Pixel Buds v. AirPods Pro

The following is simply a technical analysis of wireless earbud headphones, for the fun of technology, and to bring lighthearted interest to people in the midst of very serious times. We all need a breath of fresh air, and for those of us who enjoy electronics, perhaps this can be that for a moment, while understanding there is a God of grace who is our ultimate source of peace and consolation...

Well, sometimes you have to try, try and try again. At least that is the case with me when it comes to trialing electronics. It has been tiring having headsets that people can't hear me well while on a call, or the background noise drowns out my voice...all just to have a very good quality music experience. So, I picked the brain of a very knowledgeable Best Buy associate, and through a lot of deliberation, discussing the current devices by Sony, Samsung, Bose and Jabra, we landed on Apple's AirPods Pro (identified as AirPods for remainder of this post).

Sony had scored a better rating for phone calls, while Jabra and Bose did better with music, but both only just a bit over AirPods in each category. Overall, considering all things, including slimness of carrying case and the quality of active noise cancellation and pass-through sound, the AirPods won a net victory.

So, being an Android user, specifically Pixel 4, which I have been very pleased with on multiple levels, including the native Google apps for things like text, photos and contacts, I made the concession with the lightning charger-based device, and the reduced feature set given that iOS devices supply an extra set of settings and automatic updating of firmware, and of course voice commands via Siri. And I was pleased with my choice, especially in the gym (including while on a call), and on the airplane, with ANC in full use. Everything was just fine.

Until I decided, for some unknown reason, to buy the new Google Pixel Buds 2. While already being satisfied with what I had?

I was just fine. Why did I do that? I guess I just couldn't resist the features, functionality and integration with the Pixel especially. It had just come out and was only available on Google's store site, so I couldn't check or discuss with anyone at a local store. I figured I'd check them out, and then either return them or sell the AirPods on eBay if need be, after deciding between the two.

Well, the capabilities set them apart from the AirPods, with the extra touch controls, and the ease with which to use them, along with the voice commands and extra audio feedback on alerts. It reminded me of the old days with Windows Phone, reading texts and having ability to reply verbally. I got a little hooked on these capabilities...until I began to realize that the silicon earbud caps hurt my right ear when in for a while. And particularly on a flight, not experiencing that deep noise cancellation of the jet engine, I began to turn my attention back to the airPods that I had on eBay but weren't selling at my reserve pricing.

I pulled them down off the market, sold my Pixel Buds to a friend, and was okay again. Until I wasn't.

I missed the extensive voice controls and easier-to-access touch controls (touching the outside of the bud as opposed to a little button on the stem of the AirPods). And the recently added firmware update that gave bass boost.

While noticing a slight difference in music quality, wherein the AirPods were better, I am very good at tweaking equalizer settings in music apps to get a very good, clean, full-range sound, so that was not a factor. And call quality was pretty much the same for both.

So I bought the Pixel Buds again! And put the AirPods on the market again!

Well, needless to say, I went back and forth even yet one more time, deliberating over the better form factor of the Pixel Buds, not having a stem that can be bumped and knock loose or out the earpiece, or how the AirPods were by far the most comfortable in the ear of anything I've ever had, to the point where I could almost forget they were in with the pass-through setting active. Or how the AirPods don't hurt while in but begin to eventually slip out a little, especially in the gym.

The clincher was when I found memory foam ear tips to use for the Pixel Buds. I had to think about it, as I saw a review that the earbuds won't fit in the case with them on because of the contour and shape of them, but I tried it, and I was able to use the smallest ones and press and twist them in the case a little with no problem.

So, the AirPods went back on the market, as a bundle with the extra USB-C wall adapter and a couple USB-C to lightning adapters for cables, and someone finally had a winning bid that passed my standards.

The final analysis:

AirPods Pro

Pros: Active Noise Cancellation, Pass-Through sound technology, ear comfort.

Pixel Buds 2

Pros: Bass boost, small contour form factor, better touch controls, enhanced functionality with Android (especially Pixel), ear comfort (with memory foam tips), buds don't slip loose after long time of wearing, USB-C charging port same with Pixel device (and Pixelbook, incidentally).

Even: call quality, music quality (AirPods slightly better higher range quality, Pixel Buds better low range capacity), battery life, slimness of carrying case, both have ventilation to keep muffled sounding voice and internal sounds from overamplifying with passive pass-through.

If I were an iPhoner, I would've certainly stayed with the AirPods without even testing the Pixel Buds. And I believe if I had had the Pixel Buds first, I wouldn't have gotten the AirPods, as the Pixel Buds are better than anything else I had ever had, including the functionality and Pixel integration. So, after trying, and trying, and trying again, for me and my setup and device(s), Pixel Buds wins a very long, back-and-forth race, where votes had to be recounted and reconsidered, and even with a runoff after round one.

Let's hope this will be the last of all that for this year, by God's grace.