TechAudioHeadphonesEarbudsI tried Google’s Pixel Buds Pro – are they worth buying? Here are my pros and consGoogle’s top-tier Pixel Buds Pro cost £179, but is that a price worth paying? Here are my first impressionsWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
TechAudioHeadphonesEarbudsI tried Google’s Pixel Buds Pro – are they worth buying? Here are my pros and consGoogle’s top-tier Pixel Buds Pro cost £179, but is that a price worth paying? Here are my first impressionsWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Google’s top-tier Pixel Buds Pro cost £179, but is that a price worth paying? Here are my first impressions
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
The Pixel Buds Pro introduce Google’sApple-a-like Audio Switching feature, meaning quick and easy hand-over between anyAndroidphone and tablet on which you’re signed into your Google account. No, that doesn’t include laptops as part of that feature, but you can pair Pixel Buds with two devices simultaneously via Bluetooth so that’s no issue anyway.
But what else is on offer and are these earbuds worth their £179/$199/€219 asking price? Here are my Pixel Buds Pro first impressions…
Today’s best google pixel buds pro deals$112View$199.99$133.94View$199.99ViewShow More DealsWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best google pixel buds pro deals$112View$199.99$133.94View$199.99ViewShow More DealsWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best google pixel buds pro deals
$112View$199.99$133.94View$199.99View
$112View
$112View
$112View
$112
$112
$199.99$133.94View
$199.99$133.94View
$199.99$133.94View
$199.99$133.94
$133.94
$199.99View
$199.99View
$199.99View
$199.99
$199.99
Show More Deals
Show More Deals
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Do the Pixel Buds Pro sound good?
Image1of4(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
Image1of4(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
Image1of4
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
These are earbuds first and foremost so it’s all about sound quality. Fortunately, I think the Buds Pro sound pretty good, as you’d hope from their lofty ‘Pro’ name. Google doesn’t provide the specific frequency response on the officialBuds Pro specs page, but the bass is deep and the treble sparkly enough.
I feel the Pixel Buds Pro are largely about their design, though, which in the Coral finish I’ve received to review (photos on this very page) look visually striking. They wear well, although I personally find them a little uncomfortable in the ear canal after not a particularly long period of time – there are three included eartips in the box though (but no charging cable whatsoever, which might be a problem if you don’t possess a USB-C charger).
Pixel Buds Pro: is noise-cancelling effective?
Image1of3(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
Image1of3(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
Image1of3
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
A big part of the sound is down to the Buds Pro’s combination of sound isolation and active noise-cancelling (ANC) tech. The latter can be easily toggled on or off with a tap-and-hold on either one of the earbuds (this can also be customised as you wish during setup to handle other functions, such as Google Assistant instead).
The ANC in the Buds Pro is generally effectively, clearly cutting out higher-end hiss and helping to mitigate surrounding ambient noise. However, I find it’s got some areas where it doesn’t function so well: mid-to-upper frequencies aren’t dialled out entirely, so you’ll still be able to hear various sounds (think Velcro on shoes territory) quite clearly.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
Pixel Buds Pro price and competition
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
So to the main question at hand: are Google’s Pixel Buds Pro worth their asking price? In the UK that opening sum is £179; it’s €219 in Europe; or you’ll pay $199 in the USA.
Crucially that’s cheaper than theApple AirPods Pro, which is clearly the kind of grade that Google wants to establish itself again. For me, however, the comfort isn’t as good as Apple’s earbuds (perhaps down to physical size), and the active noise-cancelling isn’t quite as refined either.
However, there’s a big win under Google’s belt: the battery life per charge is pretty astounding, at around 7 hours per charge. That’s, like, almost double theAirPodsPro’s talk time equivalent. The Pixel Buds Pro’s case adds a further two charges, too, so you’ll get around 20 hours all in, or over 30 hours if you don’t use ANC.
Elsewhere on the market, however, there’s all manner of options to consider.Sony’s expert earbuds, theWF-1000XM4, which feature better noise cancelling, cost barely any more at present. They don’t offer Audio Switching, granted, but as you can connect to two devices that may not matter too much to too many people just yet.
