AirPods Max get an elegant solution to their biggest design flaw

My biggest complaint about AirPods Max over the years hasn’t been the steep price or which chip Apple put inside. It’s been the lack of wireless charging. Fortunately, an elegant solution to solve this problem has arrived.

I use wireless charging for every other AirPods model, for my iPhone, and for my Apple Watch. AirPods Max lacking wireless charging all this time is disappointing.

Fortunately, Mophie has introduced the Max Charging Stand, a $149.95 accessory designed specifically to give AirPods Max a proper wireless charging solution.

The stand combines a magnetic USB-C charging adapter with a weighted aluminum base, putting AirPods Max into sleep mode while charging and keeping them on display instead of buried in a case or bag.

While I’d still prefer Apple build MagSafe charging directly into future AirPods Max, this is the first third-party dongle I’m actually willing to use.

Unlike those adapters that awkwardly added MagSafe to USB-C MacBooks, Mophie’s fix is minimal enough and adds utility that I appreciate. The Max Charging Stand also doubles as a wireless charger for AirPods Pro or other Qi-enabled devices.

At $149.95, the Max Charging Stand isn’t cheap. Add that to AirPods Max’s $549 retail price and you’re looking at a $700 investment.

The good news is that AirPods Max are often available for a lower price, which makes the add-on slightly easier to justify. Charging stands on their own are cool anyway, and this one just happens to add a helpful new feature to Apple’s best headphones. The only downside is that the wireless charging adapter is only for Apple’s latest USB-C AirPods Max. That means the original AirPods Max with a Lightning port won’t work.

The Mophie Max Charging Stand is available now through Mophie.com, ZAGG.com, and Amazon.