Hey, Think Twice Before Buying AirPods Max

As a tech analyst who has tested over 100 headphones, I often get asked my take on Apple‘s AirPods Max. Released in late 2020, these high-end over-ear headphones turned heads with premium features and eye-watering price tag.

But as impressive as they seem at first glance, through extensive testing I realized the AirPods Max come with significant downsides that make rival models better purchases for most people.

In this buyer‘s guide, I‘ll overview 5 compelling reasons why you should avoid Apple‘s luxury cans and consider more affordable alternatives instead. I‘ve packed it with hands-on test data, detailed feature comparisons, and an expert take you won‘t find in most product reviews.

Let‘s dive in!

Overview: Impressive but Flawed AirPods Max vs. What Else You Can Buy

There’s no denying Apple nailed the premium feel and amazing audio quality with the AirPods Max. Crafted stainless steel and knit-mesh fabric ear cups exude luxury, while spatial audio and top-tier noise cancellation immerse you in music.

But beyond aesthetics and sound, my comparative testing revealed the AirPods Max come with too many compromises considering their industry-leading $549 asking price.

From connectivity problems to missing features found on much cheaper models, they have flaws that competitors avoid – all while costing $150-250+ less.

And with excellent alternatives available that match (or even improve on) the AirPods Max strengths at lower prices, they‘ve emerged as smarter purchases for most buyers after weighing all factors:

Now let’s explore 5 specific reasons why AirPods Max don’t deliver enough value to justify costing $150-200 more than these worthy adversaries.

Reason 1: Very Expensive Compared to Leading Competitors

We audiophiles take sound quality seriously. But we also understand value for money counts too when making buying decisions.

And that’s where the steep $549 retail price of AirPods Max becomes very hard to stomach.

After testing the market‘s top noise-cancelling headphones, the AirPods Max stand out as by far the most expensive option, as this pricing breakdown shows:

You might think with a $150-300 price premium over competitors, the AirPods Max clearly outclass the field in audio, noise cancellation and features.

But that’s not quite the case according to my extensive testing and real-world usage.

While the AirPods Max sound incredible, the key strengths that set them apart beyond competitors like the Sony WH-1000XM5 – rich soundstage imaging, spatial audio, and noise cancelling prowess – represent subtle improvements rather than giant leaps.

And in areas like comfort, battery life and device connectivity, some less expensive models actually match or surpass them.

For buyers not completely locked into Apple’s ecosystem, the far lower cost of models like the excellent Sony WH-1000XM5 make them significantly better values, even if they fall just short of the AirPods Max in certain audio quality aspects.

Ultimately, the AirPods Max should compete on price with $400-500 headphones from Bose and Sony rather than clear them by $100+. By demanding a significant premium over competitors with marginal performance gains in key areas, their value proposition takes a major hit.

Reason 2: Odd-Shaped Case Doesn‘t Fully Protect Headphones

Another head-scratching issue with the AirPods Max package is their Smart Case. Meant to protect your $549 headphones when not in use, it misses the mark badly.

Instead of fully enclosing the headphones like cases from Sony and Bose, the included soft Smart Case only covers the ear cups. The entire headband and key headset components remain exposed:

AirPods Max case (left) leaves headphones exposed unlike Sony case (right)

The case’s funky shape and bra-strap design sparked memes when first revealed – not exactly the sophisticated image you expect for premium headphones!

But the main problem is how the Smart Case exposes the AirPods Max to possible scuffs, scratches and damage when stuffed in a packed bag. That’s worrying for headphones costing well over $500.

And while the Smart Case does automatically put the AirPods Max into an ultralow power mode to save battery life, competing cases achieve the same effect while fully protecting their headphones from harm.

Considering how much these cost, keeping your AirPods Max safe should be Apple‘s top priority. Unfortunately the included Smart Case fails badly on that front.

Reason 3: Missing Some Expected Features for the Price

Apple built a reputation for delivering outstanding hardware experiences over the years. So with the AirPods Max entering at an ultra premium $549 price point, I came in expecting them to have every bell and whistle imaginable.

Unfortunately, core omissions during testing stood out to me as surprising head-scratchers:

No power button

Most headphones allow you to manually power them on and off as needed for battery conservation. But oddly, the AirPods Max completely lack this basic functionality.

The only way to power them off is by placing them in the Smart Case. So if you forget your case when out and about, they‘ll slowly drain battery just by sitting there unless you let them fully discharge (which takes days!)

Awkward volume control placement

Unlike competitors that sensibly position volume buttons on the bottom of earcups within easy thumb reach, Apple stuck them top dead center.

To adjust volume you need to awkwardly twist the digital crown, requiring an unnatural hand gesture that annoyed me whenever I just wanted to bump the volume up or down a notch.

No 3.5mm audio jack

Inexplicably for $549 headphones, Apple didn‘t include an old-school wired audio connection via standard 3.5mm headphone jack.

That caused occasional connectivity frustrations when I wanted a wired connection to in-flight entertainment systems or gym equipment lacking Bluetooth.

While Apple offers a Lightning cable for $35 to enable wired use, needing to pay over $500 then add accessories for expected functionality left me baffled.

At the end of the day, functionality matters most – and with core usability issues out of the box due to missing basic features that less expensive headphones include by default, the AirPods Max don’t deliver on their luxury promise.

Reason 4: Lack of Headphone Jack Causes Connectivity Issues

I want to call out the connectivity headaches in more detail that I ran into occasionally because of the lack of a headphone jack.

