Apple's AirPods Max Weigh 384 Grams, Heavier Than Most Competing Over-Ear Headphones
Anyone who owns a pair of over-ear headphones will tell you that the weight of the headset can make a big difference to the listening experience. Especially if you're wearing headphones for several hours straight, weight starts to have a real impact on overall comfort.
Apple's new AirPods Max over-ear headphones weigh 13.6 ounces (384 grams), which might not sound like much, but that's relatively heavy compared to many premium over-ear headphones on the market. For comparison, below is a list of stated weights for some of the current market-leading rivals:
- AirPods Max - 13.6 ounces (384.8 grams)
- Audeze LCD-1 – 8.82 ounces (250 grams)
- Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless – 13.4 ounces (380 grams)
- Bose 700 – 8.78 ounces (249 grams)
- Bose Quiet Comfort 35 II – 10.93 ounces (310 grams)
- Sennheiser PXC 550-II – 8 ounces (227 grams)
- Sony WH-1000XM4 – 8.96 ounces (254 grams)
As you can see, Apple's AirPods Max are the heaviest in the list, and substantially heavier in most cases, with only Beyerdynamic's Amiron Wireless studio headphones approaching the same heft at 13.4 ounces (380 grams).
It'll be interesting to see how the ergonomic design of the AirPods Max compensate in this regard. Apple has used a "breathable knit mesh" for the headband, designed to distribute the weight evenly and reduce pressure, and the ear cups are cushioned with memory foam to provide comfort and a seal to improve sound quality. Whether Apple has actually managed to adequately balance the weight across the headband and cups so as to minimize wear fatigue, won't be answered until the reviews start coming in.
AirPods Max cost $549 and are available to order on Apple's website, with availability beginning December 15.
Popular Stories
Apple's iPhone 17 series is expected to debut in September 2025. This release follows Apple's recent trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall.
To unveil the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max, Apple is expected to hold its annual iPhone announcement event during the week of September 8, 2025, with September 9 or 10 emerging as the most likely...
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max should launch in late September, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models, as of July 2025:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14...
Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models will have several new camera-related features, according to an anonymous tipster who contacted MacRumors today.
The tipster claimed to be familiar with an iPhone 17 Pro commercial that is allegedly being produced by a film company that has publicly listed Apple as one of its clients. MacRumors has not independently confirmed any of the information shared ...
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device.
Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable
5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2
Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...
Earlier this month, MacRumors was first to report that Apple was planning to permanently close its Partridge Creek store, just outside of Detroit, Michigan, and now the company has announced a closure date for the location.
Apple Partridge Creek
Apple Partridge Creek's final day of business will be Saturday, August 16, with the store set to close for good at 8 p.m. local time that day. All of ...
While the focus is now on iOS 26, there is still an iOS 18.6 update incoming.
As noted by Aaron Zollo, Apple on Wednesday re-labeled iOS 18.6 Beta 4 as simply iOS 18.6, meaning that it is the Release Candidate version. This change effectively confirms that the update will be released to the public next week.
Alongside the new label, Apple shared release notes for iOS 18.6, which is a...
We may finally have a definitive list of all color options for the iPhone 17 series, ahead of the devices launching in September.
MacRumors concept
In a Macworld report this month, Filipe Espósito said he obtained an "internal document" that allegedly reveals all of the color options for the upcoming iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max models.
The report...
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are less than two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models, as of July 2025:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14...
