Technologies
Google Pixel Buds 2A Review: A Sound Choice for Pixel Users
The $129 Pixel Buds 2A don’t seem to vary much from Google’s flagship Pixel Buds Pro 2, but there are some key differences. Are they a good deal?
Our Experts
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Pros
- Lightweight design with comfortable, secure fit
- $100 less (list price) than Pixel Buds Pro 2, they feature the same strong sound quality and look the same in your ears
- Smaller charging case with solid build quality and a replaceable battery
- Decent noise canceling
Cons
- Not everybody will get a tight seal with the included ear tips
- Missing some features found in the Pixel Buds Pro 2 and performance is a step behind
- Though mostly appealing, they don’t necessarily rise above the competition in this price range
Like Samsung’s “fan-edition” FE products, Google’s A series models are more budget-friendly, leaving off a few features and a premium design element or two while not delivering quite the performance.Â
Case in point:Â Google’s Pixel Buds 2A ($129, ÂŁ129, AU$239), which are essentially a “light” version of Google’s excellent flagship Pixel Buds Pro 2 ($229). They look pretty similar to their step-up sibling and serve up very similar sound quality, but they look and feel a tad cheaper and don’t offer the same noise-canceling or voice-calling performance.Â
Many people may find the trade-offs are worth the savings, but I can’t tell you that the Pixel Buds 2A, while appealing earbuds overall, truly rise above the competition in this price range.Â
Read more:Â Best Wireless Earbuds of 2025
Google says the Pixel Buds 2A’s design was “inspired” by the Pixel Buds Pro 2’s design, and at first glance, I had a tough time figuring out what’s different about them.Â
While the Pixel Buds 2A are also powered by Google’s Tensor A1 chip, they’re missing a microphone in each bud (they have two mics per bud while the Buds Pro 2 have three). The Buds 2A also leave out wireless charging, a voice accelerometer, head tracking for spatial audio and a ringtone speaker in the case for Find My Device. They do add the ability to replace the battery in their charging case — and that new charging case is smaller than the Pixel Buds Pro 2’s case.
Though the Buds 2A weigh exactly the same as the Buds Pro 2 (4.7 grams) and also have 11mm drivers, their battery life is rated for an hour less — seven hours instead of eight with noise canceling on. They also feature Silent Seal 1.5 for noise canceling instead of Silent Seal 2.0, which presumably means their noise canceling isn’t quite as good.Â
Here’s a full list of the differences between the two earbuds that I found.
How the Google Pixel Buds 2A are different from the Pixel Buds Pro 2
- Two microphones per bud instead of three
- No wireless charging (there is a ringtone speaker in the case for Find Hub)
- No voice accelerometer to help detect when you’re talking
- No Conversation Detection feature that automatically lowers volume when you speak and activates transparency mode so you can have a conversationÂ
- No motion-detecting accelerometer and gyroscope (no head tracking for spatial audio)
- Silent Seal 1.5 for noise canceling instead of Silent Seal 2.0
- Up to seven hours of battery life instead of eight (with noise canceling on)
- The charging case is about 20% smaller, weighing 47.6 grams (with earbuds inside) instead of 65 grams
- Made out of 41% recycled materials instead of 24%
Similar fit and same eartips as the Pixel Buds Pro 2
The two models fit similarly, with a stability wing on each bud and a twist-to-fit design. The buds are lightweight and compact, and should fit most ears well. But I did have some trouble getting a tight seal with the Buds Pro 2’s included eartips (I ended up using my own tips), and the same thing happened with the Buds 2A.Â
The shape of the included eartips is a little too conical for my ears, and the lack of a good seal affected both sound quality and noise-canceling performance.
Since I review a lot of earbuds, I have dozens of eartips sitting around, and I was able to find a set that got me a tight seal. I should point out that the post or nozzle on the buds is pretty wide, so only a limited number of eartips from my collection fit on the buds. But once I got the right tips on, the buds stayed in my ears securely, and I was able to run with them without a problem. They’re IP54 splash-proof and dust-resistant.
