I tested this $150 AirPods Max stand against a cheap $29 one - and here's the winner

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ZDNET's key takeaways

• Mophie's $150 AirPods Max stand works, but feels overpriced.
• A $29 stand delivers nearly the same charging experience.
• Missing Lightning support undermines the premium positioning.

At $549, Apple's over-the-ear AirPods Max are ridiculously expensive. Even so, and even though they're a little too small for my big head, I've found them to be worth the price.

They do two things very well: they switch between my Apple devices smoothly and mostly automatically, and they block noise. My wife and I share a family room, where we spend most of our workday. When she's on a Zoom meeting, I can put on my AirPods Max and block out her conversation. She also has a pair, and they work for her in the same way.

Sadly, as with every other ...