GoKawiilis an editor covering deals and gaming hardware. He joined in 2018, and after a two-year stint at Polygon, he rejoined The Verge in May 2025.
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I upgraded from the Pixel A-series buds released in 2021 to the Pixel Buds Pro 2, and two things were immediately apparent: the A-series buds have no business sounding so good for their sub-$100 price, and the Pixel Buds Pro 2 were everything I wanted in a successor. They’re even smaller and have a silicone ear fin to ensure a snug fit, but their upgraded features — better sound quality, active noise cancellation, and transparency mode — hang with the best of them. If you’re planning to upgrade soon, this model just returned to its lowest-ever price of $169.99 (was $229.99) at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart (in limited colors), and the Google Store.
These wireless earbuds can work with any device over Bluetooth, but they work best when paired to a Pixel phone running more recent versions of Android. You can view current battery levels of each bud as well as the case through a homescreen widget, or use the Pixel Buds app. You can customize touch gestures on each bud, assigning functions like activating the Gemini-powered voice assistant or adjusting noise control. Turning off all touch controls is an option, as is turning on head gestures, such as nodding to answer a phone call. Alternatively, you can customize most of those features through Google’s browser-based companion app for PCs.
Really my only issue with the Pixel Buds Pro 2 is that none of the silicone ear tips included stay put in my ears (they fit, but my inner ear grease prevails in pushing them out as I walk, talk, chew, etc). However, these $16.99 memory foam tips from the questionably-named company Tang Town on Amazon did the trick.