Sony LinkBuds S Review: Small, Comfortable Earbuds with Premium Sound

Introduction

The Sony LinkBuds S share their name with the original LinkBuds, but they are a very different product. Where the originals used a completely open ear design, the LinkBuds S are a more traditional true wireless earbud, and they bring much of the experience of Sony’s excellent WF-1000XM4 into a smaller, lighter package. If the WF-1000XM4 felt too large for your ears, these are worth a close look.

Design, Fit, and Comfort

Each earbud weighs around 4.8 grams, and when you pick them up it barely feels like there is anything there. In the ears, they are easy to forget about. Because they are so small, they barely stick out, which also helps reduce wind noise during running and biking.

The earbuds carry an IPX4 water resistance rating, so they should be fine for most sports, though they are not intended for swimming or the shower. Four sizes of silicone ear tips are included, and unlike the foam tips on the WF-1000XM4, these silicone tips create a nice tight seal. The charging case has an unusual extreme matte texture that is almost rough. It takes a moment to warm to, but it offers far more grip than the smooth glassy surface of an AirPods Pro case. The case charges over USB-C and includes a cable, but it does not support wireless charging, which both the AirPods Pro and WF-1000XM4 offer.

Fit and Security During Workouts

With a good fit and the correct ear tips, these stay put well for running, gym work such as weight training and cardio machines, and road biking, even over bumps. However, they lack any fin or over-the-ear hook, so they are not recommended for mountain biking or rock climbing, where a crash or sudden harsh movement could pop them out.

Battery Life and Charging

Sony advertises up to six hours of playback with active noise cancellation on, and in testing that figure was easily reached, even slightly exceeded at high listening volumes. The case adds a few extra charges for up to around 20 hours total. A five-minute fast charge in the case should deliver about an hour of playback.

Sound Quality and Customization

The LinkBuds S use five millimeter drivers that produce a solid low end with crisp mids and highs. The out-of-box tuning leans slightly toward the mids and highs, which can sound pronounced on certain tracks such as acoustic guitar. Fortunately, the companion app includes a customizable equalizer with 12 presets and two custom profiles, so bass lovers can crank up the lows and electronic music can really bump. Across vocals, rock, and hip hop, these perform very well.

They also support Sony’s 360 Reality Audio through compatible apps, which creates a genuinely encapsulating listening experience, though the streaming platforms that carry those tracks tend to charge a premium for access. Volume is another strength: these get genuinely loud, on par with the WF-1000XM4, and unlike some rivals they show very little distortion at higher volumes.

Noise Cancellation and Transparency

Passive isolation is good as long as the ear tip seal is right, and swapping up a tip size improved both isolation and security in testing. Active noise cancellation does a strong job almost everywhere, cutting traffic noise, air conditioner hum, and crowded spaces like the gym with background music. The only leak noticed was the heavy thud of weights slammed on the floor. Compared with the AirPods Pro, the ANC is very comparable, though the WF-1000XM4 still holds a slight edge.

Transparency mode is decent and adjustable, letting you dial in how much outside sound is piped in. At the highest setting there was a slight hum, but backing the setting down a notch sounded much more natural. The AirPods Pro still lead on transparency, where the piped-in sound is remarkably natural. Wind noise handling is roughly on par with both rivals: good at lower speeds while running or biking under about 15 mph, but noisier above that. Notably, the LinkBuds S lack the WF-1000XM4’s dedicated wind noise reduction setting, though their low-profile design helps them cope reasonably well.

Smart Features and Connectivity

Adaptive Sound Control automatically adjusts ANC and ambient sound based on your activity and location. Detection works well, switching between sitting and walking within about five to ten seconds, though the mode-switch tone can get annoying; turning the notification off in the app makes transitions smooth and silent. Location-based switching is especially useful, for example automatically applying your preferred ANC, EQ, and speak-to-chat settings when you arrive at the gym. One caveat: activity detection runs off your phone, not the earbuds, so if your phone sits stationary on a bench, the earbuds assume you are sitting too.

Speak-to-Chat, carried over from the WF-1000XM4, pauses music and switches to transparency when it detects you talking, and it works very well. There is also in-ear detection that pauses playback when you remove a bud. Connectivity runs over Bluetooth 5.2 and proved stable with an iPhone, a Google Pixel, and several watches, though there is no multipoint pairing.

Buying Advice

At $200, the LinkBuds S cost $80 less than the WF-1000XM4. The WF-1000XM4 still offers slightly better sound and ANC plus wireless charging, but the LinkBuds S deliver very premium sound, a secure fit, and a solid feature list with little compromise. Against the AirPods Pro at $250, Apple wins on transparency mode and Apple ecosystem integration, but the LinkBuds S are the pick for sound quality and location-based adaptive sound control. For sports use and sound quality, they are a confident choice over the standard AirPods as well.

Conclusion

The Sony LinkBuds S bring premium sound, effective noise cancellation, and genuinely useful smart features into one of the smallest and most comfortable earbud designs available. If the WF-1000XM4 never fit your ears comfortably, these deliver much of the same experience with far fewer fit compromises.