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Apple AirPods vs. Google Pixel Buds A-Series: which wireless earbuds are the best?

Apple tree AirPods vs. Google Pixel Buds A-Series: which wireless earbuds are the best?

Apple Airpods vs. Pixel Buds A-Series
(Image credit: Future/Ian Morris)

The Apple AirPods was subject to ridicule when information technology were first appear, only as is often the case, Cupertino has proved that this is a product people want to ain. It has now sold millions upon millions of AirPods, with estimates suggesting people have bought over 200 million of them so far.

Now, every company is competing in the battery-powered, in-ear headphone market with products that expect and work in a way that can simply be inspired by Apple tree's Airpods. And at present, with the Google Pixel Buds A-Series, Google's strategy is conspicuously to assail Apple on toll, with a super-competitive $99 production that promises many of the same features as the AirPods.

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In this Apple AirPods vs. Google Pixel Buds A-Series face up-off, we'll have a look at both products and endeavour to piece of work out which is right for you. But here's a hint: it it seems to yous that the obvious option is for Google Pixel owners to get the Pixel Buds A-Series and Apple users to opt for the AirPods, you may be right.

Apple tree AirPods vs. Google Pixel Buds A-Series: Specs compared

Apple tree AirPods (2019) Google Pixel Buds A-Series
Price $159 $99
Wireless charging example Optional No
Battery life (rated) 5 hours music, 3 hours talk, 24 hours music with charging case 5 hours, ii.5 hours talk, 24 hours music with charging case
Water resistance IPX4 (sweat and dust only) IPX4 (sweat and dust only)
Instance size ii.1 x i.7 10 0.8 inches ii.5 x 1.9 x one inches
Instance weight 1.5 ounces one.9 ounces

Apple tree AirPods vs. Google Pixel Buds A-Series: Price

Google Pixel Buds A-Series with Apple AirPods

(Prototype credit: Futurity/Ian Morris)

Things do become a little bit catchy for the Apple tree Airpods when it comes to the toll. The Google Pixel Buds A-Series starts at $99, while Apple's cheapest AirPods model is $159. That's quite a price deviation, and while it is worth noting that Amazon does often sell The AirPods below their retail cost, its stock availability is quite poor.

Based on price solitary, it's hard to recommend the AirPods, but of course we'll end upwards back at the same statement equally ever, which is that AirPods are much better if you're on an iPhone, iPad or Mac.

Winner: Google Pixel Buds A-Serial

Apple AirPods vs. Google Pixel Buds A-Serial: Pattern

Different design, but both great in their own way

(Epitome credit: Future/Ian Morris)

Aesthetically I'd say that the Pixel Buds A-Series's earbuds are more attractive. I accept no problem with Apple's design, and the drop downwards tube they characteristic is an important role of their functionality, likewise every bit Apple's brand aesthetic.

Some people will have an absolutely terrible time keeping AirPods in their ears. They don't take whatever safe tips to bump upwardly the friction and go on them in identify. I don't have any problem with them at all, but ears are a actually broad range of shapes and sizes so information technology's hard to say what'southward right for you lot.

On the flip side, I like the fact that the Google buds fit nicely, are contained within your ear, and have three sizes of silicone tips to aid you lot notice a snug fit.

The packet size of these earbuds, in their cases, is like. Apple'south little instance is something of a marvel really. It's tiny, fits in small-scale pockets and because it's shiny plastic it will exist like shooting fish in a barrel to slide into your jeans without hassle. The Pixel Buds A-Series case is a flake less smooth and might be slightly harder to put in place. But the counter argument is that the matte effect might finish them sliding out when you sit down. The A-Series' case is as well bigger, but non enough to cause concern.

One pocket-size note that's really worth mentioning, Apple'southward AirPods are really easy to take out of the case, and you'll put them in your ears right every fourth dimension. Google'southward Pixel Buds A-Series are a chip more fiddly. Not difficult, but you'll need to mess effectually with them more and it hasn't felt automatic to me, in the manner the Apple tree AirPods do. Like I said, it's a small indicate, but Apple's conscientious consideration effectually design does brand a divergence.

Winner: Apple AirPods

Apple AirPods vs. Google Pixel Buds A-Series: Controls

Google Pixel Buds A-Series have helpful tap gestures to control music

(Paradigm credit: Future/Ian Morris)

There'southward actually very trivial to choose from when it comes to controls. Both sets of earbuds will let you to vocalization activate their corresponding assistants, which is a handy feature if you lot want to leave your phone in your pocket.

Yous tin control playback on both besides. I prefer the Apple tree method of assigning rails advance to one ear, and back to the other. That just makes more sense to me, but your mileage may vary. Google's mappings are more fixed but they're easy to apply and piece of work on either bud, and so you don't need to tap a specific side to change tracks.

Winner: Tie

Apple AirPods vs. Google Pixel Buds A-Series: App and special features

Pixel Buds vs. AirPods size comparison

(Image credit: Future/Ian Morris)

On both iPhones and Google handsets like the Pixel 4a, the functionality to use these headphones is built in to the corresponding operating systems. This is one of the biggest reasons to pick the headphones that friction match your device. With AirPods on Android there are some third-political party apps that offer workarounds.

