Pixel Buds Pro are the best earbuds for Pixel owners...Awild
It’s pretty simple to sum up the target demographic for the Pixel Buds Pro from Google: If you own an Android phone, these are the buds for you. That’s how it’s been since they came out last year, and now that we’ve gotten a chance to review them, it’s fair to ask if that still rings true.
Now there’s increased competition from the likes of the Sony WF-1000XM5 (our best wireless earbuds pick), the Nothing Ear (2) and the Beats Studio Buds+, among others. But for $199, the Google Pixel Buds Pro continue to provide a well-rounded experience with excellent audio quality, top-notch software features, long battery life and tight integration with the Android ecosystem.
You’ll just have to be okay with a few minor inconveniences.
2What we liked about them
A comfortable, unobtrusive design
The Pixel Buds Pro look less like the stem-based AirPods and more like elongated Galaxy Buds, which isn’t a bad thing. You put them in your ears by sliding them down into your ear canal instead of a slot-in motion, which helps them not only avoid falling out but blend in. If these came in neutral skin colors, you’d hardly be able to tell you were wearing them.
For 2023, Google introduced a new Bay Blue finish that draws attention, but I don’t mind it. It’s a great colorway, one that perfectly matches my Pixel 8 Pro review unit. You can also get them in Porcelain, Fog, Lemongrass, Coral and a more boring Charcoal.
It’s easy to forget the Pixel Buds Pro in your ears after a little while. Google managed to nail the shape of them to conform to your ear canal perfectly, and their weight was kept down so your ears don’t grow tired. I’ve done everything while wearing them, from writing reviews at Starbucks to working out at Planet Fitness (thanks to their IPX4 certification, which is just enough for sweat protection).
Touch controls live on the colorful portion of the earbuds, while the eartips on the bottom can be swapped for smaller or larger ones (which are included in the packaging). The case you store them in looks more like a flattened egg than anything else, which helps make them unique among the sea of rectangular earbud cases out there. Unfortunately, the case doesn’t match the color of the Pixel Buds you buy, which is really the only downside to the design I’ve found.