A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
Advantages of the Apple Airpods Pro
- Good for phone calls
- Excellent for air travel
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Sony Linkbuds
- Good for exercise
Key differences
Phone Calls
7.4
6.8
The Apple Airpods Pro is good for phone calls, while the Sony Linkbuds is only fair.
Noise Reduction
9.1
2.5
The Apple Airpods Pro is excellent for noise reduction, while the Sony Linkbuds is poor.
Cost
$260
$178
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Apple Airpods Pro has a price of $260 and the Sony Linkbuds costs $178.
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Key similarities
Music
6.8
6.6
The Apple Airpods Pro and Sony Linkbuds are both only fair for music.
Gaming
5.1
5.5
The Sony Linkbuds and Apple Airpods Pro are both poor for gaming.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.3
7.8
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple Airpods Pro to be very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sony Linkbuds is good.
TV and Video
5.7
5.4
The Apple Airpods Pro and Sony Linkbuds are both poor for TV and video.
Battery
5.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Apple Airpods Pro has 5 hours of battery life. The Sony Linkbuds has 5.5 hours of battery life.
Build Quality
9.0
9.3
The Sony Linkbuds and Apple Airpods Pro both have excellent build quality.
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How the Apple Airpods Pro and the Sony Linkbuds compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple Airpods Pro | Sony Linkbuds |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$260 | $178 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2019 | February 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.9/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 7.4/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.2/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.7/10 | 5.4/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.1/10 | 7/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.5 Hours | 1.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 24 | 17.5 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 9.1/10 | 2.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | No | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | No | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 5.4 Grams | 4.5 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Apple Airpods Pro
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Adam Molina | January 2023
"For just $50 USD more than the original model with the wireless charging case, this is definitely the pair of buds to get. The AirPods Pro (1st generation) sounds better than the originals and has a way better fit and active noise canceling to boot. If you have an iOS device, just get this."
Sony Linkbuds
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Sound Guys
Sam Moore | February 2022
"The Sony LinkBuds is definitely the most unique audio product to release so far in 2022, and it largely executes well on it's unoccluded design. However, it's hamstrung by all the same things as other unsealed earbuds."
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About Apple
Apple Inc. is an American technology company, founded in 1976, known for its wide range of premium products, including smartphones, computers, and audio solutions. Apple offers the very popular personal audio line AirPods, highly regarded for their wireless, smart capabilities and their seamless integration with the iPhone, iPad and Mac devices. They provide a high-quality sound, comfort and lifestyle features perfect for all users invested in their ecosystem.
About Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
108
Earbuds and headphones evaluated
11,340
Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
15
Proprietary Earbuds and headphones ratings developed
113,900
Recommendations made
17,085
Consumer hours saved
About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Luis Torres
Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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