Review: Google Pixel Buds Pro – Excellent sound quality and battery life

Reviewing Google’s Pro Pixel Buds’ comfort, sound quality, touch controls, and noise cancellation... Read more

Specifications

Brand	Google
Model Name	Pixel Buds Pro
Color	Charcoal
Form Factor	In Ear
Connectivity Technology	Wireless, Bluetooth

Introduction and Overview of the Google Pro Pixel Buds

Welcome fellow tech-obsessed individuals! Today, I’m excited to be providing a detailed overview and breakdown of the Google Pro Pixel Buds. These are the wireless earbuds from Google, renowned for their noise cancellation and a plethora of additional features.

First Impressions and Initial Reactions

On first glance, the Pro Pixel Buds catch your attention with their sleek design and compact packaging. I purchased this product with my own money, aiming for an unbiased and accurate assessment. It’s crucial to note that pricing varies for this product, but a fair estimate would be the sub $200 range. If you’re wondering about the specific current price, the most reliable source would be to check out official online retail sites.

Setting Expectations Straight

Moving forward, expectations need careful calibration when purchasing this product. This review will focus on the Pro series lineup and aim to critically analyse how it stands against the competition. Bear in mind, even in the world of wireless earbuds, not all products meet everyone’s needs. Let’s now dive deeper into the design, comfort, and overall performance of these high-tech earbuds.

Please Note: As the evaluative process continues, certain technical aspects, such as sound quality, battery life, noise cancellation, and compatibility, will be further examined in the subsequent sections of this review. Keep reading to make an informed decision about your next tech purchase.

A Closer Look at the Google Pro Pixel Buds

• Google Pro Pixel Buds feature eco-friendly packaging
• Impressively compact with a minimalist design
• Comfortable with responsive touch controls

Let’s roll up our sleeves and dig deeper into the specifics of the Google Pro Pixel Buds. We’ll unpack everything from packaging to design, and assess how they measure up to expectations.

Unboxing Experience and The Eco-Friendly Packaging

Right off the bat, Google’s commitment to eco-friendly packaging is evident. The package seems almost entirely recyclable, even down to the small case for the extra earbud tips, which is remarkably made of paper. It’s a small yet noteworthy detail that demonstrates mindful manufacturing practices.

Examining the Case, Size, and Design

The Case: Compact and stylish, the case is small enough to easily slide into a pocket. It has a flip-up clamshell design, a USB-C port at the bottom for charging, and even a reset button to help with pairing issues. A subtle upgrade in size over the non-Pro version, but not by much.

The Size: The earbuds themselves are impressively compact, especially considering the features crammed into it. They are a tad larger than the non-Pro version (or the ‘Series A’ as we’re referring to it here), but still fall on the smaller side compared to other noise-cancelling earbuds on the market.

The Design: Emulating a minimalist aesthetic, the earbuds are equipped with rubber tips (three different sets included), catering to different ear sizes and providing a comfortable fit. They come with a range of touch controls for ease of use.

The Earbuds Themselves and Comfort Factor

Comfort is a crucial aspect when it comes to earbuds, and the Pro Pixel Buds strive to hit the right balance. No doubt, they are a level up from the non-Pro version in terms of features, but in trade-off present a slight downturn in comfort. They are indeed comfortable, but the rubber piece from the ‘Series A’ is sorely missed. Nonetheless, compared to other noise-canceling earbuds of this in-ear style, the comfort level remains above average.

Breaking Down the Touch Controls

Adding to practicality, the Pro Pixel Buds have simple touch controls that are intuitive and responsive. You can play, pause, take calls with a single tap, and adjust the volume with a swipe towards or away from your nose. There are also options for double and triple press actions. It’s all quite straightforward and easy to grasp, ensuring a smooth user experience.

In all, the Google Pro Pixel Buds demonstrate a strong design and are packed with thoughtful features, albeit with minor room for improvement in the comfort department. But how do its functionalities match up? That’s for the next section.

Assessing the Performance and Features

• Google Pro Pixel Buds last 8-10 hours with noise cancellation
• Seamlessly integrates with Android OS
• Delivers robust, clear sound quality

Shifting gear from aesthetics to performance, it’s now time to gauge how the Google Pro Pixel Buds fared when put to the test in everyday scenarios. Did they live up to the hype or fall short of expectations? Let’s find out!

Battery Life Expectations Vs. Reality

The manufacturer claims that these earbuds can provide up to 11 hours of audio playback on a full charge. During my testing, I found that they were able to last a good 8-10 hours at modest volume levels with noise cancellation engaged. This, although short of the advertised 11 hours, is still quite impressive, given the amount of technology packed into them. As expected, cranking up the volume or using them continuously did use up more battery, but that’s standard across most earbuds in the industry.

Integration with Google’s Android OS

The Google Pro Pixel Buds’ integration with the Android Operating system is certainly noteworthy. The seamless connection, easy set-up, and intuitive controls make for a user-friendly experience. The status bar displays essential information, such as remaining battery life for both the earbuds and the charging case, which adds value and helps in effective power management.

