Google Pixel Buds 2A review: A sound choice for Pixel users

Like Samsung FE Products “Fan Edition”.Google’s A-series models are more budget-friendly, leaving out some features and a standout design element or two while not quite delivering on performance.

Example: Google Pixel Buds 2A ($129, £129, AU$239), which is essentially a ‘lite’ version of Google’s excellent flagship Pixel Buds Pro 2 ($229). It looks very similar to its high-end sibling and offers very similar sound quality, but it seems a bit cheaper and doesn’t offer the same noise-canceling or voice calling performance.

Many people may find the trade-offs worth the savings, but I can’t tell you that the Pixel Buds 2A, despite the overall appeal of the earbuds, really rise above the competition in this price range.

Read more: The best wireless earbuds of 2025

Zoom in on the image

Google says the design of the Pixel Buds 2A is “inspired” by that of the Pixel Buds Pro 2, and at first glance, I had a hard time telling what was different about them.

While the Pixel Buds 2A are also powered by Google’s Tensor A1 chip, they are missing a microphone in each bud (they have two microphones per earbud while the Buds Pro 2 have three). The Buds 2A also omits wireless charging, an accelerometer, head tracking for spatial audio, and a ringtone speaker in the Find My Device box. It adds the ability to replace the battery in its charging case — and this new charging case is smaller than the Pixel Buds Pro 2’s.

Although the Buds 2A weigh exactly the same as the Buds Pro 2 (4.7 grams) and also have 11mm drivers, battery life is rated for an hour less – seven hours instead of eight hours with noise cancellation. It also features Silent Seal 1.5 for noise cancellation instead of Silent Seal 2.0, which means the noise cancellation isn’t quite as good.

Below is a complete list of the differences between the two headsets I found.

Watch this: Meet the Pixel Buds 2A: Google’s answer to budget ANC Buds

01:27

How are the Google Pixel Buds 2A different from the Pixel Buds Pro 2?

• Two microphones per bud instead of three
• No wireless charging (there is a ringtone speaker in the box Find the axis)
• There’s no audio accelerometer to help detect when you’re speaking
• There’s no conversation detection feature that automatically lowers the volume when you talk and activates transparency mode so you can have a conversation
• No accelerometer and gyroscope for motion detection (no head tracking for spatial audio)
• Silent Seal 1.5 for noise cancellation instead of Silent Seal 2.0
• Up to seven hours of battery life instead of eight (with noise cancellation turned on)
• The charging case is about 20% smaller, weighing 47.6 grams (with the earbuds inside) instead of 65 grams
• Made with 41% recycled materials instead of 24%

Zoom in on the image

Similar fit and same earbuds as the Pixel Buds Pro 2

The two models fit similarly, with a stability wing on each bud and a twist-to-fit design. The buds are lightweight and compact and should fit most ears well. But I had some trouble getting a tight seal with the included eartips on the Buds Pro 2 (I ended up using my own tips), and the same happened with the Buds 2A.

The shape of the included eartips is a bit conical for my ears, and the lack of a good seal affects the sound quality and noise-cancelling performance.

Since I review a lot of earbuds, I have dozens of eartips lying around, and I was able to find a set that got me a tight fit. I should note that the post or nozzle on the earbuds is quite wide, so only a limited number of eartips from my collection will fit on the earbuds. But once I got the tips right, the buds stayed in my ears securely, and I was able to run with them without a problem. It is IP54 splash and dust resistant.

Zoom in on the image

The Pixel Buds 2A’s sound is a strong point

To my ears, the sound quality of the Pixel Buds 2A and Pixel Buds Pro 2 sounds very similar, which is as it should be since they both have the same 11mm drivers, the same redesigned acoustic chamber for improved treble performance and the same Tensor A1 chip.

I’ve been using Spotify’s new “lossless” streaming audio quality for playback and have generally been impressed with the sound quality. The sound is relatively open and well balanced, with the bass and treble accentuated only slightly, while the mids are only a touch recessed. (You can adjust the profile using a five-band equalizer in the Pixel Buds app.) The buds sound very dynamic, with good energy in the bass and some buzz in the treble.

Zoom in on the image

I thought the Pixel Buds 2A could sound a little more refined and refined, but they’re not boring to listen to, and their sound should appeal to most people. Also, I mostly avoided any listening fatigue during long listening sessions.

However, when I compared their sound to Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 3 FEwhich retails for $150, I slightly preferred the sound of the latter. Their sound is a little cleaner, smoother, more balanced – and a little softer overall. The Galaxy Buds 3 FE have a single 11mm dynamic driver, during phasing Galaxy Buds 3 Pro It has a 10.5mm dynamic driver paired with a 6.5mm planar magnet. Samsung has done a good job tuning the Buds 3 FE.

