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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
The Razer Kraken offers a good value for a lower price, with over-ear, closed-back design providing better noise isolation and powerful, dynamic sound suitable for an immersive gaming experience, yet bulky for on-the-go use. On the other hand, the Sony Linkbuds, while costlier, feature an innovative open design, which allows for awareness of your environment, making them ideal for outdoor activities, although they may not offer the same sound isolation for noisy environments. Note that the Linkbuds have an integrated microphone, likely giving you clearer calls compared to the Kraken's boom mic, and the Sony earbuds are more portable due to their smaller size. 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 Razer Kraken
- Good for music
- Very good for gaming
- Good for TV and video
Advantages of the Sony Linkbuds
- Good for exercise
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Gaming
8.3
5.5
The Razer Kraken is very good for gaming, while the Sony Linkbuds is poor.
Phone Calls
5.5
6.8
The Sony Linkbuds is only fair for phone calls, while the Razer Kraken is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
4.7
7.8
The Sony Linkbuds is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Razer Kraken is poor.
TV and Video
7.4
5.4
The Razer Kraken is good for TV and video, while the Sony Linkbuds is poor.
Noise Reduction
6.5
2.5
The Razer Kraken is only fair for noise reduction, while the Sony Linkbuds is poor.
Battery
N/A
5.5 Hours
The Razer Kraken does not have a battery. The Sony Linkbuds has 5.5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$50
$178
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
The Razer Kraken has a price of $50 and the Sony Linkbuds costs $178.
Build Quality
8.5
9.3
The Sony Linkbuds has excellent build quality, while the Razer Kraken has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Music
7.1
6.6
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Razer Kraken to be good for music, while the Sony Linkbuds is only fair.
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How the Razer Kraken and the Sony Linkbