Google's $200 Pixel Buds Pro vs. Apple's $249 AirPods Pro

Google this week launched its latest earbuds, the $200 Pixel Buds Pro, which are designed to compete with the AirPods Pro. In our latest YouTube video, we tested out the Pixel Buds Pro to check them out and to test whether they're on par with the $250 ‌AirPods Pro‌.


The Pixel Buds Pro are more affordable than the ‌AirPods Pro‌ and offer a similar feature set with Active Noise Cancellation, a Transparency mode, "Hey Google" voice control, automatic switching between paired Bluetooth devices, and Find My Device app tracking in case they're misplaced.

Like the ‌AirPods Pro‌, the Pixel Buds Pro have silicone tips that fit into the ears for a tight seal to cut down on exterior noise. Google advertises a Silent Seal feature that improves noise cancellation, and we were impressed with the noise cancellation capabilities. Later this year, Google plans to add spatial audio functionality, but it's not available at this time.

pixel buds pro 1
Google does include a Transparency mode, but it's not up to par with the Transparency mode on the ‌AirPods Pro‌ and it's hard to tell that it's even on. There is an app that comes with the Pixel Buds Pro so you can tailor the sound to fit your needs, but the app is only available on Android devices and EQ adjustments aren't set to be available until later in the year.

As for the fit, the Pixel Buds Pro do not have long stems and instead have a shorter body that makes them less obtrusive in the ears. We found the Pixel Buds Pro to fit well in the ear and to be comfortable for long periods of listening, and Google does include built-in sensors that measure the pressure in the ear canal for more comfort.

pixel buds pro 2
With their smaller body, the Pixel Buds Pro fit in a little case that adds additional battery life, similar to the ‌AirPods Pro‌ charging case. The Pixel Buds Pro offer up to 31 hours of battery life, while the ‌AirPods Pro‌ are limited to about 24 hours of battery.

pixel buds pro 4
The Pixel Buds Pro are solid earbuds that have a lot to offer, but they may not be appealing to Apple users just because of the convenience of fast switching with AirPods and because you can't adjust the sound without an Android device. It will also be interesting to see how the Pixel Buds Pro measure up to the next-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌, which are rumored to be coming out later this year.

pixel buds pro 5
Rumors suggest the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 will feature an updated H1 chip with self-adaptive noise cancellation capabilities, and they might include Lossless audio support. We're also expecting sound improvements and improved ‌Find My‌ functionality, with a full rundown of what's coming available in our AirPods Pro 2 guide.

Top Rated Comments

Poisednoise Avatar
15 months ago
Perhaps I’m in the minority as a musician, but I really do object to articles about headphones that don’t even mention the sound (or even provide any frequency graphs). You’d never do a test of monitors without looking at the screens, or a test of a laptop without doing a few benchmarks, would you?
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple Knowledge Navigator Avatar
15 months ago
What about the sound quality?
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Heat_Fan89 Avatar
15 months ago
Dumb article. If you own an iPhone why would you buy Google's earbuds? And if you own a Google or Android phone you'll most likely get the Google Buds Pro.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Aston441 Avatar
15 months ago
Came expecting, as usual, no objective testing of the microphones. Found no testing of sound quality either way, not even subjective. Leaving with expectations more than satisfied!
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lk400 Avatar
15 months ago
How is the sound quality not even mentioned? These are ear phones, sound quality should be 80%, and bells and whistles the other 20.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Aston441 Avatar
15 months ago
Here's an article to help all new aspiring reviewers of sound equipment get started, BEFORE they set off reviewing such items:

https://www.electronicshub.org/what-is-an-oscilloscope/


Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 for All iPhones and iPads

Tuesday September 26, 2023 12:47 pm PDT by
Apple today released iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 updates, with the software coming five days after the releases of iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1. Today's iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 updates arrive as build 21A351 and can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Note that iOS 17.0.2 was previously made available for iPhone...
Apple WWDC23 macOS Sonoma hero

macOS Sonoma Launching This Week With These New Features

Sunday September 24, 2023 12:45 pm PDT by
Apple previously announced that macOS Sonoma will be released this Tuesday, September 26. The free software update includes many new features and changes for the Mac, including the five that we have highlighted below. In addition to these five features, we have shared the full release notes for macOS Sonoma below for a complete overview of everything new. Desktop Widgets macOS Sonoma...
iPhone 15 Pro Lineup Feature

Kuo: iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Issues Likely Due to Thermal Compromises, Not 3nm Node

Tuesday September 26, 2023 9:12 am PDT by
Complaints about heat issues with the iPhone 15 Pro models are not related to TSMC's 3-nanometer node that was used for the A17 Pro chip, according to well-respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo says that overheating could be caused by "compromises made in the thermal system design" that allowed Apple to cut down on the weight of the iPhone 15 Pro models. Kuo says that the reduced heat...
iPhone 16 Side Feature

iPhone 16 to Include an Additional Capacitive 'Capture' Button

Monday September 25, 2023 12:50 pm PDT by
The iPhone 16 series is expected to gain an additional capacitive button, known internally as the "Capture Button." Codenamed "Project Nova," the button is likely to be one of the main selling points of the iPhone 16 lineup, assuming it gets past the initial testing phase. The Capture Button is located on the same side as the Power button, only positioned slightly lower - where the mmWave cutout...
ipad mini blue

Apple to Launch iPad Mini 7 Later This Year, Industry Report Suggests

Monday September 25, 2023 3:16 am PDT by
Apple could be preparing to release a seventh-generation iPad mini before the end of the year, based on a new report by DigiTimes. In an article discussing stagnating global tablet demand in the second half of 2023, the Taiwan-based outlet forecasts an uptick in Apple's share of the market owing to orders for a "small-size" iPad in the fourth quarter. From the report (see bold): In the...
macos sonoma 4

Apple Releases macOS Sonoma With New Widget Features, Safari Updates, Screen Sharing Improvements and More

Tuesday September 26, 2023 10:01 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS 14 Sonoma, the newest version of the operating system that runs on the Mac. macOS Sonoma has been in beta testing for several months, and it is compatible with the 2019 and later iMac, the iMac Pro, the 2018 and later Mac mini, the 2018 and later MacBook Pro, the 2019 and later Mac Pro, and the Mac Studio. The ‌macOS Sonoma update can be downloaded for free on...