Headphones · Model guide · Maker specs
AirPods Max 1 (USB-C)
Keep AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) or buy it used: it has the build, Smart Case and 20-hour battery of AirPods Max 2, but the older H1 chip.
Product images
AirPods Max 1 (USB-C), from its Amazon listing.
Credit: Amazon.com (Associates Program). Amazon listing
Product image from the Amazon listing.
In short
Keep AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) or buy it used: it has the build, Smart Case and 20-hour battery of AirPods Max 2, but the older H1 chip. You get USB-C lossless audio, Personalized Spatial Audio and Bluetooth 5.0, and like Max 2 it weighs 386.2 grams and doesn't fold. Move to AirPods Max 2 for Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Live Translation and Bluetooth 5.3.
Who it is for
- People who already own AirPods Max 1 (USB-C). AirPods Max 2 has the same weight, Smart Case and 20-hour rating, so upgrading buys H2 features, not a lighter build or a longer battery.
- Used buyers on iPhone, iPad or Mac who want Apple's over-ear headphones with USB-C, Personalized Spatial Audio and Automatic Switching, and can do without Adaptive Audio.
- Film watchers on Apple devices. Apple rates AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) for up to 20 hours of movie playback with noise cancelling and Spatial Audio both on.
Who should skip it
- Buyers who want H2. Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Live Translation and Bluetooth 5.3 come with AirPods Max 2, not with this model.
- Android users who want LDAC, aptX or an EQ app. AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) lists Bluetooth 5.0 and no codecs, and its settings live in Apple's software.
- Travelers who need a folding headphone or 30 hours of battery. AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) doesn't fold, and Apple rates it for 20 hours with noise cancelling on.
What sets it apart
- The same 386.2-gram build, Digital Crown, Smart Case and 20-hour noise-cancelling rating as AirPods Max 2.
- Lossless audio over USB-C, plus Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking.
- USB-C charging: 5 minutes gives about 1.5 hours of listening.
Caveats
- Its H1 chip and Bluetooth 5.0 are the same as on the 2020 Lightning AirPods Max.
- Apple describes Automatic Switching between devices on your Apple Account, not standard two-device Bluetooth multipoint, so don't count on a Windows PC and a phone sharing it.
- Apple doesn't rate it for water or sweat resistance.
Key specs
In the same order on every headphones page, so you can compare pairs.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Over-ear, with a knit-mesh canopy and memory-foam cushions | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs |
| Drivers | Apple-designed dynamic driver; diameter not published | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs |
| Noise cancelling | Active Noise Cancellation, which Apple calls pro-level | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs |
| Ambient sound | Transparency mode; the listening-mode button switches between noise cancelling and Transparency | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs |
| Multipoint | Automatic Switching between Apple devices signed in to the same Apple Account | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specsNo classic two-device (A2DP) Bluetooth multipoint in Apple's specs. |
| Battery life | Up to 20 hours of listening with pro-level noise cancelling on; up to 20 hours of movie playback with noise cancelling and Spatial Audio on | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs, footnotes 5 and 6Measured by Apple in July–August 2024 on preproduction units paired with an iPhone 16 Pro Max: 256 kbps AAC playlist, 50% volume, noise cancelling on. |
| Charging | USB-C; a 5-minute charge gives about 1.5 hours of listening | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs |
| Wired listening | Lossless audio over USB-C; bit depth and sample rate not published; charge cable in the box | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs |
| Weight | 386.2 g (13.6 oz) with cushions; Smart Case 134.5 g (4.74 oz) | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs |
| Folding and case | Doesn't fold; stores in the Smart Case, which holds it in an ultra-low-power state to save charge | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs |
| App | None; settings live in iOS, iPadOS and macOS, and in watchOS, tvOS and visionOS | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs |
| Microphones and calls | Nine in all: eight for noise cancelling, three for voice (two of them shared) | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs |
| Voice assistant | Siri: say “Hey Siri”, or press and hold the Digital Crown | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs |
| Colors | Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, Orange | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs; Apple Newsroom, 9 September 2024 |
| Compatibility | Full features with the latest iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS, tvOS and visionOS; Bluetooth audio with limited features on older Apple software and non-Apple devices | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs |
| US launch price | $549; pre-orders from 9 September 2024, in stores from 20 September 2024 | Apple Newsroom, 9 September 2024 |
| Price band | Flagship at launch ($549); now a used or refurbished buy | Based on the $549 launch price |
| Announced | 9 September 2024 (the USB-C update; the Lightning original launched in December 2020) | Apple Newsroom, 9 September 2024 |
| Availability | Pre-orders from 9 September 2024; Apple said stores from Friday, 20 September 2024; the previous model, sold used, as of 19 September 2026 | Apple Newsroom, 9 September 2024 |
AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) extras
Specs only this model has.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Apple H1 chip | H1 headphone chip in each ear cup (AirPods Max 2 moves to H2) | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs |
| Digital Crown | Volume, play and pause, answer and mute calls, skip, press and hold for Siri | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs |
| Smart Case | Ultra-low-power storage; 134.5 g | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs |
| Personalized Spatial Audio | Dynamic head tracking; personal profile made with an iPhone's TrueDepth camera; supported apps and content only; highlighted with iOS 18 at launch | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs; Apple Newsroom, 9 September 2024 |
| USB-C lossless audio | Lossless audio over USB-C; bit depth and sample rate not published | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs |
| Sensors | Optical, position and case-detect sensors and an accelerometer in each cup; gyroscope in the left cup | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs |
| In the box | AirPods Max 1 (USB-C), Smart Case, USB-C charge cable, documentation | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs |
| Dimensions | 168.6 × 83.4 × 187.3 mm (6.64 × 3.28 × 7.37 in), cushions included | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs |
| Year introduced | 2024 (USB-C update of the 2020 original) | Apple AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs |
Where it sits: between the Lightning original and AirPods Max 2
Apple has now made three versions of this headphone. The original launched with Lightning in December 2020. This one, announced 9 September 2024, switched the port to USB-C, came in five new colors (Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple and Orange) and kept the $549 price. AirPods Max 2 is the current model, with a new chip in the same shell.
