Apple's AirPods Max 2 are here – what's new and what $549 gets you now

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.

ZDNET’s key takeaways 

• Apple announces AirPods Max 2. 
• They debut with the same look and price tag as their predecessors. 
• An upgraded H2 audio chip allows for Live Translation, enhanced ANC, Siri Interactions, and more. 

After a week packed with Mac announcements, Apple debuts the second-generation AirPods Max. Nearly six years after releasing the first-generation AirPods Max and two years after releasing the refreshed USB-C version, Apple’s AirPods Max 2 debut with improved sound, noise cancellation, and intelligent upgrades powered by its premium H2 audio chip. 

Also: Should you buy AirPods Max? A long-awaited upgrade will entice professionals

Although the H2’s intuitive features are exciting, Apple emphasizes the AirPods Max 2’s improvements in fidelity, driven by a new high-dynamic-range amplifier. This amplifier should allow for more realistic audio during mobile gaming sessions, improved audio imaging while watching movies and TV shows, and noticeable depth and dimension when listening to music. 

Apple says this amplifier will also improve the Spatial Audio experience, enhancing instrument localization, producing a consistent bass response, and delivering natural mids and highs. Like the 2024 USB-C AirPods Max, the AirPods Max 2 support 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio when connected to the included USB-C cable. 

Even with these internal changes, Apple has kept the design of the AirPods Max the same as previous models, with its blend of cool-touch aluminum and knitted fabric. It’s also safe to say that the AirPods Max 2 don’t collapse inward or feature a power button like competing headphones.

Notably, the improved Apple H2 chip also powers the AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 3, offering a suite of intelligent upgrades, including Live Translation, Voice Isolation, Adaptive Audio, and Conversation Awareness. According to Apple, the H2 chip lends the AirPods Max 2 a more effective active noise cancellation — 1.5 times greater.

Also: If your AirPods Max stopped working, try this extremely cool trick

Thanks to the upgraded H2 chip, AirPods Max 2 users can use their headphones to take photos with a supported camera app. To enable the feature, users can open a supported app on their iPhone or iPad and press the Digital Crown on the headphones to capture photos or videos. The H2 chip’s machine learning capabilities also bring Siri Interactions and Head Gestures, allowing users to accept or decline incoming calls and manage notifications with a nod or shake of their head.  

The AirPods Max 2 will be available for preorder on March 25 for $549 in Midnight, Starlight, Orange, Purple, and Blue. If you prefer to buy in-person, Apple says the headphones will hit stores in early April.