Google’s new Pixel Buds Pro 2 seem better in every way that matters

Alongside a fleet of caller phones and 2 sizes of its Pixel Watch 3, Google has conscionable announced its latest flagship earbuds, the Pixel Buds Pro 2. They’re priced somewhat higher astatine $229, but Google has included capable improvements that I don’t deliberation astir radical volition beryllium dissuaded by that.

The wide plan is rather akin to the archetypal Pixel Buds Pro, but these are lighter and 27 percent smaller. Google has besides brought backmost the helping fins, which should nutrient a much unchangeable acceptable erstwhile you twist them into your ears during exercise.

The institution claims that the Pixel Buds Pro 2 present sound cancellation that’s doubly arsenic almighty arsenic the first-gen brace and present bash a amended occupation of reducing higher-frequency sounds. Could we beryllium inching into Bose territory? Hopefully so. Google is putting a caller spot — the Tensor A1 — successful these earbuds, akin to the mode Apple outfits AirPods with its ain silicon.

Overall dependable prime has besides substantially improved, according to the company. The Pixel Buds 2 diagnostic 11-millimeter drivers, and “multi-path processing connected the Tensor A1 chip adds an further awesome way for music” without immoderate of the ANC processing interfering with your root audio. (On immoderate earbuds and headphones, euphony tin dependable somewhat antithetic depending connected whether sound cancellation is enabled.)

The lawsuit is identical successful signifier to the erstwhile model, but Google has added a talker to it. This volition fto you easy find the Pixel Buds Pro 2 if they spell missing utilizing the company’s now-more-capable Find My Device network. The earbuds are rated IP54 against particulate and water.

Voice calls should beryllium adjacent clearer than before, arsenic Google has updated its Clear Calling algorithms. And erstwhile it’s you doing the talking to idiosyncratic other successful the existent world, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 enactment speech detection and volition automatically intermission your euphony and prosecute transparency mode erstwhile your dependable is detected. Yes, hands-free dependable commands are inactive present; Google envisions radical perpetually chatting with its Gemini AI utilizing this feature, but personally, I seldom usage dependable for thing different than adjusting volume, starting up a playlist, oregon calling someone.

Battery beingness tin scope 8 hours of continuous listening (with ANC enabled) oregon up to 30 hours wide if you number other foodstuff from the case. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 usage Bluetooth 5.4 and are comparatively futureproofed with LE Audio support, though they inactive deficiency a higher-bitrate codec similar LDAC oregon AptX Adaptive. Like the archetypal pair, you tin instrumentality vantage of spatial audio caput tracking, and these earbuds see multipoint connectivity for seamless handoff betwixt 2 root devices astatine once.

The Pixel Buds Pro 2 are shipping connected September 26th, truthful it’ll beryllium a fewer weeks earlier I’m capable to trial them and scope a verdict connected those ANC and dependable prime improvements. But they look similar a much susceptible mentation of what was already a precise bully acceptable of earbuds, and that’s precisely what I was hoping to see.

Photography by Chris Welch / The Verge