Apple has unveiled its first noise-canceling over-ear headphones, the AirPods Max. It is packed with premium features and a design favored by Apple fans around the world. Unfortunately, these features do not come cheap, and the AirPods Max come with a price tag of $549.

If you've read our Apple AirPods Max review, you know that Apple's headphones offer adaptive EQ, 3D spatial audio, clarity mode, powerful active noise cancellation, and sensors that can detect if you're wearing the headphones. You know you'll love everything that the AirPods Max has to offer, and despite all these additional features, the price is still high and far from an impulse buy.

So before you rush off to the Apple Store to buy one, be sure to check out the best (and cheaper) alternatives available from Sony, Bose, Beats, and other top brands.

Sony has been an absolute powerhouse in the headphone department in recent years, and its latest WH-1000xM4 is arguably one of the best headphones you can buy right now. MSRP is $349, but they regularly sell for under $300.

The WH-1000xM4 comes with everything you could want in a pair of headphones. In our testing, we found them to be better than all competitors in many categories, including sound quality and noise cancellation. On top of that, they are loaded with special features such as customizable EQ, touch controls, and adaptive sound control.

Even better, the Sony xM4 offers 30 hours of battery life with ANC turned on (38 hours without), which is 10 hours longer than the AirPods Max.

Read our review of the Sony WH-1000xM4

The Bose Noise Cancelling 700 headphones stand apart from other wireless headphones in our headphone test. Not only do they have a sleek, attractive design with memory foam cups, but they also offer excellent sound quality for calls and music.

The noise cancellation is the best I've ever used, and the 11 adjustable levels allow you to choose the right one for each situation. On top of that, it has smart, intuitive touch controls and a 20-hour battery life with noise cancellation turned on. It's not as good as the Sony, but it's the same as the AirPods Max, and you can up it another 40 hours with the included charging case

The Bose Music App is one of the real stars, and all the fancy features are here. Common features like noise cancellation and adjustable EQ are here, but you can also switch between voice assistants and change how much of your voice you can hear during a call.

Read our review of the Bose 700

If you're looking for a more professional headphone to keep you productive, Microsoft's second-generation Surface Headphones may be the headphones for you - and they less than half the price of the AirPods Max.

What makes the Surface Headphones 2 unique is that they integrate with Microsoft 365 and allow real-time voice dictation in the Office programs you use at work. This is very useful if you prefer to talk rather than type, or if you don't want to lose your train of thought when away from your desk. There are also adjustable dials on the side of each cup to quickly and easily adjust the volume and noise cancellation level.

Battery life is the same as the AirPods Max at 20 hours (with ANC on), but for great sound at a lower price, the Surface Headphones 2 are worth checking out.

Read our review of the Microsoft Surface Headphones 2

Bose has a reputation for active canceling technology, and the QuietComfort 35 II offers that technology for $250 less than the AirPods Max. There are only three levels of ANC compared to the more expensive Bose 700's 11 levels, but they still do a great job of eliminating distractions and making the audio sound great.

Whether you're listening to music, watching Netflix, or making a phone call, you'll hear crisp, clean sound. And with a lightweight, comfortable design, you get the perfect headphones for all your everyday tasks, with the ability to customize the sound using the Bose Connect app, and a convenient "auto-off" feature to prevent battery drain

Bose QuietComfort 35 II Review

If you want to get things going with the Apple family but don't want to resort to using earbuds, the Beats Studio3 is the headphone to check out. Especially if you like the heavy bass performance that Beats headphones are known for.

The Studio3 also offers a comfortable fit, adaptive EQ, and a quick charge that adds three hours of playback time in just 10 minutes. As for battery life, it is about 20 hours with ANC turned on, but the noise canceling features are not the best. Still, they sound great and pair easily with iOS devices.

While not the best performing headphones on the market, the Beats Studio3 is definitely worth checking out if your budget is limited. After all, at under $200 in many places, it's one of the cheapest headphones on this list.

Read the full Beats Studio3 Wireless review

If you want the Apple audio experience for less, the best AirPods Max alternative is the AirPods Pro. Sure, they're not over-the-ear headphones, but the AirPods Pro are still among the best wireless earbuds on the market.

Not only are the AirPods Pro so comfortable you'll forget you're wearing them, but they also feature active noise cancellation and a transparent mode that lets you hear your surroundings. They are also water and sweat resistant, as well as multiple ear tips for the best fit.

Because of their size, the AirPods Pro don't have great battery life, lasting only 4.5 hours with noise cancellation turned on. Thankfully, a charging case allows you to replenish the battery on the go, giving you up to 24 hours of use in total; the AirPods Max has 20 hours.

If you're a stickler for over-the-ear headphones, this may not be for you. But overall, the AirPods Pro is a great option at less than half the price of the AirPods Max.

Read our review of the AirPods Pro