If you’ve been waiting for a deal on Apple’s flagship AirPods Max, now is the time to buy a pair. Amazon has discounted the USB-C model to $449, or 18 percent off their suggested $549 price. Since we first posted this story earlier, most colors have sold out, but the starlight color is still available at the time of this update.
The AirPods Max need no introduction, but it’s worth taking a moment to consider if they make sense to buy in 2025. No doubt, they sound great and offer tight integration with other Apple devices, but if you don’t count the minor refresh Apple made this past September, the AirPods Max are now more than four years old. In that time, the competition has only gotten better; in fact, the AirPods Max aren’t even on Engadget’s list of the best noise-canceling headphones you can buy in 2025. Even taking into account their current $100 discount, there are options like the Sony WH-1000XM5 that are better and cheaper.
At $100 off, Apple’s flagship AirPods offer more value than they usually do at their regular $549 price.
Still, there’s a case to be made for the AirPods Max, particularly for someone deeply invested in Apple’s ecosystem. As easy as Sony’s app makes pairing, the process is still nowhere near as easy and seamless as Apple’s native integration. If you’re a frequent Siri user, the AirPods Max win there too. Just keep in mind Apple is likely to release a proper update to the AirPods Max later this year.
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Update, January 19 2025, 6:55 PM ET: This story has been updated to reflect that fewer colors remain in stock at the discounted price.
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