AirPods Max vs. AirPods Pro – Which One Should You Buy?

After four speculative years, Apple has released its very own over-ear noise cancellation headphones. We have seen many of Apple’s first this year (read: M1 chip Macbooks), AirPods Max have been the most anticipated Apple product so far. 2020 has been a transforming year for Apple users, after all.

While many users are eyeing (and buying) AirPods Max, $549 is a hefty amount and should indeed be reconsidered. This blog is for those people who are confused between AirPods Pro and AirPods Max. While the most significant difference between them is the form factor – AirPods Max are over-ear headphones and AirPods Pro are earbuds, the question remains – which one should you buy?

I have compared everything from their price to features and beyond to make your decision easier. Let’s dive right in!

AirPods Max vs. AirPods Pro – Price

Let’s get the elephant out of the room first. AirPods Pro retail at $249 (I hear Christmas bells ) across stores and online, whereas the AirPods Max have been priced at $549. You can buy two AirPods Pro at this price and still save a few bucks for Starbucks.

AirPods Max vs. AirPods Pro – Functionality

AirPods Max and AirPods Pro Functionality

The idea behind buying earbuds is to ensure comfort. These tiny devices fit into your pocket just fine, are easy to carry, and their noise cancellation is on point.

Mobility is an issue with headphones; you would need to be more careful about them while commuting, might have to take a bag for them.

However, AirPods Pro may cause comfort issues for some people, like – the constant fear of dropping them off somewhere. If you are a college student or a working professional who takes the subway most of the time, I recommend buying AirPods Pro.

AirPods Max vs. AirPods Pro – Design

The biggest difference between AirPods Pro and AirPods Max is, well, one goes inside, and the other stays over your ears. Unlike AirPods Pro, Max won’t slip out of your ears and fall unnoticed.

Comparatively, if you wish to have the conventional hearing experience, you should go for AirPods Max; nothing beats the headphone experience for me.

Individually, both the devices have been applauded for their designs and welcomed with open arms.

Weight: AirPods Pro are on the lighter side and easy to carry, too, whereas AirPods Max weigh a little high on the measuring scale (compared to other headphones too). However, the mesh helps balance the weight, and they don’t feel heavy on your head.
Size: This is a no brainer that AirPods Max are more prominent in size and may be difficult to carry. AirPods Pro, on the other hand, do not have this issue.
Case: I would give this to AirPods Pro. The case looks nice. It fits in perfectly and charges the Pods, which helps protect them. AirPods Max, on the other hand, offer a smart power-saving case that the world was not ready for. Carrying this case to different places can also be a task.

AirPods Max vs. AirPods Pro – Audio Performance

AirPods Max and AirPods Pro Audio Performance

AirPods Max certainly have higher accuracy than AirPods Pro; it may be due to the difference in their driver size. AirPods Max come with 40mm dynamic drivers for a high-frequency clear sound.

Apple has not mentioned the drive size they’ve used in AirPods Pro; most earbud drivers range between 6mm and 12mm.

AirPods Max vs. AirPods Pro – Water and Sweat Resistance

With all the advanced features that AirPods Max offer, they don’t come with an IPX4 sweat and water resistance. AirPods Pro, however, have this rating that gives them an added advantage. Thus, when it comes to outdoor activities, even sweating or working out, you should prefer AirPods Pro.

I mean, you wouldn’t want to damage your $549 headphones over a calamity or while burning a few calories now, would you?

AirPods Max vs. AirPods Pro – Active Noise Canceling

According to Apple, “each ear cup features three outward-facing microphones to detect environmental noise, while one microphone inside the ear cup monitors the sound reaching the listener’s ear. Using computational audio, noise cancellation continuously adapts to the headphone fit and movement in real-time”.

Both AirPods Max and AirPods Pro have active noise cancellation. Both devices support Transparency Mode that allows you to filter the surrounding noises whenever you want.

I presume both the devices have sufficient ANC; AirPods Max may take the lead due to additional blocking created by the padded earcups.

AirPods Max vs. AirPods Pro: What Should You Buy?

I would suggest picking the model that best suits your needs. If audio fidelity is your primary concern and you work a lot with music, AirPods Max should be your device.

If you are a little tighter on your budget and are looking for an easy-to-carry device, then you should stick to AirPods Pro and enjoy them everywhere, from working out at the gym to taking a stroll on the road.

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