Sony LinkBuds S

Small and light Very good sound quality Excellent noise canceling Handy transparency features Wear sensors IPX4 water resistance

Mediocre battery life Quirky control options No wireless charging No Bluetooth Multipoint

“Excellent ANC and unique features make these earbuds an intriguing new option.”

Quality audio performance with rich lows and crisp, clear highs ; Effective noise cancellation ; In-app EQ, customizable controls, and Spotify Tap support ; Water-resistant design

Unimpressive battery life

Sony's true wireless LinkBuds S earphones deliver good sound quality and noise cancellation in a much more effective design than previous pair, but they don't quite outshine the rest of the competition.

Sony’s most comfortable earbuds to date ; Good voice call quality ; LDAC support

$200 and no wireless charging? ; New software features are a mixed bag ; ANC and sound quality are a step below the 1000XM4

Sony’s LinkBuds S are the company’s most comfortable earbuds to date thanks to their lightweight design. They also include active noise cancellation, an ambient sound mode, and IPX4 water resistance.

Rich sound ; Comfortable and lightweight ; Good call quality ; Fast charging ; Made from recycled materials ; Easy to open, plastic-free packaging ; Alexa and Google Assistant support ; Feature-rich ; IPX4 rating

Battery life not as long as advertised ; Weak ANC ; No wireless charging

Sony’s LinkBuds S are comfortable and lightweight enough to wear for hours on end without putting a strain on your head. They sound excellent and are a superb choice if you want to stay in touch with your surroundings. Unfortunately, their active noise...

Clean sound with great, deep bass ; Fantastic ANC ; Lightweight build

A bit pricey ; No wireless charging

Good Sound Quality ; Fast charging ; Lightweight & compact ; IPX5 rating

No wireless charging ; Prone to dirt and smudges ; Taps not frequently identified

Critic’s rating:

Great comfort - barely noticeable in your ears. Incredibly good ambient sound, fine noise cancellation. Great sound!

Right out of the box, it's missing some airiness and bass, which needs to be adjusted in the EQ. The sound is never as dynamic as we would like.

The Sony LinkBuds S are a pair of very interesting earbuds. In addition to being very small and compact, they provide a comfort that allows you to wear them in your ears all day, or as long as you want, without them getting sweaty or uncomfortable. And...

When Sony sent over the two LinkBuds models, they expect some close comparison. But they cater to very different use cases. Personally, I would get the WF-1000XM4 for its superior ANC and overall price-value (it’s my favourite true wireless earbuds in...