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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Philips Fidelio X2HR offers an excellent overall sound quality with a spacious soundstage, making it great for an immersive music experience at home. However, its open-back design and lack of a built-in mic limit its usefulness for calls or in noisy environments and it's not suitable for exercise. On the other hand, the Sony Linkbuds provide greater convenience with their wireless design and have an app to customize controls and sound settings. They are also more portable, suitable for exercise due to being sweatproof, and offer integrated microphone functionality for calls. In contrast to the Philips, the Sony Linkbuds' sound quality isn't as highly rated, and they may not be as comfortable for long listening sessions. Choose the Philips if sound quality at home is your priority, or the Sony Linkbuds for a more versatile, on-the-go option with good call functionality. 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 Philips Fidelio X2HR
- Excellent for music
- Good for gaming
- Very good for TV and video
Advantages of the Sony Linkbuds
- Good for exercise
Key differences
Music
9.3
6.6
The Philips Fidelio X2HR is excellent for music, while the Sony Linkbuds is only fair.
Gaming
7.0
5.5
The Philips Fidelio X2HR is good for gaming, while the Sony Linkbuds is poor.
Phone Calls
5.0
6.8
The Sony Linkbuds is only fair for phone calls, while the Philips Fidelio X2HR is poor.
TV and Video
8.8
5.4
The Philips Fidelio X2HR is very good for TV and video, while the Sony Linkbuds is poor.
Battery
N/A
5.5 Hours
The Philips Fidelio X2HR does not have a battery. The Sony Linkbuds has 5.5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$140
$178
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
The Philips Fidelio X2HR has a price of $140 and the Sony Linkbuds costs $178.
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Key similarities
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.9
7.8
The Philips Fidelio X2HR and Sony Linkbuds are both good for podcasts and audiobooks.
Noise Reduction
2.5
2.5
The Philips Fidelio X2HR and Sony Linkbuds are both poor for noise reduction.
Build Quality
9.0
9.3
The Sony Linkbuds and Philips Fidelio X2HR both have excellent build quality.
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How the Philips Fidelio X2HR and the Sony Linkbuds compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Philips Fidelio X2HR | Sony Linkbuds |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$140 | $178 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Philips | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2014 | February 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 9.3/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 7.1/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.9/10 | 5.4/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.5/10 | 7/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 5.5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 1.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 17.5 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | 2.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | N/A | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | N/A | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | N/A | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 390 Grams | 4.5 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Integrated | |
Shopping
Philips Fidelio X2HR
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Dig into reviews and images
Liquid Audio
Stefan | May 2022
"This piece is a fantastic option for music lovers searching for premium sound and a snug fit. You should get these headphones if you care about sound quality and want to hear music in a new light. This technology is a great option for high-quality headphones with superb sound reproduction."
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 Philips Fidelio X2HR or the Sony Linkbuds
About Philips
Philips is a Dutch conglomerate and electronics manufacturer with over 130 years of history. Philips makes the Fidelio audio line which includes several models of full-sized wired and wireless headphones, true wireless earbuds. soundbars and wireless speakers.
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.
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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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