Google ’s Pixel Buds Pro 2 earbuds are humble , lighter , and have better shelling life than their precursor . They ’re also powered by a fresh brain : the Tensor A1 chip . While those are laudable improvements , the second - gen Pros are also $ 29 more expensive , narrowing the price gap that made the first - gen Pros so attractive .
For most folks , the biggest difference between thePixel Buds Proand the Buds Pro 2 will be their size , weight , and shape . Google says the Modern bud are 27 % smaller and 24 % sluttish , and there ’s no doubtfulness about it — they finger petite . Almost disconcertingly so .
Perhaps it ’s because after a tenner of review these twist , I ’m used to cramming object the size of unshelled Prunus amygdalus into my ears . The Buds Pro 2 are so small and light , that they just did n’t sense securely seat . And yet , they were — a fact that myGoogle Pixel 7 Proconfirmed through its built - in primed test .
Now that I ’m used to them , I think they ’re the most prosperous closed - way earbuds I ’ve ever hold out .
By the way of life , we relegate earbuds as “ closed ” when they use silicone tips to seal your ear canal , for instance , theAirPods Pro . We say “ semi - open ” when they do n’t use silicone polymer , like the AirPods stock , and “ open - ear ” when they do n’t sit directly in front of the capitulum canal , like theBose Ultra Open Earbuds .
The nonpayment medium eartips exercise just fine for me , but gratefully , Google admit three other sizes ( XS , S , L ) to improve the chances you ’ll get a good burst too . That ’s a small but important remainder : the Pixel Buds Pro only came with two extra sizing .
What you do n’t get are unlike sizing of stability annexe . Like the Pixel Buds 2 andA - Series , the small , crescent - shaped silicone protrusion is work up into the buds and is n’t replaceable . Google says the buds haveIP54 water supply and debris protection(perfect for workouts but definitely no swim ) while the case is rated IPX4 ( water protection only ) .
And as with the Pixel Buds Pro , there ’s no USB - degree centigrade charge cable in the box . You in all likelihood have lots of these already . But if you do n’t , the Buds Pro 2 ’s case has wireless charging . At a minimum , you might be able to flip your phone around and apply reverse charging — or battery communion , to use Google ’s slang .
Speaking of the case , it ’s nearly superposable to the previous poser . It ’s slimly thicker , and there ’s now a lilliputian speaker opening on the bottom near the accuse port for feedback tones and playact locate sounds for the Find My gadget subprogram . Oh , and here ’s something I acknowledge immediately : the Buds Pro 2 are right smart wanton to remove from their caseful than the former version . They sit taller in their charge nooks and their mushroom-shaped cloud - like shape is easier to grip than the Buds Pro ’s unseamed visibility .
I was gently interested that the Buds Pro 2 ’s smaller size might make it backbreaking to use the touch controls , but it has n’t been a trouble . The tap gesture are well-situated to use ( I remain a big fan of the swipe - establish volume ascendence ) , even though you still ca n’t customize them . All the canonic functions are tolerate ( playback , runway skipping , call management , and sound assistant admission ) , but there ’s still no way to dampen yourself while on a call . Google hopefully will add this on the next interpretation .
You still get wear sensors , which do an admirable job of pausing / resume sound recording when you remove or reinsert an earbud .
If there ’s one matter that really sets the Pixel Buds Pro 2 apart from their predecessor , it ’s their ability to get at Google ’s Gemini AI hands - loose , even when your sound ’s lock and in your air pocket . If you sign up forGemini Advanced , you’re able to also do real - time conversation viaGemini Live . Unfortunately , Gemini Advanced is n’t available in my location yet , so I could n’t test that part out , but unconstipated Gemini interactions via “ Hey , Google , ” worked seamlessly .
I wo n’t do a deep dive into everything Gemini can do , but I will say this : I ’m happy you may double over - tap the earbuds to stop Gemini in its track — some of its response can be long - winded .
Google says that thanks to the Tensor A1 chip , the Buds Pro 2 ’s ANC is “ twice as strong ” as that of their harbinger . I could n’t measure that claim , but after using them in a salmagundi of noisy condition , I ’m run to agree . It ’s most noticeable in mid - to - high-pitched frequency . In my review of the first - gen Pros , I observe that they did n’t cancel these type of sounds as well as the first - gen AirPods Pro . unusually , the ANC on the Buds Pro 2 is n’t just good than the firts - gen AirPods Pro — it ’s better than the AirPods Pro 2 , and it ’s only fractionally less potent than theBose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds , which I presently consider to be the leader for ANC onwireless earbuds .
Everything from the droning noise of air conditioner and vacuums to the irregular fraudulent scheme of traffic and construction was sunnily boil down to a degree that either disappeared whole or was modest enough not to bother me . But here ’s a ( ahem ) top : The fit run in the Pixel Buds app may point that you have a near Navy SEAL , but it should n’t be deal as religious doctrine . Using the medium bakshish , ANC was noticeably better . But it was n’t until I put in the tumid tips that the Buds Pro 2 showed me their full potentiality .
Conversation detection — a feature of speech that was added to the Buds Pro in 2023 — play brilliantly on the Buds Pro 2 . Just come out verbalize when you ’re in ANC mode and the buds lurch smoothly into foil mode while simultaneously pausing your media . concisely after it observe you ’re done chatting , it switches back to ANC and resumes whatever you were hear to .
It works really well . But if you listen to comedy podcasts and have a leaning to laugh out loud , be prepared for some false positives . ( That might have happened to me more than a few times . ) Keep in mind that this is for ready interactions , not prospicient conversations where you continue unsounded as you mind to someone else talk .
