Google Pixel Buds 2a / Apple AirPods Max (Lightning, 2020)

Google Pixel Buds 2a: Pixel Buds 2a in-ear earbuds with a USB-C charging case; the Fog, Berry, Iris and Hazel colours share the same hardware. The Pixel Buds A-Series and Pixel Buds Pro 2 are separate models.

Apple AirPods Max (Lightning, 2020): AirPods Max 1, the first version with a Lightning charging port (2020); Silver, Space Grey, Sky Blue, Pink and Green. The 2024 USB‑C version and AirPods Max 2 are separate models.

Specification	Google Pixel Buds 2a	Apple AirPods Max (Lightning, 2020)
Release year	2025	2020
Type	In-ear true wireless; wing-tip stabiliser, four ear-tip sizes (XS, S, M, L) Google	—
Processor	Google Tensor A1 in each earbud Google	—
Driver	11 mm dynamic driver Google	—
Noise cancelling	Active noise cancellation (Silent Seal 1.5); transparency mode; active in-ear pressure relief Pressure relief adjusts pressure in the ear canal to reduce the blocked feeling of a sealed in-ear design. Google	—
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.4; pairs with Bluetooth 4.0+ devices Full features need an Android 6.0+ phone and a Google account; on iPhone basic listening works but app settings are unavailable. Google	Bluetooth 5.0 Apple
Calls	Two microphones per earbud; Bluetooth super wideband; Clear Calling; wind-blocking mesh Super wideband carries a wider audio range on calls with compatible Pixel phones. Google	—
Battery	ANC on: 7 hours (20 hours with case); ANC off: 10 hours (27 hours with case); 5 minutes of charging gives 1 hour Google	Up to 20 hours of listening with Active Noise Cancellation or Transparency on; up to 20 hours of movies with Spatial Audio on; 5 minutes of charge gives about 1.5 hours of listening Apple’s figures come from pre-production tests with an iPhone 12 Pro Max in November 2020. Apple
Charging case	USB-C charging; no wireless charging listed Google	—
Durability	Earbuds IP54, case IPX4 IP54 protects against dust and splashing water; the earbuds are not designed to be submerged. Google	—
Sensors	Capacitive touch controls; IR proximity sensor for in-ear detection; Hall sensor in the case Google	Optical, position and case-detect sensors plus an accelerometer in each cup; gyroscope in the left cup The position and optical sensors detect when the headphones are put on or taken off to pause and resume playback. Apple
Size and weight	Earbud 23.1 × 16.0 × 17.8 mm, 4.7 g; case 50.0 × 24.5 × 57.2 mm, 47.6 g with earbuds Google	187.3 × 168.6 × 83.4 mm; 384.8 g with cushions; Smart Case 134.5 g Apple
Updates	Automatic security updates for at least three years from first availability on the US Google Store Google	—
Colours	Fog, Berry, Iris, Hazel Google	—
Audio technology	—	Apple-designed dynamic driver; Active Noise Cancellation; Transparency mode; Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking; Adaptive EQ A Personalised Spatial Audio profile is created with an iPhone that has a TrueDepth camera; the feature needs compatible content and apps. Apple
Chip	—	Apple H1 headphone chip in each ear cup Apple
Microphones	—	Nine microphones in total: eight for noise cancellation; three for voice pickup (two shared with noise cancellation) Apple
Controls	—	Digital Crown (volume, play/pause, calls, track skip, Siri) and noise control button Turning the Digital Crown changes the volume; the noise control button switches between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode. Apple
Charging and case	—	Charging via Lightning; the battery enters an ultra-low-power state in the Smart Case The box contains the headphones, the Smart Case and a Lightning to USB‑C cable. There is no separate power button; the Smart Case handles power saving. Apple
Compatibility	—	Apple devices running the latest iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS or tvOS They work as Bluetooth headphones with Apple devices on older software and with non-Apple devices, but functionality is limited. Apple