Google Pixel Buds A-Series Review: An Almost Perfect Companion

POSITIVES

✓ A very customized fit

Feels great in the ears

✓ Easy connectivity

Convenient pair and go

✓ Great battery life

Up to 24 hours of listening time

NEGATIVES

✘ No Wireless Charging

99 Dollars sacrifices it

✘ Not the most premium feel

Earbuds are made out of plastic

✘ Muted bass

Some sacrifice on some sound quality values

Retail price: $99.00

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DISCLAIMER: GOOGLE SENT US A REVIEW UNIT OF THE PIXEL BUDS A SERIES BUT ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE OUR OWN

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When I first reviewed the original Google Pixel Buds, I was slightly disappointed with some functionalities, including finicky touch controls and the occasional issues with pairing, despite the premium feel of the earbuds. Fast forward to 2021 and I’ve been testing out the new Google Pixel Buds A-Series for a few weeks now and they are by far (almost) everything I could have ever wanted in a pair of everyday earbuds.

Simple Design and the Perfect Size

The Google Pixel Buds A-Series takes quite a few design cues from its more expensive predecessor yet improves upon those features as well. The design itself is still modern, simplistic and very clean, especially in the Clearly White color. The Buds A are sold in both Clearly White and a Dark Olive color for $99. The charging case is still an oval shape with a matte finish over a plastic body. Each earbud weighs about 0.18 oz each and a combined total of 1.9 oz with the charging case. Overall, the Pixel Buds A-Series are lightweight and incredibly portable. Although the earbuds are made out of plastic, the rubber ear tips are quite comfortable even for extended periods of time and can easily be adjusted if needed. Google also provides additional rubber tips of differing sizes so you can find the perfect one to fit your ear canals.

For those who enjoy working out with their earbuds, the Pixel Buds A-Series have an IPX4 rating so they’re sweat proof but should not be submerged under water. This isn’t the right set of earbuds to go swimming with.

Easy Breezy Connectivity

As someone who has reviewed her fair share of earbuds in the past, it’s imperative for me to have a simplistic and easy connection. I cannot emphasize enough how easy it is to use the Pixel Bud A-Series, even on an iPhone. The earbuds connect via Bluetooth 5.0 and you simply keep both earbuds inside the charging case, pop open the case, and press and hold the small button on the back until a white LED indicator light begins blinking. At this point, you can then pair seamlessly to any other device. Pairing has been quick and convenient for me across multiple devices including phones and laptops. I know most earphone companies advertise simple Bluetooth connectivity but don’t actually perform in a respectable manner. The Pixel Buds A actually does the whole “just works” thing.

Solid Sound Quality for Everyday

For $99, the Pixel Buds A-Series have solid sound quality for those looking to wear the earbuds while commuting, working, or doing physical activities. The earbuds pack a 12mm dynamic speaker driver in combination with passive noise reduction. While there is no active noise cancellation, Google offers a feature called Adaptive Sound via the Pixel Buds app (only available on Android) that can adapt when you’re in a louder space and will increase the volume automatically.

Google also features a spatial vent to help allocate sound accordingly, but keep in mind that for $99, you do sacrifice on some sound quality values.  The bass is rather muted for a neutral sounding experience. The same can be said for high and low peaks instrumentally from these earbuds. If you’re looking for earbuds strictly for uses that are more musically-inclined, you should probably look elsewhere. Nevertheless, I’m okay with these compromises in instrumental performance as these have been perfect for my overall everyday life which includes meditation, Zoom calls, workouts and casual music while working. 

Lasts Just Long Enough

During my time reviewing the Google Pixel Buds A-Series, the earbuds have survived just a little over four hours of listening time. Including the charge in the charging case, Google touts “up to 24 hours of listening time, or up to 12 hours of talk time.” Charging the earbuds for 15 minutes will also get you up to three hours of listening time, which is pretty quick especially for travelers or commuters who need to jet. I haven’t had any issues with battery life and it’s simple enough to plug a cable into the USB-C port at the bottom of the charging case. However, given the affordable $99 price range, there is no wireless charging offered on the Pixel Buds A-Series unlike the more premium sibling.

Just the Right Amount of Functions

In addition to the Adaptive Sound functionality and other sound adjustments you can make in the Pixel Buds app, you can also use touch functions on the Pixel Buds A-Series. Simply tap the earbud to play or pause the audio. Double tapping forwards to the next song and also rejects calls. Triple tapping plays the previous track. If you’re on an Android device, you can also press and hold an earbud or say “Hey, Google” to activate the Assistant. This is as advanced as you can get on touch functionalities nowadays. On some earbuds, I’m constantly accidentally swiping or pushing buttons that I didn’t mean to, but on the Pixel Buds A-Series, a focused level of function with or without the app keeps you moving and grooving.

An Almost Perfect Pair

Overall, I absolutely love the Google Pixel Buds A-Series. I use these earbuds every single day and I even wear them at night not only to meditate, but to fall asleep in. They’re also great to use while listening to the Calm app. I’m a huge fan of the incredibly lightweight and comfortable fit of these earbuds in combination with having solid sound quality and battery life as well. The best way to classify these earbuds are to call them an all-arounder. They don’t do anything amazing, but they do everything very well. Although these may not be ideal for those who are strictly looking for the best music experience possible on their earphones, I really believe the Google Pixel Buds A-Series are the perfect combination for the rest of us in need of an everyday earbud companion.

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