AirPods Max 2 Already Gets Its First Discount, Dropping To US$509
Apple’s AirPods Max 2 has barely settled into the market, and it is already seeing its first notable price cut. According to The Verge, the new over-ear headphones are now going for US$509 at Amazon and Best Buy, down US$40 from their usual price, with the discount applying across all five colour options.
For Malaysian readers, that works out to roughly RM2.4k before shipping, tax, or any local reseller markup. Still mahal, no question. But for anyone already deep in the Apple ecosystem, this is the first sign that the Max 2 may not stay as stubbornly expensive as the original AirPods Max did for years.
That matters because the first-gen AirPods Max was always a bit sus from a value angle. The sound and build were premium, yes, but rivals like Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra and Sony’s WH-1000XM series often felt easier to recommend unless you were fully locked into iPhone, iPad, and Mac life. This newer model is trying to make a stronger case.
The AirPods Max 2 keeps the same 40mm drivers as the original, but Apple has paired them with a new high dynamic range amplifier. The result, based on The Verge’s report, is stronger bass response and better overall sound. It also supports 24-bit / 48kHz lossless audio over USB-C, which is a big deal if you actually care about wired listening quality instead of just using Bluetooth all day.
Design-wise, Apple has not gone for a huge visual reset. The headphones still use aluminium, stainless steel, and knit mesh fabric, so the premium feel is still there. The trade-off is weight: at 385g, these are still chunky cans. For long gaming sessions, flights, or work marathons, that weight is something Malaysian buyers should seriously think about before dropping flagship money.
The bigger upgrade is inside. The AirPods Max 2 now runs on Apple’s H2 chip, which first appeared in the second-gen AirPods Pro. That chip unlocks features missing from the original Max, including adaptive audio, conversation awareness, personalised volume, voice isolation, and live translation. You also get the usual Apple ecosystem magic like automatic switching between devices and spatial audio.
For SEA users who jump between iPhone, MacBook, iPad, and maybe Apple TV, this is where the Max 2 starts to make sense. If you are editing videos, watching anime, grinding ranked games on iPad, or taking calls from noisy cafés, the improved active noise cancellation and voice features could be genuinely useful. It is not just spec-sheet flexing.
The Verge also highlighted a few other gadget discounts. Logitech’s Powerplay 2 mousepad is now US$89.99, which is US$10 off and its first reported discount. It still offers continuous wireless charging for supported Logitech mice, though this version drops the built-in wireless mouse receiver and USB-C cable. For esports players using Logitech gear, that is a neat quality-of-life pickup, especially if you hate mid-match battery anxiety.
Amazon’s Echo Dot Max is also back down to US$74.99, matching its lowest price. It has separate tweeter and woofer hardware, supports Matter and Thread, and can work as a smarter home hub for compatible Alexa, Matter, and Zigbee devices. Less gamer-core, but useful if you are slowly building a smart room setup.
Bottom line: the AirPods Max 2 is still a premium Apple headphone with a premium Apple price. But seeing a discount this early is interesting. If local pricing follows later, Malaysian Apple fans might finally get a slightly less painful entry point into Apple’s flagship over-ear headphones.
Source: The Verge
