Google Pixel Buds Pro vs Pixel Buds A Series

Google might have began as a search engine, however virtually three a long time later and it’s expanded into audio merchandise. At the moment, the Google Pixel Buds Professional provide the whole lot however the kitchen sink. These buds have energetic noise-cancelling (ANC), spatial audio, and multipoint connectivity. Then, there are the simplified Google Pixel Buds A-Collection. These earbuds have a extra affordable value and forgo fancy accouterments.

We’ll examine the Google Pixel Buds Professional to the Google Pixel Buds A-series to offer you an thought of which wi-fi earbuds are greatest for you. We even embrace a listing of Pixel Buds alternate options, for listeners who aren’t fairly happy with Google’s choices.

Google launched the Pixel Buds Professional on July 28, 2022. A bit of over a yr prior, it launched the Pixel Buds A-Collection on June 17, 2021. These earbuds share loads of similarities. Noise-cancelling and spatial audio are the principle differentiating elements between Google’s buds.

Utilizing the same design, the Pixel Buds A-Collection and Pixel Buds Professional have giant, round contact panels adorned with Google’s “G” brand. Google makes use of a sealed design with ear suggestions for each of those earbuds. Each Google earbuds include small, medium, and enormous ear suggestions.

Google’s Pixel Buds each advantage an IPX4 water resistant ranking, making them sturdy sufficient for understanding. Athletes who interact in vigorous train might go for the cheaper A-Collection earbuds. These characteristic everlasting wing suggestions that additional cement them to your ears. Google ditched the winged design for its Professional buds. Bigger earbud housings accommodate the Pixel Buds Professional’s myriad sensors.

ANC makes the Pixel Buds Professional extra premium than the Pixel Buds A-Collection. Each earbuds’ ear suggestions block ambient noise, however the Pixel Buds Professional will hush the sounds of engines and rumbles throughout your commute or airplane trip. In contrast to the Pixel Buds A-Collection, the Pixel Buds Professional have spatial audio with head monitoring. The Pixel Buds Professional are extra superior, however the A-Collection maintain their very own, too.

The Google Pixel Buds Professional value $199 and the Pixel Buds A-Collection value $99. Each units of earbuds go on sale all year long for $149 and $79, respectively.

If you happen to’re ranging from scratch, we suggest shopping for the Pixel Buds Professional over the Pixel Buds A-Collection. The Professional are glorious earbuds for Android telephone house owners, and even higher for Pixel 6 or 7 telephones. When paired with an Android telephone, you possibly can entry a customized EQ and audio switching between units. Pairing these to a Pixel 6 or 7 telephone opens the door for spatial audio with head monitoring.

Different options that make the Pixel Buds Professional stand out from the gang are Bluetooth multipoint and energetic noise-cancelling. It is a successful combo for productiveness. You additionally get a water resistant wi-fi charging case with an IPX2 ranking. The earbuds have an much more spectacular IPX4 ranking, making them good for train.

Listeners who don’t look after ANC or spatial audio might need to avoid wasting cash and get the Pixel Buds A-Collection as an alternative. Extra pedestrian of their characteristic set, the Pixel Buds A-Collection have a lighter construct and stabilizing wing suggestions. Just like the Pixel Buds Professional, you get contact controls and IPX4 water resistant earbuds.

With out wi-fi charging or water resistance, the Pixel Buds A-Collection case requires a USB-C cable to recharge. Just like the Pixel Buds Professional case although, the A-Collection case is sturdy and feels a bit like a fidget toy. If you shut it, the case rattles off a satisfying click on sound.

Each the Pixel Buds A-Collection and the Pixel Buds Professional work with Google Assistant. You possibly can say, “Hey, Google” with both set of buds for sending texts and making inquiries. Each pairs of Pixel Buds additionally work with Google’s Discover My System app. This allows you to emit a sound via both earbud or find the earbuds’ last-known location on a map.

Google’s earbuds punch above their value factors, and their common firmware updates make them distinguished. Prior to now, Google has launched firmware and software program updates so as to add utility to the earbuds. We noticed this with the Pixel Buds Professional when the corporate launched a customized EQ. Likewise, Google mounted the Pixel Buds A-Collection’ preliminary low-volume situation and added a bass enhance slider. Admittedly, we might have favored to see these options upon launch. Receiving extra options down the road is the following neatest thing. It exhibits that Google is prepared to enhance its merchandise and hearken to clients.

