In summary:
- Apple unexpectedly announced the AirPods Max 2, expected in April 2026, featuring the new H2 chip as the primary upgrade over previous models.
- Macworld reports the H2 chip delivers 1.5x better noise cancellation, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, and Voice Isolation capabilities compared to the H1 chip.
- Despite significant internal improvements, the AirPods Max 2 retains the same $549 price and identical design as its predecessors.
It’s been a long time since Apple was able to release something without the whole internet knowing about it beforehand. But we were surprised by the announcement of AirPods Max 2, a product we weren’t really expecting anytime soon.
AirPods Max were released in December of 2020, and received a minor USB-C update with new colors in 2024. AirPods Max 2 changes very little from a design standpoint. It’s the same headphones, with the same speakers and microphones. But Apple has replaced the H1 chip with the H2, and that brings with it a lot of improvements and new capabilities. Here’s how the AirPods Max models stack up
AirPods Max vs. AirPods Max USB-C vs. AirPods Max 2
AirPods Max got a minor update to USB-C in 2024, but the new H2 version adds a lot on top of that. Here’s a look at everything that’s different bettern the three versions:
| AirPods Max (Lightning) | AirPods Max (USB-C) | AirPods Max 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Released | December 2020 | September 2024 | April 2026 |
| Price | $549 | $549 | $549 |
| Colors | Space Gray, Silver, Sky Blue, Green, Pink | Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, Orange | Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, Orange |
| Size | 7.37 x 6.64 x 3.28 inches | 7.37 x 6.64 x 3.28 inches | 7.37 x 6.64 x 3.28 inches |
| Weight | 13.6 ounces | 13.6 ounces | 13.6 ounces |
| Processor | H1 | H1 | H2 |
| Connection | Lightning | USB-C | USB-C |
| Wired Audio | Lightning-to-3.5mm | USB-to-3.5mm, USB-C (with software update) | USB-to-3.5mm, USB-C |
| Low-latency audio | No | Yes (USB-C only) | Yes (USB-C only) |
| Lossless audio | No | 24-bit, 48 kHz (USB-C only) | 24-bit, 48 kHz (USB-C only) |
| Noise Cancellation | Yes | Yes | Yes (1.5x better) |
| Transparency | Yes | Yes | Yes (More natural) |
| Adaptive Audio | No | No | Yes |
| Conversation Awareness | No | No | Yes |
| Siri support | “Hey Siri” | “Hey Siri” | “Hey Siri” and just “Siri” |
| Live Translation | No | No | Yes |
| Voice Isolation | No | No | Yes |
| Personalized Volume | No | No | Yes |
| Camera remote | No | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | Up to 20 hours w/ANC enabled | Up to 20 hours w/ANC enabled | Up to 20 hours w/ANC enabled |
| Smart Case | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Three years after their introduction, Apple updated AirPods Max to swap out the Lightning port for USB-C and refresh the colors. It only impacted charging, though, and was hardly worth mentioning. Then, in the iOS 18.4 and macOS 15.4 update (along with a firmware update), Apple added USB-C audio with enabled 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio with “ultra-low latency” when plugged in via USB-C.
AirPods Max 2 appear to be identical to the USB-C updated version, but by swapping out the H1 chip for the newer H2, you get a lot of benefits. Apple says noise cancellation is up to 1.5x better, transparency mode sounds more natural, and you get all the other features common to H2-enabled AirPods: Adaptive Audio, the ability to say just “Siri” instead of “Hey, Siri,” Voice Isolation, Live Translation, and so on. They also come in the same five colors with the same magnetic Smart Case.
The price has remained $549 throughout, but they’re almost always on sale from third-party retailers, with sites like Amazon usually selling them for $449 or less, and we’ve seen as low as $399 during sales events.
Author: Jason Cross, Senior Editor, Macworld
Jason has written about technology for more than 25 years - first in the gaming press, then focusing on enthusiast PCs and general technology. He enjoys learning how complicated technology works and explaining it in a way anyone can understand.