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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you prioritize noise isolation and frequent air travel, the Apple AirPods Max offers best-in-class active noise cancelling, which is excellent for these environments. They also have a sturdy build, are optimized for Apple devices, and have features like head detection and spatial audio with dynamic head tracking. However, they are heavier and don't fare well for exercise use. On the other hand, the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 is lighter, has a better battery life, includes sweatyproof certification making it more suitable for exercise, and supports high-quality lossless codecs like aptX Lossless, which could enhance your music listening experience with compatible devices. If you're looking for a more affordable, exercise-friendly option with solid sound quality and good app customization, the Aurvana Ace 2 would be a wise choice. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple Airpods Max
- Excellent for air travel
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2
- Very good for music
- Very good for gaming
- Good for TV and video
- Good for exercise
Key differences
Music
7.3
8.4
The Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 is very good for music, while the Apple Airpods Max is good.
Gaming
5.5
8.6
The Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 is very good for gaming, while the Apple Airpods Max is poor.
Phone Calls
6.6
4.9
The Apple Airpods Max is only fair for phone calls, while the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.0
5.6
The Apple Airpods Max is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 is poor.
TV and Video
5.7
7.7
The Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 is good for TV and video, while the Apple Airpods Max is poor.
Noise Reduction
10.0
7.0
The Apple Airpods Max is best in class for noise reduction, while the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 is good.
Battery
21.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Apple Airpods Max has 21 hours of battery life. The Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 has 5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$549
$150
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Apple Airpods Max has a price of $549 and the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 costs $150.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
9.0
9.0
The Apple Airpods Max and Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 both have excellent build quality.
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How the Apple Airpods Max and the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple Airpods Max | Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$549 | $150 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | Creative Labs | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2020 | December 1, 2023 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.4/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 6.6/10 | 4.9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.5/10 | 8.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.8/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.2/10 | 7.9/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 21 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 1 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | 5.3 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 18 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | No | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 6/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Medium | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 385.5 Grams | 4.7 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Apple Airpods Max
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Adam Molina | July 2023
"Objectively, the AirPods Max is a spectacular pair of headphones. I appreciate the smart features like auto-pause and the transparency mode are super practical. It also sounds great, is well-built, and has solid battery life."
Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2
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Dig into reviews and images
PC Magazine
Tim Gideon | December 2023
"The Creative Aurvana Ace 2 earphones deliver robust, crisp audio thanks to their combination of xMEMS and dynamic drivers. We're fans of their extensive, high-quality codec options and highly customizable EQ."
Get a great deal on the Apple Airpods Max or the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2
About Apple
Apple Inc. is an American technology company, founded in 1976, known for its wide range of premium products, including smartphones, computers, and audio solutions. Apple offers the very popular personal audio line AirPods, highly regarded for their wireless, smart capabilities and their seamless integration with the iPhone, iPad and Mac devices. They provide a high-quality sound, comfort and lifestyle features perfect for all users invested in their ecosystem.
About Creative Labs
Creative Labs is a Singaporean technology company specialized in the manufacture of multimedia products. They created the world-famous Soundblaster soundcard back in 1989 which was a staple of the gaming community for a long time. Nowadays, besides still marketing their discrete audio systems, they offer a wide array of headphones, gaming headsets and speakers that still preserve that same heritage.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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