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  1. Table of Contents
  2. Top
  3. Main Differences
  4. Design
    1. Style
    2. Comfort
    3. Controls
    4. Breathability
    5. Portability
    6. Case
    7. Build Quality
    8. Stability
    9. Headshots 1
    10. Headshots 2
    11. Top
    12. In The Box
  5. Sound
    1. Sound Profile
    2. Frequency Response Consistency
    3. Raw Frequency Response
    4. Bass Accuracy
    5. Mid Accuracy
    6. Treble Accuracy
    7. Peaks/Dips
    8. Imaging
    9. Passive Soundstage
    10. Virtual Soundstage
    11. Weighted Harmonic Distortion
    12. Test Settings
  6. Isolation
    1. Noise Isolation
    2. Leakage
  7. Microphone
    1. Microphone Style
    2. Recording Quality
    3. Noise Handling
  8. Active Features
    1. Battery
    2. App Support
  9. Connectivity
    1. Bluetooth
    2. Non-Bluetooth Wireless
    3. Wired
    4. PC / PS4 Compatibility
    5. Xbox One Compatibility
    6. Base/Dock
  10. Comments

Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless vs Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds

Side-by-Side Comparison

Products

Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless
Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds

Tested using Methodology v1.4

Updated Jan 15, 2024 02:47 PM

SEE PRICE
Amazon.com

Tested using Methodology v1.4

Updated Jan 15, 2024 01:45 PM

SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless Picture
Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds Picture

Variants

  • Pixel Buds
  • Pixel USB-C (White)

Our Verdict

Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless

Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds

The Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless are much better for mixed usage than the Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds. The Pixel Buds 2017 are wireless, which makes them an even better fit for sports and fitness since they won’t snag on anything. They’re also better built and offer a more consistent listening experience. That said, the Pixel Buds USB-C are better if you prioritize lower-latency audio. They also have an easier-to-use control scheme and a marginally better-balanced sound profile overall.

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Standard
Pixel Buds
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
White
Pixel USB-C
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Standard
Pixel Buds
SEE PRICE
Walmart.com
White
Pixel USB-C
SEE PRICE
BestBuy.com
Standard
Pixel Buds
B&H
White
Pixel USB-C
B&H

Main Differences for
Mixed Usage

Threshold 

0.10

Mixed Usage 

6.1
5.2

Battery 
 

6.4
0.0

Bluetooth Version 
 

4.2
No Bluetooth

Noise Isolation 
 

1.0
2.0

Bass Accuracy 
 

2.7
5.5

Full Comparison

Design

Style  

Design Picture 2  

Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless Design Picture 2
Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds Design Picture 2

Type  

Earbuds
Earbuds

Enclosure  

Closed-Back
Closed-Back

Wireless  

Yes
No

Transducer  

Dynamic
Dynamic
Show Text 

Comfort 
 

7.0
7.0

Comfort Picture  

Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless Comfort Picture
Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds Comfort Picture

Weight  

0.03 lbs
0.04 lbs

Clamping Force 
 

0 lbs
0 lbs
Show Text 

Controls 
 

6.0
6.5

Controls Picture  

Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless Controls Picture
Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds Controls Picture

OS Compatibility 
 

Not OS specific
Not OS specific

Ease Of Use  

Okay
Good

Feedback  

Subpar
Okay

Call/Music Control  

Yes
Yes

Volume Control  

Yes
Yes

Microphone Control  

No
No

Channel Mixing 
 

No
No

Noise Cancelling Control  

No
No

Talk-Through 
 

No
No

Additional Controls  

Voice Assistant
Voice Assistant
Show Text 

Breathability 
 

9.4

Breathability After Picture  

Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless Breathability After Picture

Avg.Temp.Difference  

0.6 °C
Show Text 

Portability 
 

9.3
9.4

Portability Picture  

Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless Portability Picture
Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds Portability Picture

 

1.3"
2"

 

2"
1.6"

 

0.9"
0.6"

Volume  

2.4 in³
1.9 in³

Transmitter Required  

No
No
Show Text 

Case 
 

8.0
0.0

Case Picture  

Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless Case Picture
Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds Case Picture

Type  

Hard case
No case

 

2.3"
N/A

 

2.3"
N/A

 

0.9"
N/A

Volume  

4.8 in³
N/A
Show Text 

Build Quality 
 

7.5
6.5

Build Quality Picture  

Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless Build Quality Picture
Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds Build Quality Picture
Show Text 

