Great for Android phones, best for Pixels

Google has dominated the online for years and turned its consideration to our ears in 2017. Google’s fourth set of Pixel Buds are known as the Pixel Buds Professional, and these are the corporate’s first with energetic noise canceling (ANC). The Pixel Buds Professional drive a tough cut price that undercuts Samsung and Apple’s Professional earbuds, and since their launch in 2022, Google has added new options to maintain its buds aggressive. Does Google strike gold with these buds, or do different true wi-fi earbuds outshine them? Discover out extra in our Google Pixel Buds Professional evaluation.

• Google Pixel Buds Professional: $199 / €219 / £179

Google launched the Pixel Buds Professional on July 28, 2022, simply over one 12 months after the Pixel Buds A Sequence. Google’s earbuds assist in-built “Hey, Google,” so you possibly can name upon Google Assistant with out reaching in your telephone.

Google’s Pixel Buds persist with an outlined flat aesthetic. Freed from sharp edges or jagged seams, these earbuds really feel premium. The earbuds are virtually cylindrical and embrace three sizes of silicone ear suggestions (small, medium, and enormous). You gained’t see any wing tip stabilizers like you’ll with the A Sequence. Google’s Professional and A Sequence buds characteristic a typical IPX4 score that protects the earbuds from water sprays. Solely the Professional variant comes with a waterproof IPX2 case, although.

Paying homage to an egg, the Pixel Buds charging case can solely lay flat. Its lid snaps open and shut with a satisfying click on. A single LED beneath the seam is all that decorates the case beneath a black dividing line. Putting the Pixel Buds Professional case onto a Qi mat engages wi-fi charging (2.5W). Listeners who don’t personal this may all the time use the included USB-C charging cable as a substitute.

These are Google’s first energetic noise canceling (ANC) earbuds. Whereas transparency mode is absent from the A Sequence, it’s on the Professional earbuds. House owners can cycle by way of ANC, transparency, and off from the earbuds contact controls. The Android-exclusive Pixel Buds app makes it simple to reconfigure the tap-and-hold perform. All different controls are static, however you possibly can disable the automated put on detection. With this on, media pauses whenever you take away the buds and resumes whenever you insert them.

Just like the A Sequence, Bluetooth 5.0 retains the Pixel Buds Professional related to your telephone, and so they can stream over the SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs. As one would count on, you should use Google Quick Pair to pair the Pixel Buds Professional to any Android 8.0+ gadget. The Pixel Buds Professional additionally assist Auto Change and Bluetooth multipoint. The previous helps you to change between gadgets beneath a unified Google account. In the meantime, enabling multipoint lets the Buds Professional actively hook up with any two gadgets. This manner, you possibly can stream a YouTube video out of your Macbook and get notified about an incoming name out of your Android telephone.

Since their launch, Google has expanded the Pixel Buds Professional characteristic set to incorporate spatial audio with head monitoring and a customized EQ. To interact with spatial audio and head monitoring, listeners want a Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Professional, Pixel 7, or Pixel 7 Professional telephone working Android 13 or later. Spatial audio followers should additionally subscribe to a appropriate service like HBO Max or Disney Plus. To toy round with the customized EQ, non-Pixel telephone house owners should obtain the Pixel Buds app. There isn’t any iOS Pixel Buds app. iPhone house owners can use the Pixel Buds however can’t entry any software program options.

The Pixel Buds Professional battery life is longer than common, lasting seven hours with ANC on and 11 hours with ANC off. The case provides a spare 13 hours of noise canceling playback or 20 hours of listening with ANC off. Quick-charging the buds for 5 minutes provides 60 minutes of playtime with noise canceling.

The Pixel Buds Professional are available in 4 colours: Fog, Charcoal, Lemongrass, and Coral. They retail for $199, however usually dip beneath $150.

Google’s earbuds characteristic a light-weight, sturdy construct that appears playful {and professional}. An embossed G emblem adorns every bud’s contact panel, which is a pleasure to make use of. In contrast to some opponents’ earbuds, the Pixel Buds Professional by no means registered any false instructions once I was tapping and swiping by way of instructions. Adjusting quantity ranges from the buds proved handy whether or not I used to be on a stroll or making a large number within the kitchen.

The case and buds have an IPX2 and IPX4 score, respectively. This implies all the things is at the very least just a little bit waterproof. Each got here in helpful once I was sporting the Pixel Buds Professional whereas out on a stroll and a few pesky spring showers rolled in. I pulled out the case to guard the buds and didn’t need to be cautious of droplets touchdown on it. As a consequence of their IPX4 score, the Pixel Buds Professional make for nice exercise buddies that may climate sweaty ears.

