The AirPods Max swept the nation when they were released at Christmastime in 2020; bringing to our ears a sturdy over-ear headphone with great sound, and a colorful, unique design. They also introduced really excellent active noise cancelation (ANC) alongside spatialized audio and Dolby Atmos capabilities. On the downside, the AirPods Max had limited capabilities when it came to Android devices plus, they came with a hefty price tag - hitting the market at $549.

This brings us to our reason for being here today. The AirPods Max are great, but won't cut it for every user. Luckily, for those of us looking for a solid pair of inexpensive headphones, searching for a different high-end option, or who don’t want to jump on the iOS-only bandwagon, there are a number of great alternatives out there to suit our listening needs. We’ve gathered a group of standout, over-ear headphone contemporaries that prioritize design, sound quality, and noise cancelation - just like the AirPods Max.

The Sony WH-1000XM5 are an excellent alternative to AirPods Max, in fact, they won our head-to-head competition and were voted the best pair of noise-cancelling headphones overall. The difference in sound quality and active noise cancelation between the two are subtle at most; the WH-1000XM5 feature a wonderfully neutral sound profile, adjustable EQ, and Sony’s 360 Reality Audio tech (which is similar to Apple’s spatial audio) for both iOS and Android devices. 360 Reality Audio uses object-based sound technology to create a surround sound mix, but it only works with a few streaming services like Tidal, Amazon Music Unlimited, and Deezer.

When it comes to noise cancelation, the WH-1000XM5 is ahead of the pack with a new Automatic Personal NC Optimizer, which adjusts the noise cancelation intensity based on your surroundings, alongside eight microphones and two processors to analyze, then eliminates the din of planes, trains, and chatty coworkers.

In order to activate ANC or make other sonic adjustments, you'll need to download the Sony Headphones Connect app, which allows you to boost or cut five EQ bands, access audio presets, and update software. You can also enable Speak to Chat, which automatically pauses your music when you talk.

While they don’t come in fun, AirPods Max colors, they have thick, synthetic leather padding on the earcups makes for a comfortable fit, and up to 30 hours of playback will keep you connected, even across multi-connection flights.

The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 is a great AirPods Max alternative for those looking for something even more luxe (with the price tag to prove it). They have a plush build featuring Nappa leather trim, memory foam earcups, and die-cast aluminum arms. Available in black or gray/tan and weighing 350 grams (35 grams less than the AirPods Max), this model is heavy enough to feel fancy without causing discomfort. Like the Max, onboard controls are easy to operate and include skip/pause buttons, Bluetooth toggling, and a quick action button that you can customize, giving you immediate access to voice assistance or pass-through mode (which turns off ANC). Sound is powered by two 40-mm carbon cone drivers with high-resolution, 24-bit DSP to improve resolution and support a frequency range of 10Hz-30kHz. We would have liked to see more ANC customization options; you can only choose between On or Off with an ambient pass-through mode, but this is true for the AirPods Max as well.

The Px8 support most audio codecs aside from LDAC including AAC, SBC, aptX (Adaptive and HD) with Bluetooth 5.2 and compatibility across Android and iOS alike. The battery provides 30 hours of playback with a 15-minute quick charge for an additional 7 hours of life.

The AirPods Max contain lots of cool features, but their high price can be prohibitive. If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly alternative, reach for the Anker Soundcore Life Q30, which is our favorite over-ear model under $100.

This model feels like it should be more expensive considering the sound quality and special features offered. Not only are they ANC-equipped, but they also have three modes to choose from: Transport, which reduces airplane engine noise, Outdoor, which minimizes traffic sounds and wind, and Indoor, which silences typing, chatting, and other bothersome acoustic annoyances; you can also easily access Transparency mode. The Soundcore App lets you choose from 22 EQ presets, toggle noise cancelation modes, tailor white noise, and more.

A 40-hour battery life (60 hours with ANC turned off) will keep you connected for days at a time, and fast charging means you can get up to four hours of renewed life from just five minutes on the charger. Two built-in microphones keep calls clear, and multi-device pairing allows you to connect multiple smart devices at the same for easy switching from your phone’s playlist to your computer’s Zoom meeting.

This pair is available in three colors, black, blue, and pink, so you can achieve your bubble-gum AirPods Max dreams, and if you have an Android phone, you’ll be able to take advantage of smart pairing just by tapping your phone on the right earcup.

The Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 are one of the finest-looking pairs of noise-canceling headphones on the block. This model is for those who want AirPods Max features but aren’t necessarily in love with the boxy, colorful style. The Bose 700 prioritizes minimalism with small integrated onboard controls that forgo flashy labeling. The build is luxurious, with a stainless steel headband with gel foam padding, and tilted leather-covered earpads reminiscent of Rolls-Royce seating; firm yet comfortable, with smooth-coated, anti-stick earcups. The coating feels great on the fingers and also enhances onboard controls, like adjusting volume by sliding your fingers up and down the right earcup.

Sound quality here is great and active noise cancelation is really solid; there are 11 different levels of noise cancelation you can cycle through, letting in as much or as little sound as you want.

