Google Pixel Buds A-Series review: The smartest true wireless earbuds in the segment
Unlike the two previous Pixel TWS earbuds, the Pixel Buds A series is a bargain for Google's infamous Pixel earbuds. The Indian market for true wireless headphones under 10,000 is highly competitive with brands like Sony, JBL, Skullcandy, Oppo, LG, Samsung, OnePlus and Jabra vying for the top spot.
Google's newest AirPods competitors, the Pixel Buds A-Series, will get a significant price cut and a slightly more comfortable design. Not that you'd know the A series was cheaper. The earphones share the same design as the 2020 Pixel Buds, with a low profile and subtle 'G' branding.
Case and battery of Google Pixel Buds A series
As with all true wireless headphones, the case is just as important as the headphones, offering secure storage so you don't lose them while charging. The A-Series case is excellent. Small, sleek and pocket-friendly, it holds the earbuds in place with strong magnets and a lid that closes with a reassuring click.
You get up to five hours of playback or 2.5 hours of talk time from the headphones on a single charge. The case can charge the headphones up to 3.8 times and a total of 24 hours of music.
Specifications Of Google Pixel Buds A-Series:
Waterproof: IPX4 (sweat)
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, SBC, AAC
Battery life of earbuds: 5 hours listening time /2.5 hours talking time, up to 24 hours with case
Handset dimensions: 20.7 x 29.3 x 17.5 mm
Weight of earrings: 5.1 g
Driver size: 12mm
Dimensions of the charging case: 47 x 63 x 25 mm
Weight of charging case: 52.9 g
Charging case: USB-C
Design & Build
The weight of the charging case is light 8 grams with a matte white color finish. The case is oval and has a glossy finish inside. The flip-up hinge and magnetic clasp also feel sturdy. The case is made of plastic and has a pairing button on the back and a USB Type-C port on the bottom.
The Google Pixel Buds A-Series is the search engine giant's latest entry into the wireless headphone market. These are small true wireless headphones that, while aimed primarily at Google and Android smartphone users, will do a good job with any device that supports Bluetooth 4.0+ - so it covers almost every smart device from the recent past.
Notable features of Pixel Buds A-Series
- Touch control. Some headphones have controls that are difficult or annoying, but the touch and touch controls of the A-series Pixel Buds make it easy and intuitive to pause, skip tracks and summon a digital assistant.
- Small size. These headphones come with a small, lightweight carrying case that can easily slip into your pocket or bag, about the same size as Apple's AirPods case. The earcups themselves are also small, unobtrusive and relatively light.
- Built for Google Assistant. The Pixel Buds are built with Google Assistant in mind, and you can call them up with a tap or just by saying "Hey Google." This makes it easy to listen to your notifications, check the weather, make calls and more. There are other cool features like real-time language translation.
- Total battery life 24 hours. Google says the A-Series has 5 hours of battery life, but the charging case adds an extra 19 hours of power and charges the headphones when they're put away. In our tests, we found these headphones to have sound quality that's decent, but far from great.
