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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're looking for exceptional noise cancellation and sound quality for music and are less concerned about the cost, the Apple AirPods Max may be a better choice, as they offer top-notch noise isolation. However, keep in mind they are heavier and could be less comfortable over long periods. Conversely, if you're looking for a more affordable option that also performs well during calls and meetings and has a longer battery life, the Sennheiser 450BT is a strong contender. Although they provide good noise isolation, it isn't quite on par with the AirPods Max. The Sennheiser 450BT also offers great performance for gaming and TV due to lower latency, so if those are important activities for you, Sennheiser may be more suitable. Both options have a similar build quality and are equipped with active noise cancellation, but only the Sennheiser 450BT supports aptX Low Latency, making it more suitable for gaming and watching videos. 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
- Good for music
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Sennheiser 450BT
- Very good for gaming
- Very good for TV and video
Key differences
Music
7.3
6.2
The Apple Airpods Max is good for music, while the Sennheiser 450BT is only fair.
Gaming
5.5
8.8
The Sennheiser 450BT is very good for gaming, while the Apple Airpods Max is poor.
TV and Video
5.7
8.1
The Sennheiser 450BT is very good for TV and video, while the Apple Airpods Max is poor.
Noise Reduction
10.0
9.1
The Apple Airpods Max is best in class for noise reduction, while the Sennheiser 450BT is excellent.
Battery
21.0 Hours
27.5 Hours
The Apple Airpods Max has 21 hours of battery life. The Sennheiser 450BT has 27.5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$549
$139
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Apple Airpods Max has a price of $549 and the Sennheiser 450BT costs $139.
Build Quality
9.0
8.0
The Apple Airpods Max has excellent build quality, while the Sennheiser 450BT has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Phone Calls
6.6
6.9
The Sennheiser 450BT and Apple Airpods Max are both only fair for phone calls.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.0
7.9
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple Airpods Max to be very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sennheiser 450BT is good.
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How the Apple Airpods Max and the Sennheiser 450BT compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple Airpods Max | Sennheiser 450BT |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$549 | $139 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | Sennheiser | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2020 | February 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.4/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 6.6/10 | 7/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.5/10 | 8.9/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.8/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.2/10 | 6.1/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 21 Hours | 27.5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 2.3 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | 5 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 10/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | No | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 385.5 Grams | 240.4 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
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."
Sennheiser 450BT
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Lily Katz | March 2022
"The Sennheiser HD 450BT is a very good pair of headphones for the price, noise canceling is good and sound quality is great—quite rare at this price point. Like any product, this headset isn’t without its faults."
Get a great deal on the Apple Airpods Max or the Sennheiser 450BT
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 Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
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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.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Luis Torres
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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