Google Pixel Buds Pro review: A revelation — for Android users

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Google Pixel Buds active noise canceling in-ear headphones will work with any Bluetooth compatible device, but are specifically designed to provide a superior experience with Android smartphones and tablets.

Google has pushed its Pixel as the top Android competitor to the iPhone, and the Pixel Buds Pro are designed to be the Pixel version of the AirPods, with an integrated experience that offers maximum ease of use paired with sound quality.

This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of The best noise canceling headphones.

James Barber/Foundry

The Pixel Buds Pro are excellent all around, with a unique, modern design paired with flawless integration with the Android operating system. what are they no Offers the highest fidelity codecs you’ll find in the competition: no aptX or LDAC compatibility here. Google has decided that the Pixel Buds will make it or fall with AAC and SBC codecs.

Google focused on creating a superior user experience for Android users, realizing that most customers would be happy to pay a premium for these earbuds because of that experience and wouldn’t care too much about the audio codecs’ idiosyncrasies.

What do the Pixel Buds Pro look and feel like?

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The Pixel Buds Pro excel on the design front. The charging case is pebble-shaped and the color is somewhere between beige and off-white. It feels better in the hand than any other case I’ve used, and the rounded corners make it easy to slide in and out of a pocket.

The buds themselves taper to the stem, which bears the tips of the ear. There is a large flat surface outside the ear that is used for touch control. The buds themselves are black, but buyers have a choice of Coral (more orange), Haze (blue-gray), Charcoal (light gray), and Lemongrass (yellow/green). The charcoal version is available for anyone who doesn’t want to show off their style, but the other three colors offer a fun alternative to the dull, monochromatic earbuds that dominate the market.

What the Pixel Buds Pro include

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Aside from the case and earbuds, Google includes a clever cardboard tube to house two more sizes of ear tips (small and large) to go along with the medium ear tips pre-installed on the earphones.

There’s a quick start guide but no charging cable, though there is a USB-C port on the bottom of the case for wired charging. The case is Qi-compatible, so Google probably felt it could get away with saving a few cents by not including an accessory that every other earphone manufacturer seems to include.

Google Pixel Buds Pro technical specifications

Google claims 7 hours of battery life with ANC on and 11 hours in transparency mode. Combined with a fully charged case, you should get up to 31 hours of playback before you run out of juice.

Each earbud features a custom-designed 11mm dynamic speaker driver and three microphones. They weigh only 0.22 ounces. They each have an IPX4 water resistance rating, so you don’t have to worry about sweat during your workout though they won’t survive a long dip in the pool. (This article tells you All you need to know IP Codes.)

The Pixel Buds Pro use Bluetooth 5.0 and support AAC and SBC codecs. If the lack of aptX or LDAC isn’t an issue for you, these earbuds work just fine with both iOS and Android.

Touch controls on the Google Pixel Buds Pro

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Google has done an excellent job integrating the Pixels Buds Pro with the Pixel Buds Android app. That starts with pairing, which happens via a pop-up screen on your Android device the first time you open the case. Pixel Buds Pro support multipoint connection, so you can pair them with two different devices.

Out of the box, one-click plays music and one-click pauses music, double-click skips to the next song, and triple-click takes you back to the previous track. You can answer a call with a single click and reject it with a double click.

You can control and raise the volume by swiping forward on the earpiece, and decrease it by swiping back. The “Hey Google” command can also be used to increase or decrease the volume.

Using the Pixel Buds app

The Pixel Buds app allows you to further configure your touch controls. For the Pixel Buds Pro, a touch-and-hold gesture can launch Google Assistant or ANC, and cycle between noise cancellation and transparency. You can also assign each function to the ear of your choice, so that they are both available.

The fact that you can also activate Google Assistant with the “Hey Google” voice command allows you to set ANC control for both the left and right earbuds, if you prefer. Set the Google Assistant for both earbuds, and you’ll need to open the app to control the noise cancellation.

James Barber/Foundry

If you want to customize the equalization, there are EQ presets that include Google’s default setting, as well as heavy bass, light bass, balanced bass boost, clarity, and last save. There are basic sliders if you want to customize the sound to your liking, and you can access the most recent customization using this Recently Saved button.

You can also use the volume balance slider to reduce the relative volume of the left or right earbud compared to the other. If you’ve paired the Pixel Buds Pro with multiple devices, the volume switching functionality allows you to seamlessly pause the connection from one device to another.

Just like the AirPods Pro, there is an earplug check that plays 20 seconds of audio to check the fit of the earbuds. If you don’t pass the test, the app suggests reinstalling the earphones or putting in larger tips and trying again. I’ve tried a half-dozen times with no luck, even temporarily switching to a large, average-than-average pair of earbuds in an effort to get a thumbs-up.

The seal sounded fine to me, and in the end I got the “earbuds sound great!” When I took the test for the last time when I was wrapping up the review. I didn’t do anything to change the fit, so I’m not sure why it worked in the end. In any case, if the shifts seem right to you and the ANC is working, you don’t have to worry about missing out.

There is no Pixel Buds app for iOS, so iPhone users won’t get any of these app-enabled features. Touch controls work, but you’re limited to the default EQ and can’t access Google Assistant via voice or touch controls.

Listening to Pixel Buds Pro

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I first paired the Google Pixel Buds Pro and used the earbuds with the iPhone 13 Pro Max while listening to Apple Music and Audible and taking a few phone calls. Listen to Run the Jewels 2022 Remix Album RTJ CU4TROThe low end of AAC is pumped up to the point where there’s some blurring between the deep lows and mid-bass frequencies. The rest of the spectrum had excellent separation between instruments and a reasonably wide soundstage.

Calls sounded great on both ends, as did audiobooks. If you’re an iPhone user, the Pixel Buds Pro compare favorably to the first generation AirPods Pro. Of course, using these with an iPhone sacrifices all the features that make the Pixel Buds Pro so compelling. Use the AirPods unless you absolutely need some orange or green earbuds.

Switching to an SBC stream of the same album in Qobuz on the OnePlus 10T Android phone, there was a bit more detail and better low-end separation. I checked a few other tunes and this difference was consistent between devices.

Should you buy the Pixel Buds Pro?

Are the Pixel Buds Pro the best earbuds in their price range? Not right. But I’m better Byrd Free Dynamic Byrd Earbuds, though, cost a bit more. From a pure audio perspective, the Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro might be a better option and it’s available at deeply discounted prices these days. (Excellent read PCWorld Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro review.)

However, Google is selling an overall experience here and doesn’t just focus on audio. Pixel Buds Pro offer an elegant and seamless experience for Android users and they look great. The app offers a few options, but nothing too complicated.

If the overall experience is important to you, and looks like the Pixel Buds Pro’s looks, their performance with an Android phone is probably the closest thing you’ll get to the tight integration between iPhone and AirPods. Very good sound and that seamless experience will make the Google Pixel Buds worth the money for an overwhelming majority of Android users.