The Google Pixel Buds 2a wireless earphones add active noise cancellation, Google’s Gemini assistant, and work even more seamlessly with your Pixel phone than prior models, making them a natural and affordable choice for Pixel users.
The $129 Google Pixel Buds 2a replace the four-year-old Pixel Buds A and serve as Google’s most affordable earphones. They introduce active noise cancellation (ANC) to the A series for the first time and do a compelling job of it. Google also improved the audio, reshaped the design while making them more comfortable, added several hours to their battery life, included access to Gemini, and made the experience of using them seamless. If you want a high-quality pair of noise-cancelling wireless earphones for a low price, the Pixel Buds 2a are our new Editors’ Choice for Android phone users, just edging out the also-excellent $129.99 Anker Soundcore Liberty 5.Design: Small Form, Superior Comfort
The Pixel Buds 2a don’t stray too far from the original Pixel Buds A in external design, but Google has changed nearly everything else. The buds still come in a small white case resembling a flattened egg and tuck inside for charging. Google reduced the buds’ overall size quite a bit; they now more closely resemble the Buds Pro 2 ($229) than the original Buds A. Most notably, the large fit wing of the originals is now rounded and tucked close to the side of each bud. The buds come in either Hazel (black) or Iris (purple). I received the Hazel pair for review.
Like the Buds 2 Pro, the Buds 2a are tiny and some of the most comfortable buds I’ve worn. I prefer the small, bud-style design to earphones with stems, though you may feel differently. The Pixel Buds push fairly deep into your ear canal, leaving only the outer control surface visible. You twist them to find the right fit. The buds ship with four pairs of silicone tips, allowing you to find the perfect fit. Thanks to their curved design and smooth materials, the Buds 2a are comfortable to wear for extended periods.
You control them with simple taps to the outer surface. By default, a quick tap plays/pauses your music, or answers a call, while a double-tap skips forward a track and a triple-tap takes you back a track. A long-press of either bud cycles the buds through noise modes (On, Off, Transparency). You can set one bud to launch Google Gemini with a long-press, which you can use for search or select actions. You cannot control the volume with taps or swipes, but you can say, «Hey Google, turn down the volume.»
Internally, the buds feature brand-new 11mm dynamic drivers. Google doesn’t specify the frequency range of the drivers. The enclosure features a new mesh-covered opening, allowing for ear pressure relief and enabling the mics to perform their job effectively. The buds connect via Bluetooth 5.4, but Google doesn’t specify what codecs it is using. We suspect only the AAC and SBC codecs, but that has not been confirmed.
The Pixel earphones utilize the same Google Tensor A1 processor in the Buds Pro 2 to handle noise and sound processing, and support Super Wideband and Bluetooth multipoint connectivity for seamless transitions between the buds and an Android tablet or Chromebook. This is similar to Apple’s H2 chip and how its AirPods can move from an iPhone to an iPad or a Mac.
The buds have an IPX4 rating, which means they are protected from sweat and light rain, but not immersion.
