Headphone Product Library · Full specs
| Series | LinkBuds |
| Form | TWS |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Driver Size | 5 mm |
| Weight | 4.8 g |
| Battery | 6/20 h |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 |
| Codecs | SBC,AAC,LDAC |
| ANC | Adaptive |
| Microphone | Yes |
| Waterproof | IPX4 |
| Released | 2022 |
Acoustic specs
Spec comparison · relative to this model
| Product DB | Sony LinkBuds S ★ | Bose QC Earbuds | Marshall Motif II A.N.C. | Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Impedance | — | — | — | — |
| Sensitivity | — | — | — | — |
| Frequency | — | — | — | — |
| Weight | 4.8 g | 6.2 g↑+1.4 | 4.3 g↓-0.5 | 5.8 g↑+1 |
| Battery | 6/20 h | 6/24 h | 6/30 h | 6.5/31 h↑+0.5 |
| ANC | Adaptive | Yes | Adaptive | Adaptive |
| Year | 2022 | 2020↓-2 | 2023↑+1 | 2023↑+1 |
| Price | $199 | $199 | $199 | $199 |
↑↓ = difference vs the ★ model; lighter, longer battery and wider response are shown in green. “—” means the maker does not publish that figure.
Sony LinkBuds S is Sony’s true-wireless earbuds, released in 2022 at $199. The spec sheet lists dynamic、5 mm、4.8 g、20 hours。Its value is not one dramatic number but where those specs land at this price.
1. Where it sits on the shelf
On this true-wireless earbuds shelf its price ranks 22th (45 models with a price), and 4th most expensive of the 18 models in the $100–200 band. At 4.8 g it ranks 10th lightest of the 40 models with weight data. The maker publishes neither impedance nor sensitivity — common in this form factor, so we compare only the checkable fields.
2. What the numbers change in daily use
Bluetooth 5.2 with SBC,AAC,LDAC, with active noise cancelling. Rated battery is 6/20 hours including the charging case. On LDAC-capable Android devices a high-resolution path around 990 kbps is available, while an iPhone falls back to AAC.At 2 hours of commuting a day that is roughly one charge every two weeks.
3. Fit, isolation and use cases
At 4.8 g it is on the light side for this form factor. In-ear tips give passive isolation, enough for commuting. No water-resistance rating is published, so sport and rain are out.
4. Head to head with its three closest rivals
The three closest rivals at this price are the Bose QC Earbuds, Marshall Motif II A.N.C. and Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3. Bose QC Earbuds ($199 (same price))：6.2 g、24 hours battery；Marshall Motif II A.N.C. ($199 (same price))：4.3 g、30 hours battery；Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3 ($199 (same price))：5.8 g、31 hours battery。
5. Weaknesses worth stating
- Price position: of the 18 models in the $100–200 band, 0 cost more and 12 cost less.
- Battery is not a strength: Bose QC Earbuds（24 hours）、Marshall Motif II A.N.C.（30 hours）、Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3（31 hours） all last longer than its 20 hours.
6. What to buy instead at the same price
- The direct rivals are the three models from section 4 (Bose QC Earbuds、Marshall Motif II A.N.C.、Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3) — which to pick depends on the spec you care about.
- Other checkable models in the $100–200 band: Sony LinkBuds Open（$199、5.1 g）、Bose QC Earbuds（$199、6.2 g）、Marshall Motif II A.N.C.（$199、4.3 g）.
7. Who it is for — and who it is not
- Commuting and office: ANC plus 20 hours of battery.
- Android users: LDAC is its hard edge over same-price rivals.
- Long days out: the Bose QC Earbuds lasts 24 hours.
Data note: every claim comes from maker-published specs in our own product database and same-price comparisons (price, weight, impedance, sensitivity, frequency response, codecs and battery are checkable fields). No unmeasured listening impressions are included; unpublished figures show as “—” in the table.