Nothing Headphone (1) Pro suits listeners who want a 3.5 mm connection, LDAC, and detailed EQ controls; Apple AirPods Max 2 makes more sense if Apple-device features are a priority. Their separate ANC reviews gave Apple the higher score, while their battery figures come from different kinds of results.
Quick comparison
| Feature | Nothing Headphone (1) Pro | Apple AirPods Max 2 |
| Listed weight | 327 g | 386.2 g |
| Bluetooth | 6.1 | 5.3 |
| Wireless audio | SBC, AAC, and LDAC for music; LC3 for broadcast audio | SBC and AAC |
| Wired connections | USB-C and 3.5 mm analog | USB-C |
| USB-C audio | Lossless, up to 24-bit/192 kHz | Lossless audio |
| Manufacturer-rated battery life with ANC on | Up to 30 hours with AAC; up to 28 hours with LDAC | Up to 20 hours |
| US price snapshot, checked October 6, 2026 | $399 | $549 |
Connections, codecs, and wired listening
Nothing Headphone (1) Pro gives you more ways to connect. It supports Bluetooth 6.1, LDAC for music, and Auracast broadcast audio, as well as USB-C and a 3.5 mm analog connection. Its USB-C audio supports lossless playback up to 24-bit/192 kHz. That makes Nothing the more adaptable option if you switch between wireless listening and wired gear, or want the LDAC codec with a compatible device.
Apple AirPods Max 2 uses Bluetooth 5.3, supports SBC and AAC, and offers lossless audio over USB-C. It does not have a 3.5 mm input. If your listening setup depends on analog equipment, that difference matters more than the Bluetooth version number.
Nothing can connect to two devices and switch audio streams, but it does not support true Bluetooth Multipoint. So don’t count on the same kind of automatic, simultaneous connection that Multipoint headphones offer.
EQ control and Apple-device features
Nothing gives you more direct control over sound. Its companion app includes a parametric EQ—a tool for adjusting specific frequency ranges—as well as Personal Sound and downloadable community EQ profiles. The physical Flat EQ switch disables the app’s EQ and spatial-audio processing, making it a distinct listening mode rather than another fine-tuning control.
Apple lists Adaptive EQ, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Voice Isolation, and Personalized Spatial Audio for AirPods Max 2. Some features require compatible Apple devices. If you already rely on Apple’s ecosystem, those integrations may matter more than Nothing’s extra adjustment options. Nothing, for its part, supports iOS and Android and lists Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair, and MFi one-tap setup.
What separate ANC results show
Separate reviews scored ANC at 8.7/10 for Nothing Headphone (1) Pro and 9.0/10 for Apple AirPods Max 2. Those scores come from separate product reviews, rather than a single side-by-side assessment. For Nothing, fit and the seal around your ears can affect noise cancellation as well as sound, so a good fit is especially important.
Battery ratings and a measured result
Nothing rates Headphone (1) Pro for up to 30 hours of AAC playback with ANC on, or up to 28 hours with LDAC. Those are manufacturer figures. Apple rates AirPods Max 2 for up to 20 hours with ANC enabled.
A separate battery test measured AirPods Max 2 at 21 hours and 31 seconds with ANC on and music playing at 75 dB SPL. That measured result and Nothing’s advertised maximum are different kinds of figures, so they don’t establish a like-for-like battery winner.
Weight, fit, and protection
Nothing lists Headphone (1) Pro at 327 g; Apple lists AirPods Max 2 at 386.2 g. Weight is one useful consideration when choosing over-ear headphones, but fit and seal also matter: they affect Nothing’s ANC performance, and a poor seal can affect sound.
Nothing rates Headphone (1) Pro IP52. Nothing says that rating does not make the headphones waterproof and does not cover rain, splashes, immersion, or excessive sweat.
Which model fits your setup?
Choose Nothing Headphone (1) Pro if you want a 3.5 mm connection, LDAC, USB-C lossless audio up to 24-bit/192 kHz, or a parametric EQ you can adjust yourself. A US price snapshot checked October 6, 2026, listed it at $399.
Choose Apple AirPods Max 2 if Apple-device features are central to your listening setup. Its separate ANC review score was 9.0/10, compared with 8.7/10 for Nothing; Apple also lists up to 20 hours of listening with ANC enabled. The same US snapshot listed it at $549, $150 more than Nothing in that snapshot.
