AirPods Max 2 vs WH-1000XM6

The Sony WH-1000XM6 is the better headphone for most people, iPhone owners included.

• It wins battery, comfort, portability and codecs.
• Sony claims 30 hours with ANC, and in one independent lab's test it ran 37 h 14 min, against Apple's 20-hour claim.
• At 8.96 oz it is about 4.7 oz lighter than AirPods Max 2, it folds into a bag, and it adds a 3.5 mm input with the cable included for seatback screens.
• It also supports LDAC and LC3 with multipoint across any two devices.
• Noise canceling is a draw: both are top-tier and neither has a clear measured lead we can cite.
• AirPods Max 2 have one exclusive trick.
• Plug them into an iPhone, iPad or Mac over USB-C and you get 24-bit/48kHz lossless audio with ultra-low latency.
• Add nine microphones with Voice Isolation and the deepest Apple integration, and they make sense for Apple loyalists who will actually use the cable.
• They are heavy over long sessions, though, and the Smart Case leaves the headband exposed.
• Everyone else should buy the Sony.