If you pair the Pixel Buds A-Serial with an iPhone, the touch controls will work fine but you lot'll lose Google Assistant. The Pixel Buds tin, yet, communicate the remaining battery level with your iPhone, although it won't report the battery level of each bud separately.

Special features on both are fairly limited. The Pixel Buds tin can automatically adjust their levels based on ambience racket. You can as well boost the bass, which has a minimal issue only might assist improve low frequency response a piffling fleck.

Winner: Tie

Apple AirPods vs. Google Pixel Buds A-Series: Sound quality

Google Pixel Buds A-Series vs. Apple Airpods

(Image credit: Future/Ian Morris)

I'll be honest, I'm fussy when information technology comes to sound. I tin tolerate all manner of headphones, but I only e'er feel really satisfied when the audio balance is really well tuned. In-ear headphones are always something of a compromise, specially wireless ones. Small drivers, low power amps and the merely fit in my ear make them a lot more tricky than a good pair of over-ear cans.

Neither Apple tree nor Google has got the sound quality quite right, and withal they couldn't be more dissimilar from each other. Both seem to isolate lyrics well in songs, but both besides sound a flake muddy in weirdly different ways.

For example, Apple tree's AirPods sound like classic Sony earbuds to me. At that place's a lot of surprisingly powerful bass on offer and it seems generally well controlled. They do, still, also sometimes feel a bit droney. Listening to a lot of bass for a long time is fatiguing and I do sometimes feel like the AirPods overdo it. Simply this is a audio profile that has long proved pop with the mass market, so it makes sense that the company went down this route.

Google'southward A-Series, sounds slightly amend on the whole, though also seems to exist more hesitant on bass. It's not that these buds are incapable, it'due south just that it'due south tuned out quite a chip. That might exist to preserve the sound, helping to prevent distortion, but it also makes them sound a petty weak when compared to the AirPods. They tin take a impact too much high stop, and still sometimes sound a footling muddied.

As I noted in my original Pixel Buds A-Series review, it's quite weak when paired with non-Android devices. I tested this with a Bluetooth-equipped TV and they audio quality was atrocious. One major problem was the lack of ability, which doesn't manifest as a problem with phones simply did on the TV. Apple'due south AirPods, on the other hand, pairs well with everything, admitting every bit but basic earbuds. I can employ this pair with my TV though, which adds to its convenience, and sound quality largely remains unaffected.

Winner: Pixel Buds A-Series

Apple tree AirPods vs. Google Pixel Buds A-Series: Battery life

The earbuds you buy will likely depend on the phone you own

(Image credit: Hereafter/Ian Morris)

These 2 sets of headphones are in one case once again well matched in battery life. We've tested both of these separately for their performance and we institute that in mixed utilize we saw 4 hours 49 minutes from the AirPods and 4 hours 41 minutes from the Pixel Buds. That's virtually as close as it's reasonable to be, and for but music the claimed five hours from both seems achievable.

Apple tree nabs is slightly hither, because it does manage very slightly longer on a accuse in our testing, even if that'south only a few minutes. Some people contend that the battery life on all of these earbuds is bad, but I simply don't concord. I recall 5-ish hours on these tiny little earphones is actually quite the feat of technological achievement.

Winner: AirPods

Apple AirPods vs. Google Pixel Buds A-Series: Telephone call quality

Apple AirPods vs. Google Pixel Buds A-Series

(Paradigm credit: Future/Ian Morris)

This is an piece of cake topic, both of these earbuds are functional in calls, but nothing more. Recording your own vocalism with them is admittedly out of the question, they only aren't loftier enough quality. For meetings and phone calls they'll exercise at a pinch, but neither is a joy of high def phonation.

Winner: Tie

Apple AirPods vs. Google Pixel Buds A-Series: Verdict

In this price range, y'all should buy wireless earbuds knowing in that location are going to be compromises. For that coin, you could get some really decent sounding over-ear headphones, similar the Cleer Enduro ANC: one of the best noise-cancelling headphones. True wireless earbuds are, to repeat the word, a compromise. They offer convenience, but lack the sort of sound quality that music really deserves.

Afterward a lot of consideration, I take to say that I recollect the Google Pixel Buds A-Serial is the improve-sounding earbuds. The AirPods is, I call up, a victim of its age now. While the ones on test here are the 2nd-gen, 2019 model, the sound quality hasn't changed and the market has moved on. Information technology will be interesting to run across if the upcoming AirPods 3 reflects that, but for now, stick with the Pixel Buds A-Series.

Apple tree Airpods 2019 Google Pixel Buds A-Serial
Design (20) xviii 17
Controls (10) 8 8
Sound Quality (20) 13 xiv
Special features and apps (10) 5 five
Price and value (20) 15 19
Battery life (10) 8 vii
Full score (100) 72 75
  • More: Sony WF-1000XM4 vs. WF-1000XM3: What's new?

Ian has been involved in engineering science journalism since 2007, originally writing about AV hardware dorsum when LCDs and plasma TVs were just gaining popularity. Nearly 15 years on, he remains as excited equally e'er about how tech can make your life better. Ian is the editor of T3.com just has also regularly contributed to Tom'southward Guide.

Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/face-off/apple-airpods-vs-google-pixel-buds-a-series

Posted by: gaytonhingall.blogspot.com

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