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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize excellent sound quality and plan to use earbuds in noisy environments, then Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 may be the better choice due to its active noise cancelling feature and higher overall sound quality. These earbuds are also more suitable for air travel. However, they are more expensive. On the other hand, the Sony Linkbuds, being more affordable, offer greater comfort and are better for calls and meetings due to superior microphone quality. They also have an open design, which is beneficial for situational awareness, and support virtual surround sound which could enhance your listening experience with compatible content. Keep in mind that the Sony Linkbuds have less effective noise isolation due to their open design. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2
- Very good for air travel
Advantages of the Sony Linkbuds
- Good for exercise
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Phone Calls
5.0
6.8
The Sony Linkbuds is only fair for phone calls, while the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.6
7.8
The Sony Linkbuds is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 is poor.
Noise Reduction
8.3
2.5
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 is very good for noise reduction, while the Sony Linkbuds is poor.
Cost
$217
$180
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 has a price of $217 and the Sony Linkbuds costs $180.
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Key similarities
Music
6.7
6.6
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 and Sony Linkbuds are both only fair for music.
Gaming
5.3
5.5
The Sony Linkbuds and Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 are both poor for gaming.
TV and Video
5.6
5.4
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 and Sony Linkbuds are both poor for TV and video.
Battery
5.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 has 5 hours of battery life. The Sony Linkbuds has 5.5 hours of battery life.
Build Quality
8.9
9.3
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Sony Linkbuds to have excellent build quality, while the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 has very good build quality.
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How the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 and the Sony Linkbuds compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 | Sony Linkbuds |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$217 | $180 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bowers and Wilkins | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | February 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.8/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.3/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.6/10 | 5.4/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.3/10 | 7/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 0.75 Hours | 1.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 19 | 17.5 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 8.4/10 | 2.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.9/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 6 Grams | 4.5 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2
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Dig into reviews and images
Major HiFi
Chris Golembeski | January 2023
"Bowers and Wilkins isn’t looking to make an obscure, premium wireless bud catered specifically towards audiophiles. Instead, it seems apparent that they’re going for the crown: a cool and popular look, an easy and comfortable fit, and an engaging stage with a great balance that is perfectly suited for mainstream listeners and audiophiles alike."
Sony Linkbuds
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Dig into reviews and images
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 Bowers and Wilkins
Bowers and Wilkins is a British audio equipment manufacturer with a focus on innovation and product development. It was founded by a couple of real-life James Bonds, the co-founders John Bowers and Roy Wilkins, who met while working for MI6 during World War II. The company keeps being favored by enthusiasts due to their sound quality, craftsmanship and signature aesthetics.
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.
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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