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Pixel 6/Pixel 6 Pro
- Thread starter drinkingtea
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All right, you guys got me motivated and decided to side load it.,lol 
😂 I nearly punched a whole right thru the screen when the FPS started to get wonky on a HOT and humid Florida afternoon. It took two good whacks but the little sucker can take it although it now has a slight wobble.Well it looks like i'll be moving up to the Pixel 7 series and I will probably get the Pro as all indications are it will be identical in size.
I can always claim it got bent in my back pocket.
I can always claim it got bent in my back pocket.
..handle with care ..rule #1 haha 
Today's wallpapers..keeping it simple ...
Funny coming into this thread still rocking my Pixel 3a...
Honestly this phone is great: perfect size, headphone jack, plastic so I don't mind rocking it caseless, still runs smoothly.
But, seems like Samsung phones are stronger competitors to Google these days.
Honestly this phone is great: perfect size, headphone jack, plastic so I don't mind rocking it caseless, still runs smoothly.
But, seems like Samsung phones are stronger competitors to Google these days.
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Android 13 Beta 4.1 is killing a few last bugs before the final stable release
You don't need to wait for an official launch to get these fixes
www.androidpolice.com
A side loaded the beta since I wasn't getting the update. OTA... Nothing seems to be really different. Couple small little bugs I've noticed on the beta one being my Android Auto sometimes not connecting after getting back into the car. I never had issues with this phone prior... And a few times my screen AOD would not respond to tap how to hit the side button. Otherwise moving along
I’m loving the beta. Super smooth. No phone breaking bugs. Some little ones but nothing like 12. I do think battery needs more improvement though.
Yeah I think the battery is going to be the same old. Okay but not great ...
Yeah I’m starting to feel like it won’t get any better. Why is pixel ui and android so terrible with battery?
All the OS stuff and services running in the background. I owned a Huawei Mate SE and it had terrific battery life. If you left it alone it would lose maybe 1-2% overnight. The same for my Honor 9X also made by Huawei. My Pixel's 4a, 4a 5G, Pixel 6 all will lose around 10-12% overnight. It doesn't matter is i'm using battery save, extreme battery saver or no battery saver. Regardless my Pixel's will lose between 10-12% overnight just idling.
Yeah that's close to the percentage of drain I see on my pixel devices on standby as well. I guess some of the background tasks contribute to the smart features we see on the pixel ui- call screening, Google assistant and etc. It would we awesome to see Huawei here in the states.
In other news, I receive my pixel buds pro tomorrow. I'll keep you all posted 🙂
In other news, I receive my pixel buds pro tomorrow. I'll keep you all posted 🙂
Yeah, I believe you’re right about all the AI stuff and the Assistant running in the background. I have yet to switch to an iPhone only because of Google’s Call Screener and that is most definitely using Google Assistant.
Please post your impressions and perhaps some pics of the Pixel Buds Pro. I interested in battery life, functionality, noise cancelling, sound quality, bass quality.
The Android 13 beta is great on my 6 Pro. It works a lot better than Android 12 ever did.
Definitely post up once you get those buds set up. I'm also interested to hear of the improvementsYeah that's close to the percentage of drain I see on my pixel devices on standby as well. I guess some of the background tasks contribute to the smart features we see on the pixel ui- call screening, Google assistant and etc. It would we awesome to see Huawei here in the states.
In other news, I receive my pixel buds pro tomorrow. I'll keep you all posted
They came! I'm going to spend some time with them before giving initial impressions
Pixel Buds Pro Review
Here are my thoughts and comparisons between the PBPs (Pixel Bud Pros), APPs (Airpod Pros), and A Series Buds:
**ANC/ Transparency Mode**
I'm switching from Airpod Pros. So far my opinion is that transparency mode on the Pixel Bud Pros is 10/10 and ANC mode is more like a 7.5-8/10. The Airpod Pros seem much more aggressive with ANC/Transparency mode, in that ANC blocks out much more and Transparency mode amplifies noise. The Pixel Buds Pro have a weaker ANC by comparison but the Transparency mode sounds very natural. Like to the point where I forget I have anything in my ears. It's very nice to not have the sound of my typing amplified at me when I'm sitting in silence with transparency mode on. Transparency mode sounded very natural last night when I took a walk around my neighborhood as well. Almost indistinguishable to not wearing earbuds.
Overall score:
APP- 8/10, ANC mode sometimes makes my ears feel stuffy and pressured. Transparency Mode sounds good but leaves a lot to be desired.
Pixel Buds Pro- 8/10, ANC mode feels decent but I still hear more sounds/ noise compared to the APP. Transparency Mode is fantastic! I just love how natural it sounds. The best I've heard so far!
