AirPods Max headphones are on sale for the holidays, but should you still buy Apple’s over-ear headphones in late 2023? My TL;DR is this: even if AirPods Max 2 come out next year, the current AirPods Max headphones are still better than competing over-ear headphones. Just don’t pay the full retail price.
If you’re on the fence about buying AirPods Max in late 2023, I’ll provide some arguments for and against buying or waiting.
Reasons to wait
- AirPods Max have been out since December 2020
- Refreshed AirPods Max are rumored for 2024
- New models will feature USB-C instead of Lightning
- Revised hardware will likely come in new colors
Reasons to buy now
- AirPods Max are unmatched in audio performance in the AirPods line
- Best noise cancellation and transparency mode performance and switching
- Digital Crown for adjusting volume and invoking Siri is premium
- Auto-pause and resume when you take off and put on
Still unsure? These nuanced details help me land firmly on the side that buying AirPods Max in late 2023 is still worth it — as long as you’re paying $449 or $479 and not $549.
- Revised AirPods Max aren’t expected until “around the end of next year” according to ace reporter Mark Gurman
- Revised AirPods Max are expected to have the same version number and chip, only changing the charging port and possibly colors
These factors could change, but for now the decision really seems over buying now or waiting a year for USB-C. Want a true successor to AirPods Max? Investing in the first-gen product is probably the best way to signal to Apple that a second version should exist.
Like it or not, AirPods Max have a different upgrade cadence than all other AirPods. Fortunately, AirPods Max headphones continue to excel at the job that matters most: being great headphones for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users who appreciate the best sound for a reasonable price.
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