Surprise! AirPods Max 2 arrive with H2 chip, improved ANC, and more

In an announcement no one saw coming, Apple has officially unveiled the AirPods Max 2, six years after the original. On the surface, they look pretty much the same, but under the hood, the H2 chip finally arrives, unlocking a batch of features that AirPods Pro users have had for years.

Those additions include Adaptive Audio (automatic switching between ANC and Transparency mode based on your surroundings), Conversation Awareness (volume drops when you start talking to someone nearby), Voice Isolation (prioritizes your voice on calls by filtering background noise), Live Translation (real-time in-person language translation via Apple Intelligence), Siri head gestures (nod or shake to respond to Siri), and Camera Remote (trigger your iPhone camera from the headphones).

The headphones support lossless audio when connected via USB-C.

Apple also says the new headphones have 1.5x better ANC, a higher-dynamic-range amplifier for cleaner audio, better instrument localization in Spatial Audio, and reduced wireless latency for gaming. We’ll be getting a pair in the lab to run our own measurements and see how those ANC claims hold up. Lossless audio at 24-bit, 48 kHz over the included USB-C cable carries over from the previous model.

What doesn’t change is the design. The stainless steel frame, mesh headband, and rotating ear cups are identical to the 2020 original. The widely criticized carrying case — more of a pouch than a case — is back, too. Colors are the same five from the 2024 USB-C refresh: midnight, starlight, orange, purple, and blue. Space gray and silver are still gone, sadly.

The price stays at $549, with the AirPods Max 2 available to order on March 25, with units shipping in early April.

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