Google Pixel USB-C Earphone Test

Google Pixel Buds, the company software first attempt at wireless headphones, suffer from a variety of problems. The charging case is fragile, trapping the wire around the case is a chore; we often encounter pairing problems, and the ear buds do not always have the best fit. They also cost $ 159 – they are always sold on the Google Store – the same price as the "true" wireless top Apple AirPods.

Instead of trying a wireless product again this year, Google has opted for the simplest way with wired USB-C earbuds, now included in every device purchase. Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL smartphone. You can also buy them for $ 30, and all the features work on the phones being run Android 9 Pie or, possibly, higher.

We are quite satisfied with these economic and hardwired buttons. Google has incorporated many of the intelligent features of Google Assistant, appeared in the Pixel Buds, which makes them even more useful, whether you're listening to music or not. The sound quality is a little better than that obtained with Apple EarPods of lightningand you do not have to worry about charging or pairing.

Good sound, open ear style

Google has transferred the "open ear" style used with Pixel wading buttons into USB-C earbuds. If you want headphones that can block the rest of the world, Look elsewhere. We love being able to hear our environment, which is designed with this design, as it helps us stay alert in the busy streets and subway stations of New York City. We could not hear our music at full volume once or twice, and that was when the subway stopped at the station.

This style also means that headphones are losing sound, but not as much as Apple's EarPods. They may not yet be ideal for an open office where your colleagues do not share your same indelible love of ABBA's greatest hits.

The Google Pixel USB-C headphones also share an aesthetic similar to that of Pixel Buds, except they are much more miniature. You can always adjust the loop to help you keep the buttons in your ear, but there are no touch controls. They also look a little understated, with an all-white design that makes them easy to confuse with Apple's EarPods. We would have liked to see some visual talent here, like the colorful power buttons on the Pixel phones.

The fit in the ear is comfortable and the ear buds have never fallen off – the adjustable buckle helps keep them in place. Over time, they move slightly away from the ear canal and we found ourselves a little inside. sometimes. This may depend on the position of the atria in your ear.

Amazingly good sound

Quite frankly, Google's ears sound much better than they have the right to give their price of $ 30. Depending on their appearance, we expected a sound signature similar to that of the Apple Earpods, but we could not be more wrong. As soon as we inserted them and pressed the game, we found an exciting and dynamic soundtrack worthy of praise.

Pixel USB-C buttons have a musical weight and definition well above their weight. We were amazed at the amount of low end that these headphones without earmolds could provide. They tap Dr. Dre's fleshy bass lines The Chronicle and Outkast Southern Stage Music Music off the park, offering one of the most enjoyable listening experiences we've ever had with such a cheap headset.

The high-end also has something special, with acoustic guitars and string lines coming out of mixes like the new highly stratified single from Star Rover. Moving snowrather than sinking together into an overwhelming musical mass like on other affordable audio headsets.

We also enjoyed listening to classic fi-fi recordings like Bruce Springsteen. Nebraska on the small earpieces, which seemed to confer a more authentic "listening to a cassette player in the 80s" experience to Springsteen's cassette recordings.

If you're looking for a pair of utility headphones to throw away in a backpack, laptop bag or back pocket without your having to worry about it, we think these are some of the best sounds you'll find. You really get much better audio quality than you pay for, especially if these little headphones have been included in your recent Pixel purchase.

Wizard is fast, useful notification alerts

There is a small button on the line mic on the wire – just press it to play or pause the music, and you can increase or decrease the volume of the music by pressing the hidden buttons located above and below. Our favorite feature is to access Google Assistant by holding down the black button.

On the phones on the move Android 9 Pie, simply hold down the button and say a command, and the wizard will respond quickly. You can control your smart home products, get detailed directions, search Google, read podcasts, or listen to music – all you can do with Google Home. Having a helper at your fingertips dramatically changes the way we use our phone, as we often ask her to perform tasks such as reminders when we walk down a busy street. It's good.

Access to the wizard via buttons works with devices running Android 8.1 Oreo or lower, but you must wait to hear a sound before you start speaking and, in general, it is not as fast.

You can also get real-time translations by simply asking Assistant to help you speak a language. It is powered by Google Translate, so the results are often a little funky, but it does the job, and it's incredibly fast. This is useful if you do not know the language of a country and if the translated audio is played through the phone speaker so that the person you are talking to can hear it.

What does not work on phones running under a version lower than Android 9 Pie are notification alerts. With Pie phones, the wizard states the name of an application when you receive a notification (you can choose the application notifications you want to hear), and if you hold down the volume increase button the built-in microphone, the wizard will read the notification. We love this feature so much that we found ourselves keeping the earplugs in our ears even when we did not want to listen to music, just to hear notifications as soon as they arrived because that meant we did not have to go out our phone. . The disadvantage is that, unlike Pixel Buds, there is no way to respond to notifications with your voice, which is disappointing.

You can also press the volume increase button at any time to hear the time and all the latest notifications on your phone. A simple push on the black button of the built-in mic will cause the wizard to go into silent mode.

Price and availability

Google Pixel USB-C earphones cost $ 30 and are available on the Google Store right now.

Our take

Pixel USB-C headsets do not require charging or pairing, eliminating many issues with Google's Pixel Buds. They sound good, are comfortable, have a lot of intelligence thanks to Google Assistant and, above all, they are affordable.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes, but you may have to spend a little more. The Shure SE112 costs $ 50, but they offer better sound and better insulation. They will also work on a variety of devices as they use a 3.5mm headphone cable. Google's Pixel USB-C earphones are limited to computers and Android phones with USB-C ports.

Discover our best guide to cheap headphones for more.

How long will it last?

We hope that Google uses a stronger material for the wire because it seems that it does not take much to break it. We expect that they will last one to two years, provided you take good care of it. We know people who have years of listening with their inexpensive headphones, but Pixel USB-C headphones are not the most durable in the market.

Should you buy it?

Yes, especially if you have a phone that runs Android 9 Pie. It is likely that if you buy a high-end Android phone this year, you will receive the upgrade at some point this year. Check our guide to see when your phone will have version 9.0 Pie.