WIRED90
The reviewer thinks these budget earbuds deliver nearly everything people want from pricier models and calls them the best value among name-brand buds.
Google Pixel Buds 2a
5 expert reviews#15 of 29 wireless earbuds
Image: Google2/5critics
recommend
recommend
Best budget buds for Android
Critics’ consensus
5 professional reviewers tested the Google Pixel Buds 2a, and 2 recommend it. Most praised: comfort and sound quality. Most common complaint: controls and app.
Reviewed by WIRED, The Verge, Expert Reviews and 2 more
The catch: Features are lost on iPhone, and the fit can fail in larger ears.
Broad agreement
Scores run from 70 to 90All 5 scores printed by the outlets
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What do critics say about the Google Pixel Buds 2a?
The Verge90
Pleasant, crisp sound with effective noise cancelling and good battery at a fair price make these an easy pick for Android owners.
Expert Reviews80
Competent but unremarkable earbuds whose hands-free Gemini and multi-device switching appeal mainly to Pixel owners.
TechGearLab76
A comfortable, good-sounding budget set that ranks in the middle of the tested field.
Android Central70
Nice design, fit and bass-forward sound at a fair price, but many Pro 2 features are absent and the Pro 2 is often discounted to near this price.
Scores are converted to 0–100. "est." means the outlet gave no number, so we estimated one from its verdict and checked our estimates against ratings outlets print. How we check estimates
What critics praise most
Comfort4 of 5
Sound quality3 of 5
Noise cancelling2 of 5
What critics dislike most
Controls and app3 of 5
Call quality2 of 5
Alternatives
Not sure about the Google Pixel Buds 2a?
Image: Sony
Image: EarFun
Image: Apple
Image: SoundcoreAlso reviewed, not yet scored
- EarFun OpenJump · 3 reviews so far
- Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 · 3 reviews so far
- Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 · 3 reviews so far
- OnePlus Buds 4 · 3 reviews so far
- Sennheiser Accentum Clip · 3 reviews so far
Common questions
Is the Google Pixel Buds 2a worth it?
Critics are divided: 2 of 5 recommend it. Features are lost on iPhone, and the fit can fail in larger ears.
Do critics agree about the Google Pixel Buds 2a?
Broad agreement: scores range from 70 (Android Central) to 90 (WIRED), a spread of 20 points across 5 reviews. Most reviewers land fairly close together.
What do critics dislike about the Google Pixel Buds 2a?
Controls and app (3 of 5 reviews), Call quality (2 of 5 reviews).
What is the best alternative to the Google Pixel Buds 2a?
The Sony WF-C710N (critic score 94), top pick, narrowly.