Apple AirPods Max (Lightning) vs Apple AirPods Max (USB-C)

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AirPods Max (Lightning) compared with AirPods Max (USB-C)

	AppleAirPods Max (Lightning)	AppleAirPods Max (USB-C)
Overview
Released
Released	December 2020	September 2024
Sound
Type
Type	Over-ear	Over-ear
Noise cancelling
Noise cancelling	Yes	Yes
Transparency mode
Transparency mode	Yes	Yes
Spatial audio with head tracking
Spatial audio with head tracking	Yes	Yes
Driver size
Driver size	40 mm	–
Bluetooth codecs
Bluetooth codecs	SBC and AAC	SBC and AAC
Lossless over USB-C
Lossless over USB-C	No	Yes
Chip
Chip	H1	H1
Drivers
Drivers	Apple-designed dynamic drivers with dual neodymium ring magnet motors	Apple-designed dynamic driver
Chip
Chip	H1 in each ear cup	H1 in each ear cup
Noise cancelling detail
Noise cancelling detail	Eight microphones for Active Noise Cancellation; Transparency mode	Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode
Audio features
Audio features	Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking; Adaptive EQ; Audio Sharing; AAC and SBC Bluetooth codecs (SoundGuys); analogue wired listening through a separately sold Lightning to 3.5 mm audio cable	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 20 hours	Up to 20 hours
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	Up to 20 hours of movie playback with Spatial Audio; Smart Case puts headphones in an ultra-low-power state; charging via Lightning	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
Fast charging
Fast charging	Around 1.5 hours of listening after 5 minutes of charging	5 minutes of charging gives around 1.5 hours of listening
Design
Weight
Weight	384.8 g (better)	386.2 g
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	5.0	5.0
Headphone cable
Headphone cable	Yes	Yes
Controls
Controls	Digital Crown for volume, playback, calls and Siri; listening mode button for ANC/Transparency; “Hey Siri”	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	Nine microphones, three for voice pickup (two shared with ANC); optical, position and case-detect sensors and accelerometer in each cup, gyroscope in left cup	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	Stainless steel frame, telescoping arms and knit mesh canopy; memory foam cushions; aluminium ear cups	–
Case weight
Case weight	134.5 g (Smart Case)	134.5 g (Smart Case)
Dimensions
Dimensions	187.3 × 168.6 × 83.4 mm (height × width × depth), including cushions	–
Works with
Works with	Apple devices with current iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS or tvOS; Bluetooth audio with older Apple software and non-Apple devices, with limited features	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	Space Grey, Silver, Sky Blue, Green, Pink	Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, Orange
In the box
In the box	AirPods Max, Smart Case, Lightning to USB-C cable, documentation	AirPods Max, Smart Case, USB-C Charge Cable, documentation