Google Pixel Buds review

The right bud offers touch controls to control volume and playback without having to find an inline controller or look at your phone. A tap can pause, play, or pick up a call. A forward or backward swipe will raise or lower the volume.

You can even trigger Google Assistant by holding your finger to the right earbud and talking. It’s a fun and easy way to do things like skip songs and respond to messages. Sadly, not all apps support voice control playback, such as the Apple Music Android app.

According to reviewers, the touch controls work almost too well. They often experienced accidental taps and swipes when trying to control their music.

The biggest oversight they found was that the buds don’t recognize whether they are in your ear.. So there they would often trigger touch controls when trying to stow the buds in the case or when it was dangling from their neck.

In terms of performance, experts found the sound profile good overall with a warm presentation, rich tones, and good depth when listening in a quiet room.

Unfortunately, when in louder locations, the background noise seeped in and required reviewers to crank the volume thanks to the earbud's open-air design. Even at max volume, they often struggled to hear their music.

However, audio quality isn't Google's focus. The earbuds include a unique feature—real-time translation. In theory, you can tap the buds and speak. The earbuds will then will read your words back in another language.

While great in theory, it fell short due to Google Translate’s own shortcomings in real-world use. Although it handled basic sentences and conversations, the translations often came off very simplistic and lacked nuance.

Good enough for use in a pinch or for basic tourist functions. But you'll sound far from fluent.

Battery life impressed with the buds lasting through 5 hours of continuous usage on a single charge. With intermittent use, reviewers found they'd last about 8 hours before needing to top up again.

Reviewers appreciate the forward-thinking features of the Pixel Buds, but have a hard time recommending it due to its drawbacks. Engadget states, “At best, they’re decent; at worst, they feel unfinished.” The Verge adds, “... this is a first-generation product in the bad kind of way, and it looks even worse when you compare it to Apple’s growing success with the AirPods.”