Google Pixel Buds 2a review: The best budget earbuds

As always, I love the matte white box that comes with these headphones; It feels less sticky than glossy cases from Apple and others, and makes it slide in pants pockets like a puck on ice. One thing is the case no Comes with wireless charging; You’ll have to stick with the USB-C port. Battery life is a pleasant seven hours, and with a replaceable battery (!) in the box, that combines for 20 hours with ANC on and 27 hours with it off.

Google via Parker Hall

I like the slim profile of the new headphones, but I have to admit that I didn’t notice much difference in fit in my medium-sized ears. The Google app immediately prompted me to do a fit test when I paired the headphones to my device Samsung Galaxy S24 UltraAnd the already installed middle ear cups fit perfectly in my ears. If you have Pixel phoneYou won’t even need to install the Pixel Buds app, as it comes pre-installed.

App-based features let you adjust everything from EQ settings to what the buttons on each side of the earbuds do. It’s all simple and intuitive, and essentially identical to Apple users’ experience with AirPods, just on a different ecosystem.

The touch controls on the outside of each bud are simple. I have one side of the bud summon Gemini’s assistant, while the other side plays and pauses tunes. One oddity is that there’s no way to adjust the volume on the buds themselves; You’ll have to press the side buttons on your phone or your laptop’s volume slider to change the volume. Depending on how quickly you want to adjust the volume, this can be either a minor inconvenience or a total deal breaker. I personally find myself using my phone most of the time anyway, so it was just an oddity.

Great sound

Photo: Parker Hall

The Pixel Buds Pro 2 have always been one of my favorite headphones to take with me, thanks to their cobblestone charging case and excellent sound quality. The Buds 2a fit those expensive shoes well, with similar prowess in bass and treble, in particular. The soft beater hits the kick drum “Don’t Panic” by Harmaleigh It sounds like a heartbeat, as the quiet but rhythmic acoustic guitar sits beneath a horizon of synths and distorted sound.