Apple AirPods (1st generation) vs Apple AirPods Max (USB-C)

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Only show differences

Better figure, where one is clearly better

Share comparison

AirPods (1st generation) compared with AirPods Max (USB-C)

	AppleAirPods (1st generation)	AppleAirPods Max (USB-C)
Overview
Released
Released	December 2016	September 2024
Sound
Type
Type	Open-ear	Over-ear
Noise cancelling
Noise cancelling	No	Yes
Transparency mode
Transparency mode	No	Yes
Spatial audio with head tracking
Spatial audio with head tracking	No	Yes
Bluetooth codecs
Bluetooth codecs	AAC	SBC and AAC
Lossless over USB-C
Lossless over USB-C	No	Yes
Chip
Chip	W1	H1
Drivers
Drivers	–	Apple-designed dynamic driver
Chip
Chip	–	H1 in each ear cup
Noise cancelling detail
Noise cancelling detail	–	Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode
Audio features
Audio features	Automatic playback and pausing using dual optical sensors and a motion accelerometer; one or both earbuds can be used; AAC Bluetooth audio	Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking; Adaptive EQ; Lossless Audio and ultra-low latency audio via USB-C; analogue sources need Apple's USB-C to 3.5 mm Audio Cable, sold separately
Battery
Listening time (maker's claim)
Listening time (maker's claim)	Up to 5 hours	Up to 20 hours
Wireless charging
Wireless charging	No	–
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	More than 24 hours of listening including case recharges, according to Apple	Up to 20 hours of movie playback with ANC and Spatial Audio on; storing them in the Smart Case puts them in an ultra-low-power state
Charging case
Charging case	Lightning connector; original charging case measures 44.3 x 21.3 x 53.5 mm; a compatible Wireless Charging Case was sold separately from March 2019	–
Fast charging
Fast charging	15 minutes in the case provides up to 3 hours of listening	5 minutes of charging gives around 1.5 hours of listening
Design
Weight (each earbud)
Weight (each earbud)	4 g (better)	386.2 g
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	–	5.0
Headphone cable
Headphone cable	No	Yes
Controls
Controls	Double-tap for Siri at launch; automatic pause when an earbud is removed	Digital Crown (turn for volume; press once to play, pause or answer a call; twice to end a call or skip forward; three times to skip back; press and hold for Siri); noise control button to switch between ANC and Transparency; “Hey Siri”
Microphones
Microphones	Dual beamforming microphones and speech-detecting accelerometer in each earbud	Nine microphones in total, eight for Active Noise Cancellation and three for voice pickup (two shared with ANC)
Fit and ear tips
Fit and ear tips	Fixed open-ear shape without interchangeable tips; each earbud measures 16.5 x 18.0 x 40.5 mm	–
Case weight
Case weight	38 g	134.5 g (Smart Case)
Works with
Works with	Apple integration requires iOS 10, watchOS 3 or macOS Sierra and an iCloud account; other Bluetooth devices support standard audio with fewer features; Live Listen added with iOS 12	Full features with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV and Apple Vision Pro on the latest software; works as Bluetooth headphones with other devices, with limited features
Colours
Colours	White	Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, Orange
In the box
In the box	AirPods, Charging Case, Lightning to USB cable and documentation	AirPods Max, Smart Case, USB-C Charge Cable, documentation