Google Pixel Buds (2020) Review: That Premium Feeling

POSITIVES

✓ Premium feel

Good weight, feels solid in the hands

✓ Wireless charging

Qi-charging compatible or via USB-C

✓ Touch controls

Responsive and lots of functionality

NEGATIVES

✘ Weaker bass than competitors

Don't expect a strong bass with these

✘ Sometimes finicky touch controls

You'll have to get used to the gestures

✘ No active noise cancelling feature

Won't block out all outside noise

Retail price: $179.00

DISCLAIMER: GOOGLE SENT US A REVIEW UNIT OF THE PIXEL BUDS BUT ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE OUR OWN

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Retailing for $179, the Pixel Buds are Google’s answer to the Apple AirPods. Although this is Google’s second attempt at the earbud space, there are a number of features that make the Pixel Buds appealing especially for those who are on team Android. However, at a higher price point than what many casual shoppers are looking to contribute towards, is it a viable option for the everyday consumer? Let’s take a closer look.

Out of the Box

Immediately your attention directs towards a sense of premium quality when you set the Pixel buds and its carrying case onto the palm of your hand. Weighing a combined 2.35 ounces total, this is heavier than my previous daily driving set, the OnePlus Buds. The carrying case features a matte white exterior with a button for bluetooth connection hidden on the rear bottom. This charges via USB-C or on a Qi wireless charger. At a full charge, the carry case can offer up to 24 hours of battery for the Pixel buds. Upon opening the case, users are greeted with a contrasted matte black interior and a convenient LED indicator light. If you are looking for a bolder look, the buds also come in black, orange, and mint green.

Look & Feel

These buds are probably some of the most unique looking that I’ve used yet. The subtle Google logo adds an aesthetic touch and the earphones are small and easy to maneuver with. Although earbud fit is a very unique experience for everyone, the Pixel Buds feature a spatial vent that helps secure the earbuds within the ear canal while simultaneously keeping space open so that users are not completely unaware of what is going on outside. While those who prefer noise cancellation may not be as impressed with this, as an everyday user I found this beneficial and can see it useful for those on daily commutes or when exercising. Keep in mind there is no active noise cancelling feature within the Pixel Buds. On top of that, one downside I did experience as a result of this additional silicone piece was some discomfort after wearing the Pixel Buds for longer than 30 minutes. I found myself needing to readjust the resting position and tip frequently in between Zoom calls.

Battery Life

In terms of battery life, the Google Pixel Buds fall into my spectrum of what is considered average. With continuous music, Google touts up to five hours of total listening time or 2.5 hours of talk time. A ten minute charge can get you back to two hours of listening time, which is very convenient when you just need a quick charge. Battery life is the crux of many wireless earbud sets and I would have loved to see a bit better from Google.

Sound Quality

When it comes to sound quality, Google uses custom-designed 12mm drivers. I was quite impressed with the sound quality that came from the Pixel Buds, especially when listening to instrumental music. Although I found the bass to be weaker compared to other earbuds like the Razer Hammerheads or Padmate PaMu Slide Minis, the Pixel Buds sounded the most uniform overall in regards to the lows, mids, and highs. While I don’t consider myself to be an audio expert by any means, the Pixel Buds performed to my expectations during my day to day routines which includes Spotify playlists, Zoom calls, and pilates workouts. There’s also an Adaptive Sound functionality that adjusts volume automatically according to your environment.

Tons of Features

Perhaps the most convenient and top selling point of the Google Pixel Buds are its features and ability to easily pair with Android devices. It honestly just feels like a seamless user experience with the Fast Pair feature that works similarly to Apple’s AirPods. This is an aspect that is understated that Apple has done very well. It’s nice to see other OEMs begin to take the frustration of setup out of technology. Open up the carrying case, and a window pops open on your phone asking if you want to pair. However, the lack of multiple pairing capability was both frustrating and disappointing to me. I often like to pair to both my cell phone and laptop to a pair of earbuds. Although connecting individually from one to the other is quick, the connectivity to non-Android devices oftentimes feels spotty and can be annoying.

There’s also many other useful features that connect the Pixel Buds and your phone together, but none more important than hands-free Google Assistant. After saying “Hey Google,'' you can control Assistant just as you would on your Android device. This means you can control your smart home, navigate through playlists and location directions, or even send text messages with your voice. There’s even a Google Translate feature, which I haven’t been able to test out yet in an everyday scenario (thanks Covid) but will hopefully be able to in the future where you can get real-time translations in your ear. On paper that sounds game changing for travelers.

Of course, in addition to those advanced features, there’s still a variety of touch features including tap to play or pause and swipe to toggle the volume. That being said, the swipe to adjust volume function can sometimes be finicky and I would hope Google can change this in the future as an accidental touch can suddenly increase or decrease the volume rather suddenly. Mistakes like that can be damaging to your ear canals.

Overall Thoughts

Overall, there still is room for Google to improve with the Pixel Buds design. I’d love to see a pair of earbuds that can connect to multiple devices simultaneously and have some overall cleaner functionality points for certain gestures. For the most part, the Pixel Buds performed very well for my everyday use. I wouldn’t recommend them for the regular price of $179 but if you can snag these on sale and if you are an Android user committed to this ecosystem, the Pixel Buds is a very high-end option that is at least comparable to Apple’s offering. 

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