Google Pixel Buds 2a

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This is the new Google Pixel Buds 2a that will be announced on August 20. It will also be available in Strawberry and Fog Light, however this render is the Iris color.

Ahead of next month’s Made by Google event, we got our hands on quite a few renders of the Pixel 10 series, as well as the Pixel Watch 4. But we did not forget about the Pixel Buds 2a. We have renders of the “Iris” color of the Pixel Buds 2a, and these will also be available in a few other colors, including Strawberry and Fog Light.

The Pixel Buds 2a are going to be the follow-up to the Pixel Buds a-series that was announced way back in June 2021. Google, unlike other smartphone companies, doesn’t release new earbuds every year. The Pixel Buds Pro were around for over two years before the Pixel Buds 2 Pro landed last year, and the Pixel Buds a-series will be around for four years before the Pixel Buds 2a are available.

There’s not a whole lot of information about these earbuds yet. But we do expect them to offer better battery life and sound than the originals, of course.

What about that Moonstone colorway we have seen leaked recently? Those are a new color for the Pixel Buds 2 Pro. This is pretty common for Google, as they did this quite often with the Pixel Buds Pro, where they released a new color every year, to match the new Pixel lineup.

It’s also possible that Google could bundle the Pixel Buds 2a in some pre-order promos for the Pixel 10 series, outside of the US. Typically in Europe and in the UK, Google will bundle some hardware with their phones for pre-orders, usually the Pixel Watch and/or the Pixel Buds, in the past.

Pixel 10, Pixel Watch 4, and Pixel Buds 2a all set for an August 20 debut​

On August 20, we’re expecting quite a few new products from Google. That includes the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Pixel Watch 4, and the Pixel Buds 2a. And that’s not including all of the accessories that we should also be seeing from Google.

Google is expected to also debut its PixelSnap line of “MagSafe” accessories. As we saw earlier this week from Evleaks, Google is apparently putting the magnets inside the phone, unlike every other major Android smartphone released this year. Currently, the only Android smartphone with magnets built, is the HMD Skyline.

There will be a PixelSnap charging puck, which we’ve already seen leak, as well as a charging stand and a ring that can snap onto the back of the phone. Google will also debut a new dual-port USB-C wall charger.

 

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I love a bargain. Who doesn't, really? And in the mobile sphere, there are bargains aplenty, with many mid-range and budget phones being able to compete with the best flagship phones in certain ways.

As such, you can get a lot of bang for your buck if you pick the right phone. But can the same be said for other products, like earbuds?

Sometimes, yes. The Google Pixel Buds 2a are the "mid-range" version of the flagship Pixel Bids Pro 2, and at first glance, they offer basically the same experience as their more expensive brethren.

So, with a price difference of $100, you'd expect the Pixel Buds 2a to be the Google earbuds to buy, right?

As a long-time user of the original Pixel Buds Pro and a new owner of the Pixel Buds Pro 2, I'm here to tell you no. That $100 may be a significant relative jump in price, but it's absolutely worth paying that money. Here's why.

The differences between the two are fairly small​

Far too much is 'coming soon'​

As with all good prospective bargains, the Pixel Buds 2a and Pro 2 share many features. Both feature Google's Tensor A1 chip, which means they both have access to Gemini Live, if you're minded to chat to Google's AI.

One of the biggest selling points of the Pixel Buds 2a is the inclusion of active cancellation, which cancels out sounds from outside your earbuds, reducing distractions as much as possible.

The Buds 2a do have a less advanced version of Google's Silent Seal that adapts your earbuds to your ear to minimize sound leakage and outside noise, but that's probably not worth worrying about.

Both have Google's twist-to-adjust system, which helps your buds sit firmly in your ear, and that's probably more important on an everyday basis.

The battery life on the Pro 2 earbuds is significantly better, both in the earbuds themselves and the case, but the Buds 2a are still claimed to last for 10 hours when used without active noise cancellation — so really, it's not that big a deal.

A lot of the big differences are marked with two very irritating words: "coming soon."

Features like Adaptive Audio, Loud Noise Protection, and the ability to use Gemini Live in noisy places aren't implemented yet, and that just makes the Buds 2a an even better deal.

Because I buy hardware based on what it can do right now, not what it promises to do in the future.

The most vital differences are must-haves​

I would miss these a lot​

So far, so good, right? The Pixel Buds 2a hold up quite well against its more expensive sibling. But some features are not worth compromising on. The first of these is wireless charging.

While you can drop the Pixel Buds Pro 2's case onto a wireless charging pad, and it'll top up, that feature is missing from the Pixel Buds 2a. Instead, it can only charge through a wired connection.

This one is, personally speaking, less impactful. I have used this feature, and if you have a phone with reverse wireless charging, you can charge your buds up in a pinch.

Ultimately, this comes down to how much you use wireless charging.

Since getting the Pixel 10 Pro with Pixelsnap, I've invested in a lot more wireless charging, so not being able to top up my earbuds would be a pain. But being tethered to a wire isn't that bad really, I would just much rather have the option than not.

