March 2021 • Macworld 39otherwise hard to justify the price tag,
and those who regularly dip outside
Apple’s product ecosystem should
probably look at alternatives.DESIGN AND COMFORT
It comes as no surprise that Apple
designed a set of headphones that
looks fantastic and is made from
premium materials. But Apple
doesn’t always knock it out of the
park with ergonomics. (I’m looking at
you, Apple TV remote.) Fortunately,
AirPods Max are both great-looking
and a delight to use.
Apple’s new headphones just plain
look better than any other you’ve
used. Credit
the smooth
matte finish on
the aluminium
closed-back
earpieces, the
stainless steel
rods in the band,
the fine mesh
of the ear pads
and ‘canopy’
headband – it all
works together
to create a sleek
and minimalist
look that puts
nearly all otherheadphones to shame, even those
that cost a lot more.
People will notice you’re wearing
AirPods Max, even though they oddly
don’t have an Apple logo anywhere.
All that metal makes them a lot
heavier than similar headphones,
as much as 50 per cent heavier at
384g (the Sony XM4s and Bose 700s
both weigh just over 250g). Apple
has done such a good job maximizing
comfort with the soft, deep,
breathable ear pads and the mesh
canopy headband that the weight
doesn’t bother you at all. There’s
a bit more clamping force than I’ve
experienced on most other consumerThe ultra-minimalist look of the AirPods Max stands out in a
crowded market. Everyone will know what they are at a glance.March 2021 • Macworld 39otherwise hard to justify the price tag,
and those who regularly dip outside
Apple’s product ecosystem should
probably look at alternatives.
DESIGN AND COMFORT
It comes as no surprise that Apple
designed a set of headphones that
looks fantastic and is made from
premium materials. But Apple
doesn’t always knock it out of the
park with ergonomics. (I’m looking at
you, Apple TV remote.) Fortunately,
AirPods Max are both great-looking
and a delight to use.
Apple’s new headphones just plain
look better than any other you’ve
used. Credit
the smooth
matte finish on
the aluminium
closed-back
earpieces, the
stainless steel
rods in the band,
the fine mesh
of the ear pads
and ‘canopy’
headband – it all
works together
to create a sleek
and minimalist
look that puts
nearly all other
headphones to shame, even those
that cost a lot more.
People will notice you’re wearing
AirPods Max, even though they oddly
don’t have an Apple logo anywhere.
All that metal makes them a lot
heavier than similar headphones,
as much as 50 per cent heavier at
384g (the Sony XM4s and Bose 700s
both weigh just over 250g). Apple
has done such a good job maximizing
comfort with the soft, deep,
breathable ear pads and the mesh
canopy headband that the weight
doesn’t bother you at all. There’s
a bit more clamping force than I’ve
experienced on most other consumerThe ultra-minimalist look of the AirPods Max stands out in a
crowded market. Everyone will know what they are at a glance.