After reviewing each of Google’s Pixel Buds, it’s clear that these are highly effective earbuds for Android. Every pair of Pixel Buds come at a good value, given their options. Solely iPhone house owners ought to steer clear of these earbuds; Google’s options are as closed off to iOS as Apple’s are to Android.

Google threw the whole lot into the Pixel Buds Professional and it paid off. We counseled Google for its efficient noise-cancelling and transparency listening modes. Additional, the battery life is phenomenal, given the demanding nature of excellent ANC. Curious listeners can have enjoyable taking part in round with the Pixel Buds app’s five-band EQ. In the meantime, much less adventurous people will really feel happy with the default sound.

Those that depend on creature comforts like multipoint and audio switching will really feel at dwelling with the Pixel Buds Professional. The corporate even added fashionable options like spatial audio and head monitoring. The $199 authentic value isn’t too shabby both.

You don’t get swanky spatial audio with the A=Collection. As a substitute, you get earbuds that concentrate on the fundamentals. The Pixel Buds A-Collection match effectively and have nice contact controls. Out of the field, the A-Collection lack bass, however enabling Bass Enhance truly makes them sound a tad higher than the Professional. Whereas we don’t just like the Adaptive Sound characteristic, we admire the choice to disable it.

What different reviewers from across the net assume

To offer you an outline of the Google Pixel Buds Professional and A-Collection, we’re sharing what different opinions are saying concerning the earbuds.

• Tom’s Information’s Alex Bracetti mentioned the Pixel Buds Professional’s ANC removes low-frequency sounds. Concurrently, the buds make it onerous to listen to higher-pitched seems like birds chirping. He mentioned the Pixel Buds Professional are nice noise-cancelling earbuds for Android customers in want of an ideal Google Assistant expertise.
• Digital Pattern’s Simon Cohen mentioned the Pixel Buds Professional are compact earbuds that match effectively and provide good sound high quality. He remarked that the absence of high-quality codecs like aptX and LDAC was disappointing.
• Gizmodo’s Sam Rutherford famous the A-Collection’ snug design and compact charging case however wasn’t impressed with the battery life. He mentioned the A-Collection are good and inexpensive earbuds for anybody who already makes use of an Android telephone.

The Pixel Buds Professional and Pixel Buds A-Collection seem like fraternal twins and supply fraternal experiences. As anticipated, each buds help Google Quick Pair for one-step pairing to any Android telephone. You may be up and listening to music or podcasts with both of the Pixel Buds in seconds.

Audio switching and Bluetooth multipoint take connectivity one step additional on the Pixel Buds Professional. With audio switching, it’s possible you’ll watch a film on a laptop computer and obtain calls from any machine below the identical Google account as your Pixel Buds. Additional, you possibly can actively join to 2 particular units without delay with multipoint. These units don’t should be below the identical Google account as your Pixel Buds. Little conveniences like these might not make or break the expertise, however they do enhance it.

Bluetooth 5.0 powers the Pixel Buds Professional and A-Collection. Each units of Google earbuds solely stream audio over the SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs. Since AAC efficiency varies on Android, not all Android telephones will ship constant high-quality audio. This can lead to perceptible audio-visual lag when streaming movies.

In contrast to the Pixel Buds A-Collection, which use Adaptive Sound, the Pixel Buds Professional have a Quantity EQ. This adjusts the bass and treble as the quantity adjustments. Google’s Quantity EQ ought to make music sound extra constant throughout quantity ranges, however it gained’t rework your buds into Hello-Fi cans. That mentioned, we a lot choose the Quantity EQ to Adaptive EQ. The latter successfully adjusts the quantity knob, relying on the loudness of your surroundings. You possibly can toggle each earbuds’ EQs off.

Replete with a five-band Customized EQ, ear tip match take a look at, and spatial audio, the Pixel Buds Professional are the extra highly effective earbuds. Even so, we admire the Pixel Buds A-Collection for his or her stripped-down expertise and value.

Google’s spatial audio creates a digital discipline of 360-degree sound. In contrast to your typical multi-channel setup, spatial audio casts every sound as its personal movable object. This object can float via area in any course, together with above or under you. The impact: you’ll hear the audio twist round you because the pilot on display screen does a barrel roll to keep away from oncoming assaults.

Presently, there’s no solution to personalize the impact in your Pixel 6 or Pixel 7 collection telephone, however you possibly can allow head monitoring. With this turned on, the audio is anchored to the suitable Pixel telephone. As you progress your head relative to the telephone, the audio adjustments. With the telephone in entrance of you, turning your head to the correct will make sound louder via the left Pixel Buds Professional earbud.

