Google’s Pixel earbuds have all the time felt like a piece in progress. The first-gen Pixel Buds was too futuristic for its time, the 2020 version wasn’t dependable or comfy, and the 2022 Pixel Buds Pro compromised on the design for higher audio. It may by no means earn the default Android spot just like the AirPods command for Apple’s person base. The newest Pixel Buds Pro 2 adjustments that: it appears like a coming of age for Google’s true-wireless lineup and takes and improves upon the perfect of its predecessors.
Looking on the Pixel Buds Pro 2, you’d almost suppose it’s a brand new line of merchandise altogether. Google has markedly shrunk its measurement – about 30 % smaller and lighter – in order that the buds are extra comfy to put on and don’t bulge out as a lot. They additionally include a subtler model of the stabilizer fin, to maintain them anchored irrespective of your match preferences. The Buds Pro 2 additionally marks the debut of the Tensor A1 chip, Google’s customized silicon for the Pixel Buds, for an upgraded energetic noise cancellation efficiency and a bunch of accompanying good options.
Google has packed lots into the second-gen Pro earbuds however these upgrades come at an elevated value. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 is $30 costlier than the prior mannequin. But after spending weeks with them, I discovered Google’s newest earbuds supply a whole expertise rivaled solely by Apple’s AirPods, and effectively well worth the $229 worth.
Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 – Design and Controls
For a “Pro,” the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are strikingly compact. Because Google has determined in opposition to a stem-equipped kind issue, not like Apple and Samsung, every of its buds isn’t solely 10-15 % lighter than the competitors, however the smaller footprint additionally ensures they aren’t a drag in your ears while you use them for longer durations, akin to on flights.
Plus, on the different finish of the silicon tip lies just a little fin stabilizer that anchors itself to the protruding of your ear canal’s opening. You can twist the earbud to regulate how tight you need the stabilizing wing to be. The distinctive mechanism proved surprisingly useful: after I wished the earbud to stay snuggly match, like on runs, I may twist it to the max to stop it from falling, however throughout extra day-to-day actions like at work, I loosened them up a bit for a comfier, but steady place.
The Pixel Buds Pro 2 ships with 4 bud sizes and as soon as I discovered my match (the S), they remained sealed in my ears irrespective of the exercise, from consuming to exercises to even enjoying Nintendo Switch Sports. I additionally appreciated that the buds don’t stick out as a lot from my ears. When secured in, they appear a bit like an outsized M&M, particularly in case you get them within the Wintergreen or Peony colours.
The cute aesthetic extends to the charging case, which resembles a clean pebble any Gentoo penguin would approve. In addition to a standing mild, it homes a speaker that alerts you when it’s low on battery and can be utilized to find it in case you lose it. While the vertically-oriented case is simpler to slip into pockets, the one concern I’ve with it’s its poor IP score. Though the earbuds are water and mud resistant (IP54), the case can solely stand up to a restricted quantity of moisture (IPX4).
The solely branding you’ll discover on the Pixel Buds is the etched “G” on high of every earbud. This additionally features as a capacitive contact button, enabling a sequence of gestures to regulate the playback, quantity, and noise cancellation. You can swipe forwards or backward on the “G,” for instance, to lift or decrease the amount, faucet thrice to modify trackers, press and maintain to activate noise cancellation, and extra.
I sometimes choose stem-based controls as a result of triggering them doesn’t have an effect on the earbuds’ match, however I had no points with those supplied on the Pixel Buds Pro 2. There’s sufficient room on the capacitive floor that the buds can clearly distinguish every gesture. The controls, in my expertise, have been correct and fast, and I appreciated that I had the choice to customise the press and maintain motion for every bud individually.
Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 – Software
Being a Google product, there’s no scarcity of software program tips on the Pixel Buds Pro 2, and to my shock, the vast majority of them have been useful and reliable. The Pixel Buds companion app, as an example, can actively run an auditory wellness test all through your day, and let you know when your audio publicity is over the wholesome restrict. It may information you thru a match train to find out whether or not the bud measurement you’re utilizing is right for maximizing noise cancellation.
By far, my favourite software program instrument was dialog detection. The earbuds quickly disable the ANC and swap to the transparency mode as quickly as they detect you’re talking to somebody. The mics guarantee it’s solely triggered while you communicate, versus anybody else in public, and it really works near-instantly, eliminating the necessity for me to manually flip off the ANC whereas speaking. Pairing is fast too, no less than on Android. All you must do is flip open the case and a immediate in your telephone will enable you set them up in seconds.
Apart from that, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 checks near all of the software program bins: they’ll join to 2 gadgets directly and seamlessly swap between them, help Spatial audio and head monitoring for appropriate media, and assist you to fine-tune the equalizer.
The Pixel Buds Pro 2 additionally has the flexibility to allow you to begin conversing with the Gemini assistant with a “Hey Google, let’s discuss” command. While that’s good to have, Gemini itself is much from prepared. It can’t, for instance, set reminders, textual content somebody, discuss delicate matters like political information, and the checklist goes on.
Another draw back to the Pixel Buds Pro 2’s software program is Google’s refusal so as to add help for high-quality codecs. Like its predecessors, the Buds Pro 2 is proscribed to straightforward AAC and SBC Bluetooth codecs. So in case you’re somebody who subscribes to and prefers high-resolution music, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 – Performance
The audio efficiency of Google’s wi-fi earbuds has sometimes erred on the facet of restraint, and the Pixel Buds Pro 2, for essentially the most half, are the identical. However, the upgrades due to the customized Tensor chip and a brand new “high-frequency chamber” will not be all misplaced. The sound from the Buds Pro 2’s 11mm drivers, this time round, is way cleaner and richer in extracting essentially the most particulars out of your music.
The low-ends aren’t as dominant as earlier than and the drivers afford the mids and highs adequate area and air to obviously shine by means of. It makes up for a large soundstage that may equally immerse you in a monitor’s underlying kick drum because the vocals. While listening to difficult items like Hans Zimmer’s No Time for Caution, as an example, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 neatly produced the varied overlapping devices with out letting anyone overpower the output. Even at greater volumes, pop music sounds perky with out ever getting muddy. By default, the bass is on the decrease finish to allow a sound that may appease most individuals, however you’ll be able to simply tweak that from the settings.
The Google Pixel Buds Pro 2’s noise cancellation was spectacular too. It comfortably blocked out decrease frequencies just like the high-intensive clamor of a busy road or a flight. Higher-end noises like honks and sirens nonetheless, in fact, handed by means of, however the ANC toned them down sufficient that they wouldn’t stop me from understanding the voices on a podcast I’m streaming.
The one side the place the Pixel Buds Pro 2 can’t fairly match its friends, just like the AirPods Pro 2 and the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, is the mic high quality. In most conditions, it does a tremendous job of selecting up your voice with out making it sound robotic, and callers often reported my voice crisp and loud. But it does introduce just a few disturbances, akin to a working faucet, and it may possibly distort just a little as a result of its mic is just nowhere close to as shut and positioned in the direction of your mouth as a stem-style earbud.
Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 – Battery Life
The Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 lasted longer than most ANC earbuds I’ve used, together with the AirPods Pro 2. In my testing, which featured an always-on ANC and 30-40% quantity ranges, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 nearly delivered on Google’s 8-hour declare. On common, they lasted seven hours on a single cost with ANC on, and 10-11 hours with ANC off. Together with the charging case’s endurance, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 provides a complete listening time of 30 and 48 hours, respectively. You can cost the Pixel Buds Pro 2 by way of USB-C or wirelessly with any Qi-certified pad.
