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$293 at Walmart
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
Flagship Sennheiser noise-canceling headphones
$329 at Amazon
Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2
Next-gen Bowers & Wilkins noise-canceling headphones
$329 at Bose
Bose QuietComfort 45
Latest Bose noise-canceling headphones
Apple headphones, like the AirPods Max are popular despite their high price tag. Sporting a premium design, impressive audio quality and excellent noise-canceling tech, the AirPods Max scored top marks in my review. As you’d expect from a pair for Apple headphones, they’re designed to work seamlessly with iPhones and iPads, with exclusive features like spatial audio and hands-free Siri.
The AirPods Max list for $549 at Apple, and even though you can often find them on sale for less (currently $480 at Amazon), not everyone wants to drop nearly $500 on a pair of headphones. Which is why we’ve rounded up some of the best AirPods Max alternatives that you can snag for hundreds less. Below are my current top picks, all of which I’ve fully reviewed or had hands-on experience with over several weeks.
And for those who want AirPods Max alternatives, price be damned, check out our list of the best high-end Bluetooth headphones and earbuds.
David Carnoy/CNET
Battery Life Rated up to 32 hoursNoise Canceling Yes (ANC)Multipoint YesHeadphone Type Over-ear wireless headphonesWater-Resistant No IP rating
When you have a product that a lot of people love, change can be risky. Such is the case for Sony’s WH-1000XM5, the fifth generation of the 1000X series headphones, which were first released in 2016 as the MDR-1000X Wireless and have become increasingly popular as they’ve improved with each generation.
Sennheiser
Sennheiser’s previous-generation Momentum Wireless headphones have always had a pretty distinct look that was part retro/part modern and stood out for the exposed metal on the headband. For better or worse, that’s all gone now, and the new Momentum 4 Wireless, Sennheiser’s flagship noise-canceling headphones, look a bit more subdued and also a bit more like some competitors.
David Carnoy/CNET
Available in three color options (gray, blue and black), Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2 headphones offer some significant improvements over the first-generation version. Not only are these headphones more comfortable — they tip the scales at 307 grams — but they sound better and have better noise-canceling and voice-calling performance with improved noise reduction. I don’t necessarily think they’re a better option than the lighter and even more comfortable Sony WH-1000XM5. But the PX7 S2 certainly looks and feels luxurious, with its sturdy design, and delivers very good sound with better voice-calling performance thanks to an upgraded microphone setup.
David Carnoy/CNET
Sony’s improved entry-level noise canceling headphones, the CH-720Ns, have a bit of a plastic-y budget vibe, but they’re lightweight and very comfortable. Part of me was expecting them to sound pretty mediocre, but I was pleasantly surprised. No, they don’t sound as good as the WH-1000XM5s. But they sound more premium than they look (and feel), and their overall performance is a nice step up from their predecessor, the CH-710Ns.
David Carnoy/CNET
Battery Life Rated up to 25 hoursMultipoint YesHeadphone Type Over-ear wireless headphonesWater-Resistant No IP rating
The QuietComfort 45 has virtually the same design as its predecessor, the QuietComfort QC35 II, which many people considered one of the most comfortable over-ear headphones — if not the most comfortable. It has the same drivers, according to Bose, and the buttons are in the same place. However, there are small but notable changes. First off, these thankfully have USB-C instead of Micro-USB.
David Carnoy/CNET
Battery Life Rated up to 6 hoursNoise Canceling Yes (ANC)Multipoint NoHeadphone Type Wireless earbudsWater-Resistant Yes (IPX4 — splash-proof)
The AirPods Pro (2nd generation) are powered by Apple’s H2 chip, which delivers more processing power while being more energy efficient, according to Apple. The H2 chip, combined with new low-distortion drivers, allows for improved sound that offers better clarity and depth.
David Carnoy/CNET
Battery Life Rated Up to 6 HoursNoise Canceling Yes (ANC)Multipoint NoHeadphone Type Wireless EarbudsWater-Resistant Yes (IPX4 — Splash-Proof)
Bose’s second-generation QuietComfort Earbuds 2 are not only about 30% smaller than their predecessors, but their case is about 40% smaller and truly pocketable. They feature best-in-class noise canceling and improved sound, thanks to Bose’s new CustomTune sound calibration system that customizes the sound for your ears. Voice-calling performance is also significantly better than that of the original QuietComfort Earbuds.
David Carnoy/CNET
If you can’t afford Sony’s WH-1000XM5 or Bose QC45, the Soundcore by Anker Space Q45 (yes, there’s a bit of copying going on here) is a good alternative for $150, and we occasionally see discounts pop up (currently $10 off with an instant coupon at Amazon). While it may not fit some smaller heads, it’s comfortable to wear, with nicely padded ear cups and a dual-hinge folding design. Sound quality is very good and the headphones offer better noise canceling than the step-down Q35, as well as multipoint Bluetooth pairing (these are equipped with Bluetooth 5.3) and support for the LDAC audio codec for streaming high-resolution music tracks over Bluetooth, if you have a device that supports LDAC. Many Android phones do, although Samsung’s Galaxy phones don’t.
More headphone recommendations
Best True Wireless Earbuds of 2023Best Open Wireless Earbuds That Aren’t AirPods
Best Noise-Canceling True Wireless Earbuds of 2023Best Wireless Earphones and Wireless Headphones for Making CallsBest Headphones of 2023Best Cheap Wireless Noise-Canceling Headphones Under $100Best Headphones for Running in 2023Best Over-Ear Headphones of 2023
Best Cheap Earbuds and HeadphonesBest AirPods Max Accessories for 2023
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