**Sound Quality**
No bass boost with the pixel buds pro. And let me tell ya...they don't need it. Bass is much fuller and richer sounding compared to my A series Buds. I'd say it's on par with the Air Pod Pros (APP). Highs and lows sound crisp and clear when playing music from Apple Music. I watched a movie on YouTube and it was good. Highs were a little more piercing at times but I feel like that might of been a YouTube problem or terrible audio biterate from the movie. I'm no audiophile or sound engineer so I don't know much but I do know these buds sound good. Soundstage is probably closer to neutral but wide. APPs sound fuller and richer all around though.
5 channel (band) EQ is coming this fall from Google. Plenty of third party options in the meantime. No spatial audio as of now but hopefully soon with final release of Android 13.
Need more time to test... But so far
APP 9/10
PbP 8.5/10
A Series 7/10
**Fit and comfort**
PbP feel snug and very comfortable. They lack the wingtips from previous pixel buds so at first the fit almost felt unsecured and required me to move them a bit to get an ideal seal. I realized that I was using the wrong silicone buds. I looked in the box and exchanged the medium size for the larger ones and the silent seal felt top notch. No more sound leakage and did a terrific job blocking out noise. The jury is still out on how they feel in my ear during prolonged use but so far I don't get a mushy and hot feeling in my eardrums as often as the APP. App has a stellar in-ear fit but often fall out and give my eardrums a hot sweaty, sometimes muffled feeling after hours of use. A series easily fall out as well but performed the worse when it comes to fitment. And by worse I mean they're not bad but does not have premium feeling silicone buds and leak sound. Otherwise A series are a true bargain.
Overall, the PbP fit in my ear quite well and sit flush within the canal. I also love that I can flip the case opened and closed as easily as I could with the APP's case, so yes it's a fidgeter's dream. The open/close feel is just as solid as the APP's as well.
Sidenote- not having the wingtips or stems does make adjustments tricky. I feel this is one area the APPs are superior in. The steams make ear adjustments and "some" controls easier.
Overall Score:
App: 8.8/10
Comfortable feel and high quality silicone but often fall out when laying down or working out. Also leaves my ears feeling hot and sweaty. Comfortable for about an hour use before needing to take them off.
PBP: 9/10
Comfortable feel albeit not as secure as APPs but more premium feeling than A series. Quality and design of silicone eartips on par with APP. Don't fall out as often and prolong use is amenable. Worked out with these tonight and they were great.
A Series: 7.7/10
Great for the price but lacks the premium in-ear feeling, comfort and sound quality of the other two buds. Still a bargain and still recommend them if price is an issue.
**Connectivity**
I am using a Pixel 6 Pro and setup was fairly straight forward as my phone detected the buds the moment I opened the case the first time and showed me a notification to get started. Setup and connectivity of the PBP is on par with APP, especially with multipoint connectivity. I never had any issues with the A Series either during my usage the past year. The A series doesn't connect as seamlessly as the Pixel Buds Pro or Air Pod Pros but never had an issue with them disconnecting constantly either like previous buds.
APP: 9.5/10
PBP: 9/10
A Series: 8/10
Features:**
I love being able to control volume from the swipe controls. That cannot be done with the APP's, and something that I have longed for. I also love the ability to customize if I want to switch between two or three modes (ANC/Transparency/everything off). Also, being able to use Google Assistant directly from Buds without hotword is amazing. It would have been nice to have some sort of stem though, since everytime I swipe/touch I feel a bit of pressure on my ear, and can hear the swipe motion in my drum. Swipe controls can be a bit sensitive too.
APP: 8.5/10
PBP: 9/10
A Series: 8/10
**Battery**
This is still ongoing but these seems to last longer than my APPs, even when brand new. No metrics yet as I just got them. But I listened to music and watched movies from about 8pm to 9pm and then shortly after midnight as well. I'd say their battery life is almost double to the A Series Buds.
**Call Quality**
I have not made any calls with the Pixel Buds Pro yet. Honestly don't make many calls nowadays. But will update this when the time comes.
From what I heard though, call quality is clear, crisp and very good. Users on the other end don't have any problems (i.e. excessive wind noise, crackling, delay or any of the problems associated with previous pixel buds).
Here are my thoughts and comparisons between the PBPs (Pixel Bud Pros), APPs (Airpod Pros), and A Series Buds:
**ANC/ Transparency Mode**
I'm switching from Airpod Pros. So far my opinion is that transparency mode on the Pixel Bud Pros is 10/10 and ANC mode is more like a 7.5-8/10. The Airpod Pros seem much more aggressive with ANC/Transparency mode, in that ANC blocks out much more and Transparency mode amplifies noise. The Pixel Buds Pro have a weaker ANC by comparison but the Transparency mode sounds very natural. Like to the point where I forget I have anything in my ears. It's very nice to not have the sound of my typing amplified at me when I'm sitting in silence with transparency mode on. Transparency mode sounded very natural last night when I took a walk around my neighborhood as well. Almost indistinguishable to not wearing earbuds.
