The Best Apple Headphones of 2023 Reviews

The Apple AirPods Max Wireless are the best Apple headphones for noise cancelling we’ve tested. These sleek and premium over-ears have an outstanding active noise cancelling (ANC) feature, which can reduce bass-range noise like bus or plane engines, ambient chatter, and higher-pitched sounds like the hum of an AC unit. They also have a sleek aluminum design that feels well-built. Their neutral sound profile offers a touch of extra thump and rumble that fans of EDM and hip-hop will especially enjoy. They also have a continuous battery life of over 21 hours, and Apple advertises that a five-minute quick charge can give you up to 1.5 hours of additional playtime, though we don’t currently test this feature.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a way to turn them off, and when you put them in their carrying case, they enter a low-power mode. The carrying case is mediocre, as it’s only a sleeve that covers the two ear cups. It’s by design, meaning you can use the headband as a carrying handle. While they use premium materials like aluminum and silicone, the mesh screen surrounding the headband seems fragile and prone to damage, especially if you use the headband as a handle. They’re a suitable choice if you’re looking for sleek Apple headphones that deliver a powerful noise cancellation performance.