Google’s Pixel Buds Pro 2 represents a significant advancement in design and comes packed with a variety of new features. Notably, these are the first commercially available earbuds specifically created to summon and interact with Google’s new Gemini Live virtual AI assistant. While some features, including the ability to communicate with Gemini Live, are also available on the previous Buds Pro, Google has incorporated its first-ever audio chip, called the Tensor A1, in other areas as well. The enhancements brought by this chip are expected to make the Buds Pro 2 a worthwhile upgrade over the earlier model.
Pixel Buds Pro 2 Design: Excitingly Unique
- Size – 22.74mm x 23.08mm x 17.03mm (Buds); 49.9mm x 63.3mm x 25.00mm (Case)
- Weight – 4.7 (Buds); 65.0g (Case)
- Water and dust resistance – IP54 (Buds); IPX4 (Case)
- Available Colors – Peony, Porcelain, Wintergreen, and Hazel
The egg-shaped case maintains its familiar appearance. The texture of its polycarbonate shell still resembles that of an egg and is effective at picking up colors from various surfaces. For example, when I placed it in the small pocket of my used jeans, it even picked up the blue color from the fabric. Fortunately, a quick wipe with a tissue and some water restores it to its original look.
There is one new feature on the exterior, found at the bottom of the case. Next to the Type-C charging port, there is a second cavity for a speaker. This speaker emits a sound when you locate the case using the Find My Device app. The sound is loud enough to be heard in a large house or a quiet park, but it may not carry well on busy city streets.
Regarding the earbuds, their new design is smaller and lighter compared to the previous Buds Pro, which now feel bulky and heavy in comparison. The reduced size ensures that they do not protrude from my ears, a helpful feature when I fall asleep while wearing them. They fit much better and are comfortable enough to wear for hours—I often forget I have them in, unlike the Buds Pro, which felt heavy and cumbersome.
Pixel Buds Pro 2 Performance and Battery Life: Impressive in more ways than one
- ANC – Yes
- Bluetooth – v5.4
- Codec Support – SBC, AAC
- Wireless Charging – Yes (Qi-certified)
The new Tensor A1 chip excels in its active noise cancellation (ANC) feature. I found it very effective at blocking unwanted sounds during my daily activities. Living right next to a busy road in Mumbai, I often experience significant noise, but the ANC system in these true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds does a great job of reducing ambient sounds. It effectively minimizes higher-frequency noises, which is a plus. However, it still struggles to block out voices. Overall, the ANC system has improved significantly compared to the Pixel Buds Pro, which had the downside of producing a noticeable hissing sound when the ANC was activated.
With the Pixel Buds Pro 2, Google claims to have focussed on delivering clean sound and it shows. There are some notable improvements over the older Pixel Buds Pro, but the Buds Pro 2 still cannot produce sounds as detailed as Sony’s WF-1000XM5. These are priced higher, so it’s kind of justified. For most casual listeners, the audio sounds bright, with an emphasis on the highs and some punchy but well-controlled bass. Listening to Chris Cain’s Down On The Ground, it is easy to tell the emphasis on the highs where the vocals stood out with the mids while the bass, while present, does not ruin it by taking over. This makes it all sound very enjoyable, almost like a live performance (in this case).
The balanced sound profile is a good start, and you can tweak the audio to your liking by selecting the preset profiles (plenty to choose from) or going with a custom EQ setting in the app. The Transparency mode works beautifully and feels perfectly natural, almost making me forget that I had the earbuds on.
When it comes to voice quality, the new Tensor A1 delivers clear and natural sound for the caller, but this is mainly effective in quieter environments. In noisy settings, such as traffic or windy conditions, the audio can become somewhat garbled. While you will be audible to the caller, some words may be cut off due to extensive processing. However, the device excels at suppressing background noise, which it does quite effectively.