I Ditched My Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 for These Cheap Buds and I Didn’t Miss a Thing

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

I never thought another pair of buds would replace the Buds Pro 2 so quickly, but Google has surprised me with its new Pixel Buds 2a.$129 on AmazonI was hoping that these would become a secondary pair of buds that I keep for short listening sessions at home, not buds that I take with me everywhere, but they’ve been so good that I don’t really miss anything about my Pixel Buds Pro 2. And for almost half the price? It’s a steal, especially for any Pixel user.

Switching to the Pixel Buds 2a was incredibly easy because everything about them was familiar. They fit in my ears exactly the same way as the Buds Pro 2 do because, as far as I can tell, their physical shape and size are exactly the same. Not even a fraction of a millimeter less in any direction. Physically, the only difference is their shiny plastic vs. the Pro version’s matte ones, which could be detrimental if I’m running a lot and sweating wearing these, but at most, I’m just running faster.

I’m so glad Google returned to the twist-to-fit design. That’s the most versatile thing about these buds: Point the ear tip downwards for a loose fit, then twist it to rest better against the ear canal, and it suddenly becomes tighter. They are perfect for quiet listening sessions in a safe environment, and are also ideal for swaying to music while walking through the Paris Metro. I don’t think I could go back to a pair of buds without this simple trick because it effectively turns one pair of buds into two.

I’m not an audiophile – our sister site soundguys If you care about graphs and numbers there’s probably a fair review of these – so I only know from what I can hear. And I like the Buds 2A. With a gun pointed at my head, I can’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 to my untrained ears listening to Pocket Casts and compressed Spotify, I’ll be honest and say it’s insignificant.

Finally, I was happy to see proper ANC and transparency on the A series buds. If any of these were missing, I’d go back to my Pixel Buds Pro 2. With my parents visiting for the past three weeks, having a haven away from the constant gossip has been essential to being able to get some work done. And since I got them, the Pixel Buds 2A have taken over the role of the Buds Pro 2 without missing a beat.

Instant access to Gemini and Gemini Live, spatial audio (though without active head tracking), a custom equalizer, direct integration with Me pixel 10 pro xlThe volume panel and battery widget – these are all other welcome features. But the ones I personally care about are multipoint support and audio switches. These have become inaccessible to me as I switch between my phone, tablet, computer and other devices so frequently. When I’m playing music on one device, taking a phone call on another, or watching a video on yet another, I need my buds to follow along and understand. With these two features, the Pixel Buds 2a did what the Buds Pro 2 had already done.

The feature I thought I would miss the most from my Pixel Buds Pro 2 was swiping up for volume controls. The Buds 2A don’t have this, and I was afraid to use my phone or watch to change the volume, but you know what? After a few days, I realized I didn’t miss him at all; Turns out I already don’t trust swipe gestures and rarely use them. They’re very finicky, especially with the long, unruly hair covering my ears, so it’s often easier to control the volume from my Pixel Watch or phone than trying to swipe across a small surface with strands of hair in the way.

Having several wireless charging pads around my house, I also thought I’d miss Qi charging on the case, but then again, I have plenty of USB-C cables around the house. I just had to remember to use the cable only when I needed to fill it. Because of the very good battery life on the buds (seven hours) and the case (twenty hours), I only need to charge the case about once a week, and finding a USB-C cable instead of a charging pad isn’t a dealbreaker. Plus, the case is now repairable with an easily replaceable battery, which I’ll take over wireless charging any day.

The case also doesn’t have a built-in speaker, which plays sounds to help you locate the case if it’s lost and various chimes to indicate charging and proper bud placement. Google has minimized the first usage by playing sounds from the buds while they help you figure out the entire setup. Only people who frequently lose bud-less, empty cases will be affected by the missing speaker, and I’m not one of them. As far as chimes go, the only thing I really miss is one that signals the proper location.

Once again, Google’s bud design means you can insert the Pixel Buds 2a into the case correctly, or move them around and insert them the wrong way. The magnets and holes somehow align perfectly, and I often think I’ve done the right thing until I try to take the charging case off and it won’t come off. well damn! Reverse the buds, try again, and it works. The chime was helpful for this silly design flaw-slash-feature. By now, I should have remembered that the G logo is supposed to be upright, but I’m forgetful like that.

I’m struggling to think of any other big missing feature from the Pixel Buds 2a. There’s no low-latency mode for gaming, which I personally don’t need; No auto-detection of conversation to automatically turn on transparency mode; and none of these Innovative adaptive audio and loud noise protection features He just came to Buds Pro 2. If you really needed any of these, you’d probably miss them, but I don’t, and when I have my Pixel Buds 2A in my ears I don’t even notice they’re gone.

Look, I’m not going to tell you that the Pixel Buds 2A are better than the Pixel Buds Pro 2, but comparatively speaking, on the value for money scale, they are a better buy. At $129, they’re $100 cheaper than the Pixel Buds Pro 2, and I’m enjoying using them just as much. All my essential, 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.

Although the list of missing features is long, it doesn’t impact my everyday usage as much as I thought it would. However, swiping up for volume controls will be the most significant omission for many users, especially if they are used to carrying their phone away or in their pocket and often need to change the volume. Beyond 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.

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