To make use of this characteristic, you’ll want the Google Pixel Buds Professional (firmware model 4.30 or later) and a Google Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Professional, Pixel 7, or Pixel 7 Professional smartphone operating Android 13 or later. It requires Dolby Atmos or DTS-X content material with the EC-3 codec to work. Oh, and also you’ll want considered one of these apps: Disney Plus, Google TV, HBO Max, Netflix, or YouTube. Received all that?

The Pixel Buds A-Collection don’t have all of the sensors that facilitate head monitoring, however you possibly can get pleasure from spatial audio from sure music streaming companies. Amazon Music, Apple Music, and Tidal all help spatial audio on any headphones, which incorporates the A-Collection earbuds.

Google Pixel Buds Professional vs Pixel Buds A-Collection: Noise-cancelling and isolation

If you happen to spend an excessive amount of time on public transit or flying for work, the Pixel Buds Professional are the higher earbuds for you. Noise-cancelling from the Pixel Buds Professional will make your neighbor’s lawnmower or a persistent wind about 85% quieter than with out the earbuds. This spectacular efficiency gained’t have an effect on the battery life an excessive amount of, both. On the identical time, silicone ear suggestions maintain out most of your surroundings’s high-pitched sounds.

Good noise-cancelling comes at a value, although. If you happen to assume the Pixel Buds A-Collection will do sufficient to dam background noise with out ANC, extra energy to you. The passive isolation quiets excessive frequencies by about 75-85%, which is nice. The A-Collection simply don’t do a lot of something to cut back the loudness of low-pitched sounds.

Additional, the shortage of ANC might make it onerous to listen to your music in notably noisy areas like a airplane or practice automobile. That is due to auditory masking: when a loud sound makes it onerous to listen to a quiet sound. A airplane’s engine could be so loud that you just’re tempted to extend the quantity in your Pixel Buds A-Collection to listen to your music. We advise towards doing this. Growing the quantity may injury your listening to. As a substitute, maintain the quantity under 85dB in these contexts. You possibly can set a quantity limiter in your telephone, or put money into noise-cancelling earbuds.

Take a look at the noise-cancelling comparability chart above. This visualizes how rather more noise the Google Pixel Buds Professional block out in comparison with the Pixel Buds A-Collection. The upper the road is, the extra noise the earbuds block out for that particular frequency. The frequency ranges from 0-256Hz, and 257-2,040kHz are a very powerful for isolation. As you possibly can see, the Pixel Buds A-Collection don’t begin considerably blocking out noise till about 1,000Hz. In the meantime, the Pixel Buds Professional cut back virtually all sounds to a perceptible diploma.

Do the Google Pixel Buds Professional sound higher than the Pixel Buds A-Collection?

The default sound of the Pixel Buds Professional is a lot better than the Pixel Buds A-Collection’, however each earbuds have their audio quirks. Selecting between the 2 forces the query: to have an excessive amount of bass or not sufficient?

The Google Pixel Buds Professional enhance bass fairly a bit. This sound profile bodes effectively for hip-hop, digital, and pop music, however makes it onerous to listen to vocals throughout notably crowded components of a observe. On the opposite finish of the spectrum, emphasised treble could make violins and flutes sound too loud. Even nonetheless, most will choose the Pixel Buds Professional’s out-of-the-box sound.

With the Pixel Buds A-Collection, sub-bass and bass are all too quiet. You gained’t really feel a kickdrum’s thud via the A-Collection like you’ll via the Professional earbuds. A frequency response like this might work effectively for spoken phrase content material. Although even then, voices will sound “hole” and unnatural. You may additionally discover that the “-f,” “-th,” and “-sh” sounds we make when speaking are louder than regular.

The chart above compares the 2 frequency responses towards one another and in reference to SoundGuys’ Goal Curve. (SoundGuys is our audio-focused sister website.) As you possibly can see, it illustrates the dramatic distinction in bass between these two units of earbuds. That mentioned, each the Pixel Buds Professional and A-Collection have tips up their sleeves for enhancing the sound.

Listeners can create a customized EQ with the Pixel Buds Professional to tailor the sound to their liking. Android telephone house owners can play with 5 change sliders and should have the Pixel Buds app (model 1.0.474476083 or later). These sliders have an effect on the next: higher treble, treble, mid, bass, and low bass. Google additionally offers EQ presets: default, heavy bass, gentle bass, balanced, vocal enhance, and readability.

