Google Pixel Buds 2a ZDNET's key takeaways The Google Pixel Buds 2a are available for $129 in Hazel and Iris.
They offer an array of software features to an extensive catalog of Android phones, which is their greatest strength.
They do a lot of things, but none of them particularly well, which is common for midrange earbuds. View now at Google
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Nothing beats having a pocketable pair of buds that you can easily pop in your ear, take a phone call, summon your digital assistant to make a grocery list or add an event to your calendar, or simply listen to music and block out the busy environment around you.
Although my AirPods are my go-to everyday earbuds, I absolutely cringe anytime an Android user buys a pair of AirPods -- I become an angel losing its wings, if you will. Why pay $250 for buds to lose access to a long list of their most handy software features?
Also: These Google earbuds offer the ultimate listening experience for Android users - even on non-Pixel phones
But Google's Pixel Buds 2a pose another question: do you need to buy the premium Pixel Buds Pro 2 when the Buds 2a are cheaper and promise some of the premium model's best features? How many Pixel Buds features are worth an extra $100? I wore the Buds 2a for a week to find out.
Starting with audio, the Buds 2a sound good. I don't have anything especially good or bad to say about their sound profile. There's noticeable bass that sometimes muddies, present vocals, and great separation, but they have a much narrower soundstage than the Pixel Buds Pro 2, even with spatial audio enabled. I prefer the treble to be brighter, and fortunately, Google offers a five-band equalizer that helped my cause.
I won't pick up the Buds 2a for a deep listening session, but they do the trick for passive listening when I'm at the gym or meandering through the grocery store. Google equipped the Buds 2a with the same Tensor AI chip that powers the earbuds' noise-canceling abilities. However, Google says the Buds Pro 2 feature Silent Seal 2.0 out of the gate, whereas the Buds 2a have Silent Seal 1.5.
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