AirPods Max 2: No improvement in repairability
Apple's new luxury over-ears promise better sound and better ANC. However, if they break, it will also be difficult with the AirPods Max 2.
AirPods Max 2 in teardown: Little has changed when it comes to repairs.
(Image: iFixIt)
Although the internals of the AirPods Max 2 have changed, Apple is making no progress in terms of repairability. This is shown by a teardown carried out by the repair service provider iFixIt. Apple continues to use unnecessarily large amounts of adhesive, and certain parts of the over-ear headphones are only accessible with great effort. Furthermore, known problems such as condensation in the earcups (which can occur during sports and high humidity, as well as during prolonged wear) or cable breaks on the headbands have not been resolved. This is surprising, as Apple still charges a lot of money for the AirPods Max 2: 579 euros are listed on the price list.
Same rating as the predecessor
After the teardown, iFixIt concludes that the new edition of the headphones, first released in 2020, does not deserve a better rating than the first version: 6 out of 10 points on the “Repairability Score” scale. Neither the battery nor the USB ports, both areas that can fail relatively quickly, are easily accessible. Apple has also still not included the AirPods Max in its Self Service Repair Program (SSRP), meaning there are no spare parts for DIY enthusiasts and interested parties. If the company had made even minor improvements, the Max 2 would likely last significantly longer.
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Plenty of space: Unlike the AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods 4 ANC, which are disposable products due to their miniaturization, Apple could have scored points here with a slightly modified design. The MacBook Neo, which costs hardly more than the AirPods Max 2, demonstrates that this is possible. There are also no repair manuals for the over-ear headphones, leaving customers to fend for themselves when working on the headphones.
Apple could do significantly more
Internally, there are few surprises. The main innovation is the integrated H2 chip in the earcups, which promises better sound and better noise cancellation (ANC). Fundamentally, the design has been unchanged for six years. Apple only gave the devices new colors with their USB-C variant in 2024. Also unchanged is the so-called Smartcase, which closes magnetically but does not make the over-ear headphones smaller or protect them particularly well.
“In the hands of a patient tinkerer, the AirPods Max 2 could last forever,” concludes iFixIt, if Apple were to provide spare parts and repair manuals. Overall, they are not the worst products in terms of repairability.
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