Airpods Pro 2 vs Pixel Buds Pro 2: Battle of the Amazon Prime Day deals

I’ve got enough Amazon Prime Days (and Black Friday shifts) under my belt now to know that there are a few regular occurrences. AirPods are almost always reduced to some degree, and so it’s a great time to wait to buy a pair if you’ve been eyeing a set up. In fact. Apple’s flagship set of in-ear buds, the AirPods Pro 2, are currently on offer, and if you have your heart set on them, then it really is quite a good time to stick ‘em in ya basket.

However, to throw a spanner in the works, the competitor earbuds from Google, the Pixel Buds Pro 2, are also reduced, with both sets coming in at a similar price. Which one is best for you, and which would you buy, if any, this Amazon Prime Day?

Luckily for you, I have been testing the Pixel Buds Pro 2 for about four months now – in fact they are in my ears right now blasting Belgian techno – and my partner has been a staunch AirPods Pro 2 enjoyer for as long as I’ve known her, so naturally this is personal.

Quick links

The deals

The deals are better in the States, but in both the UK and the USA the price for both options is comparable so I've included both regions.

Save 40%

Apple AirPods Pro 2: was $249 now $149 at Amazon

These are the best in-ear buds Apple makes. They work seamlessly with the Apple ecosystem, have a beautiful rich sound, great noise cancellation, and a transparency mode so you can hear your surroundings. This is about as good a price as these have ever been, so it's as good a time as any to buy them in our opinion.

View Deal

Save 22%

Apple AirPods Pro 2: was £229 now £179 at Amazon

While the discount is more modest for those of us on the British side of the Atlantic, these are still a great deal.

View Deal

Save 30%

Google Pixel Buds Pro 2: was $229 now $160.55 at Amazon

Google's Pixel buds are every bit the competitor to the more oft-seen Airpods. They boast the same features, a comparable sound quality, and even have the FindMy feature if you lose them too. What's more, the battery life is about double what the Airpods offer.

View Deal

Save 18%

Google Pixel Buds Pro 2: was £219 now £179 at Amazon

Again, a more modest saving for us Brits but c'est la vie, these are still a good buy in my opinion.

View Deal

Which should I buy?

I appreciate that this will most likely come down to which ecosystem you've built your tech life around. AirPods will work more seamlessly with iPhones, and while they will work with Android devices, you won't get automatic in-ear detection, Siri integration, and spatial audio. Likewise, you can connect the Pixel Buds to your iPhone, but you'll only get the basic Bluetooth features and won't be able to access any of the in-app customisation features.

That being said, I actually think there's very little between the two options. At present, both are at a similar price in both the UK and the USA. They both have transparency, great noise cancellation, conversation detection, and the ability to find them remotely.

If I had to land one one side rather than the other I'd be inclined to suggest the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are the better option, especially as a cyclist who does big days out, as the battery life is nearly double that of the AirPods – 6hrs versus 12hrs, with active noise cancellation switched off, that swing it for me!