2 hours ago
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Google’s latest budget Pixel earbuds are smaller, lighter, more comfortable and have noise cancelling, plus a case that allows you to replace the battery at home.
The Pixel Buds 2a uses the design of the excellent Pixel Buds Pro 2 with a few high-end features at a more palatable £109 (€129/$129/A$239) price, undercutting rivals in the process.
That makes the Buds 2a some of the smallest and most comfortable earbuds on the market, with a disc the size of a Smartie chocolate protruding from your ear canal and no stalk to get in the way of earrings.
Each earbud has a small silicone stabiliser that rests against the inside of your ear opposite the tip to securely hold them in place without putting undue pressure on any soft tissue. That makes them super comfortable for long periods of listening time without feeling as if they’re going to fall out, even during vigorous movement.
The disk is touch-sensitive for tap controls for playback, noise cancelling and accessing Gemini. They work well but they lack the excellent swipe gesture for volume control from the Pixel Buds Pro 2, which is a shame.
The battery lasts a solid seven or so hours with noise cancelling while the compact flip-top case recharges the buds about 1.8 times for a total of 20 hours playback. The case is great, but the white picks up marks easily, including staining from jeans and other clothing.
Specifications
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Water resistance: IP54 (splash resistant)
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Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.4 (SBC, AAC)
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Battery life: 7h with ANC (20h with case)
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Earbud dimensions: 23.1 x 16 x 17.8mm
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Earbud weight: 4.7g each
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Driver size: 11mm
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Charging case dimensions: 50 x 57.2 x 24.5mm
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Charging case weight: 47.6g
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Case charging: USB-C
Not just for Android
The Buds 2a have the same Google Tensor A1 chip as their Pro siblings, which ensures rock-solid connectivity with any standard Bluetooth device, including Android phones, iPhones, tablets, consoles and computers. The Pixel Buds app on Android adjusts settings and controls, but Google’s web app can do similar on a Mac, Windows PC or Chromebook in the browser.
They can connect to two devices at once and support the standard SBC and AAC Bluetooth audio formats. Call quality is reasonable if a bit quiet, meaning you have to talk up in silent spaces, and they let through background noise on busy streets but not enough to drown out my voice.
The earbuds can also be used to talk to Gemini Live on a compatible phone, including reading out notifications and other features.
Sustainability
Google does not provide an expected lifespan for the batteries. Those in similar devices typically maintain at least 80% of their original capacity for 500 full charge cycles. The batteries in the earbuds are not replaceable but the battery in the case can be replaced with standard tools. Repair specialists iFixit awarded the earbuds four out of 10 for repairability.
The Buds 2a are made with at least 41% recycled materials including cobalt, plastic, rare-earth elements and tin. Google breaks down the earbuds’ environmental impact in its report and will recycle old devices for free.
Rounded sound and solid noise cancelling
The sound quality is very good for a set of everyday earbuds. They do a good job with most genres, with solid separation of tones, plenty of bass where needed and relatively detailed mids and highs. They sound great with rock, pop and electronica, but lack a bit of nuance in classical tracks.
The Buds 2a also support spatial audio with compatible phones, but not head-tracking, which is a feature reserved for their more expensive siblings. It works well with film and TV shows with a Pixel phone.
The new buds are the first in Google’s A-series to have active noise cancelling. It is not quite as effective as that in the Buds Pro 2, but does a very good job for the money. It reduces road roar and engine noise, street sounds and background hubbub, but struggles to keep out higher tones such as the clicks of keyboards or chatter in the office.
The cheaper buds also lack adaptive sound and the ability to automatically dampen loud noise when using the ambient sound mode, but I don’t think they are crucial features.
Price
The Google Pixel Buds 2a cost £109 (€129/$129/A$239).
For comparison, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 cost £169, the Nothing Ear 3 cost £149, the Fairphone Fairbuds cost £66.75, the Apple AirPods 4 cost from £119 and the AirPods Pro 3 cost £219.
Verdict
The Pixel Buds 2a are a great set of Bluetooth earbuds for more than just Android at a good price.
Their compact form and shape make them very comfortable and discreet, lacking the stalks that are popular with rivals. The battery life is solid, the case nice and compact, and they work well, connecting to two devices at once.
They sound great for everyday earbuds and the noise cancelling is good for the money. They lack a few bells and whistles including onboard volume control, adaptive audio and wireless charging, plus their call quality is only average.
One of the best upgrades is an easily replaceable battery in the case, which is progress towards better sustainability. But the batteries in the earbuds remain irreplaceable, ultimately making them disposable.
Pros: compact, comfortable, seven-hour battery, great case, good sound and noise cancelling, multipoint Bluetooth, case with replaceable battery, web app for use with computers.
Cons: earbuds unrepairable, no volume control gesture, no support for higher quality Bluetooth formats, average call quality, no adaptive audio or loud noise protection for transparency
