Bluetooth version: 5.0
ANC: Yes
Battery life: 20hrs (buds: 7hrs; case: 13hrs)
Weight: 6.2g (each)
A reasonable price and plenty of features (for Android users, at least) isn't enough to make these compelling. They're lacking in the sound department, which is unforgivable in this fiercely competitive market. They also don't support more advanced Bluetooth codecs. Disappointing.
For
- Good noise cancellation
- Great battery life
- Nice integration with Pixel phones
Against
- Poor fit
- Sound struggles to compete across the board
- No support for advanced Bluetooth codecs
Bluetooth version: 5.3
ANC: Yes
Battery life: 24hrs (buds: 6hrs; case: 18hrs)
Weight: 5.4g (each)
Apple's first five-star buds are the better buy, for iOS users, that is. They sound better, have superb noise cancellation and bags of features. They are more expensive, however, and not nearly as feature-rich for Android users. But in terms of sound quality, they win hands down.
For
- Clear, detailed and powerful sound
- Excellent noise-cancelling
- Longer battery life
- Smooth, intuitive use with iOS devices
- Updated ANC features
Against
- Many features restricted to iOS devices only
- Updated USB-C case model identical in sound to original