Pixel Buds 2A’s sound is a strong point
To my ears, the sound quality of the Pixel Buds 2A and Pixel Buds Pro 2 seems very similar, which should be the case since they both have the same 11mm drivers, the same redesigned acoustic chamber for improved treble performance and the same Tensor A1 chip.
I’ve been using Spotify’s new “lossless” audio streaming quality for playback and was generally impressed with the sound quality. The sound is relatively open and well-balanced, with the bass and treble accentuated only slightly, while the mids are only a touch recessed. (You can tweak the profile with a five-band equalizer in the Pixel Buds app.) The buds sound pretty dynamic, with good energy in the bass and some sizzle in the treble.
I thought the Pixel Buds 2A could sound slightly more refined and accurate, but they’re not boring to listen to, and their sound should appeal to most people. Also, I mostly avoided any listening fatigue over longer listening sessions.
That said, when I compared their sound to that of Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 3 FE, which retail for $150, I slightly preferred the sound of the latter. Their sound is slightly cleaner, smoother and more even-keeled — and slightly mellower overall. The Galaxy Buds 3 FE have a single 11mm dynamic driver, while the step-up Galaxy Buds 3 Pro have a 10.5mm dynamic driver paired with a 6.5mm planar magnetic. Samsung’s done a good job tuning the Buds 3 FE.
While some people faulted the Pixel Buds Pro 2 for not supporting so-called high-resolution audio codecs like Sony’s LDAC and Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive or Lossless (LDAC is more widely supported by Android phones), and the Pixel Buds 2A don’t support those codecs either, I don’t think it’s a big deal. We’re not exactly dealing with high-end equipment here that might allow you to hear a difference. Some people may feel differently, but I think the AAC codec is just fine. Â Â
Noise canceling is good, but not top-notch
As I said earlier, if you don’t get a tight seal, noise-canceling performance will be affected. We have a major HVAC unit running in our offices, pumping out air conditioning, and the Pixel Buds Pro 2 were able to almost completely muffle the unit’s sound. The Pixel Buds 2A also did a good job muffling the low rumble of the unit, but I definitely noticed that the Pixel Buds 2A didn’t reduce as much of the noise. The same was true outdoors on the streets of New York, with a wider range of frequencies.Â
There wasn’t a huge difference between the Buds 2A and Bud Pro 2, but the Buds Pro 2 were a little more effective at muffling the sound around me. I used the same eartips with both buds.Â
Particularly in the streets of New York, the noise-muffling capabilities of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) and Apple AirPods Pro 3Â were a level up from both the Buds 2 Pro and Buds 2A in their noise canceling.
The AirPods Pro 3’s transparency mode is also a tad more natural-sounding and the current gold standard for transparency. But Pixel Buds 2A’s transparency mode is respectable.Â
Voice-calling performance falls a little short
Apparently, having one less microphone and no voice accelerometer to help detect when you’re talking does have an impact on voice-calling performance. From my torture tests in the noisy streets of New York, it doesn’t appear to be as good as what you get with the Pixel Buds Pro 2, though it should be noted that to get optimal voice-calling performance, you need to use one of the newer Pixel phones to take advantage of the Super Wideband and Clear Calling features.
Callers did tell me that traffic noise was basically eliminated, but they could hear people’s voices in the background, and my voice warbled occasionally. They could also hear some wind noise, even though the microphones have a mesh covering them that’s supposed to help cut down wind noise. Â
Final thoughts on the Google Pixel Buds 2A
Aside from my inability to get a tight seal from the included earbuds, I don’t have any major gripes with the Pixel Buds 2A. I liked how they sounded and felt in my ears once I got some tips that fit. While they look and feel a tad cheaper than the Pixel Buds Pro 2 and are missing some of those buds’ features, they look very similar and have a smaller charging case with a replaceable battery and slightly larger stability wings that should help you get a secure fit. They also have Google’s hands-free Gemini voice assistant, stereo spatial audio and multipoint Bluetooth pairing.
How good a value they end up being will largely depend on their street price. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 list for $229 but generally sell for around $190 and are currently $169 for Prime Day. They seem to have followed the street pricing of Apple’s AirPods Pro 2, since they were essentially Google’s answer to the AirPods Pro 2 when they shipped in September 2024. (It’s unclear when the newer AirPods Pro 3’s price will dip below $200.)