| Spec | AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) | AirPods Max 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Chip | H1 in each cup | H2 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.3 |
| Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Live Translation | No | Yes |
| Weight with cushions | 386.2 g | 386.2 g |
| Listening, noise cancelling on | Up to 20 hours | Up to 20 hours |
| Movie playback rating | Up to 20 hours | Not listed |
| Case | Smart Case | Smart Case |
Since the shell and the battery are the same, a used one comes down to price and whether you can live without Adaptive Audio and Live Translation. AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) vs AirPods Max 2 has the full comparison.
Battery and charging
| Mode | AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) |
|---|---|
| Listening, noise cancelling on | Up to 20 hours |
| Movies, noise cancelling and Spatial Audio on | Up to 20 hours |
| 5-minute charge | About 1.5 hours of listening |
| Stored in the Smart Case | Ultra-low-power state |
Both ratings assume noise cancelling is on, and the movie figure holds with Spatial Audio running too. Charging is over USB-C.
USB-C audio and Spatial Audio
The USB-C port does more than charge: it carries lossless audio over the cable. Apple doesn’t give a bit depth or sample rate for it, so treat it as a wired option rather than a number to compare.
Personalized Spatial Audio, with dynamic head tracking, builds its profile from an iPhone’s TrueDepth camera and needs supported apps and content. Apple highlighted it with iOS 18 when this model launched.
Size, controls and calls
It weighs 386.2 grams (13.6 ounces) with the memory-foam cushions and measures 168.6 × 83.4 × 187.3 mm. It doesn’t fold, so it goes into the 134.5-gram Smart Case at full size.
The Digital Crown handles volume, play and pause, answering and muting calls, skipping and, with a press and hold, Siri. The listening-mode button flips between noise cancelling and Transparency, and you can also say “Hey Siri”. Of the nine microphones, eight handle noise cancelling and three pick up your voice; two do both. Settings live in iOS, iPadOS and macOS rather than in an app.
Buying one now
AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) went up for pre-order on 9 September 2024 and reached stores on Friday, 20 September 2024, at $549 in the US. It’s now the previous model, so you’ll mostly find it used or refurbished. Weigh any asking price against a new AirPods Max 2 before you buy.
Sources
- Amazon product listing — accessed 2026-09-20
- Apple Support — AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) tech specs (HT121205) — accessed 2026-09-19
- Apple Newsroom — AirPods 4 announcement, with AirPods Max in USB-C at $549 — accessed 2026-09-19
- Apple — Guidelines for Using Apple Trademarks and Copyrights — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
Is AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) the same as AirPods Max 2?
No. Both weigh 386.2 grams and share the Smart Case and the 20-hour rating, but AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) has H1 and Bluetooth 5.0, while AirPods Max 2 has H2, Bluetooth 5.3 and Adaptive Audio.
Is AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) the 2020 Lightning AirPods Max?
No. It's the September 2024 update with a USB-C port. The 2020 original charges over Lightning, so check the port in a used listing's photos before you pay.
Should I upgrade from AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) to AirPods Max 2?
Only if you want what H2 brings: Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Live Translation and Bluetooth 5.3. The weight, the Smart Case and the 20-hour rating stay the same.
Does AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) last 30 hours?
No. Apple rates it for up to 20 hours of listening with noise cancelling on. A 5-minute charge over USB-C adds about 1.5 hours.
Does AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) work with Android?
Yes, as Bluetooth headphones with limited features. Automatic Switching, Personalized Spatial Audio and the settings themselves need an Apple device, so an Android phone gets the basics only.
Official product page: AirPods Max 1 (USB-C). Tech specs: AirPods Max 1 (USB-C) specs.