AirPods Max 2 vs H390 Comparison
Compare AirPods Max 2 vs H390 side by side: specs, ratings, pros and cons, and which one fits your room best.
On this page
At a Glance
AirPods Max 2
The AirPods Max 2 are Apple's current over-ear headphones. They use an Apple-designed dynamic driver, an H2 chip in each ear cup, and nine microphones: eight for noise cancelling and three for voice, with two shared.
- Best For
- iPhone and Mac users
- Style
- Over-ear
- Weight
- 386.2 g
- ANC
- Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Audio
- Mics
- 9
- Boom Mic
- No
- Talk Time
- 20 h
- Connect
- Bluetooth, USB-C audio
H390
The Logitech H390 is a long-running wired USB headset. It has 30 mm drivers, a bi-directional noise-cancelling mic on a rotating boom, and inline volume and mute controls.
- Best For
- Students
- Style
- On-ear headband
- Weight
- 197 g
- ANC
- None
- Mics
- 1
- Boom Mic
- Yes (rotating boom)
- Talk Time
- —
- Connect
- Wired USB-A or USB-C, 1.9 m cable
Review Scores Compared
Expert Score
Voice & Mic Clarity
Comfort & Ergonomics
Connectivity & Range
Battery & Charging
Certification & Controls
Why AirPods Max 2 Beats H390 (and Vice Versa)
Why AirPods Max 2 beats H390
- Headband: Knit mesh canopy, telescoping stainless steel arms vs Adjustable, padded
- Microphones: 9 vs 1
- Connection: Bluetooth, USB-C audio vs Wired USB-A or USB-C, 1.9 m cable
Why H390 beats AirPods Max 2
- Better comfort & ergonomics: 9.8 vs 7.2 out of 10
- Better voice & mic clarity: 7.1 vs 6.3 out of 10
- Weight: 197 g vs 386.2 g
- Microphone Setup: Bi-directional noise-cancelling, 100 Hz - 10 kHz vs 6 outward-facing (ANC), 2 inward-facing; Voice Isolation
- Call Noise Reduction: Yes (noise-cancelling mic) vs Voice Isolation
- Boom Mic: Yes (rotating boom) vs No
Review-score leads of 0.5+ points out of 10 first, then specs where only one comes out ahead.
Full Specifications
General
| AirPods Max 2 | H390 | |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | iPhone and Mac users | Students |
| Wearing Style | Over-ear | On-ear headband |
Design & Build
| AirPods Max 2 | H390 | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 386.2 g | 197 g Better |
| Materials | Anodized aluminum ear cups, stainless steel frame, knit mesh canopy | — |
| Ear Cushions | Memory foam with mesh textile | Leatherette, padded, swivel-mounted |
| Colors | Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, Orange | — |
| Headband | Knit mesh canopy, telescoping stainless steel arms Better | Adjustable, padded |
| Ear Cup Rotation | Each cup rotates independently | — |
| Dimensions | — | 171 x 151 x 68 mm |
Audio
| AirPods Max 2 | H390 | |
|---|---|---|
| Driver Size | — | 30 mm |
| Frequency Response | — | 20 Hz - 20 kHz |
| Driver Type | Apple-designed dynamic driver | — |
| Impedance | — | 32 Ω |
| Sensitivity | — | 94 dBV/Pa ±3 dB |
| Spatial Audio | Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking | — |
| Custom EQ | Adaptive EQ | — |
| Wired Listening | Yes (USB-C lossless and ultra-low-latency audio) | — |
| Stereo / Mono | Stereo | Stereo |
Noise Cancelling
| AirPods Max 2 | H390 | |
|---|---|---|
| Noise Cancelling | Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Audio | None |
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | — |
| Transparency Mode | Yes (Transparency mode, Conversation Awareness) | — |
| Adaptive ANC | Yes (Adaptive Audio) | — |
Microphone
| AirPods Max 2 | H390 | |
|---|---|---|
| Microphones | 9 Better | 1 |
| Microphone Setup | 6 outward-facing (ANC), 2 inward-facing; Voice Isolation | Bi-directional noise-cancelling, 100 Hz - 10 kHz Better |
| Call Noise Reduction | Voice Isolation | Yes (noise-cancelling mic) Better |
| Boom Mic | No | Yes (rotating boom) Better |
| Mute Control | — | Inline mic mute |
| Mic Frequency Response | — | 100 Hz - 10 kHz |
| Mic Pickup Pattern | — | Bi-directional |
Battery & Charging
| AirPods Max 2 | H390 | |
|---|---|---|
| Talk Time | 20 h | — |
| Fast Charging | Yes (5 min = about 1.5 h) | — |
| Music Time | 20 h | — |
| Charging Port | USB-C (lossless and ultra-low-latency audio) | — |
Connectivity
| AirPods Max 2 | H390 | |
|---|---|---|
| Connection | Bluetooth, USB-C audio Better | Wired USB-A or USB-C, 1.9 m cable |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | — |
| USB Audio | Yes | Yes |
| Cable Length | — | 1.9 m |
Controls & App
| AirPods Max 2 | H390 | |
|---|---|---|
| Controls | Digital Crown, listening mode button | Inline volume +/-, mic mute |
| Wear Detection | Optical and position sensors | — |
| Voice Assistant | Siri | — |
In the Box
| AirPods Max 2 | H390 | |
|---|---|---|
| In the Box | AirPods Max 2, Smart Case, USB-C charge cable | — |
| Carry Case | Yes (Smart Case) | — |
Identifiers
| AirPods Max 2 | H390 | |
|---|---|---|
| Model Number | — | A00146 |
Compatibility
| AirPods Max 2 | H390 | |
|---|---|---|
| OS Compatibility | — | Windows, macOS, ChromeOS |
Takeaways
- Our pick: H390, with the highest spec-based rating (4/5).
- Choose AirPods Max 2 for iPhone and Mac users.
- Choose H390 for students.
Pros and Cons
AirPods Max 2
PROS
- Nine microphones with Voice Isolation
- Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness
- Lossless, low-latency audio over USB-C
- Five colours, Smart Case included
CONS
- Heaviest in this group at 386.2 g
- Shortest battery here at 20 h
H390
PROS
- Noise-cancelling boom mic
- Inline volume and mute
- USB-A or USB-C
- Long 1.9 m cable
CONS
- No ANC or wireless
- No certification listed on the spec page
Similar Comparisons
AirPods Max 2 vs ATH-M50xBT2
- AirPods Max 2 vs Studio Pro
- AirPods Max 2 vs QuietComfort
- AirPods Max 2 vs QC Ultra (2nd Gen)
H390 vs Zone Vibe 100
- H390 vs Blackwire 3320
Quick Verdict
- AirPods Max 2 7.1No outright category lead
- H390 8.3Best overallLeads in Voice & Mic Clarity, Comfort & Ergonomics