The Pixel Buds Pro are still my favorite earbuds, but better ANC is a must for the sequel

Google’s Pixel Buds Pro debuted in 2022 largely to high praise, but as time has gone on, it’s become more and more clear where improvements can be made, including to ANC.

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ANC, or Active Noise Cancellation, was a first for Pixel Buds Pro in Google’s earbud lineup. Prior Pixel Buds models had taken the opposite approach, instead trying to be an ambient computing device that allowed sound from the outside world to come through along with your tunes. While I personally still loved that idea, the market clearly spoke that it wanted active noise cancellation, and that was absolutely the right play.

On Pixel Buds Pro, the ANC is reasonably effective. In a public environment like the airport or a shop, it blocks out people talking well enough, but that’s pretty much its limit. When it comes to louder noises, like a lawnmower or being on an airplane, it starts to suffer a bit more. The latter especially became more and more of an annoyance for me in recent months as I took several brief trips where I relied on my earbuds over my over-ear headphones.

For a while, I was fine with it, but when the Jabra Elite 8 Active passed through my review desk, it really changed my mind. Jabra’s new earbuds, which are a fitness-focused version of the killer Elite 10 our Andrew Romero recently reviewed, have much better ANC compared to the Pixel Buds Pro, and have been my go-to for basically any active scenario where I know I need better ANC. Walking through an airport, being on the plane, mowing my lawn, yard work, etc, I’ve just reached for Jabra’s headphones so much more consistently because every time I grab the Pixel Buds Pro instead, I’m at least a little disappointed.

At the same price, Jabra Elite 8 Active have way better ANC vs Pixel Buds Pro

Jabra Elite 8 Active and/or Elite 10 are, at least to a point, what a Pixel Buds Pro sequel should aspire to be (they sound slightly better, too).

Google’s earbuds have some really smart features that just keep me coming back for more, such as the new auto-mute when you start talking, but really, it’s getting to the point where Google needs to step it up on a hardware level. Software perks are compelling, but ANC needs some additional hardware to make the needed improvements at this point.

This Week’s Top Stories

Samsung’s Android 14 update is here in record time

The big story this week came from Samsung, which released its Android 14 update to the Galaxy S23 series just 26 days after the update’s debut on Pixel phones on October 4. The One UI 6 update will be coming to many more devices later, and Samsung has already confirmed an initial list. But, outside of that list, Samsung had to clarify that 2020 releases such as Galaxy Note 20 won’t be updated after a mistake from the company said they would.

Samsung releases Android 14 update for Galaxy S23, coming to US ‘soon’

Samsung confirms a list of over 20 Galaxy smartphones that will get Android 14

Samsung removes Galaxy S20, Note 20, more from list of devices getting Android 14

You really can’t block ads on YouTube anymore

After months of testing, YouTube has doubled down on the blocking of ad blockers on the platform. Those detected to be using an ad blocker will be unable to watch videos after a few “strikes,” at which point they’ll either need to disable the ad blocker or subscribe to YouTube Premium. Around the same time, YouTube upped Premium costs in international regions.

YouTube is now fully blocking ad blockers around the world

International YouTube Premium price increase underway in these countries

What would you pay to block YouTube ads? [Poll]