Google Pixel Buds Pro Review

The Roffel household has been using Google products for many years now, and for the most part, they have all performed very well. The Google Nest WIFI improved our local home wifi network 10 fold, and all of our other Google screens and devices have been great for playing music, showing recipes, and so much more. Recently, the good folks at Google sent over the brand new Google Pixel Buds Pro for us to try out, and boy am I impressed!

You can check out our coverage of the Pixel 7 / Pixel 7 Pro and the Pixel Watch!

Out of the Box

Once you unbox your Pixel Buds Pro for the first time, you won’t be greeted by much. This isn’t a bad thing, mind you – what would you really expect? Inside the box are the Pixel Buds themselves, an oval charging case, a tube with additional different sized ear pieces, and a quick start guide. It is worth noting that while the Pixel Buds themselves charge via USB-C, no cord is included in the box.

Pixel Buds Pro Features

Connecting the Pixel Buds Pro to my Google Pixel 6 was a breeze. Once the earbuds were slotted inside the case and Bluetooth was enabled on my phone, it was as simple as clicking the “Google Pixel Buds Pro” notification in my Bluetooth menu and walking through the pairing steps. This setup works as easily on other Pixel phones and anything with Android 6.0 and higher. With other devices, it is almsot as easy, with just one additional step. After the case is opened, you will need to press and hold the pairing button on the case for three seconds until the device shows up on your device Bluetooth settings page. Then simply press “connect” and you are good to go.

As we noted before, the Pixel Buds Pro come with additional eartips so that you can find the perfect, snug fit. You won’t want your buds too loose in your ear, as it will impede your ability to use the touch controls. These touch gestures can be used on either of the earbuds, and are simple enough to remember. One tap will play or pause music, and answer a call. Two taps will skip to the next track when listening to music, and end or reject a phone call. Triple tapping the earbud will go back to the previous track when listening to music. You can access your Google Assistant and Active Noise Control by touching and holding your finger to the earbud.

Comfort and Overall Performance

I’ve never been a huge fan of earbuds, but am always open to trying a new brand or design. I’m so glad that extra tips were included with the earbuds, as I had to change mine out before finding the right fit. Once I did find the right fit, the buds were still noticeable in my ears, yet comfortable. If you absolutely hate in-ear buds, you likely won’t find a happy place here. But if you are willing to give it a go, there is enough customization options to make the bud fit nice and snug.

And a snug fit is required if you plan to use the gesture controls. I do know people who like to have their earbuds fit loosely in their ears, but that won’t work here unless you plan to ignore the controls all together. I’m not generally a fan of on-device controls, but did find the Google Pixel Buds Pro to be easy to understand and use. With only a few gestures to remember, skipping tracks and taking calls was very easy.

The audio quality is great. These won’t rival an over-the-ear headset that retails for a few hundred dollars, nor should they. That being said, when compared to other devices in this price point, it about matches what you get for the price point. For the Google enthusiasts, however, it’s hard to deny the amazing compatibility between Google devices, and I still preferred the Pixel Buds Pro over other Bluetooth earbuds when using my Google Pixel 6.

The battery life on the Pros is acceptable, at 11 hours on a single charge, and up to 33 hours when placing them back into the case to charge. This is plenty of time for me, and comparable (if not better) than other buds on the market.

Worth It?

It really depends on the person. I found a good fit with the Google Pixel Buds Pro, but not all reviewers share my optimism for the design of the buds. That being said, if you can find the correct fit, the audio here is great. There is no denying that fact. For those who enjoy the Google ecosystem and love their Google products, than I do recommend despite a few drawbacks. From my vantage point, it is a purchase I would make.