The Google Pixel Buds A-Collection don’t have a customized EQ module however they do have Bass Enhance mode. Turning this on truly makes the Pixel Buds A-Collection sound higher than the Pixel Buds Professional’s default frequency response. Take a look at the chart above. Right here, you possibly can see the Pixel Buds A-Collection with Bass Enhance truly come nearer to the Goal Curve than the Professional buds. Listeners with Android 6 or later can even modify a bass slider from -1 to +4. This could fulfill even essentially the most diehard bass heads.

The Google Pixel Buds Professional and Pixel Buds A-Collection are each nice earbuds for telephone calls. When taking calls from a quiet surroundings, each earbuds will sound about the identical.

If you happen to’re strolling down a busy avenue, each Pixel Buds will relay background noise alongside together with your voice. Despite the fact that the Pixel Buds Professional transmit some static sounds in windy circumstances, they by no means utterly lose the speaker’s voice. Anybody who takes telephone calls from outdoors will discover the Pixel Buds Professional fare a bit higher than the A-Collection.

Formally, the Google Pixel Buds Professional earbuds final seven hours with noise-cancelling turned on. Solely utilizing noise-cancelling nets an additional 13 hours of battery from the case. To stretch the battery life out, flip ANC off. This will get you 11 hours of playtime from the Buds Professional. Retaining ANC off offers an additional 20 hours from the case. The Pixel Buds A-Collection earbuds final 5 hours on a single cost, and the case offers an additional 19 hours of battery.

The Pixel Buds Professional and Pixel Buds A-Collection instances can each quick cost their earbuds. 5 minutes of charging yields 60 minutes of listening time with the A-Collection and the Pixel Buds Professional (ANC on).

When testing the Pixel Buds Professional and Pixel Buds A-Collection battery life, we subjected every set of buds to music peaking at 75dB (SPL). Listed here are the battery life outcomes below these circumstances:

• Google Pixel Buds Professional, ANC on: Seven hours, six minutes.
• Google Pixel Buds A-Collection: 4 hours, 44 minutes.

The Google Pixel Buds Professional are the belle of the ball. You get a extra selection expertise with noise-cancelling, spatial audio, and battery life. Evaluating the Pixel Buds Professional to the Pixel Buds A-Collection highlights that these earbuds goal totally different audiences. With out ANC, the A-Collection Pixel Buds are a extra mundane, simplified product at an inexpensive value.

Listed here are the principle variations between the Google Pixel Buds Professional and Pixel Buds A-Collection:

• Dimensions: The Pixel Buds Professional are bigger than the Pixel Buds A-Collection. The Professional earbuds are 23.7 x 22.3 x 22mm, and the case measures 63.2 x 50 x 25mm. The Google Pixel Buds A-Collection buds are 29.3 x 20.7 x 17.5mm, and the case is 63 x 47 x 25mm.
• Battery life: In line with Google’s specs, the Google Pixel Buds Professional final seven hours with ANC on, and 11 hours with ANC off. With ANC on the complete time, the Professional case offers an additional 13 hours of battery. With ANC off, the case will present an additional 20 hours of battery life. The Pixel Buds A-Collection have a five-hour battery life, with 19 additional hours from the case.
• Sound high quality: The Google Pixel Buds Professional have a extra pleasing default sound than the Pixel Buds A-Collection. The latter severely under-emphasizes sub-bass, bass, and low-midrange frequencies. Turning the Bass Enhance EQ on with the A-Collection makes them sound higher than the Pixel Buds Professional.
• Customized EQ: With an replace, Google added a customized EQ to the Pixel Buds Professional. You can’t customise the sound of the A-Collection with out downloading a third-party EQ app.
• Isolation: To dam out essentially the most quantity of noise, get the noise-cancelling Google Pixel Buds Professional over the A-Collection. The Pixel Buds A-Collection block out some background noise however do little to filter out low frequencies like an outdated A/C unit or a windy day.
• Spatial audio with head monitoring: Pairing the Google Pixel Buds Professional to a Pixel 6 collection or Pixel 7 collection telephone unlocks spatial audio with head monitoring. You must ensure the content material is suitable, however it makes movies sound extra participating. The Pixel Buds A-Collection lack the sensors required for spatial audio and head monitoring.

The Google Pixel Buds Professional and Pixel Buds A-Collection are nice earbuds, however they aren’t for everybody. If you need comparable options from a special model, take a look at our favourite Google Pixel Buds alternate options under.

