AirPods Pro and AirPods Max are Apple’s highest-end headphone options, so which one should you choose?

AirPods Pro vs. AirPods Max Buyer< /p>
Nearly three years after the launch of the first earphones, Apple launched second-generation AirPods Pro in 2022 alongside the iPhone 14 series and several new Apple Watches, replacing the Lightning port with USB a year later in 2023 -C. While the second-generation AirPods Pro offer the same features as their predecessors, their design improves features like active noise cancellation, in-ear detection, and battery life, while introducing new features like adaptive transparency, touch controls for volume adjustment, and pinpoint seek.

In late 2020, Apple released AirPods Max, a new AirPods variant with an over-ear design. Both AirPods Max and AirPods Pro feature active noise cancellation, personalized spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, Hey Siri, and auto-switching. In September 2024, the company refreshed the color options of AirPods Max and replaced the Lightning port with USB-C.

As two high-end AirPods options, should you consider buying the $249 third-generation AirPods Pro , or do you want the AirPods Max (which still sell for $549)? Our guide helps answer the question of how to decide which AirPods are best for you.

AirPods Pro 2 (2022, 2023) AirPods Max (2020, 2024)

plastic design Aluminum, stainless steel, and silicone design

IPX4 sweat and water resistant earbuds and charging case

Available in White only Lightning: Available in Silver, Space Gray, Sky Blue, Pink, and Green
USB-C: Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Purple, and Orange

In-ear fit with silicone ear tips (four size options) Over-ear fit

Clip-on silicone ear tips (four size options) Magnetic fabric ear cups

Skin-detect sensors Optical IR sensors

~10mm custom high-excursion Apple drivers and high dynamic range amplifiers 20mm dynamic Apple drivers and more powerful high dynamic range amplifiers

Dual beamforming microphones and inward-facing microphones Nine microphones (eight used for Active Noise Cancellation, three used for voice pickup)

H2 chips H1chips

Bluetooth 5.3 Bluetooth 5.0

Lightning: 2.4GHz connectivity
USB-C: 2.4GHz and 5GHz connectivity 2.4GHz connectivity

USB-C: Lossless audio support with Apple Vision Pro

"Hey Siri" and "Siri" voice commands "Hey Siri" voice commands

Force sensor for media and listening mode controls Noise control button for listening mode controls

Touch controls for volume adjustment Digital Crown for media controls and volume adjustment

Transparency and Adaptive Transparency Transparency

Adaptive Audio

Conversation Awareness

Conversation Boost

Loud Sound Reduction

Hearing Protection (coming fall 2024)

Hearing Test (coming fall 2024)

Hearing Aid (coming fall 2024)

Lanyard loop

U1 chip for Precision Finding

Speaker in charging case for Find My

Up to 6 hours of listening time on a single charge Up to 20 hours hours of listening time on a single charge

5 minutes in the case provides around 1 hour of listening time 5 minutes of charge time provides around 1.5 hours of listening time

Charge with Apple Watch charger, MagSafe charger, Qi wireless charging mats, and Lightning or USB-C (depending on model) Charge via USB-C or Lightning only (depending on model)

MagSafe Charging Case Smart Case to preserve battery charge in ultra-low-power state

9 9

While there is some overlap between AirPods Pro and AirPods Max in features like active noise cancellation and transparency, the earphones' completely different fits and form factors should make it easier for most customers to decide which one they prefer.equipment.

AirPods Max offer multiple color options and a more premium design, along with longer continuous battery life on a single charge. The AirPods Max sound significantly better than the AirPods Pro thanks to their over-ear design and significantly larger drivers, so if your priority is sound quality, the AirPods Max are the clear choice. If you really dislike the in-ear design of the AirPods Pro, the AirPods Max may also be more comfortable.

AirPods Pro, on the other hand, offer a high degree of convenience and portability due to their smaller size and charging case. AirPods Pro don't match the audio quality of AirPods Max, but features like adaptive audio, loud noise cancellation, and conversation enhancement are great for taking you on the go. AirPods Pro are also great for workouts thanks to their lightweight, in-ear design and resistance to sweat and water.

The AirPods Pro are more versatile when it comes to charging, with four different ways to charge, compared to the AirPods Max's mandatory USB-C or Lightning port options, depending on whether you buy the latest version. While AirPods Max are best suited for high-fidelity, long-term listening at home due to size, weight, less durable design, and limited portability, AirPods Pro offer a more balanced experience with a high degree of convenience and portability.

It's also worth noting that AirPods Pro have more features than AirPods Max, such as "‌Siri‌" voice commands, Pinpoint Finder, Bluetooth 5.3 and lossless audio support, as well as new hearing protection, testing and accessibility features.

AirPods often see deep discounts on Amazon and other third-party retailers, so it might be worth upgrading to the Max version if you can take advantage of one of the deals. Both AirPods are often heavily discounted, so it's always worth using our deal roundup to find the best deals.

The above is the detailed content of AirPods Pro vs. AirPods Max buying guide: comparing 30 differences. For more information, please pay attention to other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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                            <p style="display: inline-flex;float: right;color:#333333;">Source: macrumors.com</p>
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