Issue: The latest AirPods Pro (and even the $129 AirPods 4) get a more advanced H2 chip, which improves battery life and ANC performance and is necessary for Apple’s adaptive transparency mode. But the AirPods Max are stuck on the older H1 without any of the new features. Fix: None. It still has the H1, farcically.

Apple announced a new set of AirPods Max during its event last week, updating them with USB-C and in a new set of colors. The switch to USB-C is a welcome one, to be sure, but Apple changed nothing else about them. And that feels weird, right? What gives?

Want a pair of Apple AirPods Max on the cheap? You can get them refurbished from Best Buy at a $250 discount, but only today!

Even though I really like the AirPods Max, which are a must-pack for me on flights, I’ve wanted a new pair as of late. So, imagine my delight when I witnessed the company finally announce its new AirPods Max with USB-C in person,

The most significant change in the AirPods Max 2024 model is the switch from a Lightning port to USB-C for charging and wired audio connections. This aligns the AirPods Max with Apple's broader move towards USB-C across its product line, and will be the single most compelling reason for existing owners to upgrade — albeit a very minimal one.

Discover the new, budget-friendly Apple AirPods 4 and learn which model is best suited to meet your audio needs.

Apple's fourth-generation AirPods include optional ANC, borrowing from the AirPods Pro line. Here's how its specifications line up against the AirPods 3.

The AirPods 3 are going out of date now, and they're currently reduced at Amazon — but you shouldn't buy a pair.