Google Pixel Buds Pro review: A Pixel perfect pairing?

Google isn’t a big name in headphones and following the questionable Pixel Buds announced in 2017, the Pixel Buds 2 had another crack in 2020. It wasn’t until the Pixel Buds A-Series were launched in 2021 that I got the feeling that Google was onto something. Then, in 2022, the Pixel Buds Pro finally felt like a competitive headset.

The problem that Google faces is that its Buds neither come from a brand with audio heritage, like Sony, nor have they become particularly fashionable, like Apple’s AirPods. But the Pixel Buds Pro have managed to be more than capable and remain a solid choice – especially if you’re a Pixel user.

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The Disconnekt Downlow

The Pixel Buds Pro are a competent all-rounder. My personal highlight is the case, because it’s so beautifully smooth, it’s my favourite fidget toy. But these headphones offer good sound quality, good active noise cancellation, good battery life and a whole host of connected features. There’s deep Google Assistant integration, if you want it, and they make a great choice for Pixel or Android phone users.

That said, they aren’t best in class for ANC or sound quality, they’re a little on the bulky side and that Google Assistant integration can get a little overbearing. It’s a competitive market full of great options, but the Pixel Buds Pro are good enough in all areas to keep me hooked.

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The reasons you should choose Google Pixel Buds Pro headphones

In the world of smartphones, headphones are the ultimate accessory. They are the first port of call for anyone wanting to extend the functionality beyond the screen. Listening to music and making your conversations more convenient by going hands-free, are par for the course. But headphones in the modern era are judged by what they do beyond those fundamentals.

Pixel Buds Pro set out their stall wanting to offer a smarter headphone experience. When they were first announced in 2022, Google was putting all its efforts into Google Assistant. While that’s still central to Google’s devices, there’s a feeling that Google Assistant may go into decline as Gemini – Google’s latest AI solution – comes into ascension. For the time being, Google Assistant is baked into the Google Pixel Buds, powering many of its additional features and putting a big tick in the extras box.

But if I was to pick my favourite feature of the Pixel Buds Pro, it wouldn’t be the added intelligence, it would be something much simpler – the case. The case is smooth like a pebble, rounded on all sides. It’s the ultimate fidget toy, something to be tumbled through your hand on heated calls or when sitting on the train. All true wireless headphones have cases, but none come close to the Pixel Buds cases. (Pixel Buds A-Series is equally tactile.)

That astute design doesn’t quite extend to the buds themselves. The Pixel Buds pro are considerably larger than the Pixel Buds A-Series, a larger body that can protrude from the ears a little more than I like, but I’ve come to love them. Sure, I’d take a flatter headphone, but I’ve found them to be plenty secure once the correct tips are selected.

They come with silicone tips as standard, but there are Comply memory foam tips available through the Google Store if you prefer. I’ve used the Pixel Buds Pro for running, for long airline flights, I’ve put hundreds of hours of music listening and calls through them and the comfort and security has impressed me. Some reviewers have reported that the Pixel Buds Pro don’t feel secure – likely due to their size – but I found that the silicone tip was enough to keep them in place.

That lovely case I mentioned offers Qi wireless charging (so you can top them up using battery share from your Pixel 8 Pro for example), while they normally charge via USB-C. Google claims 7 hours of use with ANC, 11 hours without ANC, with 31 hours total from the case (with no ANC). In my experience those are accurate figures, but after 2 years of use, I’ve noticed that battery life is slowly in decline – although this happens to all devices after going through many recharge cycles. Calls will use battery life faster, so the real-world usage will depend on what you’re doing.

The Pixel Buds Pro support Google Fast Pair, so when you open the lid you’re prompted to connect on an Android device. Once on your account, they also then appear as a connection offered on other Android devices signed into your Google account. Yes, just like Apple’s AirPods. There’s support for Bluetooth multipoint so you can connect to two devices simultaneously, perhaps your phone and your laptop.

Since launch, the Pixel Buds Pro have added features like spatial audio and head tracking – for what it’s worth. Although this is often hyped, I can’t say this has changed my perception of these headphones and I soon turned head tracking off. Conversation detection was also added, as was hearing wellness, designed to help you avoid damaging your ears by listening at excessive volume.

