even if the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones just have the edge.

Ultimately, the Sony WH-1000XM5 seem to be marginally better at blocking constant, consistent noise (engine sounds, for example). That said, the AirPods Max let very little through and are actually a touch better when it comes to combating loud conversations. So in terms of everyday effectiveness, it is a pretty close call between the two performances.

Both pairs pleasingly offer the increasingly common Transparency mode, too, which actively processes external noise and pumps it into your ears if you want to, say, hear a train announcement without having to remove the headphones.

There is one key difference to note, however. As mentioned in the features section of this article, the Sony XM5 boast an AI-powered feature called Adaptive Sound Control which allows the headphones to learn your behaviour and recognise your frequently visited locations. It uses this data to automatically tailor noise-cancelling levels to your current surroundings. For example, the XM5 will crank up the sound-blocking effect when you step into your local railway station, and then dial it back down again when you're cruising along on a relatively quiet train. It's a seriously smart feature, and well worth having. 

**Winner: Sony WH-1000XM5**

Sony XM5 vs AirPods Max: sound quality

Those are the features dealt with, and now we get to the most pertinent question of all: what are these headphones like to listen to? Very good, as you would expect from flagship pairs from two marquee brands.

In terms of acoustic engineering, the Sonys sport all-new 30mm carbon fibre drivers that have been specially made to be lightweight and yet extremely rigid, whereas the Apples have 40mm drivers that are said to maintain total harmonic distortion of "less than one per cent across the entire audible range".

The Sony XM5 excel sonically at their price point, delivering an effortlessly musical sound. The XM4 were our favourite-sounding headphones at this level, but the XM5 deliver even greater clarity and a more open presentation. "It’s actually quite a jump," said our testing experts. 

Bass notes are rendered with newfound precision, too, and the level of detail these cans dig up is astonishing. Dynamic shifts are conveyed with aplomb, while their sense of timing is exemplary. You won't find a more compelling performance from wireless over-ear headphones at their price.

But stretch to the AirPods Max's more premium asking price, and you will be rewarded with superior sound quality. "There’s a degree of clarity and energy that even the Sonys can’t match, and they sound more engaging and authentic," our reviews team noted. Lighter on their feet and even more precise and exciting, they feel like a significant step up in terms of sonic sophistication. Movie performance is excellent too, particularly when it comes to spatial audio virtual surround sound. The whole presentation is very open, spacious and convincing.

Ultimately, we believe the AirPods Max justify their premium over the Sonys in terms of sound quality, even if in our minds the Sonys are the better value pair, all things considered.

That said, those who want (and can afford) the very best wireless headphone sound quality available should note that there are now pairs that perform even better than the AirPods Max, such as the higher-priced Mark Levinson No.5909, Focal Bathys, Bowers & Wilkins Px8 and T+A Solitaire T.

**Winner: Apple AirPods Max**

Sony XM5 vs AirPods Max: which should you choose?

Apple's AirPods Max look and sound spectacular and provide a truly stunning spatial audio experience when paired with iPhone and iPad devices. There's no denying that iOS users with deep pockets should strongly consider them – either at full price with the new USB-C socket and colourways or, fingers crossed, if the older Lightning model can be bought at a bargain.

However, when it comes to outright value – and, indeed, non-Apple users – Sony's WH-1000XM5 are our number one recommendation. Hence their current What Hi-Fi? Award and position at the top of our best noise-cancelling headphones buying guide.

They are priced more accessibly, boast some fantastically advanced features such as the ability to upscale audio and optimise noise-cancelling according to your location, all while delivering a wonderfully engaging and detailed sound that is sure to impress most people. They also offer a longer battery life, support a higher-quality Bluetooth codec, and work well with both iOS and Android devices. 

MORE:

Apple AirPods Max vs AirPods Max 2024: what are the minor differences?

Apple AirPods Max tips: how to pair, reset, charge and more

See our Sony WH-1000XM5 tips, tricks and FAQ answers

Bowers & Wilkins Px8 vs Apple AirPods Max: which wireless headphones are better?

B&W Px7 S2e vs Sony WH-1000XM5: which ANC headphones are for you?

Focal says that its first pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones have been named ‘Bathys’ (pronounced “Bath-ees”) after their metaphorical association with the Bathyscaphe, a deep-sea exploration submersible. The French brand says that the vessel is “the embodiment of calm, depth and absolute silence”, so the connection it has made between that and something with active noise cancellation is indeed rather fitting… until you remember that that ‘something’ is designed to first and foremost bellow music into your eardrums. Still, we like the concept.

Had the Focal Bathys launched a couple of years ago, they would have arrived to a crowd of raised eyebrows and perhaps a sneering Reddit discussion, due to what would have been the unprecedented nature of their price in the Bluetooth headphones market. But since the late-2020 release of the Apple AirPods Max, which did have to bear the brunt of being the ‘first’ to push such parameters, a wave of pricier pairs such as the Mark Levinson No.5909 and Bowers & Wilkins Px8 have come along. 

All three have proven their extra worth in the sound quality department of late, and you can now add the Focal Bathys to that eminent list too. What’s more, they – perhaps uniquely to the lot – manage to look their price too.

Design & features

If you are familiar with the company’s wired headphones, the Bathys may not look uniquely special. (And if you aren’t, we apologise for future procrastination and inevitable envy at not owning every beautiful pair.) But trust us when we say that this level of build and beauty in the Bluetooth headphones market is very rare – perhaps unprecedented. They share their wired siblings’ sizeable ovular ear cups, their aesthetic defined by aluminium holey details that all but sufferers of trypophobia are bound to appreciate, speckled around a central circular Focal badge. 

Focal has been partial to blessing its high-end headphones with bold colour combos, though the Bathys are some of the safer of the lot in their single black and silver finish – and arguably all the sleeker for it.

The leather ear pads are thick and soft, and the headband substantial and cushioned. And yet despite their substantial build, they pull off chunky and beautiful like a newborn baby in its cute thigh-rolls phase. Too big to be portable? Not at all, but they aren’t as lightweight (they weigh 350g – 100g more than the Sony WH-1000XM5) or as discreet as most – and you should know that the earcups only fold flat as opposed to collapsing inwards, too. That they look a cut or two above regular wireless headphones means you would probably stand out on public transport wearing them, but we’ll let you decide if that’s a positive or not.

Naturally, they have a few design elements that give away their wirelessness. The first is the playback buttons on the right earcup and the single ANC button on the left, which are logically placed for easy access but, at odds with the rest of the design, plasticky and cheap feeling. 

The earcups’ Focal logos can light up – dimly, brightly or not at all, selectable in the companion Focal & Naim app. The relatively bare-boned app is also where owners can play around with EQ: select ‘soft’ or ‘silent’ intensities of ANC, or ‘Transparent’ mode for letting in noise when it’s convenient; choose voice assistant – Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa; and see battery status and the Bluetooth codec currently at play.

The progressive quality of Bluetooth codecs will undoubtedly have a say in the relevancy of high-end wireless headphones in the future, and right now the Focal Bathys support one of the highest quality codecs present in the market – aptX Adaptive (backwards compatible with aptX HD and aptX). 

Wireless headphones typically allow users to listen wired too, often through a 3.5mm jack. The Focals are no exception to that, however they also have a USB-DAC mode that supports 24-bit/192kHz through their USB-C port, and handily 1.2m cables for both 3.5mm and USB-C are supplied in the box.

The headphones do need power to be listened to through either wired connection, though, and the claimed battery life is a very reasonable 30 hours over Bluetooth, 35 hours over 3.5mm, and 42 hours over USB. We found that wireless performance lasts around 25 hours, though endurance is always dependent on Bluetooth codec and volume – and we listen mainly over aptX HD and, yes, pretty loudly.

Sound

We always find it difficult to resist playing Mogwai loudly, after all – especially when it comes through sounding as big, clear and weighty as it does through the Focal Bathys. Instantly we recognise the smooth, warm, full-bodied tonal balance the company’s wired headphones have found so much success with, and here too that is complemented by very good levels of resolution, dynamic subtlety and rhythmic ability within the context of their type and price. 

Play the Glasgow band’s Ritchie Sacramento and the Bathys' accommodatingly sizeable, spacious soundstage laps up the dense soundscape, giving those shimmering guitars and hammering drum pattern their due attention on either side of a clear and present Stuart Braithwaite vocal. Their richness gives mids and lows in particular a welcome substance, and without clouding the instrumental textures and high-frequency details too.

Over to dancefloor filler Down by Hot Chip and the Focal’s bold bass passes the test; the bassline groove is profound and pacey, driving the melody forward to get us toe-tapping away. The Focals are happy swapping party times for peacefulness too, their replay of Nils Frahm’s Over There, It’s Raining capturing the atmospheric background and the flow of his fingers across the piano keys. 

Considering the Mark Levinsons are leaner, faster and offer a little more detail and dynamic insight (albeit comparatively bass-light), and the Bowers & Wilkins are tighter in the low-end but less insightful, spacious and sprightly, we find that the Focal Bathys nicely justify their price positioning between the two. 

For a wireless headphone performance, it’s among the most engaging we have heard. And if you want them to double up as home headphones for longer listening stints, which they are more than comfortable enough to wear for, know that going wired via the DAC/USB-C does add a degree of refinement and tightness to the delivery.

Noise cancellation is fairly non-intrusive to the performance, too, and if you need it – as we did on two flights during testing – it does a decent job of diminishing distracting outside world noise from your music listening in ‘Silent’ mode. Just don’t expect Bose levels of silence, or indeed any Bathyscaphe-related “absolute silence”.

Verdict

Focal’s entrance into this burgeoning premium Bluetooth headphones market isn’t surprising considering its presence at the premium end of the wired space. Nor is the success of its first effort. The Bathys are highly recommendable for anyone after the convenience of portability in a premium pair of headphones at this price.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Features 5
• Build 4

MORE:

Read our Bowers & Wilkins Px8 review

Also consider the Mark Levinson No. 5909

Read our Apple AirPods Max review

These are the best wireless headphones you can buy

In March 2026, Apple finally announced a sequel to the AirPods Max. This was a major move: bar shifting them to USB-C in 2024, Apple hadn't touched the original Max since their launch in 2020.

But now the AirPods Max 2 are here, rivals need to up their game.

Or so we thought. Because while the original Apple over-ears earned five stars and an Award, the sequel left us a little cold. They're still good headphones – a four-star rating is very respectable by anyone's standards – but they're not a game changer like their predecessors. The original Max basically invented the category of super-premium wireless headphones that sat above the flagship Sonys and Boses of this world. But rivals have since overtaken them.

Just look at the Focal Bathys Mg, Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) to see what else is available.

Below we've collated some of the best over-ear headphones you can buy, and – crucially – they all best the AirPods Max 2 in at least one area, be it sound quality, versatility, price or something else. And they all work just as well with Android devices as they do with iOS.

With over 150 years of experience between them, our reviewers are well-versed in what makes a good pair of headphones. We test each pair out in the real world, then in our dedicated test rooms to zero in on sound quality.

Whether you're using them in your own listening room or on a packed commuter train, you can rest assured you're getting the best for your money.

We explain more about how we test AirPods Max alternatives below. Or you can read more about how we test headphones.

• Read our AirPods Max 2 review
• AirPods Max 2 vs AirPods Max: what are the differences?

The best AirPods Max alternatives we recommend in 2026

Best overall

The AirPods Max 2 do improve on their predecessor's sound quality, but not by a huge amount. While the same can be said of the Award-winning Sony WH-1000XM6, there's no denying their superior sound quality.

“The way the headphones draw the edges of strings feels like they are extracting every ounce of information possible, leaving nothing left in the tank,” we wrote in our Sony WH-1000XM6 review.

The XM6 improve the dynamics and the sense of expression, and they uncover more texture and fine detail. And all aided by a sound field that’s as open as we’ve heard from a pair of wireless headphones at this price.

Noise cancellation is also improved thanks to the adaptive NC optimiser, which constantly adapts to changes in your environment as you move.

The design has been improved too – the earcups now fold into a ball for easy transporting, and they're more comfortable for long listening sessions. And they feature some tech borrowed from Sony's high-end Walkman portable music players.

Add to this that they build on an already very solid foundation in the form of the XM5, and you have true all-rounders that are a very worthy alternative to Apple's finest.

Read the full Sony WH-1000XM6 review

• Back to the top ⤴

Best noise cancelling

By the time the original AirPods Max launched in 2020, Bose had been making over-ear headphones for decades. The US brand also invented active noise cancellation (ANC) technology. So if you want a pair of ANC headphones as alternatives to the AirPods Max 2, the QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) are your best bet.

The latest model improves on the first-generation model in a few ways. You can listen to them wired over USB-C, the battery life has been extended to 30 hours, and their Immersive Audio mode has been upgraded with a new 'Cinema' option for movie watching (by far the best implementation of spatial audio tech, in our view).

Bose has also improved the noise cancellation and sound quality, too. The ANC now kicks in quicker to nullify sudden loud noises from outside in Aware mode – switch on the vacuum, and the ANC wastes no time in getting to work so you can still hear your music.

And while the 2nd Gen might have the same processor and sonic profile as the first, there are some small but significant gains that boost them in the all-important area of sound quality. They sound clearer and more detailed, while also more solid and musically tighter than their predecessors.

Playing Charli xcx’s Von dutch, the Bose make "synths surge with low-end texture and impetus, the beat pulsates with snap and crispness. It’s the same pleasingly smooth, bass-rich character Bose has long favoured, simply more insightful and precise than ever before," we wrote in our Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) review.

Like all non-Apple headphones, they also work just as well with Android devices as iOS ones – handy if you switch mobile operating systems. For the ultimate in noise cancellation, look no further.

Read our full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) review

• Back to the top ⤴

Best battery life

The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless are massively superior to the AirPods Max 2 in one regard, and quite inferior in another.

It's the build quality that doesn't match up, which was a surprise, given that the Momentum 3 Wireless were pure luxury. But next to Apple's finest, they look positively cheap.

So how are they superior? Battery life. At a staggering 60 hours, it's twice what some rivals offer, and three times the AirPods Max 2's.

They launched at a cheaper price than their predecessors as well, making them substantially more affordable than the AirPods Max 2. With household budgets still feeling the pinch after years of runaway inflation, that's quite a selling point.

They also support aptX Adaptive – one of the highest-quality Bluetooth codecs around – cementing their position as a premium pair of cans.

ANC, meanwhile, is of a decent standard, while wired listening doesn't require your cans to have any juice left, meaning you can simply plug them into the source and keep on listening if the battery runs flat and you can't get to a charger.

The Momentum 4 might not blow you away in terms of looks, but this is a sonic win for Sennheiser. The sound presentation is clear and direct in a way that commands your attention, with the Momentum 4 feeling sharp and sprightly, with an added leanness that doesn't come at the expense of substance across the frequencies.

They may not lead the field here, but if you're after the cheapest of the premium rivals to the AirPods Max 2, the Sennheisers are a solid alternative.

Read the full Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless review

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Best for audiophiles

Sound is a big selling point of the AirPods Max 2. But if you're looking for an alternative that provides audiophile levels of performance from a wireless pair, Sennheiser has the answer.

The HDB 630 sound so great principally because of a neat accessory that comes with them. Once plugged into your device, it enables said device to support the same high-quality Bluetooth codec as the headphones themselves. So no longer will your overpowered headphones be fed by an underpowered smartphone.

Using the accessory, your phone will support aptX Adaptive, as do the Sennheisers. Which will give you hi-res 24bit/96kHz listening.

The result? A significant boost to clarity and solidity, as we found in our Sennheiser HDB 630 review. "These are wonderfully smooth and natural sounding headphones, full of shape and dynamism across the frequency range," we wrote.

Listening to Christine And The Queens' Mountains (we met), there's a ton of midrange texture to the vocals, while the presentation is dynamic yet precise. There's plenty of scale, but it all remains musically cohesive, making for "the most informative and entertaining sound we’ve heard from wireless headphones at this price." High praise.

