Apple's excellent headphones, the AirPods Max, are one of the best pairs of noise-canceling headphones money can buy. Well, there are a few other headphones we'd recommend, but with their beautiful design, industry-leading active noise cancelation(ANC) and transparency mode, the AirPods Max are pretty hard to beat. And if you're going to spend the substantial $550 price for them, you might as well trick them out with some AirPods Max accessories.
Why not protect them with cool earcup covers or a sturdy carrying case, or some fun and stylish solutions for charging them at home or on the go? To help with that, we've put together this roundup of the best AirPods Max accessories.
If you're more of a wireless earbuds kind of person, we've also got a roundup of the best accessories for AirPods and AirPods Pro, too.
Of all the AirPods Max cases we've seen, the Urban Armor Gear (UAG) Ration case just feels like a step above the rest, which it most certainly should for its $80 price tag. The exterior "ballistic nylon" material feels like a thick and durable cover for the hard case beneath. UAG states that the case is "weather resistant," which doesn't mean your precious AirPods Max will be safe from anything serious like submersion, but combined with a pretty sturdy rubber lining along the zipper to help seal it up, you've got some substantial protection from spills, splashes, and more.
On the inside, the Ration Protective Case is compression molded to fit the AirPods Max perfectly, whether they're in their smart case or not, and a little magnetic butterfly divider makes contact with the headphones to put them into low power mode when not in use to help preserve battery power. A helpful elastic strap that runs across the headphones seems like a small thing, but it helps the AirPods Max stay put, while a mesh pouch on the inside of the case's lid is lined with memory foam and is perfect for storing charging cables and other small attachments like adapter cables. On the outside, there's a carrying handle and carabiner for hooking it to a backpack.
For starters, the velvety-soft plush interior material just feels so good that you want to pet it, and the extra space inside for your cable and charging brick is a little touch even our No. 1 pick above doesn't offer — and it's $40 cheaper. Sure, it doesn't feel as rugged as some other cases, but the EVA polymer (read: plastic) shell is sturdy enough to protect your AirPods Max well, plus it's got a strong zipper that seals things up nicely. There's no IP water-resistance rating here, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a case that offers it, but your headphones should be safe against the odd splash.
The coCREA Hard Case's compact design fits nicely in any bag or backpack and, perhaps most importantly, it features the magnetic butterfly tabs to put the AirPods Max into low power mode, whether they're in their Smart Case or not. It's a great value with many of the features of our favorite overall pick.
Apple makes some pretty sick-looking devices — the iPhone is the prime example. Yet for how beautifully designed they are, it's common practice to cover them up with a protective case or skin to prevent disaster. The AirPods Max are no different. Spigen, reputable makers of all manner of cases, chargers, and accessories for smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and more, haven't left the AirPods Max unnoticed with the Urban Fit ear cup cover. A firm, protective polycarbonate shell sits under a woven fabric covering that feels good to the touch and is grippy for those with butterfingers. While it does cover up the color of the AirPods underneath, the black or gray options offer a sophisticated look as well, and the protection will be worth it.
Molded to fit without interfering with the crown dial or buttons on the AirPods Max's earcup, the Urban covers snap on and off easily and aren't bulky. They also don't interfere with the Smart Case, and the $30 price is well worth it. That said, if you prefer to see your slick AirPods Max's color, Spigen also has the transparent covers.
Sure, there are a lot of stands out there that have built-in wireless charging pads for iPhones, AirPods cases, and Apple Watch, but most of them just have the AirPods Max dangling on a post like a piece of meat. I'm kidding; . But, we like this lesser-known option from Superone, as it's made from one solid piece of aluminum; has a weighted, grippy base so it doesn't slide around on your desk; and it's lined with a soft, plush material that won't scratch your AirPods. Most people are going to like this stand because it's one of the few on the market that puts the AirPods Max into low-power mode when the headphones are inserted, which helps preserve the AirPods' battery life.
The molded plush cradle only fits AirPods Max, but they do so perfectly. Additionally, when cradled, the Lightning power port is exposed, so you can easily charge them while they're docked. The only drawback is the aforementioned lack of additional wireless charging features for your other devices.
The AirPods Max don't come with a charging adapter, so you're left to grab one on your own. So why not get one with some style? These 30-watt little bricks from Case-Mate are cute, powerful, and will deliver a fast charge to your AirPods Max and other devices like smartphones and tablets, all while fitting easily in your pocket, purse, or even inside your AirPods Max case, should you have one, with its foldable prongs.
The Case-Mate Fuel charger comes with built-in smart GaN technology that keeps heat to a minimum and optimizes charging output.
Available in four fun colors — Vibrant Orange, Electric Blue, Vivid Green, and Frosted White — the Fuel comes with a one-year warranty.
Derek Malcolm is a contributing editor and evergreen lead for the A/V and Home Theater section of Digital Trends. Derek joined the DT team in 2020, spending his days wrangling the movie and TV streaming guides before getting the chance to nurture his obsession with the latest audio/video gear. A former musician and practicing vinyl nerd, his passion for sound can be found in his writing, whether it’s a guide to the best speakers and turntables, or a review of a party speaker that’ll blow your roof off.
Derek studied journalism at Toronto’s Humber College, graduating in 1999. He started his career writing about music, movies, and TV, back when people still read things on paper, working at such magazines as TV Guide and celebrity mag Hello! Canada. Derek counts Matt Damon, Britney Spears, and Coldplay among his favorite interviews.
From 2006 to 2018 Derek was the editor-in-chief of Canadian tech and entertainment magazine Connected, where he steered the publication through the invention of the iPhone and the rise of streaming to the demise of BlackBerry and the print industry.
One of two Canucks on the Digital Trends A/V team, Derek is based in Toronto where he lives with his wife, daughter, two cats, and his prized vintage Marantz stereo receivers.
When Derek isn’t cussing at the labyrinthine setup menus of the latest projectors, he can be found at home listening to records or counting the days to ski season.
You can find Derek on Threads and sharing his vinyl exploits on Instagram.
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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