Pixel Buds Pro 2 Are $189: The Android ANC Pair I Would Buy Instead of Chasing Sony
Gizmodo still had Google's Pixel Buds Pro 2 at $189 on August 20, down from $229. Tensor A1, Gemini, twist-to-lock. Here is why I would pick them on a Pixel — and why I would not on an iPhone.
!White wireless earbuds and charging case
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I carried an iPhone for work and a Pixel for everything else for years. The earbud problem on Android is not "there are no good buds." It is that Sony wants $298 for the WF-1000XM6 and Google wants you to pay flagship money for Gemini features you may never tap. This week the Pixel Buds Pro 2 undercut that story.
Gizmodo on August 20 and Technobezz on August 19 both had them at $189, down from $229 list. That is $40 off and the number several outlets called a record low for the current generation. Android Authority had the new Olive color at the same $189 on August 19. I am writing this on August 22. Confirm the live tile — sale floors move — but $189 is the price I can source to this week, not a guess.
Hazel ASIN: B0D79ND3N7. Other colors (Porcelain, Peony, Moonstone) are different ASINs on the same family. Buy the color. Do not overpay $40 because you clicked the wrong one.
[Check the live Hazel listing →](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D79ND3N7?tag=thedealshome-20)
What I actually care about on a Pixel
Tensor A1. This is Google's earbud chip, not a phone SoC stuffed in a bud. It runs Silent Seal 2.0 ANC and the on-device stuff so the bud is not begging the phone for every filter. I cannot give you a lab ANC curve. I can tell you the public consensus and my own commutes: plane drone is good, voices on a sidewalk are better than the first Pixel Buds Pro, and it is not Sony XM6.
Fit. The twist-to-lock stabilizer is the reason these stay in when I walk up Folsom. It is not a sport hook. It is a small wing you rotate. If a normal silicone tip falls out of your ear, try these before you jump to Powerbeats. IP54 — sweat and splashes, not a swim.
Codecs and radios. Bluetooth 5.4, multipoint, LE Audio on paper. Google does not make LDAC the headline because this is a Pixel accessory first. Pairing on a Pixel is the AirPods-class moment Android was missing. On an iPhone you get a Bluetooth bud. The Gemini gestures, the seamless handoff, the Find My-style network features — those stay in Google's yard.
Gemini and mics. There is a voice accelerometer and an extra mic for Gemini Live in noisy rooms. Clear Calling is the phone-call cleanup. Useful if you take walks-and-talks. Skip the demo video. Try a call on a windy block. That is the test.
Battery. Google quotes up to 8 hours with ANC on, 12 hours with it off, and a case that pushes total time into the 40-hour range. Qi wireless charging is on the case. USB-C is on the case. I treat the 8-hour ANC number as the one you plan your day around.
$189 vs the rest of the Android drawer
| Pair | Verified-ish street | Why I would or would not | | --- | --- | --- | | Pixel Buds Pro 2 | $189 this week | Best Pixel-native pair under $200 | | Sony WF-1000XM6 | $298 | Better app EQ and LDAC. You pay for it. | | Sony INZONE Buds | $153 | Gaming dongle. Not a phone bud. |
Value over hype: if your daily driver is a Pixel 8, 9, or 10, $189 is the number that makes Pro 2 the default. If you are on a Samsung, Galaxy Buds are still the one-tap pair. If you are on an iPhone, AirPods Pro 3 at the $190 we logged this morning is the pair that uses the hardware you already paid for.
Who should skip it
- iPhone users chasing ANC. You will get ANC. You will not get the product.
- Anyone who needs a wing-tip gym lock. These are twist-to-stay, not earhooks.
- Listings at $229. That is not a sale. Wait for the $189 cut to come back — it has now shown up more than once this summer (Prime Day saw $161 in late June).
How I would buy them
I would open the Hazel ASIN, confirm Sold by Amazon or Google, confirm $189 or close to it, and order the color that I can see on asphalt. I would not bundle a $30 "warranty" at checkout. I would run the fit test in the Google Pixel Buds app and stop there.
Google will sell you Gemini. I will sell you a Pixel-native pair that finally sits at AirPods-Pro money. That is the deal. The chip name is a footnote.
Prices cited from Gizmodo (Aug 20, 2026), Technobezz (Aug 19), and Android Authority (Aug 19). Prime Day $161 from Gizmodo June 25 is the yearly floor, not today's tile. Confirm the live price and the seller.
Compare
Pixel Buds Pro 2 versus Sony's current flagship buds. Google at sale money. Sony at flagship money.
Compare Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 vs Sony WF-1000XM6 →
If you live on a Pixel and the tile is $189, I would not pay $298 for LDAC. If you live in the Sony app and you want the travel ANC, the XM6 column is the one that earns the extra.
Products in This Review
Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 - Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds - Hazel
Pixel Buds Pro 2 are designed to be the most comfortable earbuds ever. The twist-to-adjust stabilizer locks them in during workouts for the most secure fit. They’re built for Google AI, with the Tensor chip that powers premium, immersive sound and cancels twice as much noise as before.[2,1] And they’re the best earbuds for your Pixel phone.
Sony WH-1000XM6 The Best Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones, Sand Pink
Powered by our next-gen processor and intelligent algorithms, the WH-1000XM6 premium headphones deliver studio-quality sound and our most advanced noise cancellation. Co-created with mastering audio engineers, every detail and note are heard as the artist intended. Enjoy a pure, uninterrupted listening experience anywhere with crystal-clear call quality and pro-level audio.