Evaluating the Sound Quality: Bigger Bang for Your Buck?

The sound quality on these earbuds is a striking feature. They deliver robust and clear sound, even at lower volumes, maintaining a good balance between bass and treble. Even though the earbuds fall into the sub $200 segment, they offer quite a punch in terms of audio output quality. Of course, this is not comparing them with high-end earbuds priced at $300 and above. Given their price point, the audio performance of the Google Pro Pixel Buds stands out as above average, marking a sweet spot for buyers looking to get quality sound without breaking the bank.

Noise Cancellation: A Critical Analysis

• Google Pro Pixel Buds offer good noise cancellation
• Outscores competitors under $200 in noise cancellation
• Effective against low-level background noise

With any wireless earbuds, noise cancellation is a key feature to dive into, especially when choosing between various options in the market. The Google Pro Pixel Buds tout noise cancellation as one of its selling points, let’s see how it measures up.

Quality and Efficiency of Noise Cancellation

The Google Pro Pixel Buds noise cancellation is, in one word, good. While it does not promise to throw you into a world of absolute sound isolation, it does a commendable job of largely coating the background noise. The effect is most noticeable in mildly noisy environments where it effectively drowns out constant, low-level background noise. However, in particularly loud scenarios, some noise does leak in.

Enhancing the noise cancellation performance is the ‘in-ear’ style of these earbuds, which inherently provides physical noise isolation. This design effectively marries the physical isolation and the technology-driven noise cancellation to provide an immersive audio experience.

Comparison with Competitors in the Same Price Range

When benchmarked against other noise-cancelling earbuds under the $200 price point, the Google Pro Pixel Buds stand in good stead. The noise cancellation is in fact, far superior to any sub-$100 earbuds I’ve tested over the past year. While there are indeed earbuds in the market that offer better noise cancellation, they come attached with a heavier price tag.

Overall, the noise cancellation feature of the Google Pro Pixel Buds is impressive at its price point, striking a good balance between cost and performance. For those seeking a near-silent experience, this might not be the best choice. But if you are seeking a reasonable suppression of background noise that allows you to immerse in your music or calls without substantial external interference, the Google Pro Pixel Buds achieves this with finesse.

Phone Call Quality and Microphone Performance

• Google Pro Pixel Buds offer clear sound production and transmission
• Moderate wind conditions cause mild distortion
• Inbuilt echo cancellation enhances call experience

Next up, we delve into the world of calls and sound transmission, which is a crucial feature that distinguishes good earbuds from the rest. Let’s take a critical look at the phone call quality and microphone performance of the Google Pro Pixel Buds.

Testing the Earbuds in Various Environments

This experience involved conducting some calls both indoors and outdoors, paying attention to the sound quality in both quiet and noisy environments.

During indoor conversations, the feedback was fairly positive. The sound was clear, and the microphone picked up my voice pretty well allowing swift, smooth conversations. The noise reduction feature also sprang to life in slightly noisy indoor environments, noticeably reducing background noise.

Moderate Wind Conditions

However, one of the trickiest sound landscapes is windy conditions. To fully test these earbuds’ capabilities, I spent some time outside in moderate wind. While I was able to maintain my conversations, there was a mild but noticeable distortion caused by the wind. It seemed the earbuds struggled slightly with high frequency wind noise, but this is quite common for earbuds in a similar price tag.

Overall Microphone Performance and Call Quality

Overall, the microphone does a decent job for day-to-day use. It manages to capture my voice effectively, making clear audio transmissions during phone calls. With that said, in extremely windy conditions or very loud environments, some distortion was apparent, but nothing significant enough for normal usage to be disrupted.

The call quality itself was fairly exceptional, with clear sound production that made communication easy and comfortable. Furthermore, the earbuds’ inbuilt echo cancellation made the call experience smoother and more enjoyable.

While it’s important to keep in mind that these are earbuds, not professional microphones, given the cost and compared with other products in the same price range, Google Pro Pixel Buds performed admirably in terms of call quality and microphone effectiveness.

The Final Verdict: Are they Worth it?

• Pro Pixel Buds provide good value for money
• Ideal for Android users and daily use
• Lack perfection, but admirable balance of price-performance

After giving the Google Pro Pixel Buds a thorough run for their money, let’s delve into the all-important question – are they worth the investment? With an array of features and stellar performance, our examination has thrown up some decent competition and valuable insights for potential buyers.

Comparing Comfort and Noise Cancellation with the Series A

The Series A earbuds were hailed for their comfort, and while the Pro Pixel Buds are relatively comfortable compared to other noise-cancelling wireless earbuds in the same class, they somewhat lag behind their predecessor. The Series A had this little rubber piece that snugly fit the ear, offering an additional comfort edge. It must be mentioned, however, that the Series A did not feature noise cancellation, adding some context to the comparison.

