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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize sound quality and longer battery life, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 could be appealing as they outperform the Apple Airpods Max in these areas, in addition to being significantly less expensive. They're also rated higher for comfort and have active noise cancelling with a lower weight, which is beneficial for extended wear. Conversely, the Airpods Max are superior for noise isolation and integrate seamlessly with other Apple products, benefitting those embedded in the Apple ecosystem. The Momentum 4, boasting aptX Adaptive codec support, is more versatile for different devices and has lower latency, which is ideal for gaming and watching TV. Both options have excellent build quality and built-in controls, with the choice ultimately depending on whether you prioritize a balanced price-to-performance ratio or a premium product that works well within a specific brand's ecosystem. 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
Advantages of the Sennheiser Momentum 4
- Excellent for gaming
- Very good for TV and video
Key differences
Gaming
5.5
9.0
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 is excellent for gaming, while the Apple Airpods Max is poor.
TV and Video
5.7
8.9
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 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 Momentum 4 is excellent.
Battery
21.0 Hours
59.0 Hours
The Apple Airpods Max has 21 hours of battery life. The Sennheiser Momentum 4 has 59 hours of battery life.
Cost
$549
$250
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Apple Airpods Max has a price of $549 and the Sennheiser Momentum 4 costs $250.
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Key similarities
Music
7.3
7.5
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 and Apple Airpods Max are both good for music.
Phone Calls
6.6
6.8
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 and Apple Airpods Max are both only fair for phone calls.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.0
8.2
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 and Apple Airpods Max are both very good for podcasts and audiobooks.
Build Quality
9.0
9.0
The Apple Airpods Max and Sennheiser Momentum 4 both have excellent build quality.
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How the Apple Airpods Max and the Sennheiser Momentum 4 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple Airpods Max | Sennheiser Momentum 4 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$549 | $250 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | Sennheiser | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2020 | August 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.4/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 6.6/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.5/10 | 9.1/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.8/10 | 9/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.2/10 | 6.4/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 21 Hours | 59 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | 5.2 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 385.5 Grams | 294.8 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 Momentum 4
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Christian Thomas | January 2023
"If you're looking for a slightly more affordable set of ANC headphones in comparison to the Bose or Sony offerings: the Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Wireless is not a bad way to go. While its ANC is technically behind the other top-tier headphones, its sound quality is ahead of the pack—as is its battery life. Not bad for $350 USD."
Get a great deal on the Apple Airpods Max or the Sennheiser Momentum 4
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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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
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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