People have been in expectation of the first over-ear headphones from Apple. Now, they have been announced by the company as Apple Airpods Max. These are released after the well-known Airpods Pro. These two different products have one or more things in common, especially when we talk about the form factor, but the latest release is Apple’s first entry into the premium personal audio product, so there are marked differences.
Your concern may be; do I really need the latest product, since I already have the Pro? Or what are the reasons for buying the Max over the Pro?
Take note of the differences in these two products, as that will help you determine whether to buy it or not.
Difference in Design
Like I mentioned above, the main or obvious difference between the two Airpods is the form factor. The Airpods Max are over-ear headphones but the Airpods Pro are wireless earbud sitting against the ear canal.
The Max are connected by a headband, which the wearer can adjust for comfort. Looking at the Pro, it sits just inside the ear, with a little part of it protruding out of the ear. It has silicone endings that mold softly to the shape of the ear. It has no cords, no wires, and nothing to keep the two buds connected.
In addition, Max comes in gray, silver, blue, green, and pink colors. More importantly, it comes with sleek stainless steel earcups and a knit mesh headband. The headband has telescoping headband arms that can be expanded for a good fit.
For Airpods Max, there is a smart case that can put the headphones in an ultra-low power state to prevent power from wasting when it is not in use. For the Airpods Pro, there are stems extending out outside the user’s ear because it is a cordless product.
Airpods Max and Airpods Pro Main Features
Airpods Max
- Physical controls
- Can be used with Digital Crown
- Not Water-resistant
- Works with other devices apart from Apple
- Needs lightning cable to recharge
- Does better on audio sound performance 40mm dynamic drivers
Airpods Pro
- Touch-capacitive controls (Reach out to your phone to change sound levels)
- Can’t be used with Digital Crown
- Water-resistant
- Wireless charging
- Supports optional 3.5mm audio cable
- Good sound support between 6mm to 12mm dynamic drivers
There is no water-resistant for the Max technology and these over-ear headphones may not be the best to work out. That is not to say you shouldn’t consider it when you want to use the Airpods Max in different settings. For the Airpods Pro, it is sweat and water-resistant. So, users are free to have it on while they work out. There is no need to fear any damage.
Controls
The Airpods Max comes with physical controls to adjust music playback and noise cancellation settings. They are ideal when used with Apple Watch Digital Crown.
For Airpods Pro, there are touch-capacitive sensors that must be squeezed to activate noise-canceling or transparency mode, skip or pause music tracks.
Price
The Max cost $549, which is very expensive when compared to other best over-ear headphones on the market. Even with that high price, there is an apparent rush to buy the new Airpods Max.
The Airpods Pro are selling for $249 at the present time. There are stores out there that offer discounts because this is an old product. As an in-ear headphone, this one too is more expensive when compared to prices from other competitors.
Your Take
Do you want to buy and use something that many of your friends don’t have? If the price isn’t an issue, a person who already uses the Airpods Pro could purchase the Airpods Max and see just what further use the Max can offer.
