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I recently picked up the Google Pixel Pro 9 XL and to my pleasant surprise, Google threw in a cheek pair of Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 for good measure. I have been using these earbuds for a good few weeks now and even ran a half marathon using them. So I feel it’s time to share some of my thoughts about these wireless earbuds and if they are worth investing in.
There are some key areas that I will cover in this post
- Design
- Comfort
- Sound Quality
- Connectivity
- Controls
- Charging & Battery Life
- Price
So without further a due let’s jump into each of these in more detail.
Design:
The Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 are circular Buds and a fair bit smaller than my AirPods Pro 2. I like this design as you don’t have a long stem that comes down your ear like the AirPods so I find that they are a bit more discrete. Compared to the previous version the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are significantly smaller.
I love the fact that Pixel Buds Pro 2 are available in 4 colours I went for the Wintergreen which is a lovely soft green but if you fancy something a bit more out there you can for the Peony (Bright Pink) colour. And there is of course the less out there colours Porcelain and Hazel.
The case itself has a nice oval/egg-like shape to it which is about the same size as the AirPods Pro 2 maybe a touch bigger. So it fits in your pocket with no problem for when you are grabbing them on the go. What I would say about the case is that it does pick up marks and dirty easily as it has a more matt-like finish to it.
Comfort:
Some earbuds can tend to be uncomfortable especially if you are wearing them for a long period of time. I can say that I have found the Pixel Bud Pro 2 to be a comfortable fit. They come with 4 different-sized tips (XL, S, M & L) so you can change them to the tip that best fits your ear. As well as wearing these in the office I wore them for running a half marathon, they didn’t hurt or fall out at all when I was running. It did take a bit of time in the beginning to get them in the right spot but after a few times of wearing them, it was easy to get them in the right spot for optimum comfort.
Sound Quality:
The sounds that comes out of these headphones is great for when listening to music but also for when I am on conference calls. The sounds is clear to my non-refined ear and is balanced providing an enjoyable listening experience.
The call quality is also good. I have no issues with hearing people clearly on my call and have no issues with people being able to hear me. This is also when noise cancellation really comes into play with its smart seal which adapts to your environment to cancel out twice as much noise.
I am still not sure it’s as good as the AirPods Pro noise cancellation but it’s certainly not far off and is still very good. It certainly removes a lot of the noise away when I am in the office and need to focus on calls.
You can adjust the settings for base etc. in the Pixel Buds app which you can download from the Play Store. This is a nice feature which allows you to dial in the sound to your particular taste, this is something that you can do with the Samsung Buds but not with the AirPods.
Connectivity:
I have used the Pixel Bud Pro 2 across all of my devices whether that by Android, Mac or Windows PC. They have connected perfectly across all of them. Of course, these are going to work best with a Pixel or Android Device where you can download the Pixel Buds app. You can still connect the buds to your iPhone but you will not get all of the features as you won’t be able to use the app.
To connect the Pixel Bud Pro 2 is simple on the back of the case there is a button that you hold down for a couple of seconds and the earbuds will go into pairing mode. From there just go into your Bluetooth settings and select the buds from the list and wait a few seconds to connect.
Controls:
There are a number of things that you control by pressing/sliding or tapping the earbuds such as
- Music (next track etc.)
- Volume Control
- ANC (on and off)
These are useful as these are the most likely actions you will want to take and not having to pick up your phone or go into an app is nice and easy, especially when you are walking or exercising in general.
Battery life & Charging:
The battery life on the Google Pixel Pro 2 is solid. I have been easily making it through the days with these earbuds and that’s with being on conference calls for the vast majority of the day. Google say that you can get 8hr of listening time with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) on and up to 30 hrs with the charging case and ANC.
In terms of charging the Pixel Pro Buds 2 come with wireless charging as well as wired via a USC-C cable. Just to state that you do not get a charging cable in the box with the think I assuming being that you will have one already. Another nice touch is that when you go to put your earbuds on your wireless charger you get a noise that lets you know that they are charging as well as the indicator light.
Price:
These are priced in the same range as other Pro earbuds like the AirPods at £219 but you are likely to pick them up cheaper. Google will have sales and if you are getting a new Pixel Phone you might even get them for free.
Final Thoughts
Overall these are a great pair of earbuds from Google yes to get the most out of them you will need a Pixel Device but they work well across all devices. The design is very Google which I like, they do what you want from a pair of earbuds well, with Good Sounds and comfort.
So if you are looking for a new pair of earbuds these are certainly a pair that I would put into the mix. Again especially if you already own a Pixel Phone. I would love to hear your thoughts on these Earbuds so why not leave me a note in the comments sections below.