Overall Impressions and Value for Money

Feature-wise, these earbuds do deliver a considerable bang for your buck. Combining excellent sound output, decent noise cancellation, impressive battery life, and a fair price point, the Google Pro Pixel Buds make a compelling proposition. That said, while there’s a lot to admire, perfection is still a way off. As they stand, they provide quite a sweet balance of price and performance.

Who Should Buy the Google Pro Pixel Buds

The Google Pro Pixel Buds are fantastic for daily use, especially for people who heavily rely on their earbuds for calls. Their ability to isolate one’s voice in noisy environments is commendable. The plethora of options available with Google’s Android OS integration makes them an ideal pick for Android users, offering an amalgamation of features and quality, all under $200. Bear in mind that while the sound quality is admirable, audiophiles seeking the absolute best audio output may need to consider other, more expensive alternatives.

Summarily, anyone looking for excellent sound quality, appreciable noise cancellation, and good battery life, all in a reasonable price range, could find the Google Pro Pixel Buds a worthy contender.

Conclusion: Wrapping Up the Review

In conclusion, it’s safe to say that the Google Pro Pixel Buds pack certain impressive features that offer value for the price point. Their compact size, noise cancellation capabilities, sound quality, and battery life firmly establish them as a strong contender in the marketplace.

Overall Impressions

The overall impression of the product is that it holds up well when put to the test. The sound quality is commendable, especially when you consider the price. The noise cancellation, while not without flaws, performs notably well compared to others at this price range.

Comfort and Fit

On the comfort aspect, the Pro Pixel Buds may not be the most comfortable earbuds you can find. Still, they manage to provide a relatively snug fit without causing any apparent discomfort. However, the comfort factor seems more favorable in the non-noise cancelling series A Pixel Buds.

Performance and Representation

Performance-wise, the Google Pro Pixel Buds offers great battery life. Claims of 11 hours of medium volume, which realistically turns out to be around 8-10 hours, are highly appreciated for anyone needing reliable earbuds for long stretches. Additionally, the integration into Google’s Android OS is seamless and provides a user-friendly experience.

Value for Money

Value for money is a critical consideration for many, and at under $200, these earbuds deliver solid performance in key areas. There may be better performing earbuds in the market, but at this price point, the Google Pro Pixel Buds demonstrates a fine balance between cost and quality.

Final Word

To wrap things up, the Google Pro Pixel Buds score highly in numerous areas, and anyone looking for a versatile, high-quality pair of earbuds should certainly consider them. While they may not be the best on the market, depending on individual needs, they may well be the perfect fit. Here’s giving the Google Pro Pixel Buds a two-thumbs-up.

Should you buy the Google Pixel Buds Pro?

Buy it if…

You value sound quality

The Google Pro Pixel Buds are praised for their fantastic sound quality especially considering their price point, making them perfect for the audiophiles.

You are an Android user

If you have an Android device, specifically a Pixel 7 Pro, the integration of these earbuds is top-notch with features like quickly checking battery life of the case and earbuds.

You’re after a budget-friendly Noise Cancelling earbuds

The noise cancellation feature of the Google Pro Pixel Buds is deemed good for a sub $200 earbud, making them an affordable option for those seeking a bunch of features at a less premium price.

Don’t buy it if…

Your priority is comfort

Even though the earbuds were generally considered comfortable, they weren’t deemed as being the most comfortable in the market. The Series A was mentioned to be more comfortable, especially for long-term wear.

You want the best noise cancellation

While the noise cancellation was stated as good, it was not marked as the best in the market, especially when compared to pricier over-the-ear headphones.

You’re looking for the highest battery life

The actual battery life is around 8 to 10 hours with noise cancellation at higher volume. So, if one expects to use it for a whole day without charging or does not like charging frequently, this might not be the best option.

FAQ

What does the review say about the comfort of the Google Pro Pixel Buds?

The review states that the earbuds are comfortable, but mentions that the Series A variant could be slightly more comfortable for long-term wear due to their smaller size.

How is the noise cancellation feature on these earbuds?

The noise cancellation of the Google Pro Pixel Buds is good, especially considering the sub 200 dollar price range. However, it might not match up to the cancellation offered by high-end over-the-ear headphones.

What is the battery life of the Google Pro Pixel Buds?

The battery life of these earbuds is quite impressive. They are advertised to last about 11 hours at medium volume. However, usage at a higher volume with noise cancellation might lessen the battery life to around eight to ten hours.

How well do the earbuds function in terms of sound quality?

The sound quality of the Google Pro Pixel Buds is deemed as very good, particularly for its price. The review cites them as some of the best audio quality in its price range.

What is the usability of the earbuds while making phone calls?

The earbuds perform excellently for phone calls. The microphone picks up the voice well even in a noisy environment or in moderate wind.

What is the reviewer’s overall verdict on Google Pro Pixel Buds?

The reviewer gives the Google Pro Pixel Buds two thumbs up, considering the noise cancellation, audio quality, comfort, and battery life in relation to the price.

How is the integration of the earbuds with Google’s Android OS?

Integration of the earbuds with Google’s Android OS is excellent. It shows many options including the power left in the case and each earbud in the stats bar on Android devices.