Google Pixel Buds Pro Review: Just Get These! 

It feels like yesterday that we just lost the ability to use wired headphones. Now it’s simply feels normal to look for wireless earbuds.

I personally also love the Live Translate feature of the pixel buds pro. It's a niche feature but for those of us who will use it for travel or for business, its really nice.

This was honestly the most down-to-earth, classic MKBHD video I think i've seen in a long time. Felt like old times with this one. Thanks for the recommend!

The equalizer update was recently added. I like the multipoint setting also.

Really rare for Marques to instantly recommend something so early into the video. So getting the Pixel Buds Pro soon 🎵

Always a great review. 👍🏾 In regards to the swiping for volume...I found that with any ear buds to be able to reliably use gestures I would have to first put my thumb behind my earlobe this would completely stabilize my hand during and allowed me to perform any gesture (multi-taps, swiping, tap and hold) during any activity with complete accuracy everytime. I'm not sure why this isn't advertised as it really should be the way to use any earbuds gestures.

I got a Pixel 7 myself. I didn't like the pixel buds too much previously. After watching this video I decided to give them a try again. I was not disappointed. The multipoint is definitely my favourite feature.

Interesting, I found the touch volume controls working like magic for me sooooo smooth and spot on. Ignores accidental touches and always registers when I want to change the volume. Incredible.

I also found out through The Vergecast that the mic quality is also excellent on these especially for reducing background noise.

FOR THOSE WITH LOW VOLUME (like Marques says in his video): This is an issue with some buds on Android. To fix it, when sound is playing use the volume slider to lower the volume to 0% and then raise it to 100%. You should see that it's noticeably louder. Sometimes this sticks over multiple uses, other times you need to do it each time. Not a great solution but at least it works, and hopefully it gets patched soon.

Your intros always hit the beat just right it's so satisfying.

I absolutely love my Pixel 6 and can't wait to see what Google comes out with next. I got the normal Buds for free with my phone and only use them on occasion when out and about so they work great for me despite being imperfect.

Amazing vid! Love the consistent great content. WE LOVE YOU MARQUES!!!

I've been using the A-series that I got with my 6 Pro and wholly agree about the Assistant "superpower". Only just recently realized you can say "take a photo/selfie in X seconds" where X is anywhere from 3 to 30 and it will open the camera and set the countdown as you requested. I haven't had to take a group photo since learning of this but I imagine this will be much better than having to set it to 10 seconds, start it, and run back over to the group. I really like using it for home control too and it's pretty neat how when using the hotword my other Google Home devices wake then recognize I have the buds in and then go back to sleep as my buds respond. And when using the tap and hold it feels like magic at how quick it turns my lamp off or responds to a question after taking my finger off. Honestly would love to know how they manage to reproduce such low bass with such tiny drivers. They reproduce the low note in songs that I use to test the low end of speakers. But the original Google Home managed that as well so it seems they have some folks working on these products that really know how to get the most out of the speakers. I'd also recommend testing out their connection strength as I've been thoroughly impressed. I tried putting my phone on the opposite side of my apartment with a couple walls in between and they remained connected. Even putting my phone in my fridge didn't make them drop or stutter. The only thing that actually did the trick was putting my phone in my microwave, closing it, and then putting a wall between it. That's literally a faraday cage for 2.4GHz so I really expected just closing the door would be enough. Granted, it's an older one that came with the apartment so the shielding might not be as good as more modern ones. Honestly if they could make ones that had user replaceable batteries I don't think I'd have any qualms about wireless earbuds anymore. It definitely feels like "the future" to have tiny little devices in my ears that transform rapidly flashing light I can't see into my favorite music. But that feeling is a bit soured by the fact that some day they're gonna stop holding a charge and I'll have to buy new ones and figure out Google's recycling program.

I wanted these already, but I'm glad to see that you're recommending them as well. Look forward to seeing your thoughts on the upcoming watch and tablet when you can get them in hand.

I love this review, you nailed every feature and everything I was looking for in this review. great job! subscribed too 😁

You're the man. You always save me tons of research but with headphones I'm super picky. Hearing your intro just put my mind at ease. Now to finish the video and keep the algorithm happy.

I think the reason why volume threshold is raised with these buds is simply because of the bigger driver (also why there is more base). More powerful driver, more impedance, and usually this means it requires more power to drive (lower sensitivity). But this is actually a good thing with bluetooth buds. Often times, in order to conserve space, they opt for a smaller, less demanding driver (usually 6 mm or so) which is usually much more sensitive since it requires less power from the amp. This is why on more budget earbuds you get a lot of hiss when there is no playback, because the noisefloor is raised due to the heightened sensitivity (low impedance) and also because cheaper dacs/amps are being used.

Hey Marques. Love your videos. Appreciate what you do and you are one of the people I look up to. I love tech and I love the way you present it, continue doing what you do. We appreciate you.