Apart from a pretty design and rugged construct, Google has some nice ANC tech beneath the hood. Strolling beneath a rail line as a practice passes is a literal ache to my ears. But, the sound turned bearable when doing so with the Pixel Buds Professional’s ANC on. The ANC didn’t mute the practice — it’s too loud — nevertheless it did make it sound extra like background noise, not one thing pummeling my senses. On this state of affairs, the Pixel Buds Professional noise cancelation sounded virtually nearly as good because the AirPods Professional (2nd era). Suffice it to say, listeners will certainly hear a distinction toggling ANC on or off.

The opposite aspect of the listening mode coin is transparency mode. This makes use of the earbuds’ microphones to filter exterior noise into your ears. Google’s execution of this mode is likely one of the finest I’ve examined. With transparency mode on, all the things sounded pure. Earlier implementations of this tech made background noise sound robotic and launched distortion.

You don’t have to fret about battery life when utilizing ANC or transparency mode. Throughout my testing, the Pixel Buds Professional by no means ran out of juice or got here near it. When subjected to a standardized battery check with music peaking at 75dB (SPL), the Pixel Buds Professional lasted seven hours, six minutes with ANC on. You get an additional 13 hours of ANC playtime from the case and may have the ability to squeeze 20 hours of juice earlier than recharging all the things.

Google’s Pixel Buds app works on all Android gadgets and unlocks entry to varied options, although if in case you have a contemporary Google telephone just like the Pixel 6 or Pixel 7, you gained’t even want it — it’s all obtainable in Bluetooth settings. In typical Google style, you possibly can allow hands-free Google Assistant entry for those who allow Google Voice Match. Google all the time acknowledged my voice, even once I requested it questions from a crowded grocery retailer.

Different key options embrace an ear tip match check and a customized EQ. The ear tip match check labored nicely sufficient. My outcome indicated a poor match with the small ear tip on my left ear, however a superb match with the small and medium ear recommendations on my proper. Then there’s Google’s customized EQ. This provides you 5 bands to tinker with for the right sound (Higher Treble, Treble, Mid, Bass, and Low Bass). I discovered lowering the bass and treble to various levels sounded finest, however to every their very own.

You’ll additionally discover Bluetooth multipoint and Auto Change nested throughout the Pixel Buds app. I related to my iPhone 12 mini and Google Pixel 6 concurrently with multipoint. Barely totally different, Auto Change let me hop from the OnePlus 11 to the Pixel 6 with out twiddling with the telephones’ connection settings.

Spatial audio sounded wonderful by way of the Pixel Buds Professional. I felt enveloped in sound when watching the Interstellar 4K HDR Teaser in Dolby 5.1 as a check case. Google’s responsive head monitoring is easy, however I discovered the impact disorienting. Sadly, even minor head actions modified the audio’s path. This motion was significantly noticeable when Matthew McConaughey was narrating the trailer.

Google is a software program firm, not an audio firm, and it exhibits. The default sound of the Pixel Buds Professional is wonky, with unusually loud bass and treble. When listening to I Am America by Shea Diamond, I observed a a lot louder bassline with the Pixel Buds Professional in comparison with the AirPods Professional 2. Likewise, the cymbal hits have been extra pronounced than I’m accustomed to. Fortunately, Google’s customized EQ made it simple to regulate the buds’ sound profile to my style.

Additional, the dearth of aptX assist and solely restricted SBC and AAC codecs might bum some audio fans out. Traditionally, AAC has underperformed on Android. This implies you won’t get dependable, high-quality audio with the Pixel Buds Professional, relying in your Android gadget. What I observed most throughout this Pixel Buds Professional evaluation was audio-visual lag. Latency turned particularly noticeable after pausing and resuming a video with the Pixel Buds Professional. This wasn’t the case once I watched the identical movies with the Jabra Elite 4 over aptX on the Pixel 6.

Whereas I like the choice to regulate the amount on the go, the swipe gesture usually loosened the earbuds. A delicate swipe backward to lower quantity would break the earbud’s seal. After adjusting the amount, I normally needed to readjust the match. It’s a small nuisance, however vertical quantity controls would treatment this.

Relatedly, the Pixel Buds Professional match feels precarious, which was solely strengthened by light swipes knocking them unfastened. The earbuds stayed in place whereas shifting my head, however they by no means felt safe. The final time I felt this manner was with the Samsung Galaxy Buds Dwell. These buds (beans?) by no means fell out both, however I by no means felt assured they’d keep in place.