I ’m a bit discomfited Google did n’t include the reverse gear of conversation detection : loud noise catching , which flips you from transparency to ANC when it detects potentially life-threatening garish sounds . Apple and Bose declare oneself this on their flagship earbuds , and given the computational audio artistry of the Buds Pro 2 ’s Tensor A1 chip , it seems like it would be an obvious inclusion .
transparence mode itself feels unaltered to me — which is to say it work really well . you may hear the away world with splendid lucidity and your representative will sound clear . However , as with the first - gen Buds , the Buds Pro 2 crepuscle just shy of delivering the AirPods Pro ’s sorcerous feeling of not wearing earbuds at all .
The Pixel Buds Pro 2 sound fantastic . Much better than the first - gen ( which I thought were already pretty skillful ) and right smart well than theAirPods Pro . There ’s more item , and practiced clarity throughout , and bass part response is more full-bodied . And that was my take using the default EQ set right out of the boxful . Google lets you tweak it with several presets and a simplified equalizer , which have you flux your own EQ formulas and save them for succeeding role .
They sound remarkably standardised to theSamsung Galaxy Buds Pro 3when both bud are connected to a Pixel phone . However , Google ’s refusal to include high-pitched - qualityBluetooth codecsputs the Pixel Buds Pro 2 at a disadvantage compared to the Galaxy Buds Pro 3 when both are used with a Samsung Galaxy headphone . Galaxy Buds and Galaxy sound communicate via Samsung ’s Seamless Codec ( SSC ) , which can preserve more detail fromlossless audiosources . If you ’re a Spotify listener , it wo n’t make much of a difference due to its lossy stream character . But withApple Music , Tidal , orAmazon Music(plus a quiet place for listening ) , the Galaxy Buds Pro 3 sound better , something that Galaxy phone possessor may want to keep in mind if you ’re deal both products .
If the Pixel Buds Pro 2 were merely average - sound , I would n’t even bring this up . But when a curing of earbuds sounds as proficient as the Pixel Buds Pro 2 , I ca n’t help but wonder how much better they ’d sound with a piffling avail from hi - reticuloendothelial system codecs .
On a related note , the Pixel Buds Pro 2 also miss supporting forBluetooth LE Audio , which mean you ca n’t use them withAuracast . For now , that ’s improbable to matter . But as more public places begin to offer Auracast broadcast ( e.g. airport terminals , gymnasium , and pic dramaturgy ) , Google ’s lack of future - proofing may finger shortsighted ( especially whenSamsung has already embraced it . )
The Buds Pro 2 work withspatial audioand head trailing . Sort of . Google added it to pick out Pixel phones and the Pixel Buds Pro via a software package update in 2023 . Disappointingly , it remains limited to just a fistful of video recording streaming apps like Netflix and Disney+ , which offer up 5.1 - TV channel soundtracks . Not that I view spacial audio to be a requirement on a decorous set of earbuds , nor do I necessarily consider that spatial audio vocalize better than stereo . However , Idothink that if you declare oneself it as a feature , it should function with all sort of media , not just moving-picture show or TV appearance with multichannel soundtracks .
When the first - gen Buds Pro were released , spatial sound recording was in its infancy . Today , it ’s mainstream , and Google needs to do well .
Still , for what it ’s design to do , it work well , leave a great sense of immersion when see telecasting on your phone . I tried it with movies likeThe Matrixon Netflix , andIron Man 3on Disney+ and it performs the samevirtual home theater trickthat Apple does with its AirPods when watching prize content on iPhones , iPads , or theApple tv set 4K. They ’re not identical , however . Apple ’s foreland - tracking is more refined and unlined , while the Pixel Buds Pro 2 can sense notchy and abrupt as you turn your heading .
Making calls on the Pixel Buds Pro 2 will be dear for you and your caller . Shifting to transparency mode lets you get wind your articulation naturally , thus reduce fatigue . The environmental noise - canceling algorithms do an excellent chore of maintain screen background sounds at bay , though at times , they can be a shade too fast-growing and end up scrambling your voice when your surround is specially loud .
I tried using Google ’s Clear Calling feature of speech , which supposedly improves both your phonation clarity and that of your caller-up , but I ca n’t say that my few test cry show this capability .
The newfangled Pixel Buds Pro offer a pregnant bump in shelling life despite their small size . The first - gen fork out a claimed seven hours of playday with ANC on , and a total of 20 hours when you included the instance . The second - gen bud can now get eight hours per charge ( a modest betterment ) , but the case ’s capacity has been greatly increased : total playtime is now 30 hr .
However , for those who care to wait until the very last minute to charge , the liberal improvement may be the plus of a nimble - charge function . Fifteen minutes in the case will now extend playtime by up to three hours .
My comparatively short five days with the Pixel Buds Pro 2 was n’t enough to push the limit on endurance , but so far , Google ’s numbers seem accurate .
All in all , the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 are first-class wireless earbuds . If you ’re a Google Pixel headphone user , they ’re the obvious alternative , especially if you want comfortable voice access to Google Gemini / Gemini Live . For some folks , the improved comfort offered by their midget size will be worth the monetary value of entrance fee , but everyone will benefit from their outstanding noise cancellation , transparency , and sound calibre .
I still opine there ’s room for improvement . The spatial audio feature film is too modified and Google ’s technologist should depend for ways to further improve call clarity . But these are small thing ; if you ’re tip toward bribe the Pixel Buds Pro 2 , they should n’t get in your fashion .
