Sony’s loopy LinkBuds drop to $148 for Prime Day, their lowest price ever
Most true wireless earbuds follow the same basic design rules, but not theSony LinkBuds. They launched earlier this year with a strange open-ear design and the promise of all-day comfort. We were not convinced of their value at full price, but today’sAmazon Prime Daysale drops it by $30 to the lowest price yet; just $148.
Most earbuds are designed to block out the world, but that’s not the case with the LinkBuds (not to be confused with the newerLinkBuds S). Sony’s LinkBuds have a 12mm driver with a hole in the middle, ensuring you can still hear the world around you. For example, you can remain aware of traffic while walking or running alongside a busy road. The buds have adaptive volume control to automatically increase or decrease playback volume based on ambient noise. Although, I found the adjustments abrupt and distracting.
Sony LinkBuds — $30 off
$148 at Amazon
The LinkBuds come with a few different wing attachments to get an optimal fit. I didn’t think the LinkBuds were any more comfortable than your average pair of buds, but everyone has different ears, and many people like them. The Wide Tap Area works surprisingly well, allowing you to tap the side of your head (like the meme) to control playback instead of tapping the earbuds themselves. The LinkBuds have a nice, compact case, and they’re IPX4 certified, so they could be great for workouts. Just be aware that more sound will leak out compared to traditional earbuds and could annoy anyone who gets too close.
One thing we didn’t like about the LinkBuds was the price tag, which was too high considering the weak battery life and narrow use case. However, it’s much more palatable at a $30 discount. They’re quick to set up in the Sony app, and there’s Google Assistant/Alexa integration. However, the LinkBuds only supports SBC and AAC—no high-quality LDAC codec in the mix this time, but it wouldn’t make much difference given the design. If that doesn’t bother you, the LinkBuds are a solid purchase on sale.
From faster storage to better speakers
Google’s made several improvements over the years
More visual changes
Expanded dark theme is here
Samsung’s making a bold move
New data from Circana affirmed that Nintendo Switch 2 is still a resounding success in the United States, having now sold 2 million units
