Google unveils a more affordable pair of earbuds called Pixel Buds A

The Pixel Buds lineup has a rocky, and oddly Google-worthy, story. The first ones were introduced to the market in 2017, and featured a braided cable between both buds, so they weren’t truly wireless. They also suffered from other flaws that detracted from their overall appeal, at least compared to other earbuds in the market. I owned ones and I loved them despite those flaws, but they suffered from criticism from both users and reviewers alike, and I saw where the criticism came from. The second-gen Pixel Buds introduced years later were all-around a better product, but at $179, they could still be considered a hard pass for some, especially compared to their competition. Now, Google has introduced a more affordable pair of wireless earbuds, the Pixel Buds A.

As the “A” moniker might suggest (as we’ve seen in devices like the Pixel 4a), these are a mid-range product. But they’re also pretty similar to the existing second-gen Pixel Buds, down to the same exact physical design. Some color differences here and there, but mostly the same design. According to the announcement post, they also keep features like Adaptive Sound, increasing or decreasing your volume depending on the surrounding sounds. They also feature the same sound and microphone quality as the more expensive models.

There are even some improvements in tow. 9to5Google discovered that both buds connect directly to the device rather than one connecting to the other and then to the device. This is a win-win situation as it makes the Bluetooth connection of the Pixel Buds A more reliable while also allowing for better battery life. The second-gen Pixel Buds had inconsistent Bluetooth connection reliability and for some users, the earbuds would just randomly cut out while listening. This new approach should be able to fix, or at least greatly cut down, on these issues.

The best part of them, however, is the price. They’re $99, down from the $179 the regular Pixel Buds usually go for. Given that these come with most of the features that make the regular Pixel Buds what they are, these are a no-brainer if you’re looking for Google earbuds but don’t want to spend too much money.

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