I tried Google’s new Pixel Buds 2a on a flight to San Francisco: Here’s my verdict

Similar fit but has a smaller case

The new Pixel Buds 2a share a similar design, featuring the same twist-to-fit design language and a stability wing on each bud, as seen on the high-end Pixel Buds Pro 2. The Buds 2a are lightweight and compact, and they have a distinct design compared to the AirPods 4, which are the closest competitors to Google’s budget-friendly A-series TWS.

The Buds 2a offer up to seven hours on a single charge. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

The Buds 2a are so tiny that they barely feel like they are in my ears. The shape of the included eartips keeps the buds secure, though users should try each eartip size (the Buds 2a come with four options) to find the best fit. I wore them every day and even ran for an hour along Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco early in the morning – they stayed securely in place.

Thankfully, they are IP54-certified, making them dust- and water-resistant enough to take to the beach. On my first day in San Francisco, I got drenched in the rain while wearing the buds, and they worked fine, though you should avoid taking them for a swim.

The Buds 2a are designed to work seamlessly with Pixel phones. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

The tap controls on the buds were responsive and never failed to register a double-tap to skip tracks. However, these buds don’t have the full swipe controls found on the Buds Pro 2, and at times, I do miss having on-ear volume controls.
The case is tiny and slides easily into my jeans pocket. In fact, it is about 20 per cent smaller than the case for the Buds Pro 2, weighing 47.6 grams with the earbuds inside. It also features USB-C and a ringtone speaker that can help locate the case if it’s lost, but it lacks wireless charging support.

Better sound and noise cancelling

I couldn’t resist taking the buds out of my ears while listening to music during a long flight from Dubai to San Francisco. The crunchy guitars and layered vocals in Coldplay’s “Yellow” create a joyous listening experience. I then switched to “Kambakth Ishq” by Asha Bhosle, Sukhwinder Singh, and Sonu Nigam. The song has an energy of its own, and with Singh’s voice, you can really feel it – it just hits you. Then came Mohit Chauhan’s soulful voice in the alluring “Pehli Baar Mohabbat” from the movie Kaminey. That track features trademark Gulzar verses and Vishal Bhardwaj’s music.

he Buds 2a are so tiny that they barely feel like they are in my ears (Image: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

The Buds 2a produced solid separation between tones, with super-clear vocals, and handled complex tracks well. They sound fairly balanced and rounded, doing a good job with most music genres for general listening (you can tweak the sound profile with a five-band equaliser in the Pixel Buds app). In fact, the sound quality of the Pixel Buds 2a feels very similar to that of the Pixel Buds Pro 2, which makes sense, as both have the same 11mm drivers, the same redesigned acoustic chamber for improved treble performance, and the same Tensor G1 chip. Since audio quality is always subjective and depends on personal preference, I wouldn’t say whether the Buds 2a offer the best sound or not. I will leave that to you.

You can tweak the sound profile with a five-band equaliser in the app. (Screenshot: Pixel buds app)

When I put the Buds 2a with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) in my ears on an airplane, the hum of the engines was noticeably reduced. It was great. In contrast, when I used the Buds 2a while walking on the busy streets of San Francisco, the earbuds did cancel some noise but didn’t drown out everything. I could still hear the sound of cars passing by. While the Buds 2a’s noise cancellation is a step up, it doesn’t come close to the Buds Pro 2, and that’s where the difference between the two models becomes a huge leap in quality. Transparency mode is better than expected but I found AirPods 4’s transparent mode a bit more natural-sounding.

The Buds 2a offer up to seven hours on a single charge. It’s not going to be enough for a long-haul flight but the case provides additional hours of lift, bringing the total up to 29 hours with active noise canceling on and 27 with it off.

So, should you buy the Google Pixel Buds 2a?

The Buds 2a are designed to work seamlessly with Pixel phones (though they also work fine with iPhones), taking full advantage of the Android ecosystem and Pixel-exclusive features. Sure, the Buds 2a don’t have multiple drivers, the best noise cancellation, or high-resolution audio codecs like Sony’s LDAC, Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive, or Lossless. However, they have one major strength, great audio quality, and that’s the biggest takeaway I have had after reviewing them. The Buds 2a may lack the high-end features found in “Pro” models from Google and Apple, but you won’t really miss them. They pair instantly with Android phones, work well with Google Translate and Gemini AI, and offer an impressively comfortable fit.