Google Pixel Buds A-Series Truly Wireless  Headphones Review

The Google Pixel Buds A-Series look very similar to the Google Pixel Buds 2020 Truly Wireless with a round, minimalist look. There's a small brand logo embossed on the outward-facing side. They come in several color variants: 'Clearly White', 'Sea', 'Charcoal', and 'Dark Olive'.

The Google Pixel Buds A have a comfortable fit. They're lightweight and don't put pressure on the inside of your ears. Registering controls doesn't push them deeper into your ear, either.

These headphones have middling controls. They're responsive and easy to use, as both earbuds have the same controls.

• Tap once: Plays or pauses audio.
• Tap twice: Skips to the next track.
• Tap three times: Skips to the previous track.
• Touch and hold: Activates voice assistant.

Unfortunately, unlike the Google Pixel Buds 2020 Truly Wireless, they don't have volume controls. There are only beeps when you've registered a command, and it may be hard to know which control you've triggered.

The Google Pixel Buds A-Series have outstanding breathability. Thanks to their in-ear design, they don't cover your outer ear or trap in much heat. You can wear them for long periods without noticing a temperature difference.

These headphones are very portable. They're small and can easily fit into most pockets or bags without an issue.

The case is great. It's very small and lightweight. There's a light outside the case to indicate its remaining charge and another light inside the case for the earbuds. However, unlike the Google Pixel Buds 2020 Truly Wireless, it doesn't support wireless charging.

The Google Pixel Buds A-Series have a good build quality. They're mostly made of plastic and silicone, which are good quality. They also seem like they'll survive a few accidental drops without taking too much damage. Their IPX4 rating for water resistance also means they're certified to withstand some light water splashes. However, the ear tips seem like a potential weak point, as they may rip over time.

They have good stability. It's possible to create a good seal, but depending on your ear shape, you may not get the same fit in each ear. Their ear wings are quite small, and you may have trouble securing them. As a result, the buds can move around or pop out during moderate physical activity. Changing the ear tips doesn't improve their stability performance that much, either. On the upside, it won't be too much of a problem if you're listening to audio at your desk.

• Google Pixel Buds A-Series
• 3x ear tips
• Charging case
• USB-A to USB-C charging cable
• Manuals

The Google Pixel Buds A-Series have a somewhat neutral sound profile. Vocals and lead instruments are present, accurate, and clear. However, they lack a thumpy, boomy bass, which is disappointing for fans of bass-heavy genres like EDM and hip-hop. While these headphones lack more robust sound customization features, they have a 'Bass Boost' EQ that can help add more punch and rumble to your mixes.

Note: Some users have reported that their headphones are very quiet, even when the volume is raised, regardless of which device you're connected to. While we didn't experience this issue, there have been discussions on how to fix the issue on the Google Pixel Buds Help Community forums. Some users have suggested turning off 'Absolute Volume' in the developer options on some Android devices. However, we don't recommend enabling the 'Developer Options' feature for most users. If you've experienced this issue, please let us know in the forums.

While they deliver bass very consistently, they're somewhat prone to inconsistencies in treble delivery. However, once you achieve a proper fit and positioning with the included ear tips, you'll get a more consistent sound.

The bass accuracy is okay. It's underemphasized across the entire range, so your mixes lack thump, rumble, and boom.

The mid accuracy is outstanding. The range is fairly flat and neutral. Vocals and lead instruments are clear and present, especially in vocal-forward tracks like Joni Mitchell's Blue. However, the small dip in the mid to high-mid slightly weakens these instruments and nudges them to the back of the mix.

The treble accuracy is very good. The low-treble is fairly flat, resulting in present and detailed vocals and lead instruments. However, the mid-treble is slightly underemphasized, so sibilants like cymbals are a bit dull.

The peaks and dips performance is very good, so they can control their sound profile well. An uneven low-bass indicates alternating amounts of thump and rumble, while a dip in the high-bass reduces the warmth in mixes. A bump in the low-mid can muddy vocals and lead instruments, while another peak in the low-treble can make their upper harmonics harsh. An uneven mid-treble can make sibilants like cymbals alternatingly dull and piercing.

Most Google headphones we've tested have very good imaging, indicating the brand's good quality control and ergonomics. The Google Buds A-Series have decent performance in this regard. The weighted group delay falls below the audibility threshold, resulting in tight bass and transparent treble reproduction. The L/R drivers are well-matched in amplitude and frequency response, resulting in the accurate placement of objects like footsteps in the stereo image. However, in the phase response, there are a couple of peaks in the treble range, and sound seems like it's coming from the right side. It's hard to hear with real-life content, though. Note that imaging varies between units, and yours may perform differently.

The Google Buds A-Series have a bad passive soundstage, which is normal for in-ears. Since their design completely bypasses your outer ear, sound is perceived as coming from inside your head rather than from speakers around you. It doesn't sound very spacious either, although it seems open.

The weighted harmonic distortion performance is great. There are a couple of peaks in the treble range at moderate and high volumes. However, this can be hard to hear with real-life content. Most frequencies fall within good limits, resulting in fairly clear and pure audio reproduction.

These are the settings used to test these headphones. Our results are only valid when used in this configuration.

The Google Pixel Buds A-Series have poor noise isolation. They don't have an active noise cancellation (ANC) feature like the more premium Google Pixel Buds Pro Truly Wireless, and they can only passively block out some background noises. Bass-range noise like the low hum of a bus or plane engine is audible, and these headphones also struggle to reduce mid-range noise like office chatter. They do a better job of cutting down the high-pitched hum of an AC unit.

The leakage performance is decent. Much of the leakage is concentrated in the mid to treble range, which sounds thin and harsh. Still, if you're listening to audio at a high volume, you won't disturb others around you in a moderately noisy environment like an office.

The integrated mic's recording quality is satisfactory. Your voice sounds somewhat natural but thin and lacking depth. You won't have too many problems being understood by whoever's on the other end.

The mic's noise handling performance is mediocre. The mic struggles to separate your voice from moderate ambient noise, like a busy street. If you have an important call, it's best to take it in a quieter environment.

Their battery performance is sub-par. The manufacturer advertises them to last five hours continuously. While we measured slightly more than that, it's still insufficient to get you through your workday. There aren't any power-saving features to help extend their battery life, either. That said, battery life can vary depending on usage, though. Their carrying case also holds roughly 3.8 extra charges to help recharge on the go.

The Google Pixel Buds app is okay. It's only available on Android devices. You can find your buds if you've lost them, adjust the touch controls, and check the battery levels for the buds and the case. A 'Bass Boost' feature also improves their bass reproduction. You can toggle the 'Adaptive Sound' feature on or off, too, which allows the buds to optimize the volume based on noise around you.

These in-ears have satisfactory Bluetooth connectivity. While they don't support NFC or multi-device pairing, they have Android quick-pairing, which makes it very easy to switch between devices. They also have low latency on iOS and Android devices, making them well-suited for streaming video on mobile devices. However, they have higher latency on PCs, so you may notice that your audio and visuals are out of sync. That said, some apps and devices compensate for latency differently.

Note: Some users have reported that their unit's audio cuts out. While we didn't experience this issue with our model, please let us know in the forums if you have.

You can't use them wired. Their USB-A to USB-C cable is to charge their carrying case.

They're fully compatible with Bluetooth-enabled PCs. However, you can't connect them to PCs any other way.

These headphones come with a small charging case. It only has a USB-C port to charge it, and the case holds roughly 3.8 additional charges. Unfortunately, unlike the Google Pixel Buds 2020 Truly Wireless, it doesn't support wireless charging.