Bose And Sony Headphones Look Like Toys Compared To AirPods Max, Teardown Shows

iFixit’s teardown of the AirPods Max is finally here. And while none of its predecessors is rewarded anything better than zero when it comes to repairability, Apple’s first over-ear headphones surprisingly got 6 out of 10.

iFixit even goes as far as tearing down Bose’s NC 700 headphones and Sony’s WH-1000XM4 for comparison.

The reason for such a high score is, first, the ear cushions can be replaced and swapped with ease, as they are attached via magnets. There are many internal parts that are held together by screws instead of glue, making it easier to repair.

The company is particularly impressed with the hinge mechanism of the headband, which allows for an easy detachment with a paperclip or a SIM card removal. It noted that this was arguably the headphones’ most intricate part, making the price tag of the AirPods Max a bit reasonable.

The overall design is neat:

However, don’t expect to just breeze through the process of repairing the headphones. To open up the AirPods Max, you will have to deal with the very challenging task of getting through the adhesive.

On the inside, while Apple uses screws to keep everything in place, make sure that you have a wide range of screwdriver heads.

The AirPods Max holds up pretty well with Bose’s NC 700 and Sony’s WH-1000XM4, two of the best noise-canceling headphones on the market. According to iFixit, the two headphones look like toys compared to Apple’s headphones.

Given the hefty price tag of $550, it’s good to hear that at least repairing is possible after a few years when the headphones start to wear out.

So now what Apple fans can hope for is the same repairability coming to Apple’s future headphones.

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