I Tested This $150 AirPods Max Stand Against a Cheaper $29 Stand — and Here’s the Winner

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ZDNET Highlights

• Mophie’s $150 AirPods Max stand does the job, but it seems overpriced.
• The $29 stand offers nearly the same charging experience.
• The premium status is weakened by the lack of Lightning support.

At $549, Apple’s over-the-year airpods max Ridiculously expensive. Still, and even though they are a little too small for my large head, I have found that they are worth the price.

They do two things very well: they switch between my Apple devices easily and mostly automatically, and they block out noise. My wife and I share a family room, where we spend most of our workdays. When she’s on a Zoom meeting, I can put my AirPods Max in and eavesdrop on her conversation. He has a pair too and they work just as well for him.

Sadly, like every other noise-canceling device I’ve tried, they can’t cope with the high-pitched barking of my little 8-pound Yorkiepoo. Their insistent nuclear-powered yips can overcome even the most advanced technology. For everything else, the AirPods Max do a great job.

Also: Should you buy the AirPods Max in 2025? Long-awaited upgrade will lure professionals

One thing that is not convenient is charging. Unlike all of my other mobile Apple devices, which charge wirelessly, the AirPods Max must be placed in their case and plugged in to charge. This may sound a little silly, but I often hold my small dog with one hand (he loves to sit on my shoulder). Plugging in the AirPods Max with one hand is beyond my dexterity.

Luckily, there are a variety of AirPods Max docking stations that eliminate the need for a case. This selection is a far cry from what you’ll find for regular AirPods, but there are a few sellers out there. Most are in the under $30 price range.

Then it’s ridiculously expensive mophie airpods max headphone charging standWhich sells for $150 (and is currently discounted to $135). It seems to go out of stock every few days on Amazon, but you can also Get it direct from MophieBut only for the full $150 list price.

Too: If Your AirPods Max Stopped Working, Try This Amazing Trick

Mophie sent me a stand of this to test. It does what it’s supposed to do, so there’s that. But is it really worth five times more than its competitors? I’m not so sure.

When I asked Mophie about the price discrepancy, its PR representative told me, “Mophie believes the Max Stand is the best, most premium device on the market.”

mophie premium-ness

When it comes to “most premium,” the Mophie Stand is definitely on the heavy side, weighing in at a little over a pound and a half (1.61 pounds to be exact). It not only offers a sturdy frame but also a padded landing area for the headphones to rest on comfortably.

Speaking of comfort, the way the headphones conveniently charge is through the use of a small magnetic dongle that plugs into the AirPods Max’s USB-C port. As soon as you leave your headphones in the dock, it automatically activates sleep mode for your headphones.

Too: I ditched my AirPods Max within hours of testing these headphones

And yes, I said “USB-C port.” All you AirPods Max users who have an AirPods Max with a Lightning port are out of luck. mophie stand Only Supports USB-C devices.

This is a silly, unnecessary restriction on Mophie’s part, especially with such a “premium” headphone stand. The $29 AirPods Max stand I’ve been using so far came with both a USB-C and Lightning dongle, and it’s a fifth of the price.

Fortunately, at least according to reviewer n2alpha, who Commented on Mophie siteyou can get A practical Lightning dongle four-pack from AmazonFor an additional $12. I haven’t tried it, but it’s an option if you’re looking for the most premium stand solution for your old AirPods Max.

There’s another feature offered by the Mophie Stand that can come in clutch: The stand also charges the smaller AirPods wirelessly, with a Qi wireless charging station located between the compartments.

Personally, I use a 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station Which charges my iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods Pro on the same stand. That stand is also $29.

cheap seats

Before getting the Mophie stand, I have been using AirPods Max Charging Dock from VAWVVAAt a little more than half a pound (0,64 pounds), it’s one-third the weight of the premium Mophie stand, Apart from the AirPods Max charger, it also does not include the AirPods charger,

Too: I wore the best headphones from Sony, Bose, Apple, and Sonos: Here’s how the AirPods Max wins

Again, it’s $29 instead of $150. You can get the VAWVVA Stand, the 3-in-1 Stand, and three more VAWVVA stands for the price of one Mophie stand. I’m not sure why you would need four VAWVVA stands, but you can buy them and live for under $150.

This also works and puts the AirPods Max into sleep mode. A few weeks ago I encountered a glitch where it refused to charge my AirPods Max. But I found a mention online (sorry, I don’t have that link) where someone else had the same problem, he put the AirPods Max back in their original pouch, and he reset the device. I did the same, and my AirPods Max resumed proper charging on the VAWVVA stand.

What should you buy?

I like the weight of the Mophie stand. I had to put double-sided sticky tape on the bottom of the cheap stand to keep it from moving, but the Mophie stand has enough weight to hold its position.

But it’s difficult to keep the AirPods Max in the expensive Mophie stand. It looks like they’ve decided to size the cups differently for AirPods Max users with smaller heads. After expanding both compartments to their maximum, I had to drop one compartment into the charging side and then insert the other compartment into the other receiver cup.

Conversely, I could have left the headphones in a cheaper stand with very little finshing. In both cases, I had to carefully ensure that the magnetic connections on the dongle matched in order to charge.

The thing is, the magnetic dongle is essentially exactly the same on both devices. So it’s not like the most important part of the stand, the connection, is at a higher premium on one device than the other.

Too: The top 10 headphones readers bought this year (not including Beats, Sony, or Bose)

I’m annoyed that Mophie didn’t include both a USB-C and Lightning adapter in its $150 device. This cuts out possibly the largest portion of its market, and why? The per-adapter retail price is only three rupees. Mophie accessories to add a second adapter probably won’t cost more than a buck.

Personally, based on my experience using both, if I had to go out and choose one right now, I will buy the $29 VAWVVA unitI don’t mind buying premium if there is value, Ultimately, I bought the AirPods Max, But I’m having a hard time imagining how the Mophie stand could cost five times more than a cheaper stand,

Double, maybe. But five times? It’s not for me.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t think you should buy the Mophie. It’s a good product and does the job. If you like the look or want a heavier device, or you want an AirPods charger as well as an AirPods Max charger, this could be the right solution for you. Only you and your wallet can know for sure.

What do you think? will you ever spend $150 on Premium AirPods Max Charging StandOr Does the $29 Option Make More SenseHow much do weight, design and ease of use matter to you, Does the lack of a Lightning adapter change your perspective, Comment below and share your experience.

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