The Sony LinkBuds have been around for a few months already, but they’re unique enough that it’s still worth talking about. And we got to check them out for a bit last week.
These earbuds come in an unusual open-ear design that allows you to simultaneously hear what you’re listening to and what’s happening around you. It’s a design that will come in handy when you commute or want to use the Sony LinkBuds in public places.
The 12mm ring driver has high-power neodymium magnets that can produce a great frequency range. It also has technologies like Digital Sound Enhancement Engine that upscales lossy audio and 360 Reality Audio for the 3D soundscape that select tracks support.
The Sony LinkBuds also get IPX4 certification for sweat and water resistance, which will come in handy if you want to use these earbuds on a run or walk. These earbuds let external sound in so you can keep tabs on your surroundings, and the IPX certification also ensures these earbuds can handle getting a bit of sweat on them.
Aside from a unique design, the Sony LinkBuds approaches touch controls differently. It has a Wide Area Tap feature that lets you activate controls by tapping your finger to your cheek near the earbuds. It detects the vibrations and then executes the intended commands.
These earbuds also support Sony features like Adaptive Volume Control, which can pick up on loud ambient noises and adjust accordingly, and Speak-to-Chat, which pauses music when it hears you speak. Of course, you can use the Sony Headphones Connect App to access your settings and more features.
The Sony LinkBuds have a listening time of 5.5 hours and come with a compact charging case that holds an extra 17.5 hours and offers fast charging (10 minutes = 1.5 hours of playtime).
You can get the Sony LinkBuds in dark gray or white for USD 179.99.
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