What the Google Pixel Buds Pro headphones could do better

There’s a lot going for the Pixel Buds Pro, then, but there must be some area that Google could improve. None of these areas are deal breakers, however, and I feel that the positives far outweigh the negatives.

The Pixel Buds Pro offer a rich and full-bodied sound experience. At launch there was no EQ, but that’s since been added thanks to an update to cater to personal taste. Trending towards the bassy, audio purists might think twice about these headphone because they aren’t the best in the market sonically, and they only support AAC and SBC codecs – there’s nothing here to support higher fidelity wireless audio. That’s a slight omission considering the Pro naming, but it’s probably not the end of the world.

I say it’s probably not the end of the world, because for many people, streaming on the move isn’t about listening to hi-res audio, it’s going to be about enjoying your Spotify stream and keeping yourself entertained. If you want more, then something like the Sony WF-1000XM5 with its LDAC support, or the Bose QC Ultra Earbuds with aptX Adaptive, might be more to your tastes.

Both of those options from Sony and Bose off better noise cancelling too, although the Pixel Buds Pro are good enough, in my experience. The noise cancellation is effective, cutting out background noise to let your audio come through, making these headphones great for commuting and travel, or just to stay focused when you’re working in a busy office.

I’ve listened to all types of music on the Pixel Buds Pro and they’re don’t have the clarity that some of the top tier headphones offer, but at the same time, I’m not disappointed. I have other headphones I could be using, but sound quality hasn’t been a reason for me to switch.

When it comes to running or sport the Pixel Buds Pro have an IPX4 rating, while the case is IPX2. This isn’t the highest level of waterproofing out there, but it’s good enough for sweat and rain shower protection. The control of these headphones (which I talk about below) can also get a little less precise when using with sweaty fingers, so double-tapping to skip a track when running sometimes just doesn’t work – it’s often detected as a long press instead.  

Pixel Buds Pro Google Assistant experience

Generally, the Pixel Buds Pro are good at control. The surface of the Buds Pro – the coloured bit – is touch sensitive. This offers a range of controls and I like their uncompromising nature. You get the regular play/pause, call answer options with a tap, you can also cycle between transparency and active noise cancellation with a tap. You can swipe on the surface to adjust the volume (which some true wireless headphones don’t offer) and that’s before you get to a longer press that will activate Google Assistant – although that can also be done through voice.

Avoiding voice is good though, because by default, Google Assistant will offer to read your notifications, as long as you’ve set-up notification access and granted the relevant permissions (including access to “sensitive” information when your screen is locked). Then your phone can stay in your pocket, while Google Assistant reads out messages and so on.

Of course, once you start speaking, you can get Google Assistant to do anything you want, like opening apps to play music, getting information, sending messages and so on. The other side of Google Assistant are those notifications, a soft ping coming through your headphones to tell you there’s a notification. On first connection, you might find it overwhelming, as is the message about pressing and holding to get information from Google Assistant. I’ve probably heard that message 1,000 times as I’ve switched phones. On some occasions, I’ve been told how to use the feature every time there’s a notification, until I turn the feature off.

So having Google Assistant baked into these headphones is both a blessing and a curse. Somewhere in the middle is a happy medium that delivers deep device integration without excessive irritation. This is the AI future we signed up to, after all, and it might take some work on your part to get what you want.

Should you buy the Google Pixel Buds Pro?

There are a lot of good options available when it comes to true wireless headphones, so perhaps the question should be “why shouldn’t you buy the Pixel Buds Pro?” Don’t buy them if you want market-leading ANC and you’re a music purist who wants the best available quality. Don’t buy them if you want something compact, because these are a little bulky.

Do buy them if you want a seamless experience with your Google Pixel and a great experience across Android. Do buy them if you want loads of functionality and enjoy a bit of Google Assistant. Do buy them if you’re looking for a good all-rounder. Because that’s what the Pixel Buds Pro are: they are a good all-round true wireless headphone, perfectly capable in all areas, with a case that’s so strokably smooth you’ll never want to put it down.

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