MKB was waiting to see what everyone thought about these so appreciate that you reviewed them. Thanks so much for sharing ✌️💯

Would have loved to hear more details about whether it's worth using on iOS devices and what you lose/gain by using the "official" bud on each platform.

My biggest gripe with PBP is they fall out too easily, sometimes even just around the house. I've had no problem with the volume adjustment swipe gesture. It's actually very forgiving. Maybe Google updated it sometime after this review was posted?

Been waiting for this! Thank you!

Good review, interesting point about buds being different for everyone. I use my Pixel Buds April in for gym and running without any problems. Keep the great videos coming. 😀

Microphone quality is where most of these things fall behind. Looking forward to actual tests of these vs competition.

Finally, the competition we've all been waiting for between Apple and Google! If there wasn't already enough lol... Thanks for showing us how much the "Pixel" name has excelled!

Weird that I started following you since March 21st 2008 Amazing difference in the quality of your videos, keep doing the good work.

I've never really had issues with the touch controls on these. Swiping for volume on the buds themselves is so nice

I love mine, I only miss the wingtip of the last style, I find myself adjusting them constantly

These improve in the areas I wanted most over the A-series I was using before, primarily battery life. I rarely use ANC so having 11 hours of non-ANC battery life means I can comfortably use them all workday and not worry about battery life.

Each intro gives a damn cool vibe , keep these fired up ⬆️

I got LG Tone Free Lp8 and I think they're worth a review, a lot of reviewers were comparing them to AIrpods Pro and I'm more than happy with how they sound and the diversity of the app. Also they fit well.🎧

Great review. Love when companies make useful, sensible and pragmatic upgrades.

Finally, I've been waiting for this review. The battery life and sound quality on the Galaxy buds + has kept me satisfied. Definitely won't step down to less than the same 11 hrs of battery life (even if others may sound better). And I use a pixel so this should naturally be the next pair I buy right?

Thanks, I watched this video this morning and it confirmed it for me. We can't get these off the shelf here in NZ but was it worth hunting down a parellel importer for the one set no color choice in stock? Hell yes. I love these things!!

I'm gonna have to try these pixel buds out.

I upgraded from the samsung galaxy buds pro to these a few weeks back and have been loving them! The fit and sound for me are next level. This review nailed it. Would add a couple of extra points. 1. The ear seal check feature is dope. Guess my right ear is slightly bigger than my left. Had no idea but this feature let me choose the right tips for the best seal. 2. If you are on Android there is an app called Wavelet that is a system wide eq . It's amazing! I'm sure they will release a custom EQ setting for the Pixel Buds Pro but in the meantime I've using the Pixel Buds 2020 one for the Pixel Buds A series and it sounds pretty, pretty good.

When you mentioned the tap to google assistant feature, I thought of an interesting idea. Tap the buds to open nearest light. If you have a light switch connected to google home it will turn on/off light in the room you're in

I've been using the Skullcandy Push Actives for a few months now, will say they're pretty good with base and do stick in my ears pretty well. Still thinking of getting these though, I want a bit of an upgrade to audio and the noise cancelling on the push actives is rather dull, not to mention the transparency mode. Just gotta reason with myself whether I actually want to spend 200 bucks on a pair of earbuds lol.

I was really looking forward to this review having the Google pixel 6 I thought these would work great. Unfortunately I'm not confident in the volume area as I use my earbuds a lot for travel where using the extra volume is needed. But I think I'll keep my jabra elite 85t. Highly recommend these buds, only thing is they do get a little sore after a few hours of wearing. But I think this is an issue with all earbuds.

I would love to have an EQ setting that makes the buds be as close to studio reference as they can make them. That's the kind of sound I like.

Amazes me after all these years his editing and presenting keeps improving.

Awesome video! Thanks, Marques.

Couldn't agree more on the old wing tips and the pressure point after extended use!

The biggest restriction for me when it comes to buying earbuds is battery life. I wear 1 earbud (and occasionally the 2nd) basically my entire 9+ hour workday 5 days a week for listening to music/audiobooks/RU-vid and for taking calls and joining meetings. Comfort is also a concern, but I haven't had much issue with most of the earbuds I've owned. I'm using the Creative Outlier Pro's and Galaxy Buds+ right now because they both ACTUALLY give the 10+ hour battery life they're rated for, although neither sound particularly good. The Outlier Pro's actually sound almost bad stock but after some heavy EQ they're fine. Also they can reproduce wild amounts of sub-bass (when desired) with basically zero distortion which I love. The Pixel Buds Pro's seem to have all the features I like about both my current earbuds but with better sound and even more features. I'll def give them a try for $175.

Disabling the Absolute Volume setting may allow the volume to be a lot louder. It allows independent volume on both the device and the Pixel Buds Pro. When my Airpods were connected to my Pixel 3a, they'd always sound really quiet, but the Absolute Volume fixed that.

