With the Pixel Buds Pro 2, Google has gone back to the drawing board for a few tweaks that result in a more refined set of earbuds. It’s now more compact and comfortable to wear for longer periods. The Tensor A1 chip also makes its way into the buds, with a claim of improving ANC and call performance. And, with AI pretty much the main topic of 2024, the earbuds now also let you have conversations with Gemini Live.
Google Pixel Buds Pro 2
Rs 22,800
What Is Good?
- Smaller and more comfortable earbuds
- Premium design, fun colour options
- Excellent sound quality
- Great ANC performance, transparency mode
- Reliable battery life
- Find My Device is a useful and necessary feature
What Is Bad?
- Some features are locked to the Pixel ecosystem
- No app for iOS
- No support for high-fidelity audio codecs
The Pixel Buds Pro 2 are some of the best-sounding earbuds I’ve tried in a while. It’s definitely worth a look if you are in the market for premium earbuds, but there are some limitations despite its high asking price of Rs 22,800.
Design and Comfort
The eggshell-shaped signature case makes a comeback with this iteration. While most of my friends have mixed opinions about this, I prefer it purely for the ergonomics. This design allows it to slide into any jeans pocket easily. What’s problematic though is how easily the case collects dust. A quick wipe with a wet cloth can clean it, but some stains can last. That said, the matte-like texture helps keep scratches at bay. Opening and closing the lid with one hand is possible and is usually accompanied by a satisfying click.
| Design | Specs |
| Dimension of the earbuds (M) | 22.74 mm x 23.08 mm x 17.03 mm |
| Dimension of the case | 49.9 mm x 63.3 mm x 25.00 mm |
| Weight | Earbud: 4.7 g, Case: 65 g |
| IP rating | Earbuds: IP54, Case: IPX4 |
| Colours | Porcelain, Hazel, Wintergreen, and Peony |
Accompanying the USB-C port on the bottom is a small speaker, which enables the Buds Pro 2 to support Find My Device. If you are as clumsy as me, this will come in handy. The speaker easily penetrates from beneath my couch, so you should be good in most conditions — except for really loud places. On the back, you will find the pairing button.
The earbuds are available in four fun colours. The colour of the case remains unchanged throughout. Compared to the Pixel Buds Pro (Review), the Buds Pro 2 are a major departure in terms of size. These feel much lighter on the ears, causing no trouble for prolonged usage. That said, the small form factor also makes it easy to lose, so keep that in mind. You get three pairs of silicone ear tips, so pick the one that fits best.
Speaking of which, these are extremely comfortable and provide a secure fit. I’ve worn the Buds Pro 2 for over three hours when binge-watching certain episodes of Severance. The Buds also have an extra piece of support, compared to the first generation. This stabiliser enables a new twist-to-adjust mechanism. It’s very useful when you want to go for a run wearing these earbuds.
The Buds Pro 2 are IP54 rated, while the case comes with IPX4. These should be fine around sweat during a long workout, but it’s advised to keep them away from water.
Sound Quality
While I’m not the biggest fan of touch controls, Google has done a neat job here. A single tap can play/pause the music, while double tapping will move to the next song. Both the earbuds get their set of controls, so you won’t be confused. These can be customised to an extent using the Pixel Buds app if you are on an Android phone, or using the settings page itself if you own a Pixel. iOS users do not have the liberty to do this due to the lack of an app. The touch controls are accompanied by a small audio cue which lets you know about the input.
| Sound | Specs |
| Drivers | Custom-designed 11 mm dynamic speaker driver |
| Chip | Tensor A1 |
| Supported Codecs | SBC, AAC, LE Audio |
| Bluetooth Support | Bluetooth 5.4 |
The Buds Pro 2 provides exceptional audio performance — be it while listening to music, watching TV shows, or even during calls. I mostly stuck to the balance preset which had a more natural appeal. The 11mm dynamic drivers can pump out a good amount of bass without overwhelming the higher frequencies. Google is still adamant about its audio codecs, providing the Buds Pro 2 with SBC, AAC, and LE Audio.
These buds are great for video calls and calls in general. It suppresses street noises and unnecessary honking during traffic so that your friend on the other side of the call does not get annoyed. Lively and fun songs such as Grace Kelly and Lollipop by Mika introduced me to minor details usually muffled on other earbuds.
The bass-heavy Humble by Kendrick Lamar also sounds brilliant in the balanced preset. You can tweak the presets by switching between Vocal boost, Clarity, Heavy bass, and more. The transition is instant. Dialogues when watching movies and TV shows are also produced well with clarity.
The Buds Pro 2 should be more than satisfactory for most people looking for a reliable and good audio experience.
ANC and Features
Google claims the Tensor A1 chip has improved the ANC performance of the buds. I used them when travelling in a rickshaw, in the metro, and in the office. The ANC performance was great in all these situations. Drowning wind noises, office chatter and my PC fans running at full speed were not an issue at all for the bud. The transparency mode also works great, allowing you to listen to ambient sounds when you are out on the street.
Just like the AirPods are catered towards iOS devices, the Buds Pro 2 are customised for Android devices. Despite that, Google has limited features such as Head tracking and Spatial audio for Pixel devices. Pairing the buds to an iPhone has no issues, but the audio quality deteriorates instantly. What’s new this time is Hearing Wellness, this gives you a visual of how loud your music is. It can also alert you when listening to songs at harmful volume levels. The Buds Pro 2 has in-ear detection on both sides, so if you remove them the music will pause. Multipoint connectivity is also available on the buds, so you can have them paired to two devices simultaneously. The switch is seamless.
With AI in full fruition, Google has also given the Buds Pro 2 a slight bump in this regard. You can now have full conversations with Gemini Live as if it’s your friend, only more knowledgeable. These worked great even on a Galaxy Z Fold 6. I purposefully framed questions that had a bit of ‘umms’ and ‘uhhs’ to throw the AI off, but it managed insightful replies. What’s even more interesting is that you can cut them in between sentences to ask another question. This feature is both exciting and eerie. Summoning the AI is easy, just say, “Hey Google, let’s talk”.
Battery and Charging
The Buds Pro 2 have a reliable battery life. These can easily last you an entire day, though it’s advised to not wear them for so long. I have had multiple binge-watching sessions using the earbuds, and they have easily lasted for more than three hours with a lot of more gas still left in the tank. Sometimes, these use cases also consisted of 10-12 minute audio calls. Google claims that with noise cancelling disabled you can stretch the battery to about 12 hours.
The Buds Pro 2 have support for wireless charging, which is always a plus. I have rarely ever needed to fully charge these because a 5-10 minute top-up could easily last me for two episodes of Severance.
Verdict
At Rs 22,800, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 falls under the premium category of TWS. If you can make peace with that price tag, these are some of the best earbuds to have — provided you daily drive an Android phone. It’s an even better fit if you have a Pixel. It’s a hard pass if you have an iPhone since you will be stuck with the factory settings.
The sound quality, ANC performance, call quality, comfort and battery life make it one of the best options in the market as of now. That said, it’s still sad to see Google not opting for better codec support for its premium buds. If that doesn’t matter to you, then you don’t really have to look anywhere else.
