The $229 Pixel Buds Pro 2 are official with a Tensor A1 chip and a promise for 30 hours of playback with ANC

The Pixel 9 Pro XL and the Pixel Fold 9 are great and all, but I'll need you to lend me an ear. I'm about to stick something very interesting in it. Say hello to the Pixel Buds Pro 2!

After a long period of generous and detailed leaks, Google's latest earbuds are official… and the price is:

• $229

That's not an easy to swallow sum of money for two tiny audio beans and their petite case. However, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 pair looks promising (if not fascinating) for a number of reasons.



For me, there are three main reasons why not to ignore these, but rather smash that piggy bank to pieces and look for those auxiliary $229:

• A custom-built Tensor A1 chip (that's the first time Google puts a Tensor chip inside earbuds);
• A seriously updated ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) experience that should last for 30 hours;
• A comfortable and secure fit thanks to "a new and unique" twist-to-adjust stabilizer (that's what Google says!)

Apart from that, Google claims these – the Pixel Buds Pro 2, I mean – are designed to be "the most comfortable and secure-fitting earbuds". The pair was designed after analyzing 45 million data points from ear scans and the search engine giant came up with what they think is the optimal shape for maximum comfort and a secure fit.

Pre-order Pixel Buds Pro 2 at Amazon

Pre-order the latest and most impressive Pixel Buds Pro 2 at Amazon. The in-ear headphones cost about $230, and there are currently no pre-order discounts available. Shipping is set to start on September 26, 2024.

Pre-order at Amazon

Thanks to the new Tensor A1 chip, it was also possible to further reduce the size by 27% and make them 24% lighter (as compared to the previous Pixel Buds Pro).

There's more to the A1 chip than this, so let's go on with it.

Tensor in your ear: what is it good for?

So, the Tensor A1 chip, found in both the left and the right earbud, was built for advanced audio processing and Google AI. Hey, that's the first device to bring the power of Gemini outside a smartphone!

According to Google, the Tensor A1 was a "multi-year investment". It's the first Tensor chip custom-built for audio processing, and it does so with ultra low latency and enables the ANC system to adapt to your sound environment 3 million times per second. But later for that.

The Tensor A1 also enables multi-path audio signal processing from your phone (or host device) to the buds (and your ears). "It opens a dedicated highway lane for your music", as Google puts it – and it's completely independent of the ANC on the side.

We'll conduct our own testing, but this should result in accurate and immersive sound. Of course, you can make it your own through the five-band equalizer that's available.

The Tensor A1 chip should also greatly enhance power efficiency and help the battery life:

• 8 hours (just the buds) – ANC on;
• 30 hours (with case) – ANC on.

Speaking of ANC…

ANC goodness – this shouldn't be underestimated!

While there are plenty of people who somehow manage to live without Active Noise Cancellation, more and more people just can't. ANC significantly reduces external noises that can disrupt your audio experience, such as the sounds of road work outside your window, the rumble of a train or plane, and that pesky office chatter.

The ANC on the Pixel Buds Pro 2 is claimed to be "twice as strong as the previous generation".

The buds' ANC adapts to your environment up to 3 million times per second. Wow! By expanding the frequency range, the Silent Seal 2.0 feature also cancels a wider range of noises, including even higher frequencies.

Comfort with the new twist-to-adjust stabilizer

Back when the first TWS (True Wireless) buds hit the market, we were all kind of worried how are we supposed not to lose these, as there is no cable to hold them in place.

Many moons later, it's clear that we can be trusted with TWS buds – but we need more comfortable and more secure buds, there's no doubt about it.

Here, on the Pixel Buds Pro 2, there's a twist-to-adjust stabilizer to lock them in your ear, or adjust in the other direction for all-day comfort.

Overall: pretty impressive buds!

The rest is quite respectable as well: Google claims that the entire audio system is in-house re-engineered (from acoustics to the speaker driver).

The Pixel Buds Pro 2 have large 11 mm drivers for powerful bass and a new high-frequency chamber for smooth treble.

The Clear Calling feature reduces the noise around the person on the other side of the call, enhancing their voice so you can hear them even more clearly. For example, when your friend is on the subway, you should hear them clearly through your Pixel Buds Pro 2, no matter which phone and earbuds they use.

There are updated algorithms that reduce noise in even more settings.

Also, there's the Conversation Detection feature: the Pixel Buds Pro 2 utilize the Tensor A1's AI powers to tell when you start speaking. What this means is that when you start speaking, your music gets paused and the earbuds switch to Transparency mode. When the conversation ends, the music resumes automatically, going back to Active Noise Cancellation without you taking any action.

Of course, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are deeply integrated with your other Pixel devices. Features like Clear Calling, Spatial Audio with head tracking, precise location tracking of your buds and case with Find My Device, and seamless switching make them truly the most appropriate side for everything Pixel.

In order to get full access to the features, it's required that you have:

• Google Account
• Companion phone running Android 6.0 or newer
• Internet connection

The earbuds themselves are IP54-rated for dust and water protection, while the case is IPX4.

There are three microphones of each earbud, there are also capacitive touch (tap and swipe) sensors for music, calls, and voice assistant controls, IR proximity sensor (for in-ear detection to play and pause automatically), and motion-detecting accelerometer and gyroscope sensors. The case packs Hall Effect sensor for case open and close detection.

The case is Qi-certified for wireless charging and the port is USB-C (duh!)

Each bud weighs at 4.7 g (with medium ear tip), while the case (with the buds inside) is 65 g.

Price and availability

As we stated above, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 start at $229. They come in:

• Porcelain
• Hazel
• Wintergreen
• Peony

The Pixel Buds Pro 2 are available in many parts of the world, here's the list that's divided by regions:

United States, Canada
Japan, Australia, Taiwan, Singapore, India, Malaysia
United Kingdom, Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Portugal, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovenia, Estonia, Slovakia, Finland

I'm really curious to see (to listen, actually) how these perform against the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, which had their fair share of issues.