Stability 
 

7.5
7.5

Stability Picture  

Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless Stability Picture
Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds Stability Picture
Show Text 

Headshots 1  

Angled Picture  

Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless Angled Picture
Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds Angled Picture

Side Picture  

Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless Side Picture
Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds Side Picture

Headshots 2  

Front Picture  

Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless Front Picture
Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds Front Picture

Rear Picture  

Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless Rear Picture
Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds Rear Picture

Top  

Top Picture  

Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless Top Picture
Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds Top Picture

In The Box  

In The Box Picture  

Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless In The Box Picture
Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds In The Box Picture
Show Text 
Sound

Sound Profile 
 

Frequency Response  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Bass Amount 
 

-9.99 dB
-5.62 dB

Treble Amount 
 

-2.54 dB
-6.08 dB
Show Text 

Frequency Response Consistency 
 

8.2
5.7

Consistency L  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Consistency R  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Avg. Std. Deviation 
 

0.36 dB
2.41 dB
Show Text 

Raw Frequency Response 
 

Raw FR L  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Raw FR R  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Bass Accuracy 
 

2.7
5.5

Bass  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Std. Err. 
 

9.98 dB
6.06 dB

Low-Frequency Extension 
 

53.39 Hz
60.8 Hz

Low-Bass 
 

-16.45 dB
-10.1 dB

Mid-Bass 
 

4.33 dB
1.54 dB

High-Bass 
 

9.24 dB
6.4 dB
Show Text 

Mid Accuracy 
 

7.2
7.4

Mid  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Std. Err. 
 

3.68 dB
3.42 dB

Low-Mid 
 

5.62 dB
5.18 dB

Mid-Mid 
 

1.95 dB
1.65 dB

High-Mid 
 

0.64 dB
0.78 dB
Show Text 

Treble Accuracy 
 

7.0
7.7

Treble  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Std. Err. 
 

3.99 dB
3.05 dB

Low-Treble 
 

3.38 dB
-1.2 dB

Mid-Treble 
 

3.81 dB
-3.51 dB

High-Treble 
 

-4.88 dB
-15.21 dB
Show Text 

Peaks/Dips 
 

5.2
7.0

Peaks/Dips Graph  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Peaks 
 

3.65 dB
2.24 dB

Dips 
 

2.08 dB
0.93 dB
Show Text 

Imaging 
 

6.7
6.1

Group Delay  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Phase Response  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Weighted Group Delay 
 

1.08
0.25

Weighted Amplitude Mismatch 
 

2.68
4.35

Weighted Frequency Mismatch 
 

2.02
4.59

Weighted Phase Mismatch 
 

4.96
5.45
Show Text 

Passive Soundstage 
 

2.8
2.5

PRTF  

Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless PRTF
Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds PRTF

PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.) 
 

N/A
N/A

PRTF Size (Avg.) 
 

N/A
N/A

PRTF Distance 
 

N/A
N/A

Openness 
 

9.6
9.3

Acoustic Space Excitation 
 

2.9
2.2
Show Text 

Virtual Soundstage 
 

0.0
0.0

Virtual Soundstage  

Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless Virtual Soundstage
Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds Virtual Soundstage

Head Modeling 
 

No
No

Speaker Modeling 
 

No
No

Room Ambience 
 

No
No

Head Tracking 
 

No
No

Virtual Surround 
 

No App
No App
Show Text 

Weighted Harmonic Distortion 
 

6.5
7.3

Weighted Harmonic Distortion  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

WHD @ 90 
 

0.366
0.405

WHD @ 100 
 

0.888
0.187
Show Text 

Test Settings 
 

Firmware 
 

Unknown
No Firmware

Power 
 

On
Passive

Connection 
 

Unknown
USB

Codec 
 

SBC, 16-bit, 48kHz
PCM, 24-bit, 48kHz

EQ 
 

No EQ
No EQ

ANC 
 

No ANC
No ANC

Tip/Pad 
 

Default
Default

Microphone 
 

Integrated
In-line
Show Text 
Isolation

Noise Isolation 
 

1.0
2.0

Noise Isolation  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Isolation Audio 
 

Overall Attenuation 
 

-1.44 dB
-5.03 dB

Noise Cancelling  

No
No

Bass 
 

-1.71 dB
0.36 dB

Mid 
 

2.84 dB
0.32 dB

Treble 
 

-4.79 dB
-15.52 dB
Show Text 

Leakage 
 

7.4
8.0

Leakage  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Leakage Audio 
 

Overall Leakage @ 1ft 
 

37.08 dB
33.27 dB
Show Text 
Microphone

Microphone Style 
 

Integrated 
 

Yes
No

In-Line 
 

No
Yes

Boom 
 

No
No

Detachable Boom 
 

No
No

Mic  

Yes
Yes
Show Text 

Recording Quality 
 

7.0
8.4

Microphone Frequency Response  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Recorded Speech 
 

LFE 
 

83.54 Hz
198.7 Hz

FR Std. Dev. 
 

