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Updated April 11, 2024·
If noise isolation and exercise use are important to you, the Jabra Elite 4 with active noise cancelling and sweatproof certification would be a better choice. If you prefer a more natural listening experience and an open design that allows ambient sound, the Sony Linkbuds would suit you better, though at a higher price. The Jabra Elite 4 also offers better battery life, which is ideal for extended use between charges, and they are more geared towards calls and meetings due to their mic quality. Conversely, the Sony Linkbuds support a low-latency codec for Apple devices and have unique ring drivers that may appeal to those looking for a different audio experience. 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 Jabra Elite 4
- Very good for phone calls
- Very good for air travel
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Sony Linkbuds
- The Sony Linkbuds has no clear advantages over the Jabra Elite 4.
Key differences
Phone Calls
8.8
6.8
The Jabra Elite 4 is very good for phone calls, while the Sony Linkbuds is only fair.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.6
7.8
The Jabra Elite 4 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sony Linkbuds is good.
TV and Video
6.0
5.4
The Jabra Elite 4 is only fair for TV and video, while the Sony Linkbuds is poor.
Noise Reduction
7.0
2.5
The Jabra Elite 4 is good for noise reduction, while the Sony Linkbuds is poor.
Cost
$100
$178
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
The Jabra Elite 4 has a price of $100 and the Sony Linkbuds costs $178.
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Key similarities
Music
6.6
6.6
The Sony Linkbuds and Jabra Elite 4 are both only fair for music.
Gaming
5.4
5.5
The Sony Linkbuds and Jabra Elite 4 are both poor for gaming.
Battery
5.5 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Jabra Elite 4 has 5.5 hours of battery life. The Sony Linkbuds has 5.5 hours of battery life.
Build Quality
9.0
9.3
The Sony Linkbuds and Jabra Elite 4 both have excellent build quality.
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How the Jabra Elite 4 and the Sony Linkbuds compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Jabra Elite 4 | Sony Linkbuds |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$100 | $178 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Jabra | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | February 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.6/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8.8/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.4/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 6/10 | 5.4/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 7.7/10 | 7/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5.5 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 3.5 Hours | 1.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 21 | 17.5 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 7/10 | 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 | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 4.6 Grams | 4.5 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Jabra Elite 4
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Dig into reviews and images
SoundGuys
Jasper Lastoria | September 2023
"The Jabra Elite 4 is a good midrange option with solid isolation and aptX codec for Android. It sounds consumer friendly from the box and the app has some EQ to adjust to taste. Some included luxuries include multipoint, sidetone, and Spotify Tap"
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."
Get a great deal on the Jabra Elite 4 or the Sony Linkbuds
About Jabra
Jabra is a subsidiary of GN Store Nord, a 150-year-old Danish company that specializes in the manufacturing of hearing aids, headsets and earphones. Jabra has a focus on fit and comfort and quality control over everything else. According to Peter Karstromer, Jabras CEO, they “design and engineer technology that frees people to work, live and communicate how and where they want to, equipping them with the tools to live their life to a new rhythm”.
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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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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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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