Size don't matter 🤔 Pixel Buds Pro 2 Review vs Sony, Bose, Samsung, AirPods Pro 2
The Pixel Buds Pro 2 are some of the tiniest earbuds I have ever tested. At first, I was worried about the fit, wondering if it be as snug or stable as the previous version. Thankfully, I was able to lock it properly in place with the stability nub, and I even managed to get that earplug suction which is critical for noise cancelling, which Google says is twice as powerful as the last version.
We’re going to test Google’s claims about noise cancelling, and we’re also going to compare them to the most popular earbuds in the market in terms of sound, microphone pickup and features to help you make a more informed purchase decision.
What’s new?
A1 Chip
Also, it has powerful noise cancelling. Google claims it’s twice as powerful as the previous version because it actually has a Tensor chips inside, the A1, a faster, more powerful chip that’s taking care of all that processing, with improved power efficiency so that it could sip on a smaller battery and still get decent runtime. Google stated you can get up to 8 hours in the buds and 30 hours with case.
Case
The case has also been improved. Now, it’s got a little speaker just like the latest AirPods which calls out the charging status etc. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work for Find My, which only rings the earbuds when activated through the app, not the case.
Custom Settings
Nonetheless, the biggest limitation with Pixel Buds Pro 2 is the Pixel-exclusive features. On Android devices that are not Pixel, you could access most of the custom settings and features through the Pixel Buds app, but some features like Clear Calling or Spatial Audio with head tracking are still limited to Pixel. It’s a bigger problem on iOS devices because you can only use them as very basic earbuds, due to the app not being available.
Microphone Comparison
The previous Pixel Buds Pro had one of the best mics in the market. Let’s see if this is still the case with Gen 2 after shrinking it down. We’re going to test their microphone quality in both quiet and noisy conditions using really loud cafe noise and wind noise from a fan.
👉 Have a listen to the mic pickup samples.
Assuming there’s no special noise filtering going on, my voice sounded quite clear in quiet conditions when using the Buds Pro 2. It felt a little less robotic than the OG Pixel Buds, but in noisy conditions, I prefer the OG one. Because Gen 2’s noise gating gets so heavy that it cuts into my voice, similar to the AirPods Pro 2. It’s also not dealing with wind noise that well.
Active Noise Canceling Comparison
In terms of active noise canceling, after comparing them side by side, I cannot say with good conscience that the new Pixel Buds’ noise cancelling is twice powerful than the old one.
Pixel Buds Pro 2
In fact, it actually seems about the same, and if I were to pay close attention, maybe it’s slightly better at cancelling the mids, but I can barely tell. Even so, its noise cancelling is quite powerful. Definitely on par and even better than some of the top noise cancellers right now.
👉 Listen to the ANC samples.
Transparency Mode
In terms of transparency, all of the earbuds in this comparison are impressive. All of them have well amplified ambient noise, and my own voice sounds pretty clear. But of course, there are different levels of great.
The ones with the best transparency is the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro, it feels super clear with zero occlusion. Followed by the QC Ultra and AirPods Pro 2. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 is just a tiny bit less crisp in terms of how my own voice sounds when I’m talking. This is crucial because you’ll want the voice passthrough to be clear enough for a comfortable conversations without removing the buds.
Ideally, it should feel like you’re not wearing earbuds, and in aspect, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 is an improvement over the OG Pixel Buds Pro. I think the OG’s transparency is good but not as good as the others in this review.
Pixel Buds Pro 2
Sound Quality Comparison
In terms of sound quality on their default settings, they sound very different from the OG Pixel Buds Pro, in a good way. Frequency sweeps show that the general tuning and signature of the sound is similar, but in actual listening tests, I found better track separation, more spacious soundstage, more clarity in the vocals, and shimmer in the highs compared to the last version.
It’s also worth mentioning that in terms of volume, they are about a few dBs louder than the previous version at the same 60% volume.
They are about a few dBs louder.
The only thing that isn’t much of an improvement is in terms of bass response. Although it got bass and able to extend pretty well, but it doesn’t sound as heavy. Even compared to the other flagships, the Buds Pro 2 leans more heavily towards crispness and separation than a full and heavy sound. Without bumping up the bass in the EQ settings, you won’t really get as much energy and excitement when listening to trap, rap, rock and hiphop. For general listening, I love its smoothness and clarity.
👉 Listen to the sound quality samples and tell me what you think in the comments
Conclusion
In summary, we’ve just seen that these new Pixel Buds Pros don’t actually have twice the noise cancelling of the previous one, and its sound quality has changed for the better because of vastly improved clarity and staging, and for others who want a bit more bass, they can always tweak that in settings.
But what impressed me the most, is the level of engineering that’s gone into making these the smallest earbuds I have ever tried, with no sacrifice of performance, battery life or features. Achieving this without making them stem type is simply mindboggling. The connection is very stable too, multipoint works well, and they fit pretty great. Like I said, I got them to plug in very well, just twist and lock. This type of fit’s actually more stable than any stem type earbuds.
And actually, they make great sleeping earbuds because they’re so tiny. They are even smaller than the Sonys yet more comfortable to wear for naps.
But are they for everybody? Of course not. Most of the features and software updates are exclusive to Android users, and only Pixel users get the full Pixel Buds experience with goodies like Spatial Audio with Head Tracking. That is probably the biggest thing holding them back from being some of the most popular earbuds. But if you are an Android user, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are definitely worth checking out.
Here are the links if you want to check their latest price on Amazon.
Check latest prices:
Pixel Buds Pro 2 - https://amzn.to/4edQ2oH
Pixel Buds Pro (Gen 1) - https://amzn.to/3xqS8kk
AirPods Pro 2 USB-C - https://amzn.to/3UoeJG8
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds - https://amzn.to/49TSg9K
Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro - https://amzn.to/4fvUNLn
Sony WF-1000XM5 - https://amzn.to/3JGI1uNAirPods
Pro 2 USB-C - https://amzn.to/3UoeJG8
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