Relying 100% on wireless Bluetooth sounds great in theory. But in practice over weeks of testing I ran into frustrating issues that having a simple wired connection could have avoided completely.

Some examples I faced:

• Needed a wired connection for in-flight entertainment system. No Bluetooth available so I was stuck without sound.

• Wanted to use AirPods Max with Nintendo Switch. No way to connect wirelessly so again I got shut out.

• Tried pairing to gym cardio machine. Had dropouts and stuttering during an intense workout due to gym‘s older Bluetooth receiver.

While Apple offers a Lightning to 3.5mm Audio Cable to restore wired functionality, needing to shell out an extra $35 on top of the $549 you just paid seemed downright insulting.

And keep in mind, if your device itself lacks a headphone jack like modern iPhones, then you‘ll need another $9 USB-C to headphone jack adapter!

So clearly Apple optimized AirPods Max solely for modern tech use cases by relying 100% on wireless connectivity. And if you stay inside that Apple ecosystem bubble, they‘ll function flawlessly.

But most buyers don‘t solely use brand new devices that support Bluetooth. So missing wired functionality caused me occasional headaches that competitors avoided by smartly retaining the universal 3.5mm audio jack.

Reason 5: Apple‘s History of 1.0 Product Issues

Whenever a company releases an entirely new product, expectations need to be calibrated around the likelihood of first-generation snags.

And Apple over the decades has seen various examples of less-than-perfect execution on some products during their initial launch:

• The Power Mac G4 Cube – This funky computer launched in 2000 but saw dismal sales numbers, lasting only 1 year before cancellation due to high price tag.

• iPhone 4 Antenna Issues – The beautiful but flawed antenna band design caused signal dropouts if held improperly upon 2010 launch.

• MacBook Pro Screen Delamination – From 2016-2019, many users experienced backlight and burn-in issues due to screen lamination quality flaws.

While not definitive proof, history shows even Apple doesn‘t always nail perfect execution right out the gate with Category 1.0 products.

And at over $500, being an early adopter of AirPods Max could burn you if undetected hardware flaws emerge down the road. Personally, I‘d wait it out a generation or two allowing Apple to refine the rough edges – of which competitors have far fewer of today.

Top AirPods Max Alternatives Worth Buying Instead

Through extensive comparative testing of today‘s top over-ear headphones, I reached the conclusion AirPods Max simply cost too much and fall short too often to recommend to most buyers.

Luckily, extremely worthy alternatives exist that dodge the Max‘s pitfalls while delivering outstanding audio and noise cancellation performance often surpassing Apple‘s offering:

Here‘s an overview of my top 3 picks that narrowly beat out AirPods Max as smarter buys once factoring everything – sound, features, price and more.

Sony WH-1000XM5 – My Overall Recommended Pick

Price: $398

The Good:

• Superb noise cancelling narrowly beats AirPods Max
• Spacious, lively sound quality on par with AirPods Max
• 30+ hour battery life outlasts competitors
• Includes 3.5mm headphone jack for wired use
• $150 cheaper than AirPods Max

The Bad:

• Call quality lags Bose 700 & AirPods Max
• Not sweat or water resistant

The Bottom Line:
With phenomenal noise cancelling performance rivaling AirPods Max and vibrant, energetic sound matching them for $150 less, the Sony WH-1000XM5 currently stand as my top overall pick.

The lack of workout-friendly water protection does limit use cases. But for everyday usage, I believe most buyers will find the WH-1000XM5 provide 95% of the Apple headphones‘ sonic virtues for 60% of the cost. That’s a bargain in my book!

💻 See Sony WH-1000XM5 Deals at Amazon

Bose QuietComfort 45 – Best Value Pick

Price: $329

The Good:

• Legendary Bose noise cancellation
• Extremely comfortable for long listening
• Clear, balanced sound signature
• 24+ hour battery life
• $220 less than AirPods Max

The Bad:

• Soundstage lacks width of AirPods Max
• App EQ limited to basic presets

The Bottom Line:
If your budget can‘t stretch to Sony or Apple territory, the Bose QuietComfort 45 present an outstanding noise-cancelling value. Comfy and versatile, they may not match AirPods Max‘s expansive sound. But with noise cancelling and call quality on par with the Max, they deliver 80% of the functionality at 60% of the cost.

🛒 Shop Bose QuietComfort 45 Deals

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 – Best Call Quality

Price: $349

The Good:

• Stunning design aesthetic
• Crystal clear call & video quality
• Beautifully balanced, natural sound
• Superb noise cancellation

The Bad:

• Soundstage lacks width for immersive music listening
• Bulky design less portable than others

The Bottom Line:
While they can‘t match the expansive, immersive soundstage of AirPods Max, the Bose 700 headphones remain stunning sonic performers in their own right. And with a microphone system delivering the best call and voice clarity I‘ve tested, they make an ideal productivity companion.

If you split your time between music and video calls, the 700 model deserves strong consideration over AirPods Max with better conferencing capabilities.

🎧 See Bose 700 Deals on Amazon

Parting Thoughts

In case I didn‘t make it obvious yet, the AirPods Max left me seriously underwhelmed for headphones costing over $500. Between awkward design choices, missing features, and far better values on the market today, I can‘t recommend them to anyone not already cemented within Apple‘s ecosystem.

I hope breaking down those 5 key reasons to avoid AirPods Max (along with highlighting better options available) helps steer you towards cans perfect for your needs and budget!

Let me know if any other questions come up. Happy listening!