Android

Pixel Buds Pro: with the ANC the Google earphones are top of the range | Review

July 30, 2022

We have been waiting for them for some time and finally here they are: after the launch on the market of the new Pixel 6a – of which you can find our review here – just a week ago, just around the corner the new earphones of the house have also arrived, the Pixel Buds Pro. Both devices are now on sale on Amazon and on the Google Store.

The Pixel Buds Pro pick up the legacy of the Pixel Buds 2 launched in 2020, the first true wireless earphones of the Mountain View house with an iconic design in the shape of Mentos, and in fact replace them in the price list. From now on in fact the alternatives for those who want to buy Google branded tws earphones will be two: or the Pixel Buds A-series launched last year, which contain all the basic functions of the product in a price below 100 euros, or the Pixel Buds Pro launched today, which represent the top of the range proposal.

In the face of a conservative design, the main novelties are the arrival of active noise cancellation and multipoint connection but Google also promises improvements in terms of functionality thanks to the solutions developed by its team specialized in audio, from variable equalization based on the volume to the spatial audio arriving by the end of the year. Will these innovations be enough to justify the sale price of 219 euros?

ERGONOMICS AND DESIGN

The design of the previous editions was certainly spot on in his roundabout originality, and even the Google team must be of the same opinion, because has re-proposed a very similar one also for the new Pixel Buds Pro, always two-tone but in new color variations. What happened to us for the test is the smoky gray, which I found very elegant.

The case, white with a chalk-colored matte finish, is only a bit wider than its predecessors, but otherwise it incorporates all the appreciable elements, from the solid hinge to the magnetic closure. We find the excellent build quality, the front LED that indicates the battery charge level and the Bluetooth pairing button on the back. On the bottom there is the USB-C port for charging, which can also be done wirelessly (in this regard, there is no cable in the package).

While those of the Pixel Buds 2 and Pixel Buds A were practically stackable, the earphones of the newcomers are a bit more elongated than the previous ones and therefore changes the way you wear them. There is no longer the rear flap that held them still by leaning on the auricle, and so the feeling is that they must be inserted a little deeper and “obliquely” than before, even if a slight backward rotation is always necessary.

The feeling – which obviously depends on the very subjective shape of everyone’s ears – is that they are a little less firm, but in practice I have never fallen, even putting them to the test with a jog. Among the three rubber pads available I chose the smallest size, because with the average the earphones protruded too much and were less stable (to understand the correct size you can do a wearability test in the app).

They have IPX4 certification (while the IPX2 enclosure), therefore you can safely take them with you during training even in the rain, bearing in mind that obviously when wet the touch controls become a little less precise; luckily if you have enabled the Google assistant you can ask him to change the track directly by voice, without having to touch the earphones.

APP AND TOUCH CONTROLS

The application is the usual Pixel Buds that can be downloaded from the Play Store for Android devices, while on Pixel smartphones it is already included in the system and can be accessed by touching the curtain that indicates the use of headphones. Given its “system” nature, it is not particularly attractive from a graphical point of view and almost looks like a menu; on his side he certainly has clarity.

The home shows the charge level of each headset and then allows you to configure the Google assistant, find the earphones by making them ring and see their last position, activate or deactivate the ANC, the multipoint connection and the touch controls. The latter are the same for both earphones and allow you to:

pause or resume music playback and answer calls (one tap)
go to the next song or end a call (double tap)
go to the previous track (triple tap)
adjust the volume (swipe forward or backward; feature that I particularly appreciate, already present on the Pixel Buds 2 but not on the Buds A).

The long press, which by default allows you to switch from ANC to transparency mode, is the only command that can be customized on a single headset to summon the Google assistant. All in all, a combination of controls that allows you to manage all your needs without ever having to put your hand to your smartphone: very comfortable, and very satisfying because the touch works perfectly, as well as the proximity sensor that interrupts music playback when you remove the earphone from your ear.

The fast pair works very well, as do the functions of the Google assistant: just mention the hotword or press and hold one of the earphones to read notifications of messages, emails, calendar, traffic updates, and translate from dozens of languages coupled with Google Translate, as well as set alarms, give directions turn by turn and away at this rate, as also happens on Pixel Buds A.