Waiting for apple event video for hours now... hope you are planning to put one. Your video is the pulse check for me to decide what to and what not to order.

I love how you got into this video. Thank you. If I was busy I would have listened to the first minutes then played the video in the background so you get your watchtime. Insta like!

It would be awesome to see a review of all the mainstream ANC buds, like the AirPods Pro, Sony Wf XM4, Sonky linkbuds S, Samsung galaxy buds pro 2, beats, etc.

I already love my buds A - I use them for just working out/soccer, I have nicer headphones for when I actually can sit down and listen or for commutes. But these look like a good upgrade whenever my buds A fail, they're going strong so far!

Loved the direct reveal in the start. Please provide topic timestamps!

I've been using my pixel buds a series for over a year now and will be upgrading to the pixel buds pro tomorrow, been need a pair of anc earbuds for a while now

The fact we are waiting on a future software update and Marques is still recommending them is huge. Love mine quickly put the Samsung buds on the back burner for a set of these.

Keep up the great work MKBHD!

Your scripts are great from a video standpoint. Love it.

Already have had them for a while and they are great, even with an iPhone, loosing the “hey Siri” or announcing texts etc. still very much worth it

Transparency mode is a must have features which should enable you to switch on to hear your surroundings. And the EQ features should be a must have feature too. I like the fact that you can get seven hours of play time (it should be enough).

Hey. A Great Review yet again! Nothing more music to ears than hearing good things about Pixel through a Pixel phone ;) Small Query though: How good is ANC when it comes to call quality, voice reception, mic etc. I find Airpods Pro working the best in that area. Hoping Pixel Buds Pro come close?

3:56 bezels so bad, bro had to turn the monitor around💀

When I first got these buds and paired them to my phone, the sound quality was really bad, it was very tinny. But then I updated the firmware and they sound much better. Another point is the way they are wingless. At the very start, I had a hard time getting these in and out of the case and in my ears. But I've adapted to the shape of the buds and it's completely normal for me now. Swiping to change audio works reasonably well. Sometimes it will register my swipe as a tap, pausing my music. Quick tip: you don't need to swipe all the way from the edges of the buds, you can start a swipe from the middle.

Hey Marques, I know you and you're team are busy and. a full agenda, but if you do an explained! for web browsers, it would certainly peak pp's interest . What goes on under the hood, which ware better fro videos, which are better for games and such...Keep making them videos, I fell in love w your style on google pixel 1 review, subscribed ever since

After spending two weeks with the Pixel Buds Pro, I agree with everything Marques covered in this review. They are fantastic earbuds...slightly better than the Airpods Pro 1st Gen IMO. Pair perfectly with the Pixel 6 Pro and seamlessly switch to my MacBook Pro and back depending on what device I'm active on - this would have to be their best feature outside of audio quality!

5:20 I had the exact same issue the first 2 days I used them. These work similar to Sony headphones where there's both the headphones volume and then the phone's volume. You've got to swipe forward to raise the volume on the buds.

@Marques Brownlee - a lot of earbud features you addressed are dealt with by the new Oldadance Open Wearable Stereo (OWS) 'buds' I've just received. The OWS have 16.5mm drivers & the 'wear all day' comfort level has been really good in the short time since I got mine.

Marques (and all Android users): There's a great free app called Wavelet that enables an OS-wide EQ (which auto-switches depending on the active audio device) as well as other audio effects, I highly recommend it. I especially like the "channel balance" feature for making things sound centered when one of my ears is clogged.

Had the OG 2020s and I've only gone for the new ones because I've lost my charging case for my old ones😭 But I have to say, these new ones are a big improvement on the a already great originals. Better sound. More comfortable. Incredible battery life. Feels like a genuine upgrade.

Hey Marques! Really great review. Would you also do a comparison with the AirPods Pro, just to know if these would also appeal to iOS / multiplatform users?

Jaybird Vista 2 are my current headphones and I swear by those - everything the pixel buds have with all the EQ already in place and wing tips that have never agitated me even close to 8 hours use in one day 🤟🤟

Thank you - getting this right now

I really like the design, sound and battery life of these ear buds but getting the proper fit has been a pain. They stay in fine but they feel like they'll fall out easier than they should. And I didn't hear anything about the ANC but I feel like mine let in more sound then I'd like.

Great review as always but I hard disagree on the latency. I have really bad lag on videos and gaming. Tried switching codecs and no improvement. I know a lot of others also have this issue.

Any chance you could do a follow up review and test out Live Translate? That's definitely the coolest feature in my opinion, was really hoping to see how good it works.