Additionally, whereas Google reigns king of software program, a few of its options fall flat, together with Discover My Machine. This allows you to view the product’s last-known location on a map and emit a sound by way of the earbuds. Apple’s implementation stays extra highly effective, permitting you to trace a product in actual time. That stated, you possibly can observe non-Google merchandise by way of the Discover My Machine app, making it extra versatile than Apple’s Discover My community.

Lastly, we have now microphone high quality. In preferrred circumstances, the Pixel Buds Professional mics sound superb however disappoint in noisy ones. After I spoke from a quiet room, the individual on the opposite finish of the decision had no situation listening to me. Nevertheless, once I spoke exterior or from a retailer, my dialog companion had problem listening to me over all of the background noise. The Pixel Buds Professional mics typically dropped my voice whereas suppressing background noise. You will get an thought of the microphone high quality from our standardized samples beneath.

The Pixel Buds Professional are superb earbuds for any Android telephone proprietor. Positive, spatial audio is unique to sure Pixel telephones, however this doesn’t hamstring the expertise. Android telephone house owners can go buck wild with the five-band EQ settings and “Hey, Google” performance. Plus, anybody can benefit from the water resistance that provides ruggedness to those in any other case modern buds.

Because the earbuds’ preliminary launch, Google has remedied lots of the main complaints levied towards them. Listeners can customise the sound to their liking, and the Pixel Buds Professional provide spatial audio after a fast replace. Seeing these options upon launch would have made the Pixel Buds Professional extra aggressive. That stated, understanding that Google recurrently updates its merchandise might encourage confidence in tepid patrons. This can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, flagship earbuds ought to include these essential options at launch. Then again, at the very least Google provides performance to its earbuds all through their lifecycles. It additionally means we are able to’t advocate the Pixel Buds Professional for iPhone customers — you’ll by no means get entry to any of the added options as a result of there isn’t a Pixel Buds app for iOS.

Google telephone house owners who don’t care to make use of spatial audio or noise canceling can save about $100 by selecting the Pixel Buds A Sequence ($93.02 at Amazon) as a substitute. These appear like the Pixel Buds Professional however have stabilizing wing suggestions. The improved match enhances the IPX4 score, making the A Sequence an incredible pair of exercise earbuds. Whereas the Pixel Buds A Sequence lack a customized EQ within the Pixel Buds app, you possibly can allow Bass Enhance mode for higher sound than the default Pixel Buds Professional response.

Listeners who don’t need their earbuds to have brand-exclusive options might just like the Sony WF-1000XM4. These earbuds price $178 at Amazon, and have superb ANC paired with the very best passive isolation round. You’ll hardly discover a factor with these buds. You may tailor the sound by way of the Headphones Join app and create a customized Sony 360 Actuality Audio profile. The design is about as premium because it will get, and till the WF-1000XM5 come out, these are the very best ANC buds for most individuals.

In case you have a Samsung telephone, we’d nonetheless advocate the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Professional ($154.99 at Samsung). Just like the Google Pixel Buds Professional, the Galaxy Buds 2 Professional carry out finest with an identical telephone. When used with a appropriate Galaxy telephone, you possibly can entry 360 Audio with head monitoring, 360 Audio recording, Samsung Twin Audio, and extra. Samsung’s ANC is even higher than the Sony WF-1000XM4. Granted, Sony’s flagship earbuds block out extra ambient noise than Samsung’s. The Galaxy Buds 2 Professional sound good and have a pleasant bass bump, although much less dramatic than the Pixel Buds Professional.

If you need a extra reasonably priced pair of pro-tier buds, don’t neglect concerning the OnePlus Buds Professional 2 ($179.99 at Amazon). These earbuds have noise cancelation, a customized EQ, and spatial audio with head monitoring. A stemmed design makes it simpler to grip the earbuds, which is beneficial for these with restricted dexterity and clumsier people. A mud and waterproof IP55 score make these a few of the most sturdy premium buds.

Need good ANC however don’t need to spend so much of money? The Jabra Elite 4 ($99.99 at Amazon) are an incredible pair of reasonably priced ANC earbuds for Android customers. You get energetic noise canceling, Google Quick Pair, and a customized five-band equalizer that works on any gadget. These buds are extra sturdy than Google’s and boast an IP55 score. If you happen to’re prepared to spend a bit extra however nonetheless avoid wasting money over the Pixel Buds Professional, the Nothing Ear 2 ($149 at Amazon) are nice earbuds with a stemmed design. These assist a number of Bluetooth audio codecs, together with LHDC 5.0 for lossless streaming from appropriate gadgets.