Google’s Pixel Buds Pro 2 is not only a big leap in terms of design but also comes with a host of new features. Design and features aside, these are also the first commercially available earbuds specifically designed to let you summon and have a conversation with Google’s new Gemini Live virtual AI assistant. Some of these features, including the ability to speak to Gemini Live, are available on the older Buds Pro. However, Google has put its first-ever audio chip, called the Tensor A1, to use in other places. And the differences it brings are sure make the Buds Pro 2 a solid upgrade over the previous model.
Pixel Buds Pro 2 Design: Eggstatic
- Size – 22.74mm x 23.08mm x 17.03mm (Buds); 49.9mm x 63.3mm x 25.00mm (Case)
- Weight – 4.7 (Buds); 65.0g (Case)
- Water and dust resistance – IP54 (Buds); IPX4 (Case)
- Colours – Peony, Porcelain, Wintergreen and Hazel
The egg-shaped case appears the same as before. The texture of its polycarbonate shell still feels like the surface of an egg and is also equally good at picking up colours from the various surfaces you can place it on. In one instance, it even picked up the blue colour from my used jeans when I placed it in the small pocket. But there’s no need to worry, as a quick wipe with a tissue and some water makes it look as good as new.
Save for the added speaker cutout, it’s hard to tell the Buds Pro 2 case (right) from the Buds Pro (left)
There’s one new addition on the outside, and you will find it at the bottom of the case. Next to the Type-C charging port, you will find a second cavity which is for the speaker. This speaker produces a sound when you are looking for it via the Find My Device app. The sound is loud enough to be picked up in a large house or a quiet park, but not on city streets (especially in Mumbai).
The design of the Buds Pro 2 (right) has changed for the better
As for the earbuds, their new design is smaller and lighter than the previous Buds Pro, which now feels excessively bulky and heavy. The smaller design does not bulge out of my ear (which is useful if I fall asleep wearing them), and they fit a lot better because they have a smaller footprint. I had no trouble wearing the Buds Pro 2 for hours on end and almost forgot I was wearing them at times, which is unlike the Buds Pro, which felt heavy and obtrusive.
The stabiliser (winglet) ensures that the Buds Pro 2 remain in your ears even when jogging
The new (twist-to-adjust) winglet or stabiliser adds good support when running or moving around. But you have to make sure to try out all the silicone ear tips, as the medium ones left me with a nasty ear ache on day one. It turns out that I had to switch to the smaller tips when using Buds Pro 2. My regular go-to fit for earphones is medium tips.
The Pixel Buds Pro 2 was inserted into the case the wrong way (top) and the right way (below).
One annoying detail about their design is that it’s hard to tell whether you have placed them correctly in the charging case. The odd design of the case also allows the buds to be placed in the wrong cavity. And once you have inserted them, you will quickly realise they have been placed incorrectly when you attempt to shut the case. I faced this dilemma several times and somehow wished the cavities that hold the buds in the charging case were designed better.
Pixel Buds Pro 2 App and Specifications: Feature-packed!
- Processor – Google Tensor A1
- Driver – Custom 11 mm dynamic driver
- Companion App – Google Pixel Buds
- Gesture controls – Yes
The Pixel Buds companion app works great on non-Pixel smartphones as well
The Pixel Buds app ensures that the essential features of the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are also available on non-Pixel smartphones. The app basically packages what is normally available in the Bluetooth Settings of a Pixel smartphone into a separate app for non-Pixel devices and is fairly easy to use. Apart from being able to adjust the equaliser, Multipoint and Audio switching settings, the app is also required for firmware updates on non-Pixel smartphones.
It’s finally easier to pull the Buds Pro 2 out of the charging case as they are a bit raised compared to the Buds Pro
I went through the app on a Pixel 9 Pro Fold (Review) and a OnePlus 12 (Review) and was not surprised to find a few features missing. Without a Pixel smartphone, users will not be able to enjoy features like Spatial audio in particular and the same goes for Head tracking that can be used along with the former.
Other than these two, all other features are accessible on non-Pixel devices by simply installing the app. The same, however, cannot be said about using the Pixel Buds Pro 2 with iOS-powered devices, as it only delivers the bare minimum (listening to music), so it’s best avoided unless you really have to.
The Hearing Wellness feature is a nice addition to the Pixel Buds app
It’s nice to see a Hearing Wellness section included in the app. It ensures that you do not go deaf while turning up the volume by alerting users about the same. The section in the app shows the Current level (in dBs) and also provides an Exposure report of the last 24 hours or past 7 days, which is nice to have.