While some people have criticized the Pixel Buds Pro 2 for not supporting so-called high-resolution audio codecs like Sony’s LDAC and Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive or Lossless (LDAC is more widely supported by Android phones), and the Pixel Buds 2A don’t support those codecs either, I don’t think it’s a big deal. We are not dealing here with sophisticated equipment that might allow you to hear the difference. Some people may feel differently, but I think the AAC codec is quite good.

Noise cancellation is good, but not top notch

As I said earlier, if you don’t get a tight seal, the noise cancellation performance will suffer. We have a main HVAC unit running in our offices, pumping out the air conditioning, and the Pixel Buds Pro 2 were able to almost completely mute the unit. The Pixel Buds 2A also did a good job of silencing the unit’s low sound, but I definitely noticed that the Pixel Buds 2A didn’t reduce noise as much. The same is true outdoors on the streets of New York, with a wider range of frequencies.

There wasn’t a huge difference between the Buds 2A and Bud Pro 2, but the Buds Pro 2 were slightly more effective at muting sound around me. I used the same earbuds with both buds.

Especially on the streets of New York, it has noise-suppression capabilities Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd generation) and Apple AirPods Pro 3 It was superior to both the Buds 2 Pro and Buds 2A in noise cancellation.

The AirPods Pro 3’s Transparency Mode is also more natural and the current gold standard for transparency. But the Pixel Buds 2A’s transparency mode is respectable.

Voice calling performance is slightly lower

Obviously having a lower microphone and not having an audio accelerometer to help detect when you’re speaking has an impact on voice calling performance. From my torture tests on the bustling streets of New York, they don’t seem to be as good as what you get with the Pixel Buds Pro 2, though it’s worth noting that for optimal voice calling performance, you need to be using one of the newer Pixel phones to take advantage of the Super Wideband and Clear Calling features.

Callers told me that traffic noise had basically been eliminated, but they could hear people’s voices in the background, and my voice would shake occasionally. They can also hear some wind noise, although the microphones have a mesh covering them which should help reduce wind noise.

Final thoughts on the Google Pixel Buds 2A

Aside from my inability to get a tight seal from the included earbuds, I don’t have any major complaints with the Pixel Buds 2A. I liked the sound and feel of it in my ears when I got some good advice. Although they look a little cheaper than the Pixel Buds Pro 2 and are missing some of those buds’ features, they look very similar and have a smaller charging case with a replaceable battery and slightly larger stability wings that should help you get a secure fit. They also have Google’s Gemini hands-free voice assistant, stereo spatial audio and multipoint Bluetooth pairing.

How good a value they end up being will depend largely on the street price. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 list costs $229 but generally retails for around $190 and is currently $169 for Prime Day. They appear to have followed street prices for Apple’s AirPods Pro 2, since they were essentially Google’s answer to the AirPods Pro 2 when they shipped in September 2024. (It’s unclear when the price of the newer AirPods Pro 3 will drop below $200.)

Given the previous pricing history of Google earbuds, incl Previous Pixel Buds A serieswhich did not have active noise cancellation and were listed at $100 but typically sell for around $80 or less, one might look to purchase the Pixel Buds 2A for a price closer to $100.

While they don’t clearly outperform the competition in this price range, and I slightly prefer the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE, they are mostly attractive earbuds for Android users — and Pixel users in particular — that will be even more tempting when they’re under $20-$30.

Key specifications of Google Pixel Buds 2A

• IP54 dust and splash resistant (IPX4 body splash resistant)
• Weight: 4.7 grams per bud
• Bluetooth 5.4
• Google tensor A1
• Specially designed 11mm dynamic speaker driver
• Active Noise Cancellation with Silent Seal 1.5
• Transparency mode
• Effective for relieving pressure inside the ear
• Super wide range Bluetooth
• Battery life: Up to 7 hours with noise cancellation, with an additional 20 hours in the case
• The battery in the charging case is replaceable
• Scan the invitation
• Wind-blocking mesh covers
• Two microphones per bud
• Gemini hands-free voice assistant
• Touch (click) sensors for music, calls, and voice assistant controls
• Infrared proximity sensor for in-ear detection to automatically play and pause
• Hall Effect sensor to detect opening and closing status
• Speakerphone ringtone in case Find the axis
• USB-C charging
• Colors: Iris (purple) and Hazel (black)
• Price: $129, £129, AU$239

Zoom in on the image