Given the past pricing history of Google earbuds, including the previous Pixel Buds A-Series, which didn’t have active noise canceling and were listed for $100 but typically sold for around $80 or less, one would look to buy the Pixel Buds 2A at closer to $100.Â
While they don’t clearly rise above the competition in this price range, and I slightly prefer Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 3 FE, they’re mostly appealing earbuds for Android users — and Pixel users in particular — that will be even more enticing when they’re $20 to $30 less.    Â
Google Pixel Buds 2A key specs
- IP54 dust-resistant and splash proof (case is IPX4 splash proof)
- Weight: 4.7 grams per bud
- Bluetooth 5.4
- Google Tensor A1
- Custom-designed 11mm dynamic speaker driver
- Active noise cancellation with Silent Seal 1.5
- Transparency mode
- Active in-ear pressure relief
- Bluetooth Super Wideband
- Battery life: Up to 7 hours with noise canceling on, with an additional 20 hours in the caseÂ
- Battery in charging case is replaceable
- Clear Calling
- Wind-blocking mesh covers
- Two microphones per bud
- Hands-free Gemini voice assistant
- Capacitive touch (tap) sensors for music, calls and voice-assistant controls
- IR proximity sensor for in-ear detection to play and pause automatically
- Hall Effect sensor for case open and close detection
- Ringtone speaker in the case for Find Hub
- USB-C charging
- Colors: iris (purple) and hazel (black)
- Price: $129, ÂŁ129, AU$239
Technologies
Trump Maintains US‑Iran Negotiations Continue Amid Tehran’s Denials of Duplicity
President Trump insists that US‑Iran talks are ongoing despite Tehran’s denial of any negotiation plans, while warning that only a deal or total surrender will allow passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Conflicting statements from both sides have heightened uncertainty as the conflict enters its sixth month.
On Monday, President Donald Trump asserted that negotiations between the United States and Iran are still taking place, even after Tehran stated it has no intention of engaging in direct talks with Washington.
In a fiery Truth Social post, Trump labeled Iran’s leaders “unbelievably duplicitous,” claiming they are lying about ongoing peace talks “whether Iran wants to admit it or not.” He repeated his assertion that the United States completely controls the Strait of Hormuz, despite maritime traffic through the crucial route lingering at only a small fraction of pre‑conflict levels.
He wrote, “Nothing reaches Iran unless we allow it, and nothing will pass unless a deal—or total surrender—is achieved.”
Earlier that day, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters there is no imminent plan for U.S.–Iran negotiations, contradicting Trump’s earlier comment that talks would resume Monday afternoon. Baghaei added that Iran’s only current discussions are with Oman concerning the Strait of Hormuz.
The conflicting statements have heightened uncertainty over the peace‑talk process and the broader conflict, now in its sixth month.
Trump’s assertion about new negotiations came a day after he said on Truth Social that he had agreed to cancel a massive strike against Iran “subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL.” He said in the same post that Iran and other Middle Eastern countries had asked him to hold off on that attack because “the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.”
Trump has claimed dozens of times throughout the more‑than‑five‑month‑long war that a deal is at hand. No permanent deal has been signed, and a temporary ceasefire reached in June has fallen apart.
Trump has also repeatedly threatened to launch devastating strikes against Iran before backing off. After the latest example, oil prices on Monday fell and stocks surged.
BMI, a research unit of Fitch Solutions, said in a note Monday that a broader diplomatic understanding on reopening the Strait of Hormuz is still achievable this quarter, while raising the probability of its escalation scenario to 35% from 25%, citing mounting military, diplomatic and economic signs of rising U.S.-Iran tensions.
“Diplomatic progress is likely to be punctuated by periodic military flare-ups, while miscalculation by either side could trigger a renewed escalation,” BMI analysts wrote in a note. The firm said the key issue to watch is the future governance of the strait, as the Iran-Oman talks — potentially backed by Gulf states, China and the U.S. — point to efforts to build a post-conflict shipping framework.