Like the Buds Pro, the Buds Pro 2 also has touch and gesture controls, which worked perfectly during the review period without any issues. The buds also offer Active in-ear pressure relief, which will automatically adjust the pressure in your ears (when using the ANC feature) depending on whether you are in an aeroplane or a bus. The Audio switch feature also works well, provided you are signed into the same Google account on all of your Android devices.
Pixel Buds Pro 2 Performance and Battery Life: Impressive in more ways than one
- ANC – Yes
- Bluetooth – v5.4
- Codec Support – SBC, AAC
- Wireless Charging – Yes (Qi-certified)
The new Tensor A1 chip weighs in when using active noise cancellation (ANC). I found this to be very effective in blocking unwanted sounds during my day-to-day usage. I live right next to a main road in Mumbai, and things can get quite noisy. The ANC system for a pair of TWS earbuds is very capable of cutting off ambient sounds and also attempts to cut off higher-frequency sounds, which is good. However, it cannot cut out voices. Overall, the ANC system had improved drastically over the Pixel Buds Pro, which also produced a fine hissing sound when the ANC was turned on.
With the Pixel Buds Pro 2, Google claims to have focussed on delivering clean sound and it shows. There are some notable improvements over the older Pixel Buds Pro, but the Buds Pro 2 still cannot produce sounds as detailed as Sony’s WF-1000XM5. These are priced higher, so it’s kind of justified. For most casual listeners, the audio sounds bright, with an emphasis on the highs and some punchy but well-controlled bass. Listening to Chris Cain’s Down On The Ground, it is easy to tell the emphasis on the highs where the vocals stood out with the mids while the bass, while present, does not ruin it by taking over. This makes it all sound very enjoyable, almost like a live performance (in this case).
The balanced sound profile is a good start, and you can tweak the audio to your liking by selecting the preset profiles (plenty to choose from) or going with a custom EQ setting in the app. The Transparency mode works beautifully and feels perfectly natural, almost making me forget that I had the earbuds on.
Coming to voice quality, the new Tensor A1 will sound perfectly and naturally clear to the caller, but this only applies to quieter settings. In traffic or noisy/windy settings, audio sounds a bit garbled in the sense that you will be audible to the caller, but some words may get chopped short because of the heavy processing. What it can accomplish while doing all of this is suppressing background sound, and it does quite well.
The Buds Pro 2 easily lasts a workday with ANC and without the charging case.
Now that we are in 2024, it’s easy to conclude that Google was indeed testing the waters with its Buds Pro TWS when it came to assistants and AI. The Buds Pro introduced several Google Assistant features and added several more over the years via its Pixel Drop updates. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 is supposed to be a product that is specifically designed for AI from the ground up, just like the Pixel 9 smartphones.
Just like its predecessor, speaking out “Hey, Google” will let you accomplish a barrage of features using just your voice. Add a Gemini Advanced plan to the mix, and you can even ask for more complex queries like fetching unread emails in your Gmail inbox or even asking which emails you think you need to reply to.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, indeed! You can finally have a knowledgeable exchange or a fun conversation (like speaking to a friend) with Gemini Live, as in the movie Her from 2013. It is indeed both shocking and amazing that we have accomplished this in just over a decade of the movie’s release, and all you have to say is, “Hey Google, let’s talk”, without even reaching for the phone in your pocket.
Gemini Live works beautifully for conversations… just don’t ask it to do something
Since I had detailed conversations with Gemini Live using both a Pixel 9 Pro Fold and a OnePlus 12, I can conclude that these conversations were more responsive on Google’s Pixel. And so, it does seem like a Pixel smartphone (especially a recent one) is a better match for these “smarter than usual” earbuds.
With no support for higher bit-rate Bluetooth codecs (just like the Apple AirPods Pro), the Pixel Buds Pro 2 easily delivers around two days of continuous listening with the case. The Buds Pro 2 can go on for a whole workday (8-9 hours) of listening with ANC on or a whole day (12 hours) with ANC off. As for charging, Google claims that 5 minutes of charging will keep the buds running for 1.5 hours. And yes, you can always let the case trickle charge on a wireless charging pad.
Pixel Buds Pro 2: Verdict
Google has finally managed to sculpt its Buds Pro 2 into a refined and polished product that many of us wanted it to be. And now, it’s finally here! While some features are reserved for Pixel smartphone owners, it’s now finally easier to recommend to non-Pixel users, provided you can swallow its Rs. 22,900 price tag.
For those not seeking any AI experiences from their earbuds, you are indeed better off going for a Sony (for better codec support and more detailed sound) or Bose’s (for better noise cancellation) offerings at this price point. But if you are a Pixel smartphone owner, now is the time to upgrade and close the AI-happy ecosystem loop, as the new Buds Pro 2 comes with fewer compromises than ever before.