Say what you want about the AirPods Max falling behind the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 in terms of software features, but the sound quality of Apple’s wireless over-ear headphones remains unrivaled. As much as I loved the AirPods Pro 2 for their top-of-the-line headphone performance and ability to take them with me anywhere, the AirPods Max always impress me when I want to hear every detail of every instrument in a song.
In September, Apple overhauled the hardware for the first time, replacing Lightning charging with USB-C and introducing new colors. Barring any kind of wireless charging, USB-C and an upgrade from “space gray” to “midnight” topped my list of requests. For that reason, I traded in my space gray AirPods Max with Lightning for cash and paid the difference for midnight AirPods Max with USB-C.
Midnight is closer to black than space gray was, and the hint of blue satisfies my temptation to go for a more colorful option. USB-C means the same cable that powers my iPhone and iPad can now charge the AirPods Max. The Apple TV remote and Mac keyboard and mice still use Lightning, but they need to be charged weekly or monthly instead of every few days.
Otherwise, these are the same AirPods Max I’ve been raving about since 2020. Someone else got a good deal on my old AirPods Max with Lightning, and I got a cool new color and convenience that I’ll cherish until the AirPods Max 2 arrive someday. Those who buy AirPods Max for the first time now will never have to wonder why they use a different charging port than the new iPhones, and they sound exceptional. Either way, read on to see some shots of the new midnight finish.
You can charge USB-C AirPods Max from an iPhone 15 or iPhone 16 using a USB-C cable. However, this wired connection doesn’t seem to support non-Bluetooth audio. It looks like Apple doesn’t have a USB-C to 3.5mm audio cable for a wired connection. Apple still sells a Lightning to 3.5mm audio cable for the AirPods Max with a Lightning connector.
I love that the AirPods Max and Apple Watch Ultra share similar design cues (and not just the Digital Crown).
As you can see in the featured image and below, Midnight definitely has a blue tint, like solidified lava.
For comparison, here’s an old shot of my Space Gray AirPods Max with Lightning:
The Digital Crown controls volume and Siri. The other button toggles between transparency and active noise cancellation.
Finally, here are a few more shots of the AirPods Max at Midnight for you to enjoy:
The USB-C AirPods Max come in Midnight, Starry, Blue, Orange, and Purple.
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