Mid-price-range earbuds have a lot of clever features and decent sound quality
Google Pixel Buds 2a earphones (Image: Google)
Google’s A series of smartphones and earphones have a good track record in offering affordable experiences with many of the same features as their flagship counterparts.
Pixel Buds 2a cost €100 less than the Pixel Buds Pro 2 yet come with a range of premium features such as active noise cancellation, hands-free Gemini and a replaceable charging case battery.
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Pixel Buds 2a in everyday use
The new earphones are smaller than previous models, weighing just 4.7g each earbud, and come with a great stem-less design and a secure fit. In the box are four sizes of silicon ear tips. As with all earphones, you should test them all out to find the most secure fit for you as this greatly impacts both the sound quality and the impact of the noise cancellation. The firm’s G logo on the earbuds helps you find the right fit.When the logo is upright, you know the bud is inserted correctly.
When the G logo is upright like here, you know the bud is inserted correctly(Image: Google)
Pixel Buds 2a are powered by the Tensor A1 chip that the firm said enables low-latency audio processing and better power efficiency. It’s the same chip that is in the more expensive Pixel Buds Pro 2 but not all of the smart features are included here.
What you don’t get from the Pro model is wireless charging, on-earbud volume control and head tracking for spatial audio but only you can decide whether those features are worth the extra €100.
This year I’ve been getting younger members of my family (or close friends) with better hearing than me to assess the sound quality of such earphones and headphones. The feedback on Pixel Buds 2a has been hugely positive. They use custom-designed 11mm dynamic audio drivers. Instruments are well separated and vocals sound crisp and clear. There is plenty of presence to the bottom end. There is a hint of distortion at maximum volumes but if you pull it back a little they hit the spot.
The companion app allows you to tweak the audio to your own liking with a custom EQ and a range of EQ presets. The app is only available on Android, incidentally.
Noise cancellation is sufficiently effective and above average for this price point(Image: Google)
There were similar thumbs up from my tester for the noise cancellation which is not of the high standard you get from the market leaders in this category (Bose, Sony and Apple) but is sufficiently effective and above average for this price point. The Transparency mode works effectively too. This is an area where many earphones struggle to match the best-in-class effort from Apple’s AirPods but the Pixel Buds 2a have nailed Transparency mode.
Battery life is a pleasing seven hours with ANC enabled from a single charge, with a further 20 hours from the case.
Pixel Buds 2a other features
If you are prone to losing your earbuds, then the support for Find Hub will be hugely beneficial as not only can you track your case and buds anywhere in the world but the Find Nearby function means you can easily locate either earbud if it falls down the back of the sofa or into the laundry basket.
The buds have deep integration with Google Gemini, meaning the firm’s AI model can become your personal assistant.
Pixel Buds 2a verdict
The ANC, along with the audio quality, is of a standard that belies the price point. The seamless integration Buds 2a offer with Pixel phones and Pixel watches means they are easy to recommend to anyone who owns other Made-By-Google devices.
Pricing and availability
Pixel Buds 2a cost €149 from Google Store and from Amazon. And you can buy them for the same price at Very.
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