Android fans, if you need noise cancelling Christmas ideas, my favorite AirPods alternatives are back on sale
Google Pixel Buds Pro aren't exclusive to Pixel phones
Sure, you can find an amazing Christmas deal on Apple AirPods 2 ($60 off at Amazon) right now, but what about a pair of smart earbuds for us Android fans? Google's Pixel Buds Pro are on sale at Amazon for $119.99 (down from $189.99), and they give Apple's AirPods a serious run for the money. Pixel Buds Pro work great with every phone (even iPhone), giving you cool new features – like conversation detection – for a fraction of the price of Apple's buds.
Of course, if you have a Pixel phone, the Pixel Buds Pro also have the amazing spatial audio feature that Apple's AirPods Pro share with the iPhone. The Pixel 8 Pro is on sale now for $799, the same low price we saw around Black Friday, and the Pixel 8 is also back to its low price of $549.
Even if you don't have a Pixel phone, you still get the noice cancellation, plus the new conversation detection feature, which pauses your music and turns on transparency mode when you start talking to somebody. The Pixel Buds Pro have great battery life, and the case charges wirelessly. I drop mine onto the same charger intended for AirPods, it works with no trouble.
If you have an iPhone, the AirPods Pro are worth considering for the spatial audio feature (especially if an Apple Vision Pro is in your future), but everybody else would probably be just as happy spending much less and getting the great Pixel Buds Pro instead. They even come in some cool colors.
Today's best Google Pixel Buds Pro deal
Google Pixel Buds Pro: was $189.99 now $119.99 at Amazon
Save $70: Google's Pixel Buds Pro are much cheaper than Apple's AirPods Pro, but they have the same noise cancellation and even similar conversation detection features as Apple's best earbuds. This is the best price we've seen on Google's Buds Pro. If you have a Pixel phone, they even offer spatial audio features, but you don't need a Pixel or even an Android phone to enjoy these buds at this low price.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation): was $249 now $189.99 at Amazon
Save $60: If you have a new iPhone you may want to stick with Apple's AirPods Pro, which pair automatically with all of your Apple devices and give you exclusive features that only work with an iPhone (or Apple's upcoming Apple Vision Pro), like spatial audio. This is the best price we've seen for Apple's fanciest set of earbuds.
For more holiday and Christmas gift ideas, check out our guides to the best Christmas sales in the US and Boxing Day sales in the UK. Oh, and be sure to follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings, and unmissable deals!
More holiday sales
- Amazon: 70% off Kindle, TVs, tablets & clothing
- Apple: AirPods, Apple Watch & iPads from $79
- Adidas: 40% off running shoes & clothing
- Beauty: 51% off makeup, skincare & hair tools
- Best Buy: $800 off TVs, laptops & headphones
- Cheap TVs: big-screen 4K TVs from $269.99
- Christmas: 40% off decor, pajamas & trees
- Dell: cheap laptops and desktops from $259
- DreamCloud: 40% off all mattresses
- Gaming: console bundles from $289.99
- Lenovo: 76% off laptops, desktops & printers
- Lululemon: up to 30% off sitewide
- Nectar: mattress deals starting at $359
- Nordstrom: 40% off Nike, Levi's & UGGs
- Patagonia: pullovers starting at $64.99
- Saatva: $400 off mattresses over $1,000
- Samsung: $2,000 off TVs, $800 off Galaxy S23
- Target: 40% off Christmas decor, TVs & toys
- Toys: Disney, Barbie & Lego from $14.99
- Walmart: cheap TVs, air fryers, PS5 & toys
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Phil Berne is a preeminent voice in consumer electronics reviews, starting more than 20 years ago at eTown.com. Phil has written for Engadget, The Verge, PC Mag, Digital Trends, Slashgear, TechRadar, AndroidCentral, and was Editor-in-Chief of the sadly-defunct infoSync. Phil holds an entirely useful M.A. in Cultural Theory from Carnegie Mellon University. He sang in numerous college a cappella groups.
Phil did a stint at Samsung Mobile, leading reviews for the PR team and writing crisis communications until he left in 2017. He worked at an Apple Store near Boston, MA, at the height of iPod popularity. Phil is certified in Google AI Essentials. He has a High School English teaching license (and years of teaching experience) and is a Red Cross certified Lifeguard. His passion is the democratizing power of mobile technology. Before AI came along he was totally sure the next big thing would be something we wear on our faces.