AirPods Max are the latest headphones to come from Apple and the first set to fully embrace and advertise the company name. However, along with that Apple branding comes a high price, justified through the inclusion of a set of advanced features. For many consumers, how useful any pair of headphones are, is often determined by how long they’ll last, or how quickly they’ll charge again once the battery has depleted.
Apple is no stranger to audio devices and accessories. Not only has the company’s AirPods earbuds line proved popular with buyers, but with Apple also owning Beats, it also has history in the on and over-ear headphone market. In addition, the company has also updated its HomePod smart speaker lineup recently with the smaller HomePod mini. All of which points to a growing audio importance for the iPhone and iPad maker.
Now, the company is looking to bridge the gap between its Apple-branded in-ear earbuds and the Beats-branded over-ear headphones with the release of the new AirPods Max ANC headphones. In terms of straight up battery life, Apple claims the headphones will last up to 20 hours on a single charge. This is irrespective of whether listening to music, watching a movie, or using them to chat with others. However, there are some additional caveats to be aware of.
AirPods Max Battery Life & Charging
The quoted 20 hours of battery life is an “up to” amount and so the actual duration will vary depending on usage. For example, Apple calculates this top-end figure as relative to Active Noise Cancellation (or Transparency mode) having been enabled. In addition, the figure is based on the volume level set to 50-percent, and although Spatial Audio (one of the main selling points) was enabled, it wasn’t in use. Therefore, any adjustments to the volume, ANC, or Spatial Audio, is likely to impact on exactly how long these headphones last.
When stored in the company's Smart Case, the headphones enter an ultra-low-power state. ULPS is a common technique used to preserve battery life and is similar in principle to a standby mode. While it won’t fully stop a battery from draining, it will help to ensure they last longer than if the headphones were not in the carry case. In terms of charging, Apple doesn’t specific exactly how long it takes to charge the headphones fully, but the company does explain that a quick five-minute charge will result in roughly 1.5 hours of playback.
Overall, with up to 20 hours of playback on offer, AirPods Max offer a decent level of daily battery life, but it is by no means the best, considering the Sony's WH-1000XM4 headphones are rated to offer up to 30 hours with noise canceling on and up to 38 with NC turned off. Likewise, Jabra's Elite 85h are rated to offer up to 36 hours and that's with ANC enabled. Not to mention, both Sony and Jabra's headphones are significantly cheaper than Apple's new AirPods Max.
Source: Apple