Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 Review

Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 Review

Voice & Call Noise Isolation 8.8/10

Beamforming microphones and Clear Calling on Pixel phones reduce background noise and boost your voice. A wind-blocking mesh covers the mics.

Phone calls sound clear in most places, and Clear Calling helps in noisy streets. On Windows laptops they fall back to standard Bluetooth headset audio, which is narrower and less natural than the phone experience.

Hybrid workers who spend hours on laptop calls get a steadier experience from the Poly Voyager Free 60+ and its USB adapter, which keeps call audio wideband on Windows and Mac.

• Mics/Bud 3
• Mics 6
• Wind NR Yes (wind-blocking mesh)
• Call NR Clear Calling (Pixel)

ANC & Transparency 8.2/10

Silent Seal 2.0 runs on the Tensor A1 chip, and Google claims it cancels about twice as much noise as the first Pro. Transparency and Conversation Detection, which pauses audio when you speak, are included.

In practice ANC is strong on buses, planes and air conditioning, competing closely with flagships that cost more. It does slightly less with voices than Bose.

The fin-style stabiliser twists to lock the buds in place, which also improves the seal and therefore the cancellation.

• ANC Silent Seal 2.0 ANC
• Ambient Yes

Battery & Case Charging 9.7/10

Google quotes up to 8 hours with ANC on, or 12 hours off, and up to 30 hours with the case using ANC. That is among the best in premium earbuds.

A full workday of music and calls is easy, and the case recharges over lunch. Five minutes of charging gives about an hour of playback.

The case supports USB-C and Qi wireless charging, and it works on Pixel phones with Battery Share. A small speaker in the case helps Find My Device locate it in a bag or under a sofa.

• Battery 8 h
• With Case 30 h
• Wireless Chg Yes (Qi)
• Fast Charge Yes (5 min = about 1 h)

Fit, Stability & Portability 9.3/10

Each bud weighs about 4.7 g, among the lightest in this group, and the twist-to-adjust fin keeps them steady during walks or workouts. Google includes four tip sizes.

The small size makes them comfortable for long sessions, and they barely protrude from the ear. That also helps with lying on a pillow or wearing a hat.

The buds are rated IP54 and the case IPX4, enough for sweat, rain and a gym session. The case itself is pebble shaped and slips easily into a small pocket.

• Bud Weight 4.7 g
• IP Rating IP54
• Wings Yes
• Case Size 49.9 x 63.3 x 25 mm

Connectivity & UC Integration 7.1/10

The buds connect over Bluetooth 5.4 with two-device multipoint, LE Audio and Fast Pair for one-tap setup. On Android the buds appear in settings without a separate app download.

Gemini integration lets you talk to Google’s assistant hands-free, which is handy on the move for messages, reminders and directions. Find My Device locates lost buds and the case on a map.

On an iPhone they work as standard Bluetooth earbuds, with no companion app support. That removes most of what makes them special, including the EQ and gesture settings, so iPhone owners should look elsewhere.

• Dongle No
• Multi-pt Yes
• BT 5.4

Sound & Audio Quality 9.3/10

Each bud has an 11 mm dynamic driver, unusually large for such a small earbud. Codec support covers SBC, AAC and LC3 for LE Audio, with no aptX or LDAC.

The tuning is lively and bass forward, with clear vocals. The Pixel app’s five-band EQ lets you calm the low end for podcasts and calls between meetings.

Compared with the AirPods Pro 3 the Google buds sound slightly warmer, and they lack spatial audio head tracking on non-Pixel phones.

• Codecs SBC, AAC, LC3
• Driver 11 mm
• Driver Type Dynamic
• EQ Yes (five-band)

Full Specifications

Product Details