Video Review: The AirPods Max in 2025
Apple hasn't introduced a major update for the AirPods Max since the headphones came out in 2020, but last year there was a minor refresh with new color options and an upgrade to USB-C charging. With no additional new features on the horizon, we thought we'd take a look at whether the AirPods Max are worth picking up in 2025.
The transition to USB-C didn't upgrade any other internal hardware, so reviews from 2020 about Active Noise Cancellation and sound quality are still valid. The AirPods Max sound great even after five years, but nothing has improved in terms of the overarching listening experience, and with no design updates, the AirPods Max are still on the heavy side for ANC over-ear headphones, and some people find them uncomfortable.
USB-C charging is definitely more convenient than the Lightning-based charging from the prior model, but there is one other change that could draw audiophiles to the AirPods Max. With a USB-C wired connection, the AirPods Max support 24-bit 48kHz lossless audio and ultra-low latency, which means you can listen to music the way the artist intended it to sound in the studio.
The latency improvement is notable if you want to use your AirPods Max for things like gaming or editing with a Mac, because there's no longer a Bluetooth listening delay. Unfortunately, you need the USB-C version of the AirPods Max to use these new features, so if you have older Lightning-based AirPods Max that you bought sometime in the last five years, you won't get the lossless and latency improvements.
AirPods Max are still stylish and you get Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos, which go a long way toward improving the listening experience, plus the ANC is still competitive with other brands. If you can get the AirPods Max on sale so you're not shelling out over $500, the USB-C model is worth considering, but make sure you like the fit.
Popular Stories
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
Apple plans to release an all-new super thin iPhone this year, debuting it alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We've seen pictures of dummy models, cases, and renders with the design, but Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy today showed off newer dummy models that give us a better idea of just how thin the "iPhone 17 Air" will be.
The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be ...
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup.
If you skipped the iPhone...
A developer has demonstrated Windows 11 ARM running on an M2 iPad Air using emulation, which has become much easier since the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations came into effect.
As spotted by Windows Latest, NTDev shared an instance of the emulation on social media and posted a video on YouTube (embedded below) demonstrating it in action. The achievement relies on new EU regulatory...
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
Apple seeded the third beta of iOS 18.5 to developers today, and so far the software update includes only a few minor changes.
The changes are in the Mail and Settings apps.
In the Mail app, you can now easily turn off contact photos directly within the app, by tapping on the circle with three dots in the top-right corner.
In the Settings app, AppleCare+ coverage information is more...
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself.
Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed.
Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles."
If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