Shipping risks persist even as diplomacy appears to be advancing. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said it received a report of an incident 20 nautical miles (23 miles) northeast of Khasab, Oman — at the mouth of the strait — with a tanker’s master reporting an explosion in close proximity to the vessel at about 20:37 UTC Sunday (4:37 pm ET). The vessel and crew were safe and authorities are investigating, UKMTO said, advising ships to transit with caution.
The proposal Trump announced over the weekend calls for the U.S. and Iran to return to negotiations and continue ironing out some of the thorny issues that had derailed diplomatic efforts, according to The Associated Press, citing a regional official involved in the mediation efforts.
The official said the proposal also includes a reopening of the Hormuz Strait and halting attacks across the region, including by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq on the Arab Gulf countries and Jordan.
The U.S., for its part, will end its naval blockade on Iran and allow Tehran to export its oil, the official said, adding that no deal has been reached, although the mediation efforts remained underway.
Trump’s weekend reversal has lowered the temperature after days of escalating attacks across the Gulf. Kuwait said Saturday that Iranian forces launched a wave of drones within its airspace, with its military destroying multiple aircraft after Iran targeted critical infrastructure in the country’s north.
A parallel track with Muscat is also advancing. Iranian diplomats said Tehran was close to reaching a new arrangement with Oman to manage shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a deal critical to preventing the war from escalating further, according to the Financial Times.
Iranian officials said negotiations over future management of the Hormuz Strait with Oman, which sits on the opposite shore of the waterway, are in their final stages. The agreed shipping route would be different from those used before, according to Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Baghaei, adding that the new route was separate from the issue of the strait’s reopening or continued closure.
Technologies
Oil Prices Slide as Trump Halts Planned Iran Strike
Oil prices dropped after Trump cancelled a planned strike on Iran, with WTI down about 5% and Brent near 5% lower. He said the move followed requests from Tehran and regional allies for a pause while a deal shaping the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program is negotiated.
Oil prices fell on Monday after President Donald Trump announced he had cancelled a planned strike on Iran. WTI futures dropped roughly 5% to $80.34 a barrel, while Brent slipped about 4.7% to $83.77 a barrel.
Trump said early Sunday he called off the strike after Iran and several Middle Eastern nations asked him to hold off, noting that the outlines of a deal had been agreed upon. He added that the prospective accord would entail the immediate, full opening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, according to his Truth Social post.
The president had been considering another round of strikes as diplomatic hopes waned since the conflict began on February 28. He said the U.S. and Iran would meet for talks on Monday, but Iran denied any scheduled negotiations with Washington, citing PressTV. Iran’s foreign‑ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei clarified that Tehran was only discussing shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz with Oman. In a follow‑up Truth Social message, Trump insisted that, regardless of Iran’s acknowledgment, the United States is indeed discussing a solution to a long‑standing problem created by Iran.
Technologies
Oil Prices Drop as Trump Cancels Planned Attack on Iran
Oil prices fell sharply after President Trump announced the cancellation of a planned strike on Iran, citing a new deal that would open the Hormuz Strait and end Iran’s nuclear threat.
Oil prices fell sharply on Monday after President Donald Trump announced that he had called off a planned strike on Iran.
West Texas Intermediate futures, the U.S. benchmark, slipped roughly 5% to close at $80.34 per barrel, while Brent crude, the international benchmark, declined 4.7% to settle at $83.77 a barrel.
Trump made the announcement early Sunday, saying he had canceled the strike following requests from Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries.
In a Truth Social post, he wrote: “We have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.”
The president indicated that the proposed agreement would include the immediate, complete, and total opening of the Hormuz Strait, as well as an end to Iran’s nuclear threat.
Trump had been weighing additional strikes amid diminishing prospects for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict that began on Feb. 28. He stated that the U.S. and Iran would hold negotiations on Monday.
Tehran denied that talks were planned with Washington, according to state news outlet PressTV.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran was only holding talks with Oman regarding the routes ships can use through the Strait of Hormuz.
In a subsequent Truth Social post, Trump added that whether “Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking of a solution to a problem that they have caused for decades.”
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