Apple Airpods Max three-month wait time is insane but you can cut the queue for free

Apple's AirPods Max aren't out until next week but it's already impossible to get them before Christmas

AirPods Max
(Image credit: Apple)
Shabana Arif
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Tis the season of stock shortages, and Apple's newly announced AirPods Max headphones are the latest victim, with delivery times of up three months plus.

The over-ear headphones release on December 15 for an eye-watering $549/ £549/ AU$899, but a pre-Christmas delivery seems out of the question, and in some regions, like the UK, you're looking at delivery in January, 2021 at the earliest, with 12-14 weeks being the longest lead time.

The good news is there's a way to get your AirPods Max delivered significantly earlier – and it won't cost you a thing! 

Apple offers free engraving on its products, and the AirPods Max are no different. While the delivery time on the color options varies drastically, most of them can be shaved down massively if you opt for an engraving. 

In the UK store, for example, the Space Grey won't be delivered for 12 to 14 weeks, putting delivery at around mid-March. If you add an engraving, which can be anywhere from one to 14 characters, and includes emoji, that drops down by an entire month with a delivery date of February 8 -12.

In the US, the delivery time for all five color options is 12-14 weeks, which drops down to as little as seven to eight weeks with an engraving, so and engraved option is the way to go.

In Australia, the standard delivery time is much easier to bear, at four to five weeks. Engraving seems to be the longer option in this case though. 

Depending on your region, some colorways actually see the delivery time increase with an engraving, so if you're desperate to get your hands on a pair as soon as possible, it's worth checking to see if adding an engraving brings the delivery date forward, and deciding if it's worth adding (or leaving out) that poop emoji.

 

Shabana Arif
Shabana Arif

Shabana worked at T3.com as News Editor covering tech and gaming, and has been writing about video games for almost a decade (and playing them since forever). She's had bylines at major gaming sites during her freelance career before settling down here at T3, and has podcasts, streaming, and video content under her belt to boot. Outside of work, she also plays video games and should really think about expanding her hobbies. If you have any tech or gaming tips, shoot over an email or DM her on social media.

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