Experts recommend Apple AirPods Max more than Apple AirPods Pro 2
As of 20 Nov 2024, experts prefer Apple AirPods Max over Apple AirPods Pro 2, but both Headphones have solid expert endorsements.
As per this month's meta ranking, Apple AirPods Max received 8 recommendations: from IGN (17 May 2024), Tom's Guide (15 Oct 2024) What Hi-Fi (11 Nov 2024) and 5 others. By contrast, Apple AirPods Pro 2 received only 3 recommendations from WIRED (29 Aug 2024), CNET (15 Oct 2024) and PCMag (12 Nov 2024).
| Rank | Change | Price | Headphones | IGN  | Tom's Guide  | What Hi-Fi  | Digital Trends  | WIRED  | CNET  | Wirecutter  | PCMag  | T3  | Rtings.com  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | - | $535 |  Apple AirPods Max The Apple AirPods Max receive positive reviews for their sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort, battery life, and connectivity, making them a top choice for an outstanding audio experience. | 8 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 7 | - | 9 | 8 | - |
| 5 | - | $225 |  Apple AirPods Pro 2 The Apple AirPods Pro 2 are highly praised for their exceptional sound quality, advanced noise cancellation, comfortable design, and convenient features, making them a top choice for everyday use. | - | - | - | - | 4 | 4 | - |
1 | - | - |
Curious to see this month's entire Wireless Headphones ranking? It's here
Endorsement summary:
- On 29 Aug 2024 WIRED ranked Apple AirPods Pro 2 as #4 and Apple AirPods Max as #5
Rank Headphones Comment ... ... ... #4 out of 14 Apple AirPods Pro 2 Best Earbuds for iPhones#5 out of 14 Apple AirPods Max Best Over-Ears for iPhones... ... ... Source: www.wired.com - On 15 Oct 2024 CNET ranked Apple AirPods Pro 2 as #4 and Apple AirPods Max as #7
Rank Headphones Comment ... ... ... #4 out of 16 Apple AirPods Pro 2 Updated Apple noise-canceling wireless earbuds... ... ... #7 out of 16 Apple AirPods Max Best high-end Apple wireless headphones... ... ... Source: www.cnet.com - On 12 Nov 2024 PCMag ranked Apple AirPods Pro 2 as #1 and Apple AirPods Max as #9
Rank Headphones Comment #1 out of 10 Apple AirPods Pro 2 Best Earphones for iPhone Users / Editors' Choice... ... ... #9 out of 10 Apple AirPods Max Best Headphones for iPhone Users... ... ... Source: www.pcmag.com - On 17 May 2024 IGN ranked Apple AirPods Max as #8
Rank Headphones Comment ... ... ... #8 out of 9 Apple AirPods Max Best High-End Wireless Headphones for Apple Users... ... ... Source: www.ign.com - On 15 Oct 2024 Tom's Guide ranked Apple AirPods Max as #9
Rank Headphones Comment ... ... ... #9 out of 9 Apple AirPods Max The best over-ear wireless headphones for iOS usersSource: www.tomsguide.com - On 11 Nov 2024 What Hi-Fi ranked Apple AirPods Max as #6
Rank Headphones Comment ... ... ... #6 out of 8 Apple AirPods Max Apple users will struggle to find better than the innovative over-ear AirPods... ... ... Source: www.whathifi.com - On 5 Jul 2024 Digital Trends ranked Apple AirPods Max as #3
Rank Headphones Comment ... ... ... #3 out of 11 Apple AirPods Max Best for iPhone users... ... ... Source: www.digitaltrends.com - On 12 Nov 2024 T3 ranked Apple AirPods Max as #8
Rank Headphones Comment ... ... ... #8 out of 9 Apple AirPods Max Best active noise cancelling headphones for Apple users... ... ... Source: www.t3.com
After counting and adding up the 97 expert endorsements of the November rankings, Apple AirPods Max outranks Apple AirPods Pro 2. This is not to say that Apple AirPods Pro 2 is a bad option. Like Apple AirPods Max, it is recommended by experts, but less.
As can be seen below, Apple AirPods Max outranks Apple AirPods Pro 2 by 2 positions. This indicates that, as of 20 Nov 2024, Apple AirPods Max is more critically acclaimed than Apple AirPods Pro 2.
| Rank | Change | Price | Headphones | IGN | Tom's Guide | What Hi-Fi | Digital Trends | WIRED | CNET | Wirecutter | PCMag | T3 | Rtings.com |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | - | $398 |  Sony WH-1000XM5 The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones have received positive reviews for their sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort, battery life, connectivity, and durability, making them a top choice for users seeking a premium listening experience. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | - |
| 2 | - | $429 |  Bose QuietComfort Ultra The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones have received positive reviews for their sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort, battery life, and connectivity, making them a recommended choice for those seeking a versatile and enjoyable listening experience. | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 3 | - | $535 | Apple AirPods Max The Apple AirPods Max receive positive reviews for their sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort, battery life, and connectivity, making them a top choice for an outstanding audio experience. | 8 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 7 | - | 9 | 8 | - |
| 4 | - | $279 |  Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are highly praised for their sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort, battery life, connectivity, and durability, making them a recommended choice for music enthusiasts who value strong bass and treble, effective noise cancellation, comfort for extended use, and durability for various activities. | - | - | - | - | 3 | 11 | - | 2 | 3 | - |
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Expert reviews [14]
Total expert reviews: 14
- with a score: 11
- without a score: 3
| Highest score by What Hi-Fi | 100 |
| Average score based on 14 reviews | 82 |
| Lowest score by Rtings.com | 78 |
Score distribution:
| 80-100 | |
| 60-80 | |
| 40-60 | |
| 20-40 | |
| 0-20 |
Expert reviews [21]
Total expert reviews: 21
- with a score: 14
- without a score: 7
| Highest score by connectthewatts.com | 100 |
| Average score based on 21 reviews | 90 |
| Lowest score by SoundGuys | 79 |
Score distribution:
| 80-100 | |
| 60-80 | |
| 40-60 | |
| 20-40 | |
| 0-20 |
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