Overall score:
APP- 8/10, ANC mode sometimes makes my ears feel stuffy and pressured. Transparency Mode sounds good but leaves a lot to be desired.
Pixel Buds Pro- 8/10, ANC mode feels decent but I still hear more sounds/ noise compared to the APP. Transparency Mode is fantastic! I just love how natural it sounds. The best I've heard so far!
**Sound Quality**
No bass boost with the pixel buds pro. And let me tell ya...they don't need it. Bass is much fuller and richer sounding compared to my A series Buds. I'd say it's on par with the Air Pod Pros (APP). Highs and lows sound crisp and clear when playing music from Apple Music. I watched a movie on YouTube and it was good. Highs were a little more piercing at times but I feel like that might of been a YouTube problem or terrible audio biterate from the movie. I'm no audiophile or sound engineer so I don't know much but I do know these buds sound good. Soundstage is probably closer to neutral but wide. APPs sound fuller and richer all around though.
5 channel (band) EQ is coming this fall from Google. Plenty of third party options in the meantime. No spatial audio as of now but hopefully soon with final release of Android 13.
Need more time to test... But so far
APP 9/10
PbP 8.5/10
A Series 7/10
**Fit and comfort**
PbP feel snug and very comfortable. They lack the wingtips from previous pixel buds so at first the fit almost felt unsecured and required me to move them a bit to get an ideal seal. I realized that I was using the wrong silicone buds. I looked in the box and exchanged the medium size for the larger ones and the silent seal felt top notch. No more sound leakage and did a terrific job blocking out noise. The jury is still out on how they feel in my ear during prolonged use but so far I don't get a mushy and hot feeling in my eardrums as often as the APP. App has a stellar in-ear fit but often fall out and give my eardrums a hot sweaty, sometimes muffled feeling after hours of use. A series easily fall out as well but performed the worse when it comes to fitment. And by worse I mean they're not bad but does not have premium feeling silicone buds and leak sound. Otherwise A series are a true bargain.
Overall, the PbP fit in my ear quite well and sit flush within the canal. I also love that I can flip the case opened and closed as easily as I could with the APP's case, so yes it's a fidgeter's dream. The open/close feel is just as solid as the APP's as well.
Sidenote- not having the wingtips or stems does make adjustments tricky. I feel this is one area the APPs are superior in. The steams make ear adjustments and "some" controls easier.
Overall Score:
App: 8.8/10
Comfortable feel and high quality silicone but often fall out when laying down or working out. Also leaves my ears feeling hot and sweaty. Comfortable for about an hour use before needing to take them off.
PBP: 9/10
Comfortable feel albeit not as secure as APPs but more premium feeling than A series. Quality and design of silicone eartips on par with APP. Don't fall out as often and prolong use is amenable. Worked out with these tonight and they were great.
A Series: 7.7/10
Great for the price but lacks the premium in-ear feeling, comfort and sound quality of the other two buds. Still a bargain and still recommend them if price is an issue.
**Connectivity**
I am using a Pixel 6 Pro and setup was fairly straight forward as my phone detected the buds the moment I opened the case the first time and showed me a notification to get started. Setup and connectivity of the PBP is on par with APP, especially with multipoint connectivity. I never had any issues with the A Series either during my usage the past year. The A series doesn't connect as seamlessly as the Pixel Buds Pro or Air Pod Pros but never had an issue with them disconnecting constantly either like previous buds.
APP: 9.5/10
PBP: 9/10
A Series: 8/10
Features:**
I love being able to control volume from the swipe controls. That cannot be done with the APP's, and something that I have longed for. I also love the ability to customize if I want to switch between two or three modes (ANC/Transparency/everything off). Also, being able to use Google Assistant directly from Buds without hotword is amazing. It would have been nice to have some sort of stem though, since everytime I swipe/touch I feel a bit of pressure on my ear, and can hear the swipe motion in my drum. Swipe controls can be a bit sensitive too.
APP: 8.5/10
PBP: 9/10
A Series: 8/10
**Battery**
This is still ongoing but these seems to last longer than my APPs, even when brand new. No metrics yet as I just got them. But I listened to music and watched movies from about 8pm to 9pm and then shortly after midnight as well. I'd say their battery life is almost double to the A Series Buds.
**Call Quality**
I have not made any calls with the Pixel Buds Pro yet. Honestly don't make many calls nowadays. But will update this when the time comes.
From what I heard though, call quality is clear, crisp and very good. Users on the other end don't have any problems (i.e. excessive wind noise, crackling, delay or any of the problems associated with previous pixel buds).
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Great review! Thanks for taking the time to do that!
I’m hoping for a Buds Pro bundled deal when Google releases the Pixel 7’s.
I appreciate the time you took for this review, as I'm considering getting these for my wife to go with her P6P. Great insights!
Are you having any noteworthy issues on 13? I want to install the beta but I am afraid of some apps not working.