The Bose Music App is easy to use and suitable for Android and iOS. The app lets you make simple, broad-band EQ adjustments, connect to a voice assistant, and adjust noise cancelation. Like the AirPods Max, the only real downside is the battery which sits at 20 hours of playback.

The Focal Bathys are a Hi-Fi pair of headphones designed to deliver stellar sound quality. Focal designs with audiophiles in mind, so if you are looking to level up your listening game or your stands are already very high, this might be the pair to check out. Inside the earpads are patented aluminum/magnesium “M”-dome speaker drivers with integrated USB-DAC mode that offers 24-bit resolution and 192kHz.

The large earcups provide passive noise cancelation, combined with two modes of ANC. “Silent” is optimized for travel - canceling out “high ambient noise” and “Soft” which is designed to “promote concentration” at home or in the office. Like the AirPods Max, the Bathys have Transparency Mode, allowing you to tune into your surroundings.

The Bathys support up to 30 hours of playback while ANC is engaged with a 15-minute quick charge that gives you 5 extra hours. With each pair, you’ll get a rigid carrying case (take notes Apple), one 4ft jack cable, and one 4ft USB-C cable.

The AirPods Max have a 20-hour battery life, which might suit some, but certainly isn’t setting any records. Twenty hours is great if you have easy access to a daily charger, but there are better alternatives if you’re looking for something you can take on a three-day camping trip or sustain you across multiple legs of an international journey.

The Sennheiser Momentum 4 delivers 60 hours of listening time with ANC activated; that’s triple the battery power of the Apple AirPods Max. One quirk of the AirPods is that you can’t actually fully turn them off, they go into a rest mode when not in use, which doesn’t really help preserve battery life. The Momentum 4 not only have an onboard power button which keeps you in control but also Auto On/Off, so they’ll power down based on their position, further saving the battery. If you somehow manage to totally exhaust the battery, you can also connect with a 3.5mm jack or USB cable to listen.

The ANC on the Momentum 4 is solid, though not necessarily as amazing as the Sony WH-1000XM5, but it will dampen most background noise including plane engines and general chatter. Sound quality is good with detail across the full frequency range; they have a bit of a boost on the low end which you can adjust via the Sennheiser Smart Connect app. There is support for SBC, aptX, and aptX Adaptive codecs.

The Beats Studio Pro a great pair of headphones for iOS users who want to experience spatialized audio without shelling out for AirPods Max or for Android users looking for Apple sound. Beats by Dre is owned by Apple, and they’ve infused each model with facets of their specialized technology including a new proprietary Beats chip. Android users may not be able to access spatial audio, but they will benefit from excellent audio and noise cancelation, plus they’ll be able to fast pair right out of the box; you won’t need to download any additional third-party app just to connect. Beats Wireless Share also lets you play content across multiple Beats headphones.

The Studio Pro are available in four colorways, with a “b” button-an onboard control button that lets you play, pause, skip, go back, take and make calls, control volume, and audio playback, and activate Siri (on iOS devices). You can experience lossless audio via the built-in DAC and included USB-C cable which also gives you the option to access specific listening profiles based on the type of entertainment you're consuming. You'll also get clearer phone calls thanks to six microphones, updated drivers, and Class 1 Bluetooth. The Beats Studio Pro have up to 24 hours of listening time, increased to 40 hours when ANC is off, and an additional four hours from a ten-minute quick charge.

While we do see a fair amount of AirPods Max in the gym, we generally don’t recommend them for exercise. They are quite heavy, prone to falling off during highly dynamic workouts, they are not sweat or water-resistant, and they tend to get pretty hot. If you’re looking for a pair of over-ear headphones to take to the gym check out the Treblab Z2 workout headphones instead.

The Z2 don’t have any fancy features but are specifically designed with workouts in mind, plus, they have garnered thousands of positive reviews online. They have an IPX4 rating, meaning sweat protection and up to 35 hours of playback will get you through multiple HIIT sessions. Multipoint connectivity means you can move quickly from your phone to a computer when Yoga with Adriene goes long, and you need to hop on a Zoom (camera off).

Sound quality is pretty good, as is noise cancelation and the built-in mic gives you access to voice assistants, including Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa, so you don’t have to drop your weights to skip a song. The Z2 weighs roughly half a pound and are designed to fit securely around the head, minimizing the risk of falling off without being too tight. Each pair comes with a USB charging cable, a 3.5mm audio cable, and a carrying case.

Final thoughts on the best AirPods Max alternatives

While we like the AirPods Max, there are numerous reasons to search for an alternative. If you want something nice that doesn't rely on iOS for access all the special features, then check out the Sony WH-1000XM5 i.e. one of our favorite pairs of headphones of all time with excellent sound quality and great ANC. If you want to experience something with a luxury, high-end build the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 will deliver that and more. If budget is your primary concern, there are many options well under Apple's $550 price tag; and our favorite model, the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 comes in at under $100 with great sound quality and reliable ANC.