The Surprising Benefits of Ditching the AirPods Max Case
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Chapter 1: Why Now is the Time to Buy AirPods Max
If you've been wanting to own a pair of Apple's premium AirPods Max, now could be the perfect moment. Prices have seen a notable drop, which may hint at an upcoming model release, though it's challenging to predict accurately, as demonstrated by Jon Prosser last year.
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Section 1.1: The Case Dilemma
After six months of regular use, I've come to realize one significant drawback of the AirPods Max: the case. It’s just not practical. A few weeks back, I decided to toss it away, and here’s what I discovered next.
Subsection 1.1.1: A Note on Battery Testing
Image courtesy of the author
To clarify, I don’t engage in extensive battery testing. I prefer a more intuitive understanding of battery life rather than meticulously measuring every single performance metric.
Section 1.2: Standby Performance Improvements
In March, Apple released a firmware update for the AirPods Max that significantly enhanced their standby time.
Did Apple Listen to Feedback on AirPods Max?
I was amazed by the improvement!
Before the 3C39 update, the standby time of the AirPods Max was disappointing compared to other over-ear wireless headphones. Now, it's comparable to models like the Sony WH-1000XM4 and Bose QC45, although it still has some room for improvement. This inspired my experiment of using the headphones without their case, especially since someone pointed out that the standby time is nearly the same with or without it.
For the last two weeks, my AirPods Max have either hung from their stand or been stored in a more robust hard case without low-power mode. Surprisingly, I’ve noticed no difference in standby time compared to when I was using the original case. I haven’t consistently used the headphones during this period; I’ve simply picked them up whenever I wanted to listen. Consequently, they have remained uncharged for over a week, and the battery now rests at 1%. While not groundbreaking, it seems fair given the hours of use.
Chapter 2: A New Ownership Experience
In this video, I delve into the AirPods Max experience and why ditching the case can enhance your enjoyment of these headphones.
The case has always been a point of contention. It detracts from the overall ownership experience of a product that is already a luxury item. Its design looks odd, feels cheap, and offers little protection. This decision by Apple has always seemed questionable.
Removing the case entirely feels liberating, much like cleaning up a messy situation. You can finally appreciate your headphones without feeling self-conscious.
Alternative Solutions
Of course, you’ll need to invest in a different case, which adds another cost, but at least it will serve its purpose effectively. I’ve been using the co2CREA Hard Storage Case, which now includes sleep mode, among other options like those from Waterfield Designs.
Conclusion: The Need for a Power Switch
While you can go caseless and still benefit from low power mode with the right case, the AirPods Max were clearly designed to be visible. They look stunning on a headphone stand or casually placed on your desk.
Many users agree that the headphones are best suited for home use, resulting in them spending less time in any case. Importantly, while standby performance has improved without the case, it still lags behind competing models, largely due to the absence of a power switch.
We simply need a way to turn them off. Why is that so hard to implement?
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