AirPods Max 2 just dropped to a lowest-ever $399 at Amazon, proving the best deals don't always wait for Prime Day

Do not adjust your screens; it's not actually Amazon Prime Day proper yet — that'll happen at the stroke of midnight tonight. But that doesn't mean Amazon hasn't gone full-on in early doors, does it?

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

The deal I need you to know about somehow (I don't make the rules, OK?) concerns the Apple AirPods Max 2. Yes, the newest, just-released-in-March-2026 set. The set with the new colorways and, most importantly, the H2 chip, which means access to Apple Intelligence, better ANC, Conversation Awareness, Live Translation and the Camera Remote (but that's just for starters).

Right now, they've dropped to an all-new low of $399 (was $549) at Amazon, and quite frankly, they're so much better than that money. I reviewed them myself (and I review — and train people on how to review — headphones for a living, as TR's audio editor), and they're the real deal.

Today's best AirPods Max 2 deal

Let me tell you one thing about these headphones: I test headphones as part of my day-to-day, five days a week, and have done so since 2019. These particular headphones are now the ones I reach for over all others, including those from Bose and Sony.

And I wasn't always an Apple fangirl. In fact, when the Cupertino giant unveiled Apple Music Lossless and Hi-Res Lossless for free back in 2021, as part of your Apple Music subscription, I may have largely dismissed Apple's musical headgear — and for some time after. Why? Because it took four more years for the Cupertino giant to work out how to get its Lossless music standard into its own flagship headphones.

But that has all changed now, because you can listen wirelessly or hook them up via USB-C for Lossless playback. OK, the Max 2's looks may not be so different to the 2020 originals, but that extra computational wizardry and H2 chipset power has made the noise-cancellation a lot better than before — and the noise-nixing in the originals was no slouch.

I find the Live Translation feature much more useful than I'd thought it would be (I tried it on a recent trip to Spain), and the new Camera Remote function, where you use the digital crown to snap an iPhone picture, is excellent. I also love Conversation Awareness, which locks in quicker than I've experienced in other cans that offer a similar feature.

In conclusion, the best Prime Day deal for me already landed, and I won't be changing my mind(!) but if you'd like to look at a few other early deals already live now, I'll link a couple below. Stick with me, I won't let you down this Prime Day!

Other early Prime Day headphones and earbuds deals live now

More Prime Day deals

Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18

Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99

Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29

Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools

Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99

Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99

Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung

Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199

Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186

Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99

Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing

Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

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Becky became Audio Editor at TechRadar in 2024, but joined the team in 2022 as Senior Staff Writer, focusing on all things hi-fi. Before this, she spent three years at What Hi-Fi? testing and reviewing everything from wallet-friendly wireless earbuds to huge high-end sound systems. Prior to gaining her MA in Journalism in 2018, Becky freelanced as an arts critic alongside a 22-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – any love of dance starts with a love of music. Becky has previously contributed to Stuff, FourFourTwo and The Stage. When not writing, she can still be found throwing shapes in a dance studio, these days with varying degrees of success.