5 reasons to buy AirPods Max over Bose 700 NC

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Apple’s flagship over-ear headphones, the AirPods Max. From the design to the sound quality, Apple’s AirPods Max trumps many of its competitors in numerous ways. Although the headphones are now a couple of years old, having been released in 2020, there are so many great qualities about the headphones, especially if you are an exclusive Apple user.

From Spatial Audio, easy connectivity and more, there are a lot of features AirPods Max includes that competitors such as Bose don’t.

Bose’s 700 NC headphones and Apple’s AirPods Max came out only a year apart, with Bose releasing the 700 NCH in 2019 and Apple releasing the AirPods Max in 2020. Following the success of both headphones, Bose recently replaced the 700 NC with the QuietComfort Ultras and Apple is now rumored to announce an AirPods Max 2 later this year.

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From Spatial Audio, easy connectivity and more, there are a lot of features AirPods Max includes that competitors such as Bose don’t. If you’ve been thinking about taking the $500 plunge and buying a pair of AirPods Max, here are some of my favorite features on Apple’s flagship noise-canceling over-ear headphones that Bose doesn’t offer.

1 AirPods Max offer an overall better design

AirPods Max are both trendy and comfortable

Although the Bose 700 NC headphones have a more sleek design than Bose’s latest noise-cancelling headphones, the QuietComfort Ultras, Apple’s AirPods Max still beats Bose’s headphones when it comes to overall design. As someone with multiple ear piercings, I always found Bose’s circular earcups quite irritating. The AirPods Max, on the other hand, has more oval earcups which molds my ear better without irritating any of my piercings.

Apple’s AirPods Max design doesn’t weigh down my head as much as the Bose 700 NC headphones did. The AirPods Max has a mesh, breathable fabric band connecting both earcups which also balances the weight of the headphones.

Despite the Bose headphones being significantly lighter, weighing around 8.8 ounces compared to the AirPods Max’s weight of 13.6 ounces, the AirPods Max mesh band and heavily cushioned earcups takes away from the user feeling the true weight of the headphones.

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2 AirPods Max have a compact case

AirPods Max are easier to carry around with the smart case

Okay, I know this is up to debate and definitely depends on preference. Apple’s AirPods Max come in a simple magnetic smart case that only covers both earcups, leaving the headband exposed. Compared to Bose’s 700 NC headphones, which come in a larger hard-shelled zippered case, Apple’s case is relatively unprotected.

Apple’s smart case allows me to fit the headphones into my purse with room to spare for easy transportation on the Tube or Subway.

I prefer Apple’s simple AirPods Max smart case primarily because of the ease of transporting the headphones. Yes, bigger cases like Bose’s may do a better job at actually protecting the headphones. Apple’s case allows users to easily fit the AirPods Max into their bags. When I used the Bose 700 NC headphones, it was nearly impossible to carry around the headphones in my mid-sized purse. However, Apple’s smart case allows me to fit the headphones into my purse with room to spare for easy transportation on the Tube or Subway.

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3 AirPods fit in Apple’s ecosystem

AirPods Max automatically connects with your Apple devices

This one may be a given, and truthfully doesn’t help you if you’re an Android user, but if you’re an exclusive Apple user, having headphones that automatically connect with your phone and laptop is a game-changer. When I was using Bose, I always needed to reconnect via Bluetooth and had to download the Bose connect app to control the settings on the headphones.

With the AirPods Max, I have complete control over the headphones simply by heading to my Apple device’s settings; there’s no need to download another app that will just eat at my device’s precious storage space. The moment my AirPods Max are on my head, the headphones connect to my iPhone. Right on my volume I’m able to control the noise-canceling settings. No extra steps are needed.

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4 AirPods Max offers several noise-cancellation options

Choose how much noise you want to block out

AirPods Max allows you to choose from three different noise cancelation options: off, noise-cancelling and transparency. To change the noise-canceling level, you just go to the control center, or you can go to ‘Settings’ and adjust the noise cancellation there. Turning the noise cancelation on will fully block out all surrounding noise, making loud voices next to you seem like whispers.

The transparency level lets some of the surrounding noise in, a good option for those looking for a more in-between level. Although Bose does allow you to control the noise cancelation settings, you can’t do that directly from the headphones. On the AirPods Max, you can. Simply, press the noise control button on the top of the headphones to change the settings.

Woman wearing airpod max with color pops in background

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5 AirPods Max Spatial Audio is unbeatable

AirPods Max sound quality is hard to match

Apple’s Spatial Audio built into its devices makes listening to any audio truly three-dimensional. The Spatial Audio available on AirPods Max makes the listener feel as if they are receiving a private concert from the artist they’re listening to. Admittedly, AirPods Max overall sound quality is relatively similar to Bose 700 NCH. It’s Apple’s Spatial Audio that helps to give the headphones a leg up on Bose, providing both full and immersive sound.