2:20 the Sony what? they seriously need better naming

I just picked up a charcoal black pair a few days ago and love them, you pretty much nailed it with all of the good things and the few drawbacks, they could get a bit louder, but they are loud enough. Not having any lag in the Bluetooth signal is money, I always ran into that with Samsung buds. And the transparency feature could be a little better, but I think these are things that can be fixed with firmware updates. None of them are showstoppers, these are good out of the box. I bought them for the tight integration with Google Assistant, I use it all the time, for nearly everything. Turning on lights, dimming lights, turning off my air conditioner, if I want to hear a verse on a song again, I'll tell it to skip back 45 seconds etc. Google Assistant has gotten so intelligent and useful, that it really is like having a supercomputer at your fingertips, or in this case in your ear. I signed up to be a beta tester for Lambda, can't wait to get my hands on that!. To be able to do all this hands-free without touching your phone while you're say doing work in the yard, is really beautiful. I paired these with the Pixel 6 Pro, so with the Tensor chip, and these headphones ability to pick up your voice, voice translation is deadly accurate. I'm dictating this comment right now as I drive. Google did a really good job.

If you can get hold of them I'd love to see a review of the new Huawei Freebuds Pro 2! Loving mine. Massive leap over the originals.

Thanks a lot for the info!

I currently use the Pixel Buds Series A. Love the fit of them, especially with the Wing Tip. The only Buds I love more are the Bose QuietComfort. The only reason I have these ones are because they don't have a Master Bud that needs to be out all of the time. Was hoping the newest version of the Pixel Buds would be similar to the Series A with a better battery, EQ settings and wireless charging. I'm bummed that the wing tips are gone. Would love to upgrade to get more than 4 hours of play time, but not sure if I'm ready to give up the wing tips.

Marques, I loved the whole review but I'm curious as to how the microphone quality is on the Pixel Buds Pro? I attend calls using my earbuds and in some cases I'm outside or on the subway and public places so was just wondering how good may the microphone quality be?

As usual, great review.

Got mine thanks to your review sir 👍

Personally I've had the buds and buds+ from the last gen and they'll hold me over until I lose them or another dog gets to one that falls out of my pocket. Cool to see these improving since the first gen!

I haven't used them but I like the fact that they have low volume because the lowest end of a lot of ear pieces/headphones/bt speakers is still too high sometimes for maybe falling asleep, etc. So that's a plus for me that the bottom half of the volume slider is actually pretty low volume.

Great Video Marquis.

Wavelet is a really good eq. Remembers different settings for different audio devices.

How do these stack up against Sony’s XM4s or AirPods Pro in things like sound, ANC, microphone, features etc.? Would’ve been good to see some of that

I loved the Pixel Buds 2020, they're the perfect earbuds except for the connection problems but besides that damn, they had the perfect combo of features not seen in any other earbuds. If these can fix that, they would be the best eaurbuds on Earth.

If you end up trying the Comply tips for them, could you potentially do a Short on what you think of those as well?

One of the main things I'm curious about for most ANC headphones is how different or consistent is the sound when ANC is on or off. I've tried headphones in the store that have sounded like different audio devices with ANC switch on or off and it's almost never mentioned in these reviews. Personally I don't care much about ANC, I use headphones for sound quality & comfort mostly, not blocking out sound, and ANC adds a lot to the price.

Just a friendly reminder for all of us Android users. When using a Bluetooth device (especially one that supports LDAC). Make sure that you go into dev settings and match the sample rate and bits per sample to your source material (which is often 44.1/16 when streaming). The default is set to maximum values which you do not always want. Some people call Sony headphones too bass-heavy, this fixes it.

I absolutely love mine. I did find that the volume was fine, but then I mostly listen to podcasts and not much music.

one work around for the volume issue is using google assistant "volume up" or "down" to adjust. This is what i use for my Razer Anzu that doesn't have volume buttons

Mines literally arrived Yesterday here in Ireland. And they are Great!! No Regrets so far!

Can't wait for the Spatial Audio, Adaptive Sound, and the Volume EQ update hopefully all coming by the end of this year 🤞

I purchased these about a month and a half ago, and haven't been too happy with them tbh. They are my first pare of wireless earbuds. At fully charged, music often cuts out for a couple seconds, especially while exercising.

great reviews dude.

I bought these without hesitation when they dropped and I absolutely love them. I had purchased the original Pixel Buds with the wingtips and I unfortunately had to return them because they were uncomfortable and painful. The new buds without the wingtips are great, and stay in my ear securely. I alternate between these and the OnePlus Buds Pro, though these have way better sound.

My go to buds are still the Liberty 3 Pro from Soundcore. Excellent sound and amazing value.

Excellent review ! I will now purchase to compliment my new Pixel 7 phone. Well done

I love my Raycons for comfort more than any other, and especially now that they have the customizable wing tips.

Just got my Pixel 7 last week and the buds pro bundled for free. Fantastic combination!! The ecosystem really gives that super power feeling, like the Apple guys