2.33 dB
2.7 dB

HFE 
 

3,368.2 Hz
20,777.89 Hz

Weighted THD 
 

42.079
0.725

Gain 
 

43.58 dB
2.75 dB
Show Text 

Noise Handling 
 

6.1
6.0

SpNR  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Speech + Pink Noise  

Speech + Subway Noise  

SpNR 
 

13.74 dB
11.68 dB
Show Text 
Active Features

Battery 
 

6.4
0.0

Battery Type 
 

Rechargable
No Battery

Continuous Battery Life 
 

4.6 hrs
N/A

Additional Charges 
 

4.5
N/A

Total Battery Life 
 

20.7 hrs
N/A

Charge Time 
 

0.9 hrs
N/A

Power-Saving Feature 
 

Auto-Off Timer
No

Audio While Charging 
 

No
No

Passive Playback 
 

No
Passive Headphone

Charging Port  

USB-C
None
Show Text 

App Support 
 

0.0
0.0

App Picture  

Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless App Picture
Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds App Picture

App Name  

No App
No App

iOS  

No
No

Android  

No
No

macOS  

No
No

Windows  

No
No

Equalizer 
 

No
No

ANC Control 
 

No
No

Mic Control  

No
No

Room Effects 
 

No
No

Playback Control 
 

No
No

Button Mapping  

No
No

Surround Support 
 

No
No
Show Text 
Connectivity

Bluetooth 
 

7.9
0.0

Bluetooth Version 
 

4.2
No Bluetooth

Multi-Device Pairing 
 

2 Devices
No

NFC Pairing 
 

No
No

Line Of Sight Range 
 

76 ft
N/A

PC Latency (SBC) 
 

185 ms
N/A

PC Latency (aptX) 
 

N/A
N/A

PC Latency (aptX HD) 
 

N/A
N/A

PC Latency (aptX-LL) 
 

N/A
N/A

iOS Latency 
 

136 ms
N/A

Android Latency 
 

116 ms
N/A
Show Text 

Non-Bluetooth Wireless 
 

0.0
0.0

Non-BT Line Of Sight Range 
 

N/A
N/A

Non-BT Latency 
 

N/A
N/A
Show Text 

Wired 
 

0.0
7.6

Cable Picture  

Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless Cable Picture
Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds Cable Picture

Analog Audio 
 

No
No

USB Audio 
 

No
USB-C

Detachable  

No
No

Length  

N/A
3.8 ft

Connection  

No Wired Option
USB-C

Analog/USB Audio Latency 
 

N/A
53 ms
Show Text 

PC / PS4 Compatibility 
 

PC/PS4 Analog 
 

No
No

PC/PS4 Wired USB 
 

No
Audio + Microphone (PC Only)

PC/PS4 Non-BT Wireless 
 

No
No
Show Text 

Xbox One Compatibility 
 

Xbox One Analog 
 

No
No

Xbox One Wired USB 
 

No
No

Xbox One Non-BT Wireless 
 

No
No
Show Text 

Base/Dock 
 

2.2
0.0

Type 
 

Charging Case
No Base/Dock

USB Input 
 

No
No

Line In 
 

No
No

Line Out 
 

No
No

Optical Input 
 

No
No

RCA Input 
 

No
No

Dock Charging 
 

Yes
No

Power Supply 
 

USB-C
No Base/Dock
Show Text 

Check Price

Standard
Pixel Buds
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
White
Pixel USB-C
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Standard
Pixel Buds
SEE PRICE
Walmart.com
White
Pixel USB-C
SEE PRICE
BestBuy.com
Standard
Pixel Buds
B&H
White
Pixel USB-C
B&H

Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless

Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds

Comments

  1. Comparison

Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless vs Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds: Main Discussion

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