The lead designers on that team deserve a raise before they're poached, Google. Whoever set the magnets and the carving of this plastic pattern knew what they were doing, in terms of the speed, the magnetic clasping, and even how the click sounds when this opens and shuts. And if you've seen video coverage of Pixel Buds 2 thus far, you've seen-and heard-people repeatedly open and shut the case for a reason. Google's noticeably smoother edges feel better to either cradle in your hand or to tuck into a pocket. Its matte finish is more handsome as a practical, handheld case than Apple's glossy, finger-smudged finish the latter looks like an old iPod in comparison. Listening to Butterflies by Skrillex, Starrah, and Four Tet, the Google Pixel Buds A-Series offered a clean, detailed sound.
Google buds pro#
Its case is a hair bigger than Apple's Airpods Pro case in each of those dimensions, but the total size is possibly identical, owing to Google's new case having much rounder top and bottom edges.Īs a result, Google already pulls ahead of the competition with the best earbud case we've seen thus far. The Google Pixel Buds A-Series doesn’t push bass as impressively as the OnePlus Buds Pro, or isn’t as detailed and revealing as the Oppo Enco X, but it strives to provide an all-round experience that covers the typical all-day usage pattern. Their carrying case is nigh-identical in terms of dimensions: 63×47×25mm (2.48×1.85×0.98 inches). The launch model comes in a tone of white that's almost a Pantone-perfect match for Apple's. Pixel Buds 2 waste no time inviting a comparison to Apple's Airpods line. (Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through affiliate programs.) Still, I've been reviewing audio hardware for years at Ars Technica with aims to be as transparent about my opinions and testing methods as possible so that you can triangulate how your aural opinions might line up. Ars Technica is not a dedicated audio-review site, due in part to the field's highly subjective nature, and that goes triply for devices that slide into an ear canal one person's perfect fit is another person's utter annoyance. Caveats and equipmentīefore we dive in, I'd like to offer my usual "audio is tough to review" caveats.
"Competitive" does not mean "perfect," but it does mean they're worth considering next time you think about buying earbuds. Google needed some good hardware news right about now, and that news comes in the form of Pixel Buds 2: a solid, competitive option for everyday earbuds in the year 2020. As in, buddies, homies, the kind I wanna lug around with me on a regular basis. Lucky for us, the company's new Buds, priced at $180, have turned out to be real buds.
Google buds free#
Their sound quality, feature set, awkward fit, and finicky case might have been tolerable as a free pair of buds included with a Google-branded phone-but not a standalone $160 purchase.Īny hardware refresh had enough work to do to catch up to 2017's standard of quality and convenience, but Google put itself into a deeper hole by launching this month's Pixel Buds 2 nearly three years later. Really, these things were an utter nightmare. The 2017 Pixel Buds were one of Google's worst hardware launches in the company's history.