The Pixel Buds Pro resembles the Pixel Buds A-Series of last year, minus the ear hooks. Though the Pixel Buds Pro was announced in four colours, only one will be available in Singapore (don't ask why) and that's Charcoal, which is really just a fancy way of saying black.
The charging case charges via USB-C and supports wireless charging. Claimed battery life is up to 7 hours with ANC turned on and up to 20 hours with the charging case. The earbuds lasted a few work days with on-and-off listening (approximately 15 hours in total) for me without requiring a charge, so Google's claims are probably right.
The crucial bit is that the Pixel Buds Pro is compact. The charging case is roughly the same size as the AirPods Pro's which also means it'll fit into pockets easily. The earbuds themselves have a smooth beanlike shape and are light. They will slide into ears easily and sit there comfortably for hours.
Google provides a pair of smaller and larger eartips. The buds felt quite snug once I switched to the larger eartips, but it doesn't quite feel as secure as the Apple AirPods Pro or Sony WF-1000XM4. Part of the reason is because the silicone tips don't go quite as deep. The upside, of course, is that these earbuds are more comfortable to wear. They also have IPX4 water resistance, sufficient for exercising.
The Pixel Buds Pro has a fast pairing feature that works with any Android 6.0+ device. They also have touch sensors; one of the better implementations I’ve seen. The sensors are responsive and, by default, will let you adjust volume, control playback, and activate Google Assistant.
The Pixel Buds app is clean and easy to use, but light on features. You can’t adjust the level of ANC like you can with Sonys and, very curiously, there’s no EQ function either, so you are stuck with how the buds sound.
This story is from the September 2022 edition of HWM Singapore.
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This story is from the September 2022 edition of HWM Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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