The Pixel Buds A-Series are great, but they lacked one big thing compared to their Pro relatives: active noise cancellation. This is now becoming commonplace in mid-range and even budget earbuds, and Google’s new mid-range earbuds, the Pixel Buds 2a, are finally addressing that complaint.
Google has announced the Pixel Buds 2a, the successors to thePixel Buds A-Seriesafter a long four years, and they are quite the improvement over their predecessors. Perhaps the biggest improvement here is the fact that we now have active noise cancellation. This has been a common feature in the Pro range, but not so much in Google’s cheaper earbuds. I personally find the Pixel Buds Pro 2’s ANC to be particularly good even when compared to some more expensive competitors. With ANC not being a “premium” feature anymore, it’s good to see Google finally bring it to the A-Series earbuds.
There’s also a transparency mode, allowing you to hear your surroundings when needed. Audio is delivered through custom-designed 11 mm dynamic speaker drivers. For further audio customization, you’re able to access a 5-band equalizer to adjust bass, treble, and other frequencies. The earbuds also support stereo spatial audio on compatible Pixel devices.
At the core of the new earbuds is the Google Tensor A1 processor, which powers both audio processing and advanced AI features. The earbuds have hands-free access to Gemini, which lets you quickly ask questions, get answers, or get directions without your phone, though it still needs to connect to your phone with an Internet connection to work properly. In case you’re wondering, yes, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are also getting Gemini support through a software update. For calls, there are two microphones per earbud, wind-blocking mesh covers, and AI-driven noise reduction for what Google calls “Clear Calling”.
The Pixel Buds 2a are its smallest and lightest A-Series earbuds yet. The design, according to Google, was tweaked using data from over 45 million ear scans, so these should, in theory, be more comfortable throughout long wear sessions compared to the Pixel Buds A-Series. If you want to secure them a tad more while you’re working out, the earbuds feature a “twist-to-adjust” stabilizer and come with four eartip sizes (extra small, small, medium, and large). The earbuds have an IP54 sweat and water resistance rating, while the charging case is rated IPX4.
Battery life should also be pretty good, though ANC will cut into that, as with any other pair of wireless headphones or earbuds. With ANC turned off, the earbuds provide up to 10 hours of listening time, extending to a total of 27 hours with the charging case. With ANC enabled, the listening time is up to 7 hours, or a total of 20 hours with the case. A 5-minute charge in the case can deliver up to 1 hour of listening time with ANC enabled. Again, this will vary depending on your specific usage.
Google says the batteries in the charging case are replaceable, so if they ever start going bad, a repair and a battery replacement should actually be possible. Many earbuds are extremely repair-unfriendly and just wind up in landfills, so if that’s true, it’s a nice chance of pace.
Full feature access requires a companion phone running Android 6.0 or newer, a Google Account, and an internet connection, but they work with any Bluetooth device if you don’t care too much about Gemini. And they cost a mere $130, so they’re actually pretty cheap considering the package you’re getting. They are nowavailable for pre-order on the Google Store.
Google Pixel Buds 2a
The Pixel Buds 2a are fantastic for the budget-conscious. They offer active noise cancellation, a battery that lasts all day, and Gemini features for hands-free control.
