They look identical, but the new AirPods Max 2 have been given a decent upgrade to include Apple’s latest H2 headphone chip to bring them in-line with the features available on other AirPods products like the AirPods Pro 3.

First released five years ago the AirPods Max are Apple’s over-ear headphone option, with a bold unique styling that hasn’t changed a bit in all those years.

In late 2024 the AirPods Max got a single update to replace the Lightning connection with USB-C for regulator compliance and consistency across the ecosystem.

Today’s announcement brings the H2 chip for better connectivity and overall audio features.

Noise Cancellation in the AirPods Max 2 is 1.5 times better than the original Max model, plus features like Conversational Awareness and Adaptive Audio, Loud Sound Reduction and Live Translation.

Additionally, if you’ve got your iPhone camera setup for a remote group photo or selfie, you can now use the Digital Crown with a single press to start and stop video or capture a photo.

Late last year the price of AirPods Max went up from their 2020 launch price of $899 to a new $999 – AirPods Max 2 retain that $999 pricetag.