But the next feature is vital, as far as I'm concerned. And frankly, not having it feels like getting a seriously subpar experience. I'm talking about the loss of swipe volume controls.

You might think I've gone a little bit mad, but bear with me here.

Out of all the Pixel Buds Pro 2's features, swiping to control the volume is the only one I use every single day.

Noise cancellation? Can go weeks without using that. Gemini Live? I don't think I've used it once. Wireless charging? Sure, when it needs charging — which isn't often.

But changing the volume through swipes? I do that every single day, multiple times a day.

Sure, you can change the volume on your phone, but you're losing a ton of convenience by not getting swipe controls.

Why make your life harder?​

Spend the $100 extra, if you can​

Maybe it doesn't seem that bad to you. But imagine if your smartphone suddenly didn't have volume keys.

To change the volume, you have to open the quick settings bar or go into the Settings app. It's doable, yes, but you'd soon tire of how long it took.

That's how it feels getting your phone out of your pocket every time you need to make a small volume change.

Swipe controls let you quickly make a change while barely lifting a finger. It's simple and efficient, and it makes the Pixel Buds Pro 2 far more useful than you'd imagine.

Can you live without it? Of course you can. But should you? In my opinion, no. For the sake of $100, you shouldn't need to inhibit yourself.

The Pixel Buds 2a are a solid pair of earbuds, but you should buy the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 instead.

 

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The Pixel Buds Pro were one of my favorite buds for a couple of years, and then the Pixel Buds Pro 2 displaced them on that throne thanks to their smaller size, more comfortable fit, and the super cool twist-to-fit feature that gives me two different fits with one pair of buds.

I never thought another pair of buds would take over the Buds Pro 2 this soon, but Google has surprised me with its new Pixel Buds 2a ($129 at Amazon). I expected these to become a secondary pair of buds I keep at home for short listening sessions, not the buds I take with me everywhere, but they’re so good that I don’t find myself really missing anything about my Pixel Buds Pro 2. And for nearly half the price? It’s a steal, especially for any Pixel user.

Everything I love about the Pixel Buds Pro 2 is in the Buds 2a​

Switching to the Pixel Buds 2a was so incredibly easy because everything about them was familiar. They slot in my ear exactly the same way as the Buds Pro 2 do because, as far as I can tell, they’re precisely the same physical size and shape. Not a fraction of a millimeter off in any direction. Physically, the only difference is their shiny plastic versus the matte of the Pro version, which could be detrimental if I were running a lot and getting sweaty with these on, but at most, I’m just fast-walking.

I’m so glad Google returned to the twist-to-fit design. It’s the most versatile thing about these buds: Point the ear tip down for a loose fit, then twist it to lodge better against the ear canal, and it’s suddenly tighter. They’re perfect for chill listening sessions in a safe environment, and just as ideal for bopping to music while dashing through the Parisian metro. I don’t think I can go back to a pair of buds without this simple trick because it effectively transforms one pair of buds into two.

I am not an audiophile — our sister site SoundGuys will probably have a proper review of these if you care about graphs and numbers — so I only know what I can hear. And the Buds 2a sound good to me. Gun to my head, I couldn’t tell you if there’s any difference between them and my Pixel Buds Pro 2; I’m sure there are some minor differences, but for my untrained ears listening to Pocket Casts and compressed Spotify, I’ll be honest and say it’s insignificant.

The twist-to-fit design, ANC, transparency, Bluetooth Multipoint, and Audio switch are non-negotiable to me, and the Pixel Buds 2a have them.​

I’m just glad to see proper ANC and transparency on the A series buds, finally. If either of these were missing, I’d go back running to my Pixel Buds Pro 2. With my parents visiting for the past three weeks, having a haven away from the constant chit-chat to be able to do some work has been essential. And since I got them, the Pixel Buds 2a took the mantle from the Buds Pro 2 without missing a beat.

Quick access to Gemini and Gemini Live, Spatial Audio (though without active head tracking), a custom equalizer, direct integration with my Pixel 10 Pro XL‘s volume panel and battery widget — all of these are other welcome features. But the ones I personally care about are multipoint support and audio switch. These have become non-negotiable for me because I switch between my phone, tablet, computer, and other devices pretty frequently. I need my buds to follow along and to understand when I’m playing music from one device, taking a phone call on another, or watching a video on another. With these two features in tow, the Pixel Buds 2a carried what the Buds Pro 2 already did, seamlessly.

I didn’t end up missing the missing features​

The feature I thought I’d miss most from my Pixel Buds Pro 2 was swiping for volume controls. The Buds 2a don’t have it, and I dreaded having to use my phone or watch to change volume, but you know what? After a few days, I realized I didn’t miss that at all; turns out I already don’t rely on the swipe gestures and rarely use them. They’re so finicky, especially with long, unruly hair covering my ears, so it’s often just easier to control volume from my Pixel Watch or phone than to attempt to swipe on a tiny surface with hair strands in the way.

