Apple’s premium over-ear headphones might be a little overkill, but they’re some of the best audio gear for Apple enthusiasts. The catch is that you have to be prepared to shell out quite a bit of cash for them, which is why we always recommend waiting for a sale like the one currently taking place before Memorial Day weekend. Apple’s AirPods Max are currently $99 off at Amazon, bringing them down to $450. That’s about $20 off their all-time high, and most colors are also on sale, making now a good time to buy if you’ve got your eye on them.
There’s a lot to like about the AirPods Max if you go over their price. They have a unique, comfortable design that’s more attractive than most high-end headphones, and they have excellent audio quality. Those who like the “natural” sound of their cans will appreciate what the AirPods Max bring to the table, and we love that they support spatial audio too. Active noise cancellation is equally solid, and there’s a button on the headphones that lets you toggle between ANC mode and transparency mode.
The AirPods Max also contain Apple’s signature H1 chip which enables features such as hands-free Siri and a host of other iOS/macOs specific features. If you work primarily with Apple gadgets, you’ll get a lot out of quick pairing and switching between those devices. Battery life is also good: we had no problem hitting 20 hours on a single charge when we first reviewed these headphones, and that was with Spatial Audio and ANC. activated.
We’d be remiss, however, if we didn’t acknowledge that the AirPods Max aren’t on our list of the best wireless earbuds, and that’s mostly due to their high price tag. They’re definitely a better buy when they’re on sale like this, but if you’d rather invest in a better overall option, Sony’s WH-1000XM5 (our current top pick) is on sale for a record low price of $348. Right now.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and shopping tips.