Today’s best google pixel buds pro, apple airpods pro and sony wf-1000xm4 dealsGoogle Pixel Buds Pro$199.99$133.94ViewSee all pricesApple AirPods Pro$209.99ViewSee all pricesSony WF-1000XM4 Wireless Earbuds$278ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best google pixel buds pro, apple airpods pro and sony wf-1000xm4 dealsGoogle Pixel Buds Pro$199.99$133.94ViewSee all pricesApple AirPods Pro$209.99ViewSee all pricesSony WF-1000XM4 Wireless Earbuds$278ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best google pixel buds pro, apple airpods pro and sony wf-1000xm4 dealsGoogle Pixel Buds Pro$199.99$133.94ViewSee all pricesApple AirPods Pro$209.99ViewSee all pricesSony WF-1000XM4 Wireless Earbuds$278ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best google pixel buds pro, apple airpods pro and sony wf-1000xm4 deals
Google Pixel Buds Pro$199.99$133.94ViewSee all pricesApple AirPods Pro$209.99ViewSee all pricesSony WF-1000XM4 Wireless Earbuds$278ViewSee all prices
Google Pixel Buds Pro$199.99$133.94ViewSee all prices
Google Pixel Buds Pro$199.99$133.94ViewSee all prices
Google Pixel Buds Pro
Google Pixel Buds Pro
$199.99$133.94View
$199.99$133.94
$133.94
See all prices
Apple AirPods Pro$209.99ViewSee all prices
Apple AirPods Pro$209.99ViewSee all prices
Apple AirPods Pro
Apple AirPods Pro
$209.99View
$209.99
$209.99
See all prices
Sony WF-1000XM4 Wireless Earbuds$278ViewSee all prices
Sony WF-1000XM4 Wireless Earbuds$278ViewSee all prices
Sony WF-1000XM4 Wireless Earbuds
Sony WF-1000XM4 Wireless Earbuds
$278View
$278
$278
See all prices
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
So are the Pixel Buds Pro worth it?
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
So do I think theGoogle PixelBuds Pro are worth it? There’s the start of some exciting stuff here. The Audio Switching feature will, I presume, only continue to improve. The customisation is great. The swipe controls work pretty well and react to gentle touches. There’s even spatial audio being added towards the end of 2022.
But I do think you can get a more comfortable fit and better active noise-cancelling elsewhere in the true wireless earbuds market. Perhaps not for a more agreeable price than what Google is asking, however, and given that these earbuds undercut Apple’s AirPods Pro that’s something that’ll make this Android option appealing for many in my opinion.
Samsung Galaxy S25: every leak, rumour and spec we’ve heard before the launch eventThis is everything we’ve heard about the new handsets
This is everything we’ve heard about the new handsets
This case turns your iPhone or Android phone into an e-reader, but there’s a catchActually, there are a couple…
Actually, there are a couple…
Does the Z Fold 4 come with S Pen? Stylus options for Samsung’s new Galaxy foldableThe Z Fold 4 is S Pen compatible, but does that mean one comes in the box or not?
The Z Fold 4 is S Pen compatible, but does that mean one comes in the box or not?
The priciest Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 costs over £2,000!Woah! That’s one pricey folding phone. Here’s how much the Z Fold 4 costs across its three variants
Woah! That’s one pricey folding phone. Here’s how much the Z Fold 4 costs across its three variants
Is the new MacBook Pro worth it and is Apple M2 better than M1 Max?The 13-inch MacBook Pro M2 is released today, but should you buy one or save your money for another MacBook?
The 13-inch MacBook Pro M2 is released today, but should you buy one or save your money for another MacBook?
Will the Apple Watch 8 launch in 2022? When Apple’s next-gen wearable could arriveWe’re expecting to see some of watchOS 9 at WWDC 2022, but the Apple Watch 8 launch date is likely later
We’re expecting to see some of watchOS 9 at WWDC 2022, but the Apple Watch 8 launch date is likely later
Is Switch OLED worth it: should you upgrade to Nintendo’s top spec console?Original Switch or Switch OLED: is the Switch OLED the better buy?
Original Switch or Switch OLED: is the Switch OLED the better buy?
Will there be a Samsung Galaxy S23 arriving in 2023?Samsung’s flagship Galaxy is expected to return in 2023, but how it’ll compare to the S22 is all speculation for now…
Samsung’s flagship Galaxy is expected to return in 2023, but how it’ll compare to the S22 is all speculation for now…
Can I see my house on Google Earth? How to see a live view of an addressWant to see your house on Google Earth? From 3D model to top-down Google Maps, to photographic Street View – here’s how
Want to see your house on Google Earth? From 3D model to top-down Google Maps, to photographic Street View – here’s how