Google Pixel Buds Professional alternate options

• Sony WF-1000XM4 ($178 at Amazon): The Sony WF-1000XM4 have one thing for everybody, making them the perfect all-around earbuds. You possibly can get pleasure from personalised Sony 360 Audio from any machine, together with iPhones, and the remainder of the app’s options are OS-agnostic too. Sound customization and mode selections are prepared within the app. Sony’s {hardware} is nice too. A matte plastic feels premium, and the IPX4 ranking will probably be a reduction to athletes. Sony additionally makes use of premium reminiscence foam ear suggestions for a snug match and top-notch isolation.
• Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Professional ($189.99 at Amazon): The Galaxy Buds are the perfect for Samsung telephone house owners. These with Samsung units can use these buds for computerized machine switching. We give Samsung props for its glorious ANC that outperforms the Sony WF-1000XM4 in the case of these pesky low frequencies. Though you possibly can’t use these for swimming, they may survive a dip within the pool because of the IPX7 ranking.
• OnePlus Buds Professional 2 ($179.99 at Amazon): OnePlus’ earbuds additionally work with spatial audio, however it’s at the moment restricted to the OnePlus 11. Other than that, the HeyMelody app provides equivalent options throughout working programs and units. Right here, anybody can customise the EQ to their liking or select from an assortment of presets. The earbuds have a powerful IP55 ranking, to allow them to resist mud and water injury. The case can also be IPX4 water resistant.
• Sennheiser Momentum True Wi-fi 3 ($199.95 at Amazon): These earbuds might not have spatial audio, however they’ve among the greatest noise-cancelling within the enterprise. You too can create a customized sound profile and assign it to a location. Then, when the telephone registers you’ve entered an assigned location, it is going to modify the sound to your preset. In typical Sennheiser vogue, sound high quality is superb too. You possibly can customise the sound within the app, however doubtless gained’t really feel compelled to.
• Apple AirPods Professional (2nd era) ($229 at Amazon): If you happen to personal an iPhone, get the AirPods Professional 2 as an alternative of the Google Pixel Buds Professional. Most of the Pixel Buds Professional’s options gained’t work on iOS. You may get the same characteristic set from the AirPods Professional 2, although, together with ANC, spatial audio, and extra.

Google Pixel Buds A-Collection alternate options

• Jabra Elite 4 ($79.99 at Amazon): The Jabra Elite 4 value $99 and have energetic noise-cancelling. These compact earbuds are much more sturdy than Google’s, with an IP55 ranking. When paired to an Android telephone, you should utilize Spotify Faucet. The Elite 4 even help multipoint connectivity, which you don’t get on the A-Collection. After all, you miss out on hands-free Google Assistant entry.
• Sony WF-C500 ($58 at Amazon): Sony’s non-ANC earbuds sound nice and have an IPX4 ranking. Battery life is extraordinarily spectacular, and in our testing, they lasted simply shy of 10 hours on a single cost. These earbuds value $99 and infrequently go on sale for much less.
• Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 ($99.99 at Amazon): You’ll get good noise-cancelling out of those small earbuds and an IPX2 ranking. With a contact of bass emphasis, the Galaxy Buds 2 sound nice out of the field. Parking these to an Android telephone grants entry to a handful of Samsung’s EQ presets together with Discover My Earbuds. These buds match comfortably, however we want that they had detachable ear wings.
• Beats Match Professional ($179.95 at Amazon): Beats’ earbuds characteristic non-removable ear wings just like the Pixel Buds A-Collection. The Match Professional are additionally just like the Pixel Buds Professional, as a result of they’ve noise-cancelling and spatial audio with head monitoring. To make use of head monitoring, you’ll want an iPhone. No matter what telephone you could have, you possibly can admire the earbuds’ design and IPX4 ranking. In contrast to the Pixel Buds collection, the Match Professional use button controls to command playback and discipline calls.

• Google Pixel Buds Professional: $199 / €219 / £179
• Google Pixel Buds A-Collection: $99 / €99 / £99

The Google Pixel Buds Professional are $199, which is greater than double the value of the $99 Google Pixel Buds A-Collection. Buying the Professional mannequin provides you nice noise-cancelling, wi-fi charging, and spatial audio with head monitoring.

Then again, listeners might need to save $100 with the Pixel Buds A-Collection. These sound superb whenever you allow the Bass Enhance EQ, and the buds match extra securely because of the ear wings. You don’t get wi-fi charging right here, however the buds share the identical IPX4 ranking because the Professional mannequin.

Google sells its Pixel Buds Professional and Pixel Buds A-Collection in 16 international locations, together with the US, UK, Australia, and Japan.