With several wireless charging pads around my house, I also thought I’d miss having Qi charging on the case, but then again, I have just as many USB-C cables around the house. I just had to remember to use the cable the one time I needed to fill it up. Because of very decent battery life on the buds (seven hours) and case (twenty hours), I only need to charge the case once a week or so, and having to find a USB-C cable instead of a charging pad isn’t a dealbreaker. Plus, the case is repairable now with an easy-to-replace battery, which I’d take over wireless charging any day.

The Pixel Buds 2a's case is shorter and rounder.

The Pixel Buds 2a's case doesn't have a speaker.

The case is also missing the built-in speaker, which plays a sound to help you locate the case if you lose it and gives various chimes to indicate charging and proper bud placement. Google has mitigated the first use by playing a sound from the buds while they’re in the case to help locate the entire setup. Only those who often lose the bud-less, empty case will be affected by the missing speaker, and I’m not one of them. As for the chimes, the only one I really miss is the one that indicates proper placement.

I didn't miss volume gestures or wireless charging, but I did miss the chime that indicates each bud is placed in the correct position.​

Once again, Google’s bud design means you can insert the Pixel Buds 2a correctly in the case, or flip them around and insert them wrong. The magnets and holes align perfectly either way, and I often think I’ve done the right thing until I try to close the charging case and it doesn’t close. Dammit! Invert the buds, try again, and it works. The chime was helpful for this silly design flaw-slash-feature. By now, I should’ve memorized that the G logo should be upright, but I’m forgetful like that.

Pixel Buds 2a in the charging case: Correct

Pixel Buds 2a in the charging case: Wrong

I’m struggling to think of any other big missing features with the Pixel Buds 2a. There’s no low-latency mode for gaming, something I personally don’t need; no auto-detection of talking to automatically turn on transparency mode; and none of the newfangled adaptive audio and loud noise protection features that just came to the Buds Pro 2. If you really need any of these, you’ll probably miss them, but I don’t, and I don’t notice they’re gone when I have my Pixel Buds 2a in my ears.

 

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44% cheaper for 90% of the features? Sign me up!​

Look, I’m not going to tell you that Pixel Buds 2a are better than the Pixel Buds Pro 2, but relatively speaking, on a value-for-money scale, they are a better buy. At $129, they’re $100 cheaper than the Pixel Buds Pro 2, and I’ve been enjoying using them just as much. All my must-have, non-negotiable features are there: long-term comfort, in-ear stability, great sound with ANC and transparency, good battery life, easy Gemini integration, Bluetooth Multipoint, and seamless audio switching between my devices.

The Pixel Buds 2a are the best of Pixel Buds, with none of the fuss or extra cost. They're the perfect companion to a Pixel phone.​

Even though the list of missing features is long, it’s not as impactful to my everyday use as I thought it would be. Swiping for volume control will be the most crucial miss for many users, though, especially if they’re used to leaving their phones away or in their pockets and often need to change the volume. Besides that, everything else in the more expensive version is a minor improvement that definitely makes the Pixel Buds Pro 2 better, just not by $100 if you ask me.

Google has distilled the essence of the Pixel Buds into the 2a and made them more affordable, ridiculously so. They’re easily the best way to complete a Pixel phone while staying in the same ecosystem and benefiting from Google’s Pixel-only exclusive features like Gemini Live and Audio Switch.

 

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One of the weird things about testing devices is learning things that aren’t ever mentioned in a press release or spec sheet. Namely, you can use the Pixel Buds Pro 2 case with the Pixel Buds 2a and also the smaller case with the previous generation.

Yes, you’re reading that correctly, the Pixel Buds 2a fit perfectly and charge inside the Pixel Buds Pro 2 case, and the Pixel Buds Pro 2 earbuds can also squeeze into the smaller Pixel Buds 2a case. Having played around with both pairs of buds, I decided to experiment, given that the new A-series earbud design is, after all, based on the Pro 2 shape, size, and style. As it turns out, my earbuds charged with no issues, and my Pixel 10 even recognized the switched case as the original.

You may remember that the 2020 Pixel Buds and the previous A-series buds did not have compatible cases due to minor chassis changes. Don’t just take our word for it, though. You can see just how it works in the video below:


This unexpected case compatibility opens up some efficient advantages for users of both Pixel Buds Pro 2 and Pixel Buds 2a models. At least in theory, if you damage or lose the case for either pair of earbuds, you can get a cheap—or potentially expensive—replacement to keep using your Bluetooth earbuds. Some might want the smaller case for convenience, and some might want the bigger premium case for extended battery life.

However, you might lose out on the ability to use some features, like the case speaker on the Pixel Buds Pro 2, if paired with the new 2a model.

It’s worth reiterating that Google’s support pages do not mention or suggest that you should do this. Given that the company is insistent on improving sustainability pledges, cross-compatible cases for the Pixel Buds series would be a huge selling point.

 

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