They even match the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless' 60-hour battery life – though that drops to 45 hours when using the dongle.

Wired listening comes courtesy of USB-C and 3.5mm connections. Both cables come bundled in the box.

The noise cancellation is the only real disappointment. Not that it's bad, it's just surpassed by plenty of rivals. It does isolate you well enough, but others are more successful when it comes to muting the world beyond the earcups.

But audiophiles will still find plenty to like about these genuine AirPods Max alternatives.

Read the full Sennheiser HDB 630 review

• Back to the top ⤴

Best for luxury

You want eye-catching wireless cans that make a mighty impression before you've even clamped them over your noggin? Say hello to the Focal Bathys.

Focal’s entrance into the burgeoning premium Bluetooth noise-cancelling headphones market wasn't exactly a surprise considering its presence at the premium end of the wired space, but we're still pretty knocked out by the success of its first foray.

The gorgeous-looking Bathys are highly recommended for anyone after the convenience of portability in a premium pair of headphones at this price, earning a five-star recommendation and plenty of fans along the way.

The wireless headphone performance is among the most engaging we have heard at this level, offering space and breadth with plenty of aggression, spark and passion, too. If you want them to double up as home headphones for longer listening stints, which they are more than comfortable enough to wear for, know that going wired via the built-in DAC/USB-C port does add a degree of refinement and tightness to the delivery.

They do need power to be listened to, even with wires, so just bear that in mind if you're taking them out and about.

Noise cancellation is fairly non-intrusive to the performance, too, and if you need it – as we did on two flights during testing – it does a decent job of diminishing distracting outside world noise from your music listening in ‘Silent’ mode.

Overall, a spectacular pair of premium wireless headphones that signal Focal's intentions pretty clearly in this market. Watch out, Apple!

They have since been surpassed by the Award-winning (and pricier) Bathys Mg (see the 'Also consider' section). But the original Bathys are much closer to the AirPods Max 2 in terms of price.

Read the full Focal Bathys review

• Back to the top ⤴

Also consider

The best (other) AirPods Max 2 alternatives we've tested:

Bowers & Wilkins Px8 (S2): The Px8 S2 might be pricier than the Max 2, but they're worth every penny, with a luxurious feel and impressively spacious audio.

Shure Aonic 50: Shure's first wireless headphones are very good, but do have room for improvement. They dig up an outstanding level of detail with a solid low end, but the carry case is as bad as the AirPods Max's, and the noise cancelling pales in comparison to the best around.

Dali IO-8: A previous 'best audiophile' entry, the IO-8 sound clean, crisp and detailed, with expressive dynamics and a pleasingly rhythmic drive. Battery life and build quality are also terrific, though the controls could be more responsive.

Sony WH-1000XM5: The XM5 won a What Hi-Fi? Award three years running, and deservedly so. Great sound, excellent design and superior noise cancellation make these fantastic all-rounders. And now the XM6 are here, the chances of a deal are high.

Focal Bathys Mg: If money is no object, the Bathys Mg are for you. They take wireless headphones to a whole new level with impeccable build quality and a wonderfully balanced sound.

How to choose

Chief among the AirPods Max's skills are wireless connectivity and active noise cancelling (ANC). So any alternative you're looking at will have to offer both of those.

Wireless connectivity means the cans will need a battery, and ANC is a real battery drain. The AirPods Max manage 20 hours of run time before needing a recharge. Look for at least a similar battery life from any alternative headphones on your shortlist, though nowadays most are closer to 30 hours, and certain pairs hit 60!

While we're on noise cancelling, some pairs have gradients of noise cancelling, and some just have two settings: on or off. What's best for you really depends on how much you'll use the noise cancelling, and in which situations.

As well as noise cancelling, Apple's on-ears offer a transparency mode, which allows in outside sound. It's handy if you'd like to hear a station announcement, or to have a quick chat with a friend or colleague, and don't want to take your headphones off.

Lots of other headphones have the same feature, but it can come under different names (like talk through).

How we test

We test most products in our state-of-the-art testing rooms, but AirPods Max alternatives are a little different. One of their main selling points is noise cancellation, and you can't test that in a quiet room.

Instead we head out into the field, using them on packed trains, in crowded pubs, down busy streets and in chatty offices. Like all products we test, we use them as if we had bought them in order to see how they really perform.

We don't take manufacturers' claims at face value, but test every aspect of the headphones ourselves. Does the battery life match what the maker claims? How does call quality fare? We download any partnering mobile apps and control the headphones that way, and of course consider comfort and ease of use during our long listening sessions.

We always compare AirPods Max alternatives to rival headphones in their price bracket, as testing in isolation is like wearing blinkers. Our stock room is packed with the best headphones of all makes and styles from the last few years, so we're never short of comparison pairs.

And with over 100 years of experience between us, our reviews team is one of the most seasoned in the business.

We pool that knowledge on every review, agreeing all verdicts as a team rather than allowing one member to have solely their say on a product. That way we avoid personal preference and make sure we haven't missed anything.

We aren't guided by PR companies or sales people when it comes to how many stars we award, and we never have been. We're proud of the reputation we've built over nearly 50 years as the home of honest, accessible and unbiased reviews – our only goal is to help you buy the best kit possible for your budget.

For more, check out our how we review page.

F.A.Q

Recent updates

• 24th April 2026: We've updated this article throughout with references to the AirPods Max 2, which we recently reviewed. We also changed one of our FAQs accordingly.
• 23rd January 2026: Replaced the Bose QC Ultra Headphones with the recently reviewed 2nd Gen model, and the B&W Px7 S3 with the Sennheiser HDB 630. Replaced the B&W Px8 with the Px8 S2 in 'Also consider'. Removed the Mark Levinson No. 5909 from 'Also consider' as they are no longer on sale.
• 4th November 2025: Replaced Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 with Focal Bathys MG in 'Also consider'. Updated intro to mention recent headphone launches. Added 'What Hi-Fi? Awards winner' line to Sony WH-1000XM6 entry.
• 4th July 2025: Replaced Sony WH-1000XM5 with XM6. Moved XM5 to 'Also consider'.
• 28th April 2025: Replaced Dali IO-8 with Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3. Moved Dali IO-8 to 'Also consider'.
• 11th February 2025: Replaced Mark Levinson No. 5909 with Dali IO-8. Moved Mark Levinson No. 5909 to 'Also consider'.
• 12th December 2024: Updated intro. Added link to our 'how we test and review headphones' page. Mentioned the recent Mark Levinson No. 5909 price cut.
• 23rd September 2024: Updated intro to focus on new model of AirPods Max. Removed duplicate headings in The Quick List section. Edited Q&A to mention 2024 refresh of AirPods Max.
• 22nd July 2024: Updated intro to reflect new rival models and updated advice in How to Choose section.
• 10th May 2024: Updated the intro and edited one of the FAQs.
• 1st March 2024: Updated our advice and testing process, and removed B&W Px8 and B&W Px7 S2 entries from the main list.
• 18th September 2023: Added Focal Bathys and Mark Levinson No. 5909 to the main list.

Today's best AirPods Max alternatives deals

The recent Amazon Prime Day sale saw various pairs of AirPods fall to their lowest prices ever. So while Apple's wireless headphones aren't often discounted, deals are possible.

But which pair should you go for? We'll help you decide.

The AirPods Pro 3 are Apple's latest flagship in-ears, with better bass than their predecessors, and active noise cancellation (ANC) that's twice as effective. For the ultimate in-ear Apple headphone experience, they're the ones to go for.

On a tighter budget? The AirPods 4 with ANC offer a lot of what makes the Pro 3 so compelling but for a lot less money.

And if you're more cash-strapped still, the standard AirPods 4 are identical to the ANC model but with no noise cancelling. We haven't reviewed them, hence their absence from this list.

Those of an over-ear bent will enjoy the AirPods Max 2, which, while not as groundbreaking as their predecessors, still perform excellently. And bringing up the rear, we have the AirPods (2019). Yes, they're seven years old now, and yes, there are much better wireless earbuds available. But if it's an Apple pair you want, you should be able to pick these up dirt cheap (just not from Apple, as it no longer sells them).

And how do we know which AirPods are the best? Experience. Our in-house reviewers have more than 100 years of testing experience between them. Review verdicts are agreed upon by the whole team in order to avoid personal bias and we compare each model to its closest rivals to judge how they stack up.

To find out more about our reviewing process, read the how we test headphones page.

• How do active noise-cancelling headphones work?
• AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods Pro 2: which are better?
• AirPods Max 2 vs AirPods Max: how do they compare?

The best AirPods we recommend in 2026

Best overall

Apple finally cracked a five-star rating for a pair of in-ears with the AirPods Pro 2, so how do the follow-ups fare? With improvements all round (apart from in one area, that is), it's another five-star score for Apple's latest, proving the firm can still mix it up with the best wireless earbuds around.

The built-in heart rate monitor might have grabbed most of the headlines, but for us, the best thing about the Pro 3 is the gains in the more prosaic – but significant – areas of sound quality and noise cancellation.

They've had a design tweak, too. With a smaller body and differently-angled eartip nozzle, they're designed to fit a wider range of ear shapes and sizes. But we still found them divisive – those who achieved a snug fit with the Pro 2 found these to protrude too far, while those who didn't get on with their predecessors found the Pro 3 fit well.

Our advice? Try them for yourself.

The charging case has also grown slightly larger than the Pro 2's, but is lighter.

You get all the features of the Pro 2 (yay!) but still no hi-res codec support (boo!). The new heart rate monitor can track health and workout stats, and the Live Translation feature is very neat (even if it's not exclusive to the Pro 3).

While Apple would seem to have made gains in the battery life, it's actually more of a mixed picture. True, the life of the buds themselves has grown from six hours to eight, but the total battery life (including the charging case) has dropped from 30 hours to 24. How annoying that is will depend on how you use them.

But the Pro 3 have upped their environmental protection from IP54 to IP57. That means greater resistance to rain, sweat, splashes, and water generally.

Of course, it's the ANC and sound quality we're really interested in, and Apple hasn't let us down. Despite having the same H2 chip as their predecessors, the new model's ultra-low noise microphones, advanced computational audio, and new foam-infused eartips combine to offer twice the noise-cancelling capability of the Pro 2.

And it shows. During a flight, "the deep rumble of the airplane’s engine noise was damped down further than when listened to through the Pro 2, while the general chatter from people and announcements from the pilot were quieter through the new earbuds on full ANC mode," we found in our AirPods Pro 3 review.

Sound too has been been upgraded, courtesy of a new 'multiport acoustic architecture'. This helps the Pro 3 to sound clearer and more detailed, more spacious-sounding and more dynamic.

The results are impressive across genres. "There is bite and attack to the crunchy, brash highs of Fontaines D.C.’s Starburster, while the basslines in Forgot About Dre are taut, agile and tuneful, and punch with quite a good deal of depth and power in Billie Eilish’s Blue," we found.

They're not quite as refined or spacious as some of the best wireless earbuds we've tested, but they are a lot of fun to listen to. If it's AirPods you're after, look no further.

Read the full Apple AirPods Pro 3 review

Best premium

Apple basically invented the category of super-premium wireless over-ear headphones, and it was quite a move by a company with no prior experience of making cans. That's probably why the original AirPods Max lasted nearly six years unchanged (bar a minor refresh in 2024).

Now we have the AirPods Max 2, and it's another great pair from Apple. That we awarded it four stars instead of its predecessor's five points to how far the competition has come.

There's plenty new about the AirPods Max 2. But the design and case remain disappointingly familiar, and the 20-hour battery life is comprehensively beaten seemingly by all comers nowadays. So in some ways, the Max 2 are a missed opportunity.

They are still very well made, though. The design might be unchanged, but is still very premium: the anodised aluminium earcups, the stainless steel headband, the memory foam earcups... The hinges, telescopic arms and buttons are all beautifully made and finished to precision.

They're comfortable enough to wear for hours, too. Though we do have a few gripes about the design. The headband could contract more to accommodate smaller heads. The headphones are much heavier than a lot of rivals. They don't fold at all. And the silly case makes an unwelcome return.

The new H2 chip does enable some new features, like Conversation Awareness and Adaptive Audio, as well as live translation (which requires an iPhone 16 or later). Higher-quality codecs are still omitted, which we've come to expect from Apple.

The H2 also helps improve the active noise cancellation (ANC), which is 1.5 times more effective than on the original AirPods Max. They do silence the rumbles and screeches of the London Underground, and the effect is more natural and airy than a lot of ANC headphones.

For sound quality, they improve on their predecessors, but not by much. That's not as bad as it sounds – the original Max were a standout pair – but it is still a little disappointing to those of us craving new standards in wireless headphone sound performance.

"The Max 2 headphones have an admirably smooth balance, one that is very easy to listen to," we wrote in our AirPods Max 2 review. "There’s a dash more punch to the sound and the edges of notes are etched out with a little more precision, and they sound a bit more open compared with the first-gen model."

Voices are strong, and Apple balances all the elements very well. Though a slightly rolled-off top end does sacrifice some bite.

But overall, the differences between these and the originals could be more substantial. You can get greater sound elsewhere, but if you want the complete Apple experience in an over-ear form factor, these are the cans for you.

Read the full Apple AirPods Max 2 review

• Apple AirPods Max tips: how to pair, reset, charge and more

Best mid-range

The AirPods 4 come in two varieties – one with ANC (for £179 / $179 / AU$299) and one without (£129 / $129 / AU$299).

Despite the ANC, they stick with the standard design without adding eartips, though their shape has been refined somewhat.

It's a partial success – some members of our team found they fit their ears very well, while others struggled to keep them in. Try before you buy.

The active noise cancellation is impressive, given there are no eartips to form an air-tight seal and block out unwanted sounds. The effect is most effective with lower frequencies – those further up the frequency scale are more likely to slip through the net. And it's not as comprehensive a solution as with the pricier AirPods Pro 3.

The AirPods 4 with ANC's charging case is the smallest yet, has a speaker for the Find My function, and supports wireless charging.

The non-ANC model lacks the latter two features.

Inside is the same H2 chip as the AirPods Pro 3, which means the Voice Isolation feature can make calls clearer in high wind, and the Personalised volume feature automatically adjusts the volume depending on how loud your environment is.

As well as ANC, the pricier variant of AirPods 4 also have the Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness and Transparency features from the AirPods Pro 3, all of which are useful.

What's disappointing is the battery life, which is a measly four hours on a single charge with the ANC turned on, although you do get a total of 30 hours with the charging case.

The AirPods 4 with ANC's sound is more detailed, powerful and overall more entertaining than their predecessor's.

"There’s clarity and detail, agility and balance, along with a focus on voices that make them immediately appealing to listen to," we wrote in our AirPods 4 with ANC review.

Though – as you would expect – they don't sound quite as superb as the AirPods Pro 3.

They're a great halfway house between the older, cheaper AirPods and the higher-priced model. A great value proposition with just the right amount of compromise.

Read the full Apple AirPods 4 with ANC review

Best budget

As a premium company, Apple takes a smart approach to cheaper devices. Instead of investing in new low-end devices, it drops the price of its older ones – or, as with the iPhone 17e, stuffs newer innards into an older chassis.

The first-generation AirPods aren't around anymore, but you can pick up the second-gen model (from 2019) for a pretty reasonable price – they're no longer sold through Apple's website, but they are available from other retailers.

Your money gets you Apple's typically seamless wireless tech, decent – if unremarkable – sound quality and healthy battery life.

There are downsides, of course. They don't sound as good as the latest model, and the battery doesn't last as long.

The stems are longer on this model too, and they don't fit as well as the fourth-generation model.

In terms of sound, they have that neutral, fairly balanced presentation that's present across all AirPods. It sounds more open and organised, offering a greater degree of subtlety and better dynamics than the first-gen pair, which sounded rather dull and lifeless.