One novelty that I appreciated is the introduction of a multipoint connection similar to that of the AirPods, which allows you to switch from one device to another automatically based on what you are using; a switching technology based on the Fast Pair function, which allows you to automatically connect the BT earphones to your smartphone or tablet and save them to your Google account in order to synchronize them on all connected devices. The function is activated in the “Device Details” settings via a special switch and for the moment it works between Android devices.

This means that, for example, if I am watching a movie on a tablet and my phone rings, the audio goes directly from the movie to the call. In addition to this audio switch between Android devices, the Pixel Buds Pro also support the classic multipoint, which allows you to connect to two devices at the same time (for example the smartphone and the PC with Windows on board) and choose which one to listen to: to switch from one to the other just stop playing on the first and start it on the second and the audio will follow.

As for iPhones, the story is quite different: it is not possible to download the app and therefore you have to be content with associating them using the button on the back and using them in a more basic way without the possibility of customization and obviously without Siri support. The touch controls work with the default settings, which are the same for both earphones.

AUDIO QUALITY AND ANC

Audio side Google has made some changes, inserting 11mm drivers (the previous ones were 12mm) and working on the sound side thanks to the algorithms and a new processor. The result is positive: the calls remained satisfactory and music listening improved from the point of view of quality.

As for the former, the audio on call is very good from both sides of the handset. The voice of those who use the Pixel Buds Pro is captured by the three microphones present on each headset with a natural rendering e even in noisy situations the surrounding noise suppression allows you to distinguish words clearly (they also passed the test with a rattling tram underlay). Very convenient is the fact that you can adjust the volume of the incoming audio directly from the headphones.

The Bluetooth 5.0 connection is very stable and reaches a range of fifteen meters. Music listening, as I anticipated, has improved, even if it does not reach the levels of specific alternatives such as the Sony WF-1000XM4 which give particular depth and clarity to the sound. The soundscape of the Pixel Buds Pro is balanced and pleasant: evidently the new feature that adjusts equalization based on volume – preventing the bass from disappearing when the volume is low or covering everything else when it is high – does its duty. It also appears that spatial audio will be implemented in the fall.

The big news is about active noise cancellation, absent on all previous models, and I must say that despite being a first time for Google earphones it does its job effectively. The ANC is in line with other top-of-the-range headphones I have tried so far – in this case we are on the level of the aforementioned Sony – which effectively cut out the low frequencies, such as those of the noise you hear on a plane or train, while they let some muffled voices shine through. Transparency mode is average.

AUTONOMY AND RECHARGE

Also on the autonomy side there have been some appreciable improvements, given that the autonomy of each single earphone of the Pixel Buds 2 and Pixel Buds A was around an abundant four hours – without ANC, since it wasn’t there – and now we have reached 11 hours without ANC and 7 hours with ANC which becomes 31 hours without ANC and 20 hours with ANC when considering the charge of the case.

These are the data announced by the manufacturer and I must say that for the test period they turned out to be true: the earbuds discharge approximately 7% -8% every hour (the left faster than the right) with mixed use for calls and music listening and ANC mostly on. Charging can take place via usb-C but also wirelessly, as was already the case on Pixel Buds 2 but not on Pixel Buds A.

PRICE AND CONCLUSIONS

The Pixel Buds are available in three other colors in addition to the smoky gray that happened to me, or anthracite gray, coral and cedar green, and are launched on the Italian market at 219 euros.

In conclusion, certainly the implementation of active noise cancellation was essential in order to become part of the top of the range 2022 earphones, an improvement that is paired with the very useful multipoint connection (which for example on many top of the range such as the Sony WF-1000XM4 there is no), autonomy longer extended and improved sound quality for listening to music.

These are all valuable elements that are added to what was already possible to do with the Google earphones, which are born as an extension of the voice assistant of the house, and therefore more focused on smart functions than the rest. This makes these Pixel Buds Pro equal to the other top of the range, however offering those who want only the essential functions the alternative of the Pixel Buds A.

The quality is high and the product well made, of course the introductory price is a bit high, considering that, for example, other top of the range 2022 and 2021 are below the 200 euro threshold. The advice is to keep an eye on them while waiting for some interesting offer.

Google Pixel Buds Pro Wireless Earphones Bluetooth Headphones Fog Gray