But it's not perfect, as we said in our original AirPods (2019) review: "While cleaner and more organisationally adept than the preceding pair, they still veer towards harshness at high volumes and struggle to make sense of the most built-up sections of some tracks."

But if you're looking for the AirPods experience on the cheap, these are your best option. They're certainly better than some of the knock-offs.

Read the full Apple AirPods (2019) review

Also consider

The best AirPods alternatives we've tested:

Technics EAH-AZ100: Technics is better known for its record players, but the Panasonic-owned brand makes stunning headphones, too. These Award-winning wireless earbuds sound fantastic, and work just as well with Android phones.

Apple AirPods Pro 2: They've recently been superseded by the Pro 3, but the Pro 2 are still a decent proposition, with very good sound quality and noise cancellation. They share a lot of the Pro 3's features too, and cost a fair bit less.

Apple AirPods 3: Apple no longer sells the third-gen AirPods, so stock is likely not being replenished. They offer good sound quality, Spatial Audio and USB-C charging, but they're not quite as great as the AirPods 4.

Sony WF-1000XM6: Probably the best AirPods alternatives you can buy, the five-star XM6 outgun the AirPods Pro 3 for sound quality, and they work just as well with Android devices.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen): The second-gen Ultras offer wireless charging and more advanced ANC than the first gen, as well as an upgraded sound from the same driver. The best noise-cancelling earbuds you can buy.

Sony WF-C710N: Cheaper than the cheapest AirPods, these Award-winning Sony earbuds pack excellent noise-cancellation, very good sound quality and a bunch of features that far exceed their price. If you want to go even cheaper – and forego ANC – check out the Award-winning Sony WF-C510.

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: B&W's latest over-ears give the AirPods Max 2 a run for their money. They're slightly cheaper than the Max 2, with the usual premium B&W build quality and great sound.

Sony WH-1000XM6: Sony's best wireless headphones yet. Again, they're slightly cheaper than the AirPods Max 2, but deliver on all fronts. The over-ears to beat right now, and our current Award winners.

How to choose the best AirPods for you

First things first – are AirPods definitely the best headphones for you? If you don't have an iOS device like the iPhone 17, then probably not.

Yes, Apple's AirPods do work with other devices, but to get the best out of them, you really need to have at least one foot in Apple's ecosystem.

Next, you'll want to decide between an over-ear or in-ear design. Apple's over-ears are the AirPods Max, a pricey pair of noise-cancelling wireless headphones.

Your in-ear options are either the standard AirPods (choose between the AirPods 4, AirPods 4 with ANC or AirPods 3), and the AirPods Pro (first- and second- and third-generation models – the first-gen AirPods Pro are no longer sold by Apple, but you might find them elsewhere).

The AirPods Pro offer active noise-cancellation, as do the AirPods 4 with ANC, but other in-ear AirPods do not.

Then there's the question of budget. The AirPods Max 2 sit at the top of the range, and are even more expensive than most of the best noise-cancelling headphones offered by Sony, Bose and Bowers & Wilkins.

The AirPods Pro 3 are the next priciest pair, followed by the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 with ANC, AirPods 4 and then third- and second-gen AirPods.

You can always find cheaper AirPods alternatives, but you have to weigh up whether they will meet your needs.

Whichever pair you choose, be sure to check out our AirPods tips and advice on how to clean your AirPods.

How we test AirPods

You've probably read all about our state-of-the-art testing rooms, but they're not the only place we review AirPods. Instead, we take them out and about where most people will use theirs: on the train, to the pub, in busy shops, on the bus.

And if the opportunity presents itself, we'll take them on a plane to see how their noise-cancellation handles screaming children.

We don't test AirPods in isolation – we pit them against the best wireless earbuds (or over-ear headphones, in the case of the AirPods Max 2) in the same price bracket to see how they compare. Because there's nothing worse than discovering you haven't bought wisely.

We test hundreds of pairs of headphones every year for our reviews as well as What Hi-Fi? Awards judging, and with over 100 years of experience between us, we know what we're talking about.

Our stock room stays chock full of class-leading products against which we compare new ones.

When it comes to analysing sound quality, the testing rooms come into their own – it's nice and quiet down there, with no distractions.

Like all headphones we test, we give each pair of AirPods plenty of time to run in, and play all manner of different music genres through them – ours is a broad church, and there's no better way to judge performance.

We try each and every feature – including the oft-overlooked call quality – and subject the ANC to all kinds of different background sounds in different environments (cue the screaming kids).

We agree our review verdicts as a team rather than giving one person the power to make or break a product. Not only does this eliminate the potential for personal bias, it also makes sure we're being as thorough as possible.

We don't take any suggestions from PR or sales people, not now, not ever. We've been delivering honest, unbiased reviews for nearly 50 years, and don't intend to stop now.

You can read more on our dedicated how we test page.

F.A.Q

Recent updates

• 29th June 2026: No changes to the main list, but the intro has been updated and the copy checked throughout.
• 14th April 2026: Replaced the AirPods Max with the AirPods Max 2. Updated references throughout with newer headphone models. Replaced 'The quick list' with the tabletop widget.
• 20th January 2026: Replaced the AirPods Pro 2 with the recently reviewed AirPods Pro 3. Moved the Pro 2 to 'Also consider.'
• 11th November 2025: Rewrote intro to mention AirPods Pro 3, which are now referenced throughout.
• 18th August 2025: Replaced Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds with the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) in 'Also consider'.
• 23rd May 2025: Added Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 and Sony WH-1000XM6 to 'Also consider', replaced Sony WF-C700N with WF-C710N in the same section.
• 18th March 2025: Added Technics EAH-AZ100 to 'Also consider'. Added mentions of the iPhone 16e and the AirPods Pro 2's hearing aid features.
• 9th January 2025: Rewrote intro. Updated references to more recent models of AirPods and other headphones. Mentioned that Apple refreshed the AirPods Max at the end of 2024.
• 17th October 2024: Added AirPods 4 with ANC to main list. Moved AirPods 3 to 'Also consider'. Rewrote intro.
• 16th August 2024: Deleted Jump Menu. Rewrote intro.
• 9th May 2024: Added Top Tip and a new intro.
• 23rd February 2024: Changed to new Best Buy format. Added new 'Also Consider' section, new F.A.Q section.
• 11th December 2023: Added new intro text.
• 5th October 2023: Added references to the iPhone 15 and the new USB-C case for the AirPods Pro 2. Dropped first-gen AirPods Pro from the list.
• 1st June 2023: Added new images for entries.

Today's best AirPods deals

Apple’s AirPods have had a decent, if bumpy, ride with us over the years. A raft of four-star reviews for its wireless earbuds, and a single five-star rating for its first over-headphones, the premium and excellent 2021 Award-winning AirPods Max.

The AirPods and AirPods Pro in-ears have always been one step behind the competition, particularly when it came to sound quality. They’ve been good-but-not-great wireless earbuds; lovely to use for iOS users, but never quite reaching the sonic heights established by the top noise-cancelling earbuds in this crowded and popular category.

That’s all changed with the latest AirPods Pro 2. The second generation of Apple’s flagship wireless ANC earbuds promises a more powerful processor, with advancements in active noise-cancelling, longer battery life, new features and, more importantly, better audio performance.

Since its launch in September 2022, Apple has launched an updated version with the charging case now featuring a USB-C connector, replacing the old case with its proprietary Lightning connection. That's the only material difference, with the earbuds themselves unchanged between the two versions.

With the AirPods Pro 2nd generation, Apple finally gave us the five-star experience we've been waiting for. With its brilliant sound quality coupled with updated features, it's a great pair of wireless earbuds to stand amongst the class leaders.

• I spoke to Apple to find out the secret behind the AirPods Pro 2’s audio success

Price

The AirPods Pro 2 (with the original Lightning case) first launched at £249 / $249 / AU$399 in September 2022, and it's a price tag that’s unchanged from the launch price of the original AirPods Pro (2019), which is both surprising (there were rumours of a price hike) and welcome considering the general rise in prices across all tech products.

The current, updated AirPods Pro 2 with the USB-C case launched in September 2023 for £229 / $249 / AU$399 – that's the same price as before in the US and Australia, but UK buyers can rejoice with a very welcome £20 discount off the original price. You can't buy the USB-C case separately, but as that's the only difference between the two models (and any software updates apply to both), don't feel shortchanged if you are happy with your original model.

This remains a competitive price point for flagship earbuds and Apple's flagship is now the most affordable pair of its five-star rivals. The superb new Sony WF-1000XM5 currently cost £259 / $299 / AU$419, while Award-winning Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II retail for just under £280 / $299 / AU$429 (although this model is being replaced by the newer, pricier Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, £300 / $299 / AU$450).

Both the original AirPods Pro and the Pro 2 with the Lightning case have disappeared from Apple’s website. The Cupertino giant clearly wants you to focus solely on the new 2nd generation model with its new USB-C case, but you can still find the other buds at a discount at various retailers.

• The best deals on all AirPods

Design & comfort

Place the two generations of AirPods Pro side by side and they’re effectively indistinguishable. Apart from the slightly repositioned vents and microphones, the bud-and-stem design remains exactly the same.

You now get four ear tips in the box: a smaller XS size is included, giving you more options to get the perfect fit and seal. If you’ve struggled with the AirPods’ fit before (as some on our review team have), the extra tip could help. We’d run the handy ear tip fit test to double check you have the best seal for sound quality, too – we found a good seal with more than one ear tip size. They are comfortable to wear as well, thanks to a lightweight design that you don’t have to cram into your ear holes.

One thing the original Pro were criticised for was a lack of on-device volume controls, a staple of any wireless earbuds. Apple has finally seen sense and rectified this with a touch-capacitive layer on the stems where you can swipe up or down (on both buds) to change volume. There’s reassuring haptic feedback when you swipe and, while it takes a bit of getting used to, it’s responsive every time we use it.

You still have to pinch the stems to pause and skip playback and take calls, while a long press switches between the different noise-cancelling modes. It all works well, and over time have found the method just as intuitive as tapping on the earbuds’ surface area like we do with the Sony or Bose rivals. As a bonus, there’s no chance of accidental track changes when you brush against the AirPods.

The bigger design change is to the charging case: it now has a built-in speaker and a lanyard loop. The speaker emits tones to indicate charging, low battery and to help you find it if you’ve misplaced it. The case itself remains the same small and pocketable size – it easily slips into a pocket, bag and the palm of your hand. These features remain the same whether you're using the Lightning-equipped case or the new case with the USB-C connection.

There are more ways to charge wirelessly too: with an Apple Watch charger, a Magsafe charger or any Qi-compatible charging mat.

If you have the original case with a Lightning connector, a Lightning to USB-C cable is provided in the box. If you've got the updated model with the USB-C connection in the case, you'll be glad to know a USB-C to USB-C cable comes with the box, too.

Features: ANC, call quality, iOS

Let’s get straight to it: the active noise-cancelling in the Pro 2 is impressive. There’s an immediately noticeable difference between the new and old models, with Apple reportedly blocking out twice as much background noise with the new earbuds. This is thanks to a combination of the powerful new H2 chip and the ‘optimised’ re-positioning of the acoustic vents and mics, says the company.

In practice, we found it to be incredibly effective. Background noise disappears to a mere murmur, whether that’s office chatter or the roar of train engines on our daily commute. It’s a comfortable, airy effect, too, and does a great job of letting you enjoy your music without much distraction from the world around you. Compared with the original AirPods Pro, which we’ve had with us throughout our testing, the improvement to noise-cancelling with the 2nd generation model is dramatic.

We’re not quite as cocooned in silence as our new benchmark in flagship ANC earbuds, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, but the AirPods Pro 2 is a satisfying step up from the original Pros, and its improved ANC performance is ideal for everyday use.

Apple’s advanced H2 chip that powers the earbuds is responsible for many of the improvements in performance – both ANC and sound – as well as a handful of new features, general smooth use and greater efficiency.

One of these new features is called “Adaptive Transparency”, which aims to reduce sudden loud and harsh noises when using Transparency Mode to keep aware of your surroundings. This works well on the London Underground, where the sharp, screeching sound of the tube rails is blissfully damped down. It can be a subtle effect at other times, but we would recommend keeping it toggled on as it does take the higher-frequency edges off environmental noise like traffic.

In our original review published in 2022, we wished for the ability to adjust the level of ANC the way you can on the Bose and Sony rivals. Apple has clearly listened to our complaints (or more likely to wider customer feedback), as 2023's latest iOS 17 software update brought with it a new Adaptive Audio feature to the AirPods Pro 2 (available on both versions).

When kept on, this new mode reacts to the noise levels in your surroundings and adjusts the level of ANC dynamically. It's a nice blend of full ANC and Transparency Mode, and we found the effect to be reactive and subtle: high traffic noise was damped down, while the ANC effect was effectively absent in our quiet home office. While you still can't manually adjust the actual level of ANC, it's nice to get a great halfway point alternative to ANC being simply on or off.

Another addition is Conversation Awareness and it works similarly to Sony's nifty Speak-to-Chat feature, by lowering the volume of music you're listening to when the buds detect you're speaking. Unlike the Sony version (which can be easily triggered by any noise you make), Apple's version doesn't get activated if you cough or are singing along to music. It does seem to recognise more intelligently when you're talking to someone. The way it gradually fades in and out of the volume changes is more elegantly handled, too.

Call quality remains decent. Our voice sounds a touch thin rather than fully rounded out over video and phone calls, but still very clear and audible. Callers’ voices come through cleanly as well. Although, it's the wonderfully clear Sony WF-1000XM5 you want if you're after the best quality for voice calls.

As ever, using the AirPods Pro 2 is supremely easy and intuitive. Apple has a great track record in improving the seamless use of its devices – especially within its own iOS ecosystem – with every generation. And it proves the same here: pairing with our iPhone 12 is near-instant, every single time. Playback is responsive, and the ’Pods pause naturally when an earbud is taken out (and resume playing when it's put back in). It all works smoothly without you having to give it a second thought.

There’s also a new dedicated AirPods section in the iPhone’s settings menu for quicker access (rather than delving into the Bluetooth menu) – it's much easier to access than having to fire up a separate app as with other headphones. The settings are extensive: you can customise Siri voice control, spatial audio, ANC modes, touch controls and turn various features (such as conversation awareness) on or off.

Apple’s Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking returns, giving an immersive, 360-degree effect when listening to music or watching videos. As before, some tracks fare better than others, and overall we still prefer the stability and tight cohesion of the original stereo mix. You can now personalise Spatial Audio to your profile for a more accurate effect, too. The process involves using your iPhone’s camera to capture images of your ears, but we struggled to make headway here: it’s a tricky and frustrating process, and one we hope Apple can streamline in an update.

Those with an Android device sadly won’t have access to any of these extra features, and there’s still no Android app (like Beats – an Apple-owned brand – provides with its Fit Pro buds) for the AirPods. The major tech brands – Apple, Samsung and Google – are keeping their flagship products’ best features very much in their own walled gardens, rewarding those that stick within the ecosystem (Samsung's Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are a prime example). While it does mean that platform-agnostic rivals like Sony and Bose have wider appeal, the AirPods Pro 2 are still worth a look regardless of the device you use, as they sound so good.

Battery life

Battery life on the AirPods Pro 2 has improved greatly, too, now taking on the class leaders. You get six hours in the earbuds on a single charge (with ANC on), with a total of up to 30 hours with the charging case. That’s six hours more than the previous model (which topped out at 24 hours total) – and is now far more competitive compared with the Sony WF-1000XM5 (eight hours in the buds, 24 hours in total) and the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 (seven hours in buds, 28 hours total).

We did find that the souped-up charging case with its features drains a bit more power than before during use, but it charges up swiftly. If you’re running low on battery, pop the earbuds into the case for five minutes to get an entire hour of charge.

Sound quality

And they do sound really, really good. Apple has always impressed us with the clarity and tonal neutrality of its products’ audio quality, coupled with a wonderful way with voices. There’s all of that in the AirPods Pro 2, but now with added weight, greater detail and even greater dynamic subtlety.

Inside each earbud is a new custom low-distortion, high-excursion audio driver, transducer and high dynamic range amplifier, which combined with the H2 chip’s advanced audio algorithms, results in a sound that’s been improved in every way from the original Pro.

The performance is engaging and entertaining right from the second we start listening. It’s a richer, more powerful sound – every song played has a pleasing amount of solidity and weight. The heavy guitar riffs and drum beats in Slipknot’s The Dying Song are delivered with a muscularity we’ve not heard in AirPods before, but there's still a clean, well-organised and detailed presentation that ensures you’re not just hearing a wild mess of sound.

There’s a superb sense of drive. The AirPods Pro 2 are rhythmically agile and nimble, songs flow with an easy fluidity, and they communicate both high-energy tracks and ones that are more contemplative with ease. The sparse piano notes in Chilly Gonzales’ Whist are delicate and have ample space around them, while Macklemore’s Thrift Shop sounds snappy, slick and packed with playful attitude.

We have so much more fun listening to these AirPods Pro than the previous generation. There are more layers and textures to dynamic shifts, keeping you hooked on a song. They dig deeper, soar higher without any hint of brightness, and the midrange is beautifully conveyed.

From the gravelly, soulful tones of Tom Waits to the more languid tone of Wet Leg’s vocals, the AirPods Pro are solid, focused and crystal clear with voices. It simply sounds natural. If you’re a fan of podcasts, nuances in humour and inflection are relayed clearly through the earbuds – you’ll be immersed in whatever you’re listening to.

We’ve praised the openness of the AirPods Pro’s sound before, and once again we’re struck by how airy and open these earbuds can sound, even with the improved noise-cancelling. This is in part thanks to the updated vent system that helps with better airflow. With full ANC and Adaptive Audio turned off, the sound is clearer, with even more space in between elements for the song to breathe. A touch more subtlety in detail and dynamics is uncovered, too.

Next to the Sony and Bose rivals, Apple is now on par where it once was still playing catch up. The lively Sony XM4 now sound lightweight in comparison to Apple’s richer, more full-bodied performance, but the newer Sony XM5 offer a greater level of detail, clarity and power. The pricier Bose QC Earbuds II have the edge over the AirPods Pro 2: they sound even subtler, more evenly composed, and the sonic character is better balanced across the different ANC modes.

But there’s no denying Apple has levelled the playing field: the AirPods Pro 2 sound confident, as if they’ve finally found their footing. They deliver a sound that’s very capable while also being very easy and fun to listen to. Regardless of what you’re listening to, the AirPods Pro 2 turn their hand skilfully to all genres of music.

It’s worth noting there’s still no support for high-res or higher-quality codecs, which remains at odds with the 24-bit high-res audio tracks available in Apple Music’s large catalogue. The AirPods Pro 2 use the basic AAC codec over Bluetooth – while this lags behind the aptX HD and LDAC codecs in terms of the amount of data transferred, it doesn't necessarily mean that sound quality suffers. The AirPods Pro 2's sound quality when paired with an iPhone outperformed most other earbuds that do have the snazzier codecs, so the Bluetooth codec doesn't seem to be a limitation here.

Apple clearly doesn't think any gains in audio quality can be made using current Bluetooth standards. Instead, it has announced a new "groundbreaking wireless audio protocol" that "unlocks powerful 20-bit/48kHz Lossless Audio" – although this only works when the Pro 2 USB-C model is connected to the upcoming Apple Vision Pro headset. Let's hope that wireless protocol makes it to other products for music playing as well.

Verdict

We admit that we weren’t expecting such a huge leap in performance from the AirPods Pro 2 when they were announced. We certainly didn’t expect them to trouble the best-in-class competitors such as Sony and Bose, but with the AirPods Pro 2, Apple has more than caught up.

The noise-cancelling is convincingly effective, they are once again lovely to use, and most of all: they sound fantastic. It’s an all-round enjoyable performance.

Apple has brought out even more features that improve the experience of using the AirPods even further (Adaptive Audio ANC mode, conversation awareness), but we’re glad to see the company push the boat out when it comes to audio. We knew Apple was serious about sound when we heard the AirPods Max headphones, and it’s fantastic to see it bring that level of quality performance to the more popular, smaller and relatively more affordable AirPods Pro range.

Apple has stepped up, and the AirPods Pro 2 remain, even a year on, a five-star stunner.

First reviewed: October 2022. Review updated: September 2023.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Features 4
• Comfort 5

Also consider

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Sony WF-1000XM5 vs Apple AirPods Pro 2: which premium earbuds are better?

Apple AirPods 4 vs AirPods Pro 2: what are the differences and which is best?

Apple Adaptive Audio explained and tested: AirPods Pro's latest ANC feature

AirPods Pro 3: release date rumours, price predictions, and 5 features we want

Our pick of the best wireless earbuds: budget and premium

The AirPods Max 2 have finally arrived, six years after the original pair (and two years after the 2024 refresh that switched out the Lightning connector for USB-C). And it's mostly good news.

They build on what made the original pair Award winners, with the same dapper design, and small improvements in sound and active noise cancellation (ANC).

So why did we only give them four stars? One word: competition.

The original AirPods Max set a new benchmark, basically inventing the category of super premium wireless over-ear headphones. But six years is a long time, and the competition has caught up.

The AirPods Max 2 are still some of the best iPhone headphones you can buy. And they're joined by some very worthy company, like the AirPods Pro 3. But there are plenty of non-Apple pairs on this list too.

Whatever your preferences, there's a pair for you in our list.

Each pair below has been selected from the hundreds of pairs we review. They've all been through our rigorous testing process and earned at least four stars out of five.

We've been reviewing audio products for almost 50 years, and have over 100 years of experience between us, so we know a great pair of headphones when we hear one, whether they're the highest of the high end or plucked straight from the bargain bin.

For a full rundown of how we test each pair, check out the how we test section further down this page.

• Apple AirPods Max 2 vs AirPods Max: what's changed?
• Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods Pro 2: what are the differences?
• Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen): which are better?
• Apple AirPods 4 vs AirPods 3: what's new?

The best iPhone headphones we recommend in 2026

The best iPhone headphones overall

If you own an iPhone, you could do a lot worse than pairing it with a pair of Apple's own AirPods. The latest AirPods Pro 3 are the best of the bunch.

Their improvements over the Pro 2 may be small, but they all add up to greater than the sum of their parts. And while on first glance they might look the same as their predecessors, the design has been tweaked: the main body of the buds is smaller, and the eartip’s nozzle angled more towards your ear canal. The mics and vents have also been repositioned.

Not that it's a complete success. Members of our review team whom the Pro 2 fit well found the Pro 3 to protrude a bit too far, while those who didn't get on with the Pro 2 achieved a better fit from the newer model. So you're best off trying them for yourself before you buy.

They have all the features of the Pro 2, plus some health-related ones courtesy of the new built-in heart rate monitor. They do still only support the SBC and AAC codecs, not higher-resolution ones, but that's not the end of the world.

Battery life from the buds has been boosted to eight hours, from six on the Pro 2. But the overall battery life – including the case – has dropped from 30 hours to 24. Disappointing.

But Apple has made strides where it really counts: on noise cancellation and sound quality. The ANC is excellent at cutting you off from the world outside, and it does so in a way that feels natural and unobtrusive. Call quality is impressive, too.

In terms of sound quality, we're looking at the the best-sounding 'buds Apple has ever made. Theirs is a wonderfully balanced, neutral and cohesive sonic profile that still manages to be musical and entertaining. This straight-down-then-line approach works well with whatever genre you throw at it, as we discovered during testing.

"There is bite and attack to the crunchy, brash highs of Fontaines D.C.’s Starburster, while the basslines in Forgot About Dre are taut, agile and tuneful, and punch with quite a good deal of depth and power in Billie Eilish’s Blue," we wrote in our AirPods Pro 3 review.

They make the five-star Pro 2 sound lightweight and slightly sibilant in comparison.

Apple headphones work seamlessly with Apple phones. And when they're as good as the AirPods Pro 3, they're a bit of a no-brainer.

Read the full Apple AirPods Pro 3 review

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The best premium over-ear iPhone headphones

The AirPods Max 2 arrived in a very different landscape of wireless headphones compared to their predecessors. Rival pairs have undoubtedly caught up, but none can match the seamless usability when paired with an iPhone.

That hasn't changed since the original pair, and there's plenty else the same besides. The design, case, battery life and price are all identical to their forebears, which is a little disappointing. But thankfully there are some improvements to enjoy.

The H2 chip enables new features like Conversation Awareness, Adaptive Audio, next-gen Adaptive EQ, personalised volume and Siri gestures. You can also use Live Translation, though you'll the iPhone 16 or later.

There are still no higher-quality codecs supported like LDAC or aptX HD, but you can listen to lossless quality wired using the USB-C cable.

The ANC is an improvement on the original pair. During a journey on the London Underground, we found the cans did "a fine job of damping down the loud rumbles and screeches so they don’t intrude upon the music," we wrote in our AirPods Max 2 review. "The noise-cancelling effect is also quite natural and airy, and you're never much aware of the processing going on each second."

If it's complete silence you're after, you will be better served by another of the best noise-cancelling headphones around. But for a comfortable effect that you can use for hours, the Max 2 do the job handsomely.

Inside are the same 40mm drivers as before, but paired with a new high dynamic range amplifier, revised DSP (Digital Signal processing) and updated Adaptive EQ. Which makes for an improved sound.

There are small gains in detail, precision, dynamics and weight, while retaining the same winning character as the originals. But the top end is slightly rolled off, which loses some crispness and bite. "The brash, exciting dynamic upheavals in Fontaines D.C.'s Starburster sound a little restrained when we’d have liked to hear more attitude and attack," for example.

However, the full-bodied sound certainly has its place, making the Max 2 a worthy addition to this list.

Read the full Apple AirPods Max 2 review

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The best cheap on-ear iPhone headphones

Under-promise, over-deliver – it's often said that's a recipe for success. While Sony isn't shy of talking up the WH-CH520, for the £50 price you might expect to be underwhelmed.

You'd be surprised.

Now let's temper expectations a little here – they don't have a premium feel. But then they don't feel shoddy either. They're definitely solidly built, and the earcups are comfortable enough to wear for long listening sessions.

Which you may well indulge in, given that the battery lasts an impressive 50 hours on a single charge.

Sonically they're balanced and deliver plenty of detail, making them easy to enjoy (of course, the usual 'for the money' caveat applies here).

The dynamics could use a bit more pep, but they provide an involving listen with plenty to like.

And features? These include Bluetooth Multipoint (which can be missing from pairs costing five times as much), Android Fast Pair, and Sony's Sound Connect app which gives you control over the equaliser and the ability to personalise the sound to your specific hearing profile.

All for £50. Your iPhone won't know what's hit it.

Read the full Sony WH-CH520 review

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The best ANC over-ear iPhone headphones

Sony might have its own range of smartphones, but its headphones aren't restricted to them – they work just as well with iPhones as with any other phones. Which is good news for iPhone owners.

The Award-winning XM6 recently replaced the previous Award-winning XM5, and they're another stunning pair of over-ears. With a killer combination of class-leading sound and supreme active noise cancellation (ANC), they're the best all-rounders around right now, and certainly the best ANC over-ears for your iPhone.

They're more comfortable than their predecessors, thanks to a flatter, wider headband. And they fold up into a ball (the XM5 only folded flat), which makes transporting them much easier.

They're bursting with features too, with LC3, LE Audio and Auracast support as well as 360 Reality Audio Upmix for Cinema, which adds Sony’s spatial audio processing to any content you’re watching in stereo.

They use sound technology from Sony's Walkman range of premium music players to deliver stunning audio quality. As we wrote in our Sony WH-1000XM6 review, they "deliver the most detailed, dynamic, precise and open sound we’ve heard from a wireless Sony flagship."

The ANC also impresses, coming very close to Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen). Considering those are the current industry-leaders, that's quite an achievement.

If you can't find the extra cash for the XM6, the XM5 are still on sale, and are likely to see some sizeable discounts now that they're being phased out. They too would make a fine partner for your iPhone.

Read our full Sony WH-1000XM6 review

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The best audiophile over-ear iPhone headphones

Focal made a name for itself with its premium wired headphones, and it's applied the same attention to detail with this, its first Bluetooth pair.

They still sit at the upper end of the market, but not at the pinnacle – that honour goes to the newer Award-winning Focal Bathys Mg, which are around twice the price of the standard Bathys.

Unsurprisingly given the price, they're a very plush pair of headphones. And the wireless performance is among the most engaging we've heard – smooth, warm-bodied, with buckets of rhythmic ability.

They're more than comfortable enough to wear for longer listening sessions too – just plug in using the USB-C port (you'll need an adapter if you're using an iPhone 14 or earlier, as these models have Lightning ports in place of USB-C).

Their wired performance is even better than their wireless, being tighter and more refined.

Oh, and they pack noise cancellation, too. It's not up there with the finest over-ears, but it is still very effective, and doesn't impinge too much on the sound quality either.

Read the full Focal Bathys review

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The best cheap iPhone earbuds

We're always a bit nervous when follow-ups to Award-winners are announced. When we're so enamoured with the original, how can a sequel ever match up?

Thankfully, once we got our review unit of the Sony WF-C510, we breathed a huge sigh of relief: it's another Award-winning effort from Sony.

They do feel a bit cheaper than the C500, but we can forgive that, given the quality of the experience they offer (they also launched at a significantly lower price than their predecessors).

Sonically, they're a clear step up, with all the musicality and detail of the C500 but with more richness and body – imagine a Michelin-starred sauce compared to a shop-bought version.

In our review, we described the sound as "solid, weighty and driven". For the money, it really can't be beaten.

If you do want a step up, you'll need the five-star WF-C710N, which also bring active noise cancellation (ANC) to the mix.

The WF-C510 may not have ANC, but they do have Ambient Sound Control. This allows in some outside sound while you're listening, to keep you aware of your surroundings.

It's usually only found on headphones with ANC, but it works very well here, and will be of particular use to runners wanting to stay safe or those wary of busy environments.

iPhone owners are treated just like those on Android, thanks to the superb Sony Sound Connect app (previously known as Headphones Connect).

And with 11 hours of runtime per charge (and 22 hours using the charging case), you won't have to plug in too often.

For the money, these really are unbeatable, whether you're using an iPhone or not.

Read the full Sony WF-C510 review

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The best ANC iPhone earbuds

If you want a pair of noise cancelling headphones without the bulk, then the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) are for you. Despite being an in-ear pair, they have superb active noise cancellation to make your iPhone music listening more focussed than ever.

They're even better than their predecessors in terms of noise cancellation, with smoother transitions in levels of ANC to more seamlessly nullify sudden loud noises. But they're also very adept at keeping out constant background sound.

Their effect is so dramatic that some may find being cocooned in silence a bit eerie. But if it's silence you want, these are the earbuds for you.

As we wrote in our Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) review: "Noises across the sonic spectrum, be they clacking keyboards, chattering colleagues or cars beeping their horns on the street, simply dissolve into near-insignificance, with harsher and more intrusive sounds shut out even more effectively than before."

But there's more to them than noise cancellation. Bose has also boosted the sound quality, not by means of a new driver, but by tweaking the existing one. This means an improved bass response and a smoother high end.

Notes have more texture too, making for a crisper sound with more richness and authenticity. And wireless charging now comes as standard (their predecessors required an accessory to enable the feature).

Otherwise, it's business as usual, but that's no bad thing. The stability bands make a welcome return, and make up for the rather miserly three sizes of eartips that come in the box (most pairs give you four or even five sizes). The touch controls are again responsive and intuitive.

The 24-hour battery life is bettered elsewhere, and it's still eaten away if you turn on Bose's rather underwhelming Immersive Audio feature. But for a pair of noise-cancelling earbuds for your iPhone, these really are the best around.

Read the full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) review

The best premium earbuds

Technics? Doesn't it make turntables?

It does, but less well known is the brand's range of headphones, the latest of which have caused a bit of a stir among the premium earbuds crowd. And yes – they work effortlessly with iPhones.

Because they're so small and light, you can wear them for hours and barely notice them. The touch controls on each bud are completely customisable, so you can set them up to work exactly how you want.

The Bluetooth connection didn't drop out once during our testing (using an iPhone 12), and the buds support SBC, AAC, LDAC and the LC3 codec (which supports LE (Low Energy) Audio), so they will get the best audio possible out of a whole range of sources.

The battery life (10 hours from the buds; 28 hours using the charging case) is also up there with the best at the money.

And the sound? "Wonderfully clear and open," as we wrote in our Technics EAH-AZ100 review. In terms of openness and spaciousness, it's even more impressive than the Sony WF-1000XM5, which is really saying something.

From highs to lows and everything in between, they're exact, with plenty of punch that never becomes overwhelming.

They excel in terms of noise cancellation as well. You can adjust it yourself, or leave it up to the buds to do, factoring in the amount of background noise in your surroundings.

It's not quite as effective as the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen), but it does the job with aplomb, and without the feel of sucking the air out of your ears, making it comfortable enough to use for hours.

True all-rounders, then. iPhone owners in search of premium earbuds, your search is over.

Read the full Technics EAH-AZ100 review

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Also consider

The best iPhone headphones alternatives we've tested:

Sony WH-CH720N: A little pricier than the Sony WH-CH520 above, but with noise cancelling capabilities, these Award-winners are still excellent value.

Earfun Air: About as cheap as wireless headphones get, these sound phenomenal for the money and are surprisingly well-specced.

Apple AirPods 4 with ANC: The ANC works very well despite the lack of eartips, but they don't quite match up to the quality on show in the main list. But if you can't afford the AirPods Pro 3, they're definitely worth a look.

Sony WH-1000XM5: They might have been replaced by the XM6, but these Award winners are still stunning. And they have dropped to scandalously low prices recently.

Sony WF-C710N: Pricier than the C510 but with added noise cancellation, these five-star 'buds are for you if you want to silence the world outside your iPhone without spending big.

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: Typically B&W, these are beautifully crafted headphones that sound as good as they look. Not cheap, but then quality rarely is.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (1st Gen): They're not quite as advanced as their successors in the main list, but these 2023 earbuds still offer some of the best noise cancellation of any earbuds, and they might be found going for a song.

AirPods Pro 2: Apple's previous premium pair still have good sound quality and ANC, and are now discounted. Some people will prefer their fit to the Pro 3, too.

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How to choose the best iPhone headphones for you

The first thing to consider is: are you going wireless?

We would recommend wireless headphones for iPhones – all of the above are wireless – because of their convenience, But if you prefer wired, there are plenty of great pairs available – check them out here.

You'll almost certainly need an adapter though, as modern iPhones lack a 3.5mm headphone jack. iPhones 7-14 have a Lightning port, and the iPhone 15 to 17 ranges USB-C.

If you are going wireless, check which version of Bluetooth the headphones support.

Newer headphones support Bluetooth 5.0 or later, which has much greater range than version 4, so you can stray further from your music source without tunes dropping out.

Noise-cancelling can shut out the outside world and let you hear your music more clearly without cranking it up, saving your hearing, but it can impact battery life – the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100, for example, last a staggering 100 hours with ANC off, but that drops to 60 hours with it turned on.

That's still a long time, but you can see the effect ANC has.

All of these pairs have built-in microphones and controls, too, so you can skip tracks and take calls without fishing your phone out of your pocket or bag.

If you will be using them for calls a lot, dig into our reviews and see what the call quality is like. Usually those with noise cancellation have better call quality, as the noise-cancelling mics can be used to neutralise wind noise.

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How we test iPhone headphones

Between us at What Hi-Fi? we've used every iPhone since the first model (before it even had 3G), and we've tested thousands of pairs of headphones over the years.

As such, we're ideally suited to recommending the best iPhone headphones.

Each pair is subject to our rigorous reviewing process, which involves testing their every feature in a variety of environments and situations. We use them as if we had bought them ourselves, listening on the bus, train, at work, while out for a stroll and – if we can – on a plane.

If they have active noise cancellation (ANC), we listen with it both activated and deactivated to see how it impacts sound quality (headphones usually sound a little better with it switched off). And of course we try the ANC while both listening to music and when not, to gauge how effective it is.

We also try the various modes that use the ANC, like talk through and Adaptive Transparency.

We never review in isolation – rather, each pair is tested against its nearest price rivals to see how they stand up and where your money is best spent. Our stock room is full of our favourite headphones from the last few years, so each pair is pitted against the best in the market.

Review verdicts are agreed upon as a team, rather than one person. Not only does this avoid any personal bias, it also makes sure we haven't missed anything.

We have over 100 years of reviewing experience between us, with experts in each field, so you can rest assured our reviews are the most thorough around. Over nearly 50 years, we've built a reputation as the home of unbiased reviews, and pride ourselves on helping you, the consumer, make the best decision with your budget.

To find out more about our reviews process, check out our dedicated how we test page, and specifically, how we test headphones.

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The iPhone 17 Pro looks great, but the standard iPhone 17 is probably all a cinephile needs

Check out the best noise-cancelling headphones

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F.A.Q

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Recent updates

28th April 2026: Replaced the AirPods Max with the AirPods Max 2, following our review. Replaced 'The quick list' with the tabletop widget.

23rd January 2026: Replaced the AirPods Pro 2 with the AirPods Pro 3. Moved the Pro 2 to 'Also consider'. Culled the AirPods 3 from 'Also consider' due to age. Updated the intro to reflect these changes. Updated Award-winning references to apply to the most recent What Hi-Fi? Awards.

22nd September 2025: Replaced Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds with the newer 2nd Gen model in the main list. Moved the 1st Gen model to the 'Also consider' section.

14th July 2025: Replaced Sony WH-1000XM5 with Sony WH-1000XM6 in the main list. Moved XM5 to 'Also consider' – also added Sony WF-C710N and Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 to that section.

21st March 2025: Added new intro with mention of the iPhone 16e. Broke up copy into more paragraphs to make it easier to read on a mobile device.

16th January 2025: Rewrote intro. Added Technics EAH-AZ100 to main list, and AirPods 4 with ANC to 'Also consider'. Replaced Sony WF-C500 with WF-C510.

10th September 2024: Rewrote intro. Added links to new AirPods models launched alongside iPhone 16. Deleted duplicate headings in 'The Quick List' section.

29th July 2024: Updated intro. Deleted Jump Menu and 'Test results' tables. Added more images to the AirPods Max slideshow. Bolded advisory text within the 'How to choose' section.

13th May 2024: Updated intro. Added Top Tip.

8th March 2024: Swapped Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II for the newer Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. Added Also Consider, F.A.Q. and Recent Updates sections.

5th October 2023: Dropped first-gen AirPods Pro.

25th August 2023: Dropped JBL Live Pro 2 TWS.

7th June 2023: Added new images, reformatted tech specs.

Today's best iPhone headphones deals

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It turns out that Adaptive Transparency will remain exclusive to the new AirPods Pro 2 after all.

Recently users of the original AirPods Pro reported seeing the option appear when using the older wireless earbuds. This prompted speculation that Apple was bringing the feature to the AirPods Pro. But now that's not so, according to Apple analyst Mark Gurman.

He tweets that the emergence of the feature for the older pair was merely a bug.

Adaptive Transparency promises to reduce the effects of loud noises like pneumatic drills and sirens while still allowing in other ambient sounds, so you can stay aware of your surroundings.

It uses Apple's H2 chip, which is exclusive to the AirPods Pro 2. So it makes sense that it wouldn't be enabled on the original AirPods Pro.

Apple still hasn't commented on the feature appearing for the older model. But Gurman's comments certainly suggest this was a mistake on Apple's part. If so, we'd expect it to be rectified with the next version of the iOS 16.1 Beta.

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One of the AirPods Pro 2's cleverest features is coming to the original AirPods Pro.

Adaptive Transparency is one of the Pro 2's most hyped features. It aims to "minimise the intensity of loud noises like sirens or power tools" which can otherwise sound uncomfortably loud when the standard transparency mode is activated. And it appears it'll soon be available on the original AirPods Pro as well as Apple's newer headphones.

MacRumors reports that owners of the original Apple noise-cancelling headphones will see an Adaptive Transparency toggle within the AirPods section of the Settings app. (You'll need the iOS 16.1 Beta to see the option.)

But does it work? The AirPods Pro 2 use a new H2 chip to enable Adaptive Transparency, but the original AirPods Pro run on the older H1 chip. So it's unclear at the moment whether this is just a bug and the option shouldn't have appeared for the older headphones after all.

Apple didn't respond to our request for comment.

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AirPods Pro 2 (2022) vs AirPods Pro: what are the differences?

See how Apple's over-ear headphones perform in our Apple AirPods Max review

These are the best Apple AirPods alternatives: budget to premium

The Apple AirPods Max are usually pricey, if excellent, wireless ANC headphones and right now, you can get a pair (in any color except green) for just $430 or 22% off while stock lasts on this Amazon Labor Day sale.

We loved the AirPods Max, giving them five-stars in our review, appreciating the excellent audio quality and noise cancellation alongside the AirPods' beautiful build quality. If you're looking for the ultimate headphones to use with an Apple device, check out the AirPods Max.

AirPods Max lowest ever Amazon deal

As you might expect, the AirPods Max come with all of the trademarks of an Apple device, including an extremely sleek design and premium build. These headphones very much look and feel like hi-fi. Plus, the AirPods Max are very comfortable, too, even on long trips.

In terms of sound quality, the noise cancellation of the AirPods Max is fantastic, while these headphones produce a punchy, dynamic sound and an immersive listening experience. Apple spatial audio is also handled well on AirPods Max, making these headphones great for watching movies on the go.

If you don't use an Apple device every day, you might want to consider another pair (ideally from our list of the best wireless headphones), but if you're in the Apple ecosystem, there's almost nothing more convenient than using a pair of AirPods.

For Apple fans out there, if you're in the market for some new headphones and have a decent budget at your disposal this could be the deal you've been waiting for. At $120 off the original retail price of $550, it's not often you find Apple products discounted this heavily, so now could be a great time to take the plunge.

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Check out our list of the best cheap wireless headphones

Or our picks for the best noise-canceling earbuds

And our list of the best over-ear headphones

With sales just shy of 400 million, Apple's AirPods are the world's most popular headphones. They've sold about the same number of units as the Rubik's Cube (the world's most popular toy). What makes this more impressive is that a) the Rubik's Cube has been on sale for over 40 years, whereas the AirPods only launched in 2016 b) even the cheapest pair of AirPods costs about 10 times as much as a Rubik's Cube, and c) the AirPods sales figures only go up to 2022. 

Staggering.

While AirPods haven't always been the best-sounding wireless headphones around, their sound quality has improved markedly in recent years, with the AirPods Max and AirPods Pro 2 earning five-star reviews. And their feature sets continue to go from strength to strength.

If you're an Apple user, that is. For anyone not using an iOS, watchOS or macOS device, the experience is rather different. But what exactly can you do with AirPods if you're not locked into the Apple ecosystem, and which features will you miss out on?

Do AirPods work with Android devices?

Yes, they do. Like other wireless headphones, every iteration of AirPods – the AirPods, AirPods Pro and AirPods Max – connects to a source device using Bluetooth, so they'll connect to any smartphone, tablet, computer or portable music player that's Bluetooth-enabled – which these days is most of them.

But that's not the full story. 

Apple keeps some of the best features exclusive to its own devices, so you'll need an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch or Mac to take advantage of them. It's almost as if Apple is pushing its own products, eh?

AirPods still work as wireless headphones, and features like noise-cancelling and transparency (if applicable) work the same across any device. But without an Apple source, you'll still miss out on plenty of neat features...

• Read our AirPods Pro 2 review
• See how they compare: AirPods Pro 2 vs AirPods Pro: which is better?

AirPods features that are Apple-only 

1. Full Spatial Audio
It's true that Apple's Spatial Audio technology works with any headphones, but for the full-blown experience, you'll need AirPods to be paired with an Apple device. This adds dynamic head tracking, meaning that with compatible content, as you move your head, the audio stays tethered to the screen from which it's coming. When paired with an Apple device, AirPods also allow Spatialise Stereo, which creates a similar effect with regular, non-Dolby-Atmos-encoded audio tracks. It allows you to get a similar surround sound experience from regular, non-multi-channel audio tracks thanks to computational technology.

2. Audio Sharing
Want to let a friend in on what you're listening to? Now it's easier than ever thanks to Audio Sharing. Just connect two pairs of AirPods to an Apple device, and you can both listen to the same audio, and without disturbing everyone else in the train carriage/library/lecture theatre.

3. Siri
Another neat feature that's exclusive to Apple devices, purely because non-Apple devices don't have Siri. On the first-generation AirPods, you double tap the earbud, wait for the chime, then make your request. But the second- and third-gen AirPods, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Max are all always listening out – just say "Hey Siri" and speak your request.

4. Read out messages
Speaking of Siri, Apple's personal assistant can read out the battery life, iMessages and more, as long as you're using an Apple device, of course. All you have to do is ask.

5. Customise controls
When paired with an Apple device, AirPods can be customised. You can choose which earbud tap or double-press fulfills what certain function – be it activating Siri, playing or pausing content, or skipping to the next audio track.

6. Quick pairing
Pairing most devices involves you finding them in a Bluetooth menu on your device and selecting them. But with AirPods and an Apple device, pairing is much simpler. As long as Bluetooth is switched on, just open your AirPods case, hold them near to your iPhone or iPad and follow the on-screen instructions. Bingo.

• Pair this: iPhone 16: price and release date rumours, leaks, predictions and more
• Find the best AirPods Max alternatives for non-iOS users

7. iCloud pairing
Once you've set up your AirPods with one Apple device (like an iPhone), they should connect automatically to your other Apple devices providing you're signed in with it using the same Apple ID. So sign in on all your devices and enjoy seamless transition between them with your AirPods.

8. Automatically stop playback
Take the AirPods out of your ears, and audio playback will stop, so you don't miss a beat. Plenty of other headphones also have this feature, but with the AirPods, it only happens when paired with an Apple device.

9. Switch audio
Take your AirPods out of your ears, and playback not only stops but also switches to your iPhone. Don't worry, it won't blare out to be heard by anyone in the vicinity. It stays paused, the theory being you won't want it playing through your AirPods if you're not wearing them. Which makes sense. Put them back into your ears, and audio switches back to them and resumes playing.

10. One-bud listening
If you're using your AirPods when going to sleep on your side, you might find it more comfortable only wearing one. Paired with an Apple device, your AirPods can play through only one earbud, saving battery life on the other.

11. Ear Tip Fit Test
The AirPods Pro feature different-sized ear tips, and to make sure you have a good fit, you can take an Ear Tip Fit Test through your iOS device. Make sure your device is running iOS 13.2 or later, then open Settings and go to Bluetooth, where you'll see the test. This will analyse your fit and advise you on how to get the best seal, which will ensure you get optimal noise cancellation and sound quality.

12. Adaptive EQ
Some models of AirPods adjust their sound in real-time based on how they fit in your ear. That means the equaliser adapts depending on ambient sound, so if you go into a noisy cafe, the audio will compensate.

13. Find My AirPods
Lost your AirPods? Not to worry. Find My AirPods will let you locate your AirPods on a map, and play a sound to help you find them (handy if they're just down the back of the sofa). But because it works through iCloud, you'll need to have them paired with an Apple device to make it work.

MORE:

Read our Sony WF-1000XM5 review

These are the best AirPods alternatives

Go behind the scenes: How the AirPods 3 were made – and how Apple plans to make them even better

Wireless headphones are getting better. Bluetooth software is getting better, headphones hardware is still hitting new heights, and manufacturers are getting braver in taking advantage of both to make higher and higher-end wireless pairs – no doubt, to some extent at least, thanks to a company as big as Apple having very publicly pushed up the price parameters with its AirPods Max. So far this year, Mark Levinson, T+A and Bowers & Wilkins are all aspiring for next-level wireless headphones performance, priced as such.

The wired headphone has been safe, albeit existing on the sidelines of a vast headphones market dominated by wireless over-ears and true wireless earbuds. Safe in the knowledge that, at one end of the spectrum, some people will always just be happy using those bundled in the box or “any old pair”, and at the other that wireless headphones haven’t been able to achieve good enough sound quality to impact the audiophile or professional studio space. Indeed, wires have remained necessary in this increasingly wireless world to deliver ultimate audio quality to those who crave it.

So will this new slew of higher-end wireless headphones delivering audio performances, and carrying price tags, twice and thrice those we have classified as ‘premium pairs’ in recent years jeopardise that? Really, how close to 'wired-level' sound are they?

Wireless performance is hitting new heights

When we got our ears around the AirPods Max almost two years ago, we were left with no choice but to brand them with a big fat five-star What Hi-Fi? logo on the account that they sounded considerably better than the then-class-leading Sony WH-1000XM4 and therefore justified the fairly significant price gap.

It was the same with the Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless, which also stand out on our best wireless headphones list due to their high price: they sounded a level or two above the Sonys, Sennheisers, Boses and the like, even if they were positioned as more for home rather than portable use. Only time will tell whether this will be the case for the forthcoming Bowers & Wilkins Px8, or other similarly priced pairs that will inevitably knock on the door soon.

When we recently reviewed the Mark Levinson No.5909 – double the price of the Apples and Beyerdynamics, and suffice to say the most expensive Bluetooth pair we’ve come across so far (though there are now others in this fledgling field, such as T+A’s Solitaire T), the same was true again. The wireless performance benchmark had been raised much further. In the context of wireless headphones (where to a varying extent, sound quality always makes way for convenience), five stars. If the convenience of wireless and/or noise cancellation is important to you, the Mark Levinsons compromise on sound quality the least to give it to you.

People willing to drop four figures on headphones have been around for years, of course, as the existence and success of established high-end headphone manufacturers – Audeze, T+A, Grado, Sennheiser, Stax, Focal etc – proves. Perhaps you are one of them? There will be people willing to do the same for wireless pairs too, and perhaps you are one of those. Still, this admirable wireless headphone ambition doesn’t make wired headphones obsolete.

Wired > Wireless...

Wireless headphones performance has incrementally improved over years and model generations to the point where the best pairs really are now very good indeed – and certainly good enough to appease most people.

Has the wireless headphones market now reached maturity to satisfy those audiophiles who have so far resisted making the switch? While the gap is being closed, it is still wide enough (and then some) to justify the existence of wired headphones. After all, even the wireless Mark Levinsons only equate to the performance of something like the wired Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro X in strict performance terms.

Throw a good DAC like the Chord Mojo 2 in there and the preference falls into that combo’s favour. And all for less than the price of the No.5909. Everything above that, of which there is a lot, from the brands listed above and otherwise, is therefore untouched by wireless pairs and therefore still relevant for audiophilic or professional use.

In fact, the increasing accessibility of higher-quality music through streaming services – where collectively we consume most of our music today – has arguably made wired headphones more relevant than they have been for years. Are CD-quality streams worth playing through wireless headphones? We have heard differences between low-res streams and ‘lossless’ (CD quality) ones through the better crop of wireless headphones and sources (even if the transmission of the latter is never actually lossless; it discards some song data in the process in order to be more efficient and that’s an inherent limitation of Bluetooth today).

But the majority of wireless pairs connected to a phone, laptop or hi-fi source playing these lossless streams won’t be transparent enough for listeners to benefit from the truly significant quality gap between the music files. The relationship between hi-res music and wireless headphones is even rockier, due to the music having even more information in it than the latter is able to communicate due to Bluetooth and/or hardware limitations.

If people want truly good-quality music on the go or at their desk, it’s actually never been easier to get it. But for that, you do ideally need – guess what – wired headphones. (And preferably also a portable DAC that can feed them more of the music signal than your phone or computer will be able to – something that as of late is now available in discreet, affordable forms to encourage high-quality headphones listening while keeping its inconvenience as minimal as possible.)

…but for how long?

Will we ever see the day that wireless headphones and Bluetooth technology are good enough to wave goodbye to wired models? It seems mad to think that highest-end wired headphones and IEMs could actually be surpassed in the sound department by wireless alternatives.

But we could comfortably in our lifetimes see a day where wireless headphones are dutiful servants to the quality that audio is recorded in; where wired headphones are only truly necessary for studios and serious hi-fi set-ups.

That’ll be down to how much progress is made in the Bluetooth arena unless headphones receiving hi-res music over wi-fi becomes a practical solution first. Bluetooth is predominantly the limiting factor in today’s wireless headphones as it cannot transmit hi-res audio losslessly – i.e. without chucking away a chunk of a file’s data in the compression stage of its transmission process. Right now, it’s proven impossibly tricky for Bluetooth to accommodate a bandwidth or bit-rate high enough to carry full-fat hi-res audio while providing a stable, low-energy connection between two devices.

Many new developments around Bluetooth are still primarily concerned with making headway in energy consumption and wireless range, as my colleague Jez Ford has recently discussed. But telecoms giant Qualcomm, who has played a major part in progressing Bluetooth quality through its aptX codecs, has now come up with aptX Lossless. This new Bluetooth codec can supposedly transmit CD quality (though not hi-res) truly losslessly – an unprecedented feat and, you have to believe, a coup for the progression of portable wireless audio. While this will start reaching the first wave of headphones and sources (likely phones) within the next 12 months, supporting devices will no doubt come in more of a trickle than a tidal wave to begin with. After all, aptX HD (which can transmit lossless and hi-res, albeit lossily) was released in 2016 and only in the past year or two has there been a decent choice of compatible products on the market. 

Considering this timeline, we might not have lossless transmission of hi-res audio over Bluetooth until the 2030s. For now, if you love music and want to hear it between your ears the best way you are able in the high-quality audio that is fortunately now on offer, consider taking a minor hit on inconvenience and going the wired way with a portable DAC. Because even spending around four figures on the best wireless pairs around, as fantastic as they may be for their intended purpose, won’t compare.

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The problem with hi-res audio is how you might be listening to it

Disney Plus has released a new update of its app for Apple TV 4K that supports Dolby Atmos with Spatial Audio with AirPods headphones.

Previously, Airpods users watching Disney Plus content were limited to 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus audio on Apple TV 4K, despite the streaming service supporting Dolby Atmos on other devices. However, the app's most recent version (2.9.5), released last week, can now handle Dolby Atmos for Airpods Pro, AirPods Max and AirPods 3 headphones, with Apple's proprietary Spatial Audio processing. The update also enables Dolby Atmos support on the original Apple HomePod speaker.

Similar to Dolby Atmos for Headphones and Sony 360 Reality Audio, Apple's Spatial Audio takes 5.1, 7.1 and Dolby Atmos signals and applies directional audio filters. These filters adjust the frequencies that each ear hears so sounds are placed virtually anywhere in 3D space.

Uniquely, Apple’s Spatial Audio processing doesn't only provide virtualised surround and Atmos sound; it can also track your head movement using the accelerometers and gyroscopes in the AirPods to position the sound accurately as you move.

Meanwhile, another new Disney Plus update, this time for Android TV, has been less successful, with users initially reporting a total loss of Atmos support after installing version 2.9.1 on a range of devices, including Sony Bravia and TCL TVs. Though, as of yesterday (26th July), the issue appears to have been widely resolved without needing an additional software fix.

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Apple spatial audio: what is it? How do you get it? And is it like Dolby Atmos?

The case for the AirPods Max isn't very good, but Apple could fix that with its next generation of over-ear headphones. According to Patently Apple (via 9to5Mac), the firm has patented a new case for its next AirPods Max. And it looks a lot better than the original.

Not exactly hard, you might be thinking. The AirPods Max case was universally derided not only for its looks (many compared it to a bra), but also for its awful functionality – it doesn't really protect the headphones. In our review, we called it "near pointless".

But the new case should change all that. For starters, it would cover all of the headphones, unlike the original. It would also feature a magnetic clasp that could have a similarly satisfying open-and-close mechanism to the standard AirPods case.

According to the patent, the case would still drop the headphones into ultra-low power mode, which can preserve the battery for months. That was about the only useful feature of the original case that we found.

A new case was one of our top requests that we'd like to see in the AirPods Max 2. Looks like Apple has been paying attention. Now it just needs to add lossless compatibility, a 3.5mm headphone jack and a bundled audio cable, and we'll be happy.

MORE:

Our wish list: AirPods Max 2: 9 things we'd like to see from Apple's next over-ear headphones 

Check out our round-up of the best noise-cancelling headphones and best wireless headphones

Check out the best Apple deals live now

Apple's WWDC conference has officially started and there's already some interesting news concerning Apple spatial audio to report back on.

During the keynote address from senior vice president (SVP) of software engineering Craig Federighi, it was announced that in iOS 16, users will be able to use the iPhone's TrueDepth camera to create a personalised spatial audio profile.

Apple spatial audio is designed to deliver surround sound and 3D audio through headphones – optimally through the AirPods 3, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max and Beats Fit Pro – and first arrived as part of iOS 14.

Essentially it takes 5.1, 7.1 and Dolby Atmos signals and applies directional audio filters, adjusting the frequencies that each ear hears so that sounds can be placed virtually anywhere in 3D space. Sounds can appear to be coming from in front of you, from the sides, the rear, and even above to recreate the audio experience of being in a 3D space.

To achieve this feat, Apple uses Head-Related Transfer Functions, a mathematical way to understand and offset the differences in the physicality of a listener that affect their perception of space, from the shape of a person's ears to the width and shape of their head.

Apple currently uses the physical data of thousands of different people, measuring the sound and the response of their ears in multiple different directions to create a generic HRTF that’s closest to the average person's perceptual response. This is done so Spatial Audio can work for as many people as possible.

But where does the personalised element come in, exactly? In today's announcement, Apple said that users would now be able to create a personal sonic profile using the TrueDepth camera on their iPhone. Presumably, the user will have to take photos of their ears from various angles before they're analysed.

We've seen companies use a similar type of technology before. Most notably Sony's Headphones App allows users to scan their ears using their camera phones to optimise the performance of its  WH-1000XM4, WF-1000XM4 and WH-1000XM5 headphones when listening to content in its own spatial audio format, Sony 360 Reality Audio, while Creative SXFI's app also encourages ear and head photography to improve its sonic delivery.

Apple iOS 16 features many new improvements to the iPhone, including an overhauled lock screen and new privacy features. The public beta version will arrive in July, with a full rollout slated for late 2022 for iPhone 8 devices and above.

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Apple spatial audio: what is it? How do you get it? And is it like Dolby Atmos?

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Historically, the relationship between the iPhone and hi-res music over the years has been a complicated one. It’s a shame, because we’ve always found iPhones to be among the best smartphones where sound quality is concerned.

Apple has never really pushed the notion of playing high-resolution audio on its smartphones and users have had to rely on workarounds to get their iPhones to play nicely with hi-res files.

Times have changed, however. Thanks to the emergence of music streaming services armed with tens of millions of hi-res tracks, it’s actually never been easier to get hi-res music onto your iPhone. In fact, Apple is positively encouraging it, thanks to the arrival of Lossless and Hi-Res Lossless tracks on its Apple Music streaming service.

So the job of getting hi-res music on your iPhone has become easier, but what about playing it? Being able to enjoy multiple flavours of hi-res audio is possible, but depending on the quality of the files or streams you want to play, there can be a bit of extra work involved. Allow us to explain...

• High-resolution audio: everything you need to know

What music files can your iPhone play?

Let’s start with what the iPhone can do out of the box. According to Apple’s own specs, it can play MP3, AAC, ALAC, WAV and AIFF audio files. The iPhone also supports FLAC files, but only through Apple’s Files app. This was introduced as part of iOS11, which launched in 2017. There is no native support for DSD.

• MP3, AAC, WAV, FLAC: all the audio file formats explained

How do I transfer hi-res files to my iPhone?

Before the advent of hi-res music streaming services, hi-res files would normally be stored on a computer, and you’d need to employ a third-party app such as Vox or Onkyo HF player to play them back on your smartphone. This would involve dragging and dropping files from your Mac laptop or desktop to these apps on your iPhone.

However, the likes of Apple Music, Tidal and Amazon Music HD all offer iOS apps, allowing you to either stream hi-res music through the iPhone directly or download and store hi-res files through these apps onto your iPhone. This means they’re available to listen to “offline” i.e. when you don’t have any wi-fi or mobile network access.

• Apple Music lossless: which devices will (and won't) play lossless

Can you listen to hi-res audio on an iPhone over Bluetooth?

The removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack has pushed people more towards wireless headphones such as the AirPods 3 and AirPods Max. The only problem here is that you can’t transmit full-fat hi-res audio over Bluetooth, full stop.

Some formats such as aptX HD Bluetooth and LDAC allow for hi-res files to be streamed wirelessly between compatible devices – but not without compression. The former supports audio at 24-bit/48kHz, but uses compression and has a maximum data rate of 576kbps. The latter supports up to 32-bit/96kHz over Bluetooth but only with a data rate of 990kbps. Both of these are lower than the data rate of CD (1411kbps), which isn’t technically hi-res. 

Even if these Bluetooth codecs did fully support hi-res, not even the latest iPhones support them anyway. iPhone supports Apple's own AAC Bluetooth codec and, like any other codec, cannot transmit hi-res music losslessly (i.e. without compression).

So how can the iPhone play hi-res music?

If you want to play hi-res music you are limited by the DACs inside Apple’s devices. 

To listen via a pair of wired headphones, you need to use Apple’s Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter which is limited to supporting 24-bit/48kHz.

Technically, 24-bit/48kHz is classed as hi-res as it's above 'CD quality's 16-bit/44.1kHz, but some tracks from the aforementioned streaming services will be 24-bit/96kHz or even 24-bit/192kHz. If you try and play these files through the same adapter, the iPhone will just downsample them to 24-bit/48kHz.

Similarly, you could go down the Lightning headphones route and plug a pair straight into your iPhone, but these headphones are quite rare and you’ll also need to check what resolution their DAC can handle. We haven’t come across any that can handle above 24-bit/48kHz.

Really, if you want to listen to anything at 24-bit/96kHz or higher, you need to connect your iPhone to an external DAC...

• DACs: everything you need to know

What do you need to play hi-res on your iPhone?

First, you’ll need to invest in Apple’s Lightning-to-USB camera adapter which forms a link between your iPhone and a third-party DAC.

Next, you need a decent DAC such as the Audioquest DragonFly Cobalt, Cyrus soundKey or Chord Mojo 2 and a good pair of headphones, such as the Grado SR325x, Shure Aonic 3 or Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro X.

This is just a starting point, of course. Don’t be afraid to build up to a more revealing system. You could combine the Chord Hugo 2 DAC with a pair of Beyerdynamic T1 (3rd Generation) headphones for a more premium set-up. That might be a touch overkill and punishingly transparent for an iPhone, but these are hi-res files, after all.

Remember, a number of these DACs usually have ways of indicating what sample rate is being played, so you can make sure your headphones are being fed the best sound quality possible from your files.

Of course, we’ll be the first to admit that connecting external kit to your iPhone 13 isn’t the most elegant solution, but if you want to hear the full original resolution of your hi-res files through your iPhone above and beyond 24-bit/48kHz, using an external DAC with your iPhone really is the only way to go.

Will that be the case forever? We hope not. With rumours of iPhones switching from a Lightning port to USB-C refusing to go away, we have pondered whether this will change things or increase support to, say, 192kHz? Directly, it won't – a connection is a connection and it’ll come down to whether Apple allows the DACs inside its future iPhones and/or adaptors to passthrough higher than 48kHz sample rates uncompressed. That said, the switch to USB-C could have indirect implications on how we consume higher-quality music on iPhones.

Ever since Apple started offering hi-res streams on Apple Music, we have wondered why Apple hasn’t cashed in and launched its own DAC – one of a higher quality than its fundamentally crude Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter (which is essentially a DAC and low-power amplifier that arguably acts as more of an 'enabler' than an 'improver'). Perhaps the ‘Apple DAC’ pot is already brewing, waiting for the USB-C switch. Apple will surely develop its own Lightning-to-USB-C adapter to cover its billion+ legacy devices out there, but perhaps there is an opportunity for something better too.

As for existing third-party USB-C DACs, that could well be one less adapter (and bit of bulk) required for them to fit into a new iPhone – that is, if Apple allows them to play ball with iPhones from a software and power current point of view, which has been a hurdle for some supporting iPhones in the past.

• Apple Lightning headphones: everything you need to know
• Our pick of the best iPhones for picture and sound
• Check out the best iPhone deals

Google has launched a pair of wireless earbuds with active noise-cancellation, meaning it can finally rival the AirPods Pro, Sony WF-1000XM4 and Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3.

The Pixel Buds Pro are essentially the Pixel Buds A-Series with added noise cancellation. Considering the A-Series scored five out of five in our review, that bodes very well indeed.

Much like the Tensor processor found in the Google Pixel 6 smartphone, the ANC has been custom built by Google. It uses a custom six-core audio chip, Google-developed algorithms tuned by its in-house audio engineering team, and custom speakers.

Because they poke into your ear canal, some noise-cancelling earbuds can feel too intrusive, but Google claims the Pixel Buds Pro will avoid this. How? With patented Silent Seal technology, which adapts to the shape of your ear to cancel the optimum amount of noise. Built-in sensors monitor the pressure in your ear canal to make sure they stay comfortable. And when you want to hear the outside world, the Transparency mode lets in ambient audio.

Volume EQ tweaks the balance as you adjust the volume, and later this year, spatial audio will arrive via a firmware update. Apple has had some success with its Dolby Atmos-esque spatial audio on the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max, so we're intrigued to see how Google's version measures up. Like Apple's, it will anchor the audio to the source, such as your smartphone, so as you turn your head, the direction of the sound adjusts accordingly.

Multipoint lets you connect wirelessly to multiple devices and switch between them seamlessly, and the mics can cancel out wind noise for handsfree calls. Google Assistant is also onboard for voice commands.

The Pixel Buds Pro battery life is a claimed seven hours with ANC activated, while the case promises another 13 hours of run time, making for a total battery life of up to 20 hours. That's a little shy of the 24 offered by the current class-leaders, the Sony WF-1000XM4.

The buds are rated IPX4 splashproof, while the case is IPX2. The buds have a soft matte finish, and their two-tone design comes in four colours: Coral, Lemongrass, Fog and Charcoal.

Pre-orders start 21st July, and they'll set you back £179 ($199, AU$299). That's more than the non-noise-cancelling Pixel Buds A-Series, but less than the AirPods Pro. Look out for a full review soon.

MORE:

See our pick of the best noise-cancelling earbuds 2022: budget and premium

And here's our roundup of the best wireless headphones 2022

Need something for the 10k? These are the best running headphones and wireless earbuds 2022

Apple's AirPods Pro 2 could double as your next workout coach. According to a patent spotted by Apple Insider, Apple's wireless earbuds could monitor your head position during exercises in order to make sure you're performing them correctly.

The patent in question is called "Wireless Ear Bud System With Pose Detection". As well as exercise, this could be used to make Spatial Audio more accurate, as even micro movements of the head result in slight shifts in sonic output.

The patent details how a "host electronic device" (most likely an iPhone) could take data wirelessly from the earbuds' sensors like an accelerometer and "may form part of an earbud system that supplies the user with coaching and feedback while evaluating user performance of a head movement routine or other exercise routine."

In other words, expect to hear things like, "Raise your head more" in your ears while doing a yoga or pilates workout.

These comments could even come direct from your exercise coach on Apple Fitness+, if they can see from your AirPods data that your head isn't in the right position.

Positioning data from the AirPods could be compared to a "neutral reference frame", according to the patent. Apple might even be compiling a catalogue of head positions right now, for future reference. The possibilities are almost endless.

The AirPods Pro 2 aren't expected until later this year, but it's doubtful we'll see them at next month's Apple event alongside the iPhone SE 3 and new iPad Air. The smart money is on sometime at the end of the year, so you will have to wait a while yet to get help perfecting your downward dog. 

MORE:

Get the lowdown on Apple AirPods Pro 2: release date rumours, price news and more

See how they compare: AirPods 2 vs AirPods Pro: which is better?

We rate Apple's first over-ear headphones in our Apple AirPods Max review

Apple Music had a seismic effect on the streaming landscape in 2021, when it introduced hi-res audio at no extra charge. Rivals like Amazon Music Unlimited, Tidal and – eventually – Spotify followed suit, making hi-res lossless audio the standard rather than a premium add-on.

Of course, Apple Music also offers Dolby Atmos-powered Spatial Audio for immersive audio playback. If you've got certain AirPods or Beats buds and a recent iPhone or iPad, you can get Apple's top-tier spatial audio with dynamic head-tracking.

But now for the bad news. Most of Apple's headphones don't support lossless audio. It's only the AirPods Max and AirPods Max 2 that do support it, and then only over the wired USB-C connection. (Apple introduced this feature in 2025.)

That's not the only disappointment. Because while other Apple devices do support lossless, they don't necessarily support the highest quality of lossless that Apple Music offers.

Confused? We don't blame you. But don't worry, we'll explain all so you can make sure you're getting the best possible sound quality from your Apple products, or ensure you're clued up before you make any key purchasing decisions.

So let's take a look at which devices can benefit from Apple's hi-res audio, which don't, and why.

What is Apple Music Lossless?

Essentially, it's Apple embracing hi-res audio. Apple's lossless streams use ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) to offer more detail and information in a recording.

Apple offers three tiers of higher resolution audio: CD quality (16-bit/44.1kHz), Apple Music Lossless (up to 24-bit/48kHz), and Hi-Res Lossless (up to 24-bit/192kHz). You can choose your quality through your iPhone's Settings > Music > Audio Quality section of Apple Music.

All of Apple Music's 100-million+ music catalogue is now available in all three qualities (CD quality, Apple Music Lossless and Hi-Res Lossless). Apple Music Classical (a separate app for classical music that sits alongside your main Apple Music subscription) also features Lossless and Spatial Audio tracks.

Apple Music isn't the first service to offer lossless or hi-res streaming, of course. Tidal, Qobuz and Amazon Music HD all offer CD-quality and 24-bit hi-res listening, while Deezer offers a lossless tier. Spotify Lossless finally joined the gang in 2025, a mere eight years after first being mentioned.

What is Apple Spatial Audio?

Another cornerstone of Apple Music is Spatial Audio, which is designed to provide "multidimensional sound and clarity" delivering surround sound and 3D audio via your headphones (and other devices).

Spatial Audio was initially launched as part of iOS 14 and iPadOS 14, and the newer Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos feature for Apple Music arrived as part of the iOS 14.6 and iPadOS 14.6 updates in 2021.

This takes 5.1, 7.1 and Dolby Atmos signals (as well as stereo music) and applies directional audio filters, adjusting the frequencies that each ear hears so that sounds can be placed virtually anywhere in 3D space. With headphones, sounds will appear to be coming from in front of you, from the sides, the rear and even above. The idea is to recreate the immersive experience of a cinema.

But that's not all. Apple’s spatial audio also offers dynamic head-tracking, which tracks your head movement using accelerometers and gyroscopes in specific AirPods and Beats models, in order to position the sound accurately. This means that even if you turn your head or reposition your device, the music will still be anchored to the screen. "Thousands" of Apple Music tracks were available in Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos at launch, with more being added regularly.

There is also now a Personalised Spatial Audio element to this, which uses your iPhone's TrueDepth camera to capture video of your ears and head shape, thereby tailoring the effect of spatial audio with dynamic head-tracking to you.

• Why the AirPods Max 2 finally sold me on Spatial Audio

Which devices work with Apple Music Lossless?

The big news is that no model of AirPods earbuds support lossless audio. This means that even if you're buying the current flagship AirPods Pro 3, there's no way you can listen to your library of lossless Apple Music songs in any lossless or hi-res format.

But the good news is that the AirPods Max (2024) and AirPods Max 2 do support lossless, albeit only wired through their USB-C cable.

The AirPods earbuds are completely wireless and Apple only supports the lossy AAC (rather than ALAC) codec over Bluetooth. AAC might be a step up from MP3, but nowhere near the quality of lossless. Any ALAC files streamed wirelessly over Bluetooth will be compressed and hence lose the extra detail that makes them lossless in the first place.

And considering Apple doesn't support the higher-quality Qualcomm aptX (and its many variants like aptX Adaptive) or the Sony-developed LDAC codec (which offers the highest lossless data speeds), we're left wondering why Apple has left such an obvious disconnect between its software and hardware.

In better news, Apple's HomePod range of smart speakers do support lossless – that's the HomePod 2 and HomePod Mini, and the now-discontinued HomePod (2018). It's worth noting that they only support lossless up to 24-bit/48kHz (not full Hi-Res Lossless).

Apple's current iPhones (ever since the iPhone 7) natively support lossless – but again, only up to Apple Music Lossless, and not the highest quality Hi-Res Lossless (which delivers up to 24-bit/192kHz). But even here there's a caveat: iPhones are physically capable of playing up to 24-bit/48kHz only.

If you want to listen to Apple Music tracks above 24-bit/48kHz on your iPhone, you'll need to connect an external DAC and use a wired pair of headphones (not wireless). Check out our guide for how to listen to hi-res audio on an iPhone for more information.

The same is true of the Apple TV and iPad families, which are listed as supporting Apple Lossless, but with no mention of Hi-Res Lossless.

Which devices support Spatial Audio?

Apple devices are much better represented when it comes to Spatial Audio through Apple Music.

In fact, Spatial Audio is available on all AirPods and Beats headphones with an H1 or W1 chip. That includes the following AirPods models: AirPods (2019), AirPods 3 (2021), AirPods 4, AirPods 4 with ANC, AirPods Pro (1st gen), AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Max (2020), AirPods Max (2024) and AirPods Max 2 (2026).

Current Beats models that support the feature include the Beats Fit Pro, Powerbeats Pro, Beats Flex, Beats Solo 4, Beats Solo Buds, Beats Studio Buds+ and Beats Studio Pro.

Furthermore, those with the more powerful H2 chip will get the additional dynamic headtracking feature. These models include all models of AirPods Max and AirPods Pro, AirPods 4, AirPods 4 with ANC, AirPods 3 and Beats Fit Pro, Solo 4 and Studio Pro. These same models also support the newer Personalised Spatial Audio feature using an iPhone (with iOS 16 and the TrueDepth camera).

You don't have to line Apple's pockets to hear Dolby Atmos tracks, either. The 'regular' Spatial Audio also works on any headphones connected to an iPhone, iPad or Android device, provided said Android device is compatible with Dolby Atmos and as long as you enable Dolby Atmos manually.

To do so on your iOS device, head to Settings on your iPhone or iPad and then to Music to find the Dolby Atmos option. This will be set to Automatic by default, which means Dolby Atmos tracks will play correctly when you're listening via any W1- or H1/H2-enabled pair of Apple or Beats headphones, but not when you're using third-party headphones. However, if you switch this option to Always On, even non-Apple headphones will play back Dolby Atmos tracks in all their sonic glory.

Note that this only applies to Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio tracks on Apple Music, and not Spatial Audio content from other apps like TV. (Remember, Spatial Audio in the TV app is a slightly different beast in that it also utilises the sensors in Apple's own headphones to enable head-tracking.)

The HomePod 2, original HomePod and HomePod Mini also support Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, so you can fill your room with virtual 3D sound from a wireless speaker in solo and stereo mode. We said in our HomePod 2 review: "A stereo pair of HomePods is particularly beneficial with Dolby Atmos tracks, which sound even more open and three-dimensional, with very impressive spatial placement of voices and instruments."

Various models of iPhones and iPads support Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos (see the full compatible iOS products list in our dedicated Apple Spatial Audio explainer), and playing from either the Apple TV 4K (or older model) into a Dolby Atmos soundbar or system will work, too.

What's next?

When we posed the question to Apple's AirPods acoustic team about not being able to listen to Apple Music Lossless quality using AirPods, we were told: “It is important to understand that we can still make big strides without changing the codec. And the codec choice we have there today, it's more about reliability. So it's about making something robust in all environments.

“We want to push the sound quality forward, and we can do that with a lot of other elements. We don't think that the codec currently is the limitation of audio quality on Bluetooth products.”

It's an intriguing statement. Many brands (Samsung, Sony, Huawei) are making new strides with higher-quality codecs in their latest wireless earbuds, and we wonder if a higher-res codec (or similar) will ever be on the cards for Apple’s headphones range in the future.

Then again, maybe not. The vice president of Apple Music recently said that most people can't tell the difference between standard and lossless audio, which shows just how little Apple values hi-res sound quality. Instead, it's backing the Spatial Audio horse as a genuinely new format, but we haven't found it anywhere near as compelling as a higher quality stereo mix.

Meanwhile, other audio companies continue apace. In 2025, Xiaomi launched the world's first pair of wi-fi earbuds, but because they use Qualcomm's S7 Pro Gen 1 chipset, they don't work with Apple devices. We would wager that Apple is working on its own version of the tech, however, to bring greater range, higher bandwidth and greater power efficiency to AirPods. We'll just have to wait and see...

While hi-res/lossless hasn't been a priority for AirPods or most Apple hardware so far (hearing health capabilities are higher up the list) who knows what the brand might spring upon us in a future update. Spatial audio, however, is here to stay and is ever-present across many wireless earbuds today.

MORE:

Read our AirPods Pro 3 review

And our AirPods Max 2 review

I spoke to Apple to find out the secret behind the AirPods Pro 2’s audio success

12 of the best Dolby Atmos tracks on Tidal, Amazon and Apple Music (and 5 to avoid)

How about some seasonal cheer courtesy of Apple and Amazon? The excellent AirPods Max wireless headphones are down to what we think is their lowest ever price, from £549 to just £399. That's even better than the price we spied earlier this week.

The best deal is on the Silver pair, but the Green colourway is only £5 more. The Blue, Space Gray and Pink versions are £449, which is around the figure the AirPods Max are typically available for these days.

For the uninitiated, the AirPods Max sit at the top of Apple's headphone range, a pair of superb noise-cancelling, wireless over-ears that deliver class-leading sound to fully justify their lofty price, as well as a host of clever Apple features for iPhone owners. We gave them the full five stars in our AirPods Max review.

Today's best AirPods Max deal

Sonically speaking, these are hands-down the best wireless noise-cancellers you can buy, and they marry that superb sound quality with excellent noise-cancelling, the uniquely cinematic spatial audio experience, and the kind of build quality you'd expect from Apple.

These will naturally appeal more to an iOS user, and disappointingly they don't support Apple Music's Hi-Res Lossless Audio tier, but if that doesn't phase you then you won't find yourself disappointed. 

There’s no denying that they cost a lot more than typical products in this class – even with this £150 discount – but, if sound quality is king, there’s equally no denying that they’re worth it.

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Try the best cheap headphones deals for size

Or check out the best AirPods alternatives

AirPods Max vs Sony XM4 vs Bose 700: which is better?

The last few days haven't been all about the iPhone 13 – the Apple TV 4K has been updated too. With its new tvOS 15 operating system – which is available now – the streaming box of tricks gains some significant new skills, like spatial audio support for AirPods, the ability to pair with HomePod Mini speakers, easy switching to AirPods for private listening, and more.

First up, spatial audio support. Apple's audio tech – which makes the audio sound three-dimensional – is now supported through Apple's AirPods Pro and AirPods Max headphones. It also supports dynamic head tracking, so if you move your head, the audio will adjust accordingly for a more realistic experience – turn your back on the screen, and it'll sound like it's coming from behind you, for example (though why you would do that is beyond us).

This works with 5.1, 7.1 and Dolby Atmos audio sources. You can also use the 'spatialise stereo' feature to upscale stereo to near spatial audio three-dimensionality. Spatial audio only works with video at the moment, not gaming, and the streaming app must support it (the Apple TV app, Disney+, HBO Max, iTunes, and Netflix currently do).

tvOS 15 makes it easier to listen through your AirPods, too. It'll detect when your headphones are nearby and show an on-screen notification that enables you to pair them and start listening.

You can now pair one or two HomePod Mini speakers to your Apple TV 4K, and take the TV's audio (including audio from connected HDMI devices like game consoles) through HDMI eARC and beam it wirelessly to HomePod Mini.

There are also new screensavers, a new video player UI, and Siri on HomePod can now do more with voice controls (like start playing content) instead of just powering the Apple TV on or off or adjusting volume.

tvOS apps will be able to use Face ID on a user's iPhone or iPad to log in and authenticate payments, there are some HomeKit camera enhancements, and you can unlock smart locks with your Apple Watch or iPhone with the Apple TV acting as the hub.

SharePlay – which lets you group watch – is delayed, as is Dolby Atmos and lossless support directly on HomePod when it's not connected to the Apple TV.

The update is available now, but some features are exclusive to the Apple TV 4K, not the more affordable Apple TV HD.

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See what's next: Apple AirPods 3: price, design, release date, leaks and news

Apple spatial audio: what is it? How do you get it?

Read our Apple TV 4K (20201) review

Apple seems to have cut down its list of devices that support Spatial Audio through built-in speakers (via AppleInsider).

A handful of older iPhones and iPads, which were previously thought to work with Spatial Audio, apparently do not. They are: the iPhone XR, iPad Mini 5, iPad Air 3 and 6th to 8th generation iPads.

As the updated Apple support document confirms, playing Spatial Audio out loud requires, "the speakers built into an iPhone XS or later (except iPhone SE), 12.9-inch iPad Pro (3rd generation or later), 11-inch iPad Pro or iPad Air (4th generation)".

Of course, those with older iPhones and iPads can still enjoy Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos through almost any headphones, including the AirPods, AirPods Pro and AirPods Max.

End of story? Not quite. Apple Music isn't singing from the same hymn sheet. The Apple Music website still says that Spatial Audio works with the iPhone XR's built-in speakers. 

To add to the confusion, MacRumours reports that a number of iPhone XR users claim to have been able to use Spatial Audio on their devices in automatic mode, meaning that the iPhone XR might support Spatial Audio in an unofficial capacity, even if the iPad Mini‌ 5, ‌iPad Air‌ 3, and 6th to 8th-generation iPads do not.

Prefer Android to iOS? Apple recently rolled out Spatial Audio and lossless support for the Android version of Apple Music. Although we wouldn't expect Spatial Audio support on specific Android phones to be any clearer...

MORE:

There's a problem with Apple Music Lossless

What is Apple Spatial Audio? And how do you get it?

Which devices will play Apple Music Lossless and Spatial Audio

The title of best noise-cancelling headphones has been long fought over by Sony and Bose (and Sennheiser), and more recently by Apple.

Here we are putting a pair from each of the three kings of ANC headphones head-to-head-to-head, specifically the Apple AirPods Max, Sony WH-1000XM4 and Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. 

The Apple and Bose pairs are the current premium models the companies offer, though do note that the Sony XM4 have now been replaced by the (incrementally better and pricier) Sony XM5. (And if you'd like, you can read our Sony XM5 vs Bose 700 and Sony XM5 vs AirPods Max comparison articles instead.)

That said, all three pairs we have here are very much still available to buy, so this three-way remains valid a few years on from when we first penned it. So which offers the best bang for your buck? Is one pair more comfortable than another? Do they all work with iOS and Android phones? 

The full and frank Apple vs Sony vs Bose comparison below covers all the big considerations – price, design, features and of course sound quality – so you can make the right choice at the checkout.

AirPods Max vs Sony XM4 vs Bose 700: price

First, the elephant in the room. The AirPods Max are really quite expensive. They launched at £549 / $549 / AU$899, which is a lot more than the original RRP of the Sony WH-1000XM4 (£350 / $350 / AU$550) and Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 (£350 / $399 / AU$599). 

All three pairs have since fallen in price, which is to be expected considering they have been around for a few years now, and in the case of the Sony XM4 also succeeded by a newer model. At the time of writing, the AirPods Max can be picked up for £499 / $480 / AU$775; the Sony XM4 cost £250 / $325 / AU$420; and the Bose 700 are priced £240 / $379 / AU$350.

Below are today's best prices on all three pairs.

AirPods Max vs Sony XM4 vs Bose 700: battery life

For the AirPods Max, Apple stipulates a run time of "up to 20 hours" with both noise-cancelling and spatial audio (Apple's immersive audio processing technology) enabled. From our time with the headphones, we think that's a conservative estimate and we can't imagine anyone being disappointed by the battery life.

The Bose 700 headphones also boast a 20-hour battery life with Bluetooth and noise-cancelling switched on. Again, fairly decent.

However, the Sony WH-1000XM last around 30 hours (or 38 hours if you switch off noise-cancelling), which is mighty impressive. No wonder it's been carried over into the Sony XM5 too.  

Stepping out in a hurry? The Bose cans' quick charge function returns 3.5 hours from a 15-minute charge. Respectable, but Sony will get you out of the door quicker – the WH-1000XM4 provide 5 hours of play from just 10 minutes of charging. And Apple? An hour and a half of playback from just 5 minutes of charging.

Looks like a victory for Sony in this round.

**Winner** Sony WH-1000XM4

AirPods Max vs Sony XM4 vs Bose 700: design

The AirPods Max, with their five colour options (space grey, silver, sky blue, green and pink), are undoubtedly the most eye-catching of the three. But their design flourishes go beyond just a pretty paint job.

The plush, chunky memory foam earpads are comfy enough to wear for hours, and an adjustable headband is also suitable for all-day listening sessions. The ear cups attach using magnets so should be easy to remove and reattach – handy for stowing in your bag when not in use.

One neat design quirk is that they are controlled via Apple's Digital Crown, a dial first seen on the Apple Watch. This lets you alter the volume, control playback and summon Siri. It's pleasant to use, if initially a little easy to knock unintentionally.

All told the AirPods Max build and design is undeniably Apple at its best. There is no question these are the most premium in feel and appearance, fully justifying their outlay. 

Of course, Sony and Bose's efforts are no slouch on the design front – even if they can't come close to the overall sense of high-end quality that you get from the pricier AirPods Max.

The Sony XM4 look almost identical to their predecessors, the WH-1000XM3, although they feature slightly larger earpads, an improved fit and a tweaked design that looks a little more seamless. Thanks to their plush pads and rock-solid build quality, they're some of the most comfortable headphones we've ever tested. Think sleek and understated. The new WH-1000XM5 boast a slimmer, more seamless design but all told, they don't feel quite 'premium' as the XM4.

The Bose 700 have a more elegant, slender design that is arguably easier on the eye and looks more premium compared to the XM4 headphones. The combination of 'invisible' hinges and a swooping stainless steel headband give them the wow factor, and we're fans of the touch controls.

The more traditional-looking Sony XM4 come in black and silver finishes, while the stylish Bose 700 come in black, silver and limited edition 'Soapstone'. 

Prepared to pay for the highest quality design and styling? Hand your money over to Apple.

**Winner** Apple AirPods Max

AirPods Max vs Sony XM4 vs Bose 700: features

As you would expect for the asking price, the AirPods Max are not short of features. 

Like the Sony and Bose models, they're wireless and have active noise cancellation. Apple's H1 chip is also onboard, alongside its Adaptive EQ and spatial audio technologies.

Apple has also designed its own 40mm dynamic driver for the AirPods Max, while our chums in Cupertino claim that its neodymium ring magnet motor maintains total harmonic distortion of less than one per cent across the frequency range – even at maximum volume. That's a bold claim.

The H1 chip in each of the ear cups supposedly has ten audio 'cores' capable of nine billion operations per second, and it's here that Apple powers its audio technologies. Adaptive EQ works to adjust the sound to the fit and seal of the ear cushions by measuring (and adjusting) the sound signal in realtime. 

There's also spatial audio for an immersive soundstage from content recorded in 5.1, 7.1 and Dolby Atmos surround sound, using the headphones' gyroscope and accelerometer to track the motion of a user’s head and remap the audio field accordingly. And this works like a charm – movies on an iPad have never sounded so good.

Like a lot of other headphones of this type, there's also a Transparency mode, which lets you simultaneously listen to music while still hearing the environment around you. And of course, Siri is here for all your voice assistant needs.

Audio Sharing lets you share audio between two sets of AirPods (whether that be the AirPods Max, AirPods Pro or AirPods) on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Apple TV 4K. And again, like a lot of other headphones, they automatically play and pause audio when they are placed on or removed from one's head respectively.

They're controlled via the aforementioned Digital Crown control dial, which works well once you get familiar with it. And they come with a Smart Case (pictured above) that puts AirPods Max in an "ultra-low" power state to help preserve battery charge when they aren't in use. Yes, it does look a bit like a bra. And no, we don't like it very much either – we're not convinced it really does a great job of protecting the headphones, which strikes us as Job Number One. We suggest looking out for a third-party compatible case at some point.

So that's the AirPods Max, in a nutshell. But not to be outdone, the old guard have some pretty impressive tricks up their sleeves.

Sony's noise-cancelling headphones contain its DSEE Extreme audio processor that upscales compressed audio to near-hi-res quality and also uses artificial intelligence to analyse music in real-time to reproduce a more accurate sound.

The Sonys also have Speak-to-Chat, which automatically pauses your music when you start talking. It's not perfect but does come in handy as it means you don't have to remove your headphones to chat with a co-worker or flight attendant. The Bose 700 feature a similar 'Conversation mode', but you have to manually press a button to activate it. 

The Sony headphones also have Adaptive Smart Control, which learns your favourite locations and automatically adjusts the sound settings accordingly. Then there's 'Wearing Detection', which means they automatically pause music when you take them off and resume playback when you put them on. The new XM5 promise better call quality, but that's probably not going to be a deal-breaker.

The Bose 700 support Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and either can be activated with a press of the bottom button on the right earcup. But its most impressive claims in the feature department can be made in its sophisticated noise-cancelling system, which we'll delve into next.

Apple delivers a whole host of extra features that deliver extra enjoyment for everyone... who has an iPhone. Let's be clear: you're really not going to get the most out of the AirPods Max unless you're already an Apple user. The lack of supplied headphone cable is a little frustrating (if not surprising), as is the fact that they won't work at all when they're out of battery – unlike rivals, you can't use them in passive mode. Ultimately, we think we need to call this one a draw.

**Winner** Draw

AirPods Max vs Sony XM4 vs Bose 700: noise-cancelling

All three pairs naturally offer noise-cancelling. Of course, it's one of the main selling points of this style of headphone.

The AirPods Max have four mics in each ear cup to deliver noise cancellation – there are three outward-facing to detect environmental noise, and one inside to monitor the sound reaching the listener’s ear.

The Bose 700, meanwhile, make the most of Bose's next-generation noise-cancelling chip, which provides 11 degrees of noise-cancelling intensity, ranging from full isolation to total transparency. You can scroll through levels in the companion Bose Music App and adjust them to your liking. The 700 essentially use six mics to cancel the noise around you, plus four mics to improve the clarity of your voice. In short, the tech works brilliantly and helps deliver crystal clear call quality, too. Overall noise-cancelling performance is truly breathtaking – and hard to beat.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 just about hold their own against the Bose, thanks to their advanced HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1, which uses a unique algorithm and Bluetooth System on Chip (SoC) to monitor audio and ambient noise, making precise adjustments 700 times a second to optimise their noise-cancelling.

But wait: the AirPods Max offer excellent noise-cancelling, too. Ultimately, while the Sony WH-1000XM4 seem marginally better at blocking constant, consistent noise (the engine on an airplane, say), the AirPods Max are just a touch better at combatting background voices – something that’s much harder to do. Ultimately, the Apples do a very good job of limiting how much external noise makes it through to your ears.

All three are excellent at noise-cancelling, but the level of adjustability in the Bose is unrivalled.

**Winner** Bose

AirPods Max vs Sony XM4 vs Bose 700: sound quality

The big one. And – spoiler alert – we've been blown away by the AirPods Max. They really do take sound quality for wireless, noise-cancelling headphones to a whole new level compared to the Bose and Sony (and even the new Sony XM5, if you were wondering). And they needed to, given the significant price difference. But they're worth it – it really is a jump from wireless audio to wireless hi-fi.

It's a very impressive achievement considering both Sony and Bose have been in the noise-cancelling game for years, each time improving the sound-per-pound they offer. The Bose 700 display a superb level of musicality and clarity, sounding direct, dynamic and detailed. But they can't quite compete with the depth of bass and detail offered by the Sony WH-1000XM4. The Sonys sound that bit more composed and confident, punchy and poised. Their timing is brilliant, too.

But listening to the Apple AirPods Max, we’re instantly thrilled by the super-crisp and spacious delivery. There’s a degree of clarity and energy that even the Sonys can’t match, and they sound more engaging and authentic. More precise and exciting, they feel like a significant step up in terms of sonic sophistication.

Of course, switch from music to movies and the AirPods Max have a trick up their sleeve in the form of spatial audio, which provides a virtual surround sound experience from 5.1, 7.1 and even Dolby Atmos content. The effect is superb. The presentation is open, spacious and convincing, and the head-tracking, which ensures the audio is always relative to the screen as you move your head, is amazingly smooth and accurate. Even allowing for the extra outlay, we have a clear winner.

**Winner** Apple AirPods Max

AirPods Max vs Sony XM4 vs Bose 700: verdict

The AirPods Max are a very tempting pair of headphones indeed. Sony and Bose have delivered the best wireless noise-cancelling over-ear headphones in recent years, so Apple had its work cut out entering this market. But, just as we thought might be the case, the AirPods Max have more than delivered.

If you're an iPhone user and you're prepared to pay a premium for the best build, design, features and sound quality, look no further than the AirPods Max. They do deliver everything we hoped, and then some.

But perhaps the best news is that the Bose 700 and multi-Award-winning Sony XM4 still deliver a superb wireless noise-cancelling experience at their lower price point if you're looking for something a little more affordable, or for those who don't own an iPhone. And between the two, the Sony XM4 are definitely better all-rounders.

**Overall winner** Apple AirPods Max

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Or save cash with the best Apple deals on the internet

If you're looking for the best wireless headphones around, you could do a lot worse than the Apple AirPods Max. But Apple's over-ear headphones have had one annoying niggle: battery drain. 

According to anecdotal evidence, some pairs are liable to leak battery life overnight when in their charging case, instead of switching to low-power mode, as they should. That means some users have woken to a pair of dead headphones in the morning, which isn't much use if you want to get out and about.

But now there's a fix. Apple has issued a firmware update that stops this from happening. According to users, when placed in the Smart Case, the updated headphones switch to low-power mode in just 30 minutes. Before, that could take as long as 18 hours.

The update – known as 3C39 – also improves compatibility with iOS 14.5. Previously, there was an issue where the AirPods Max would crash after connecting to a device running iOS 14.5, but that is now fixed. Your AirPods Max should update automatically. 

Wondering which software version you're running? Head to Settings on your iPhone, then the Bluetooth menu and select your AirPods Max. Tap the 'i' and it will tell you.

The AirPods Max are Apple's first proper over-ear headphones and won rave reviews when they launched last year. Unfortunately, they come with a price tag to match. Looking for something cheaper? Check out our list of best noise-cancelling headphones.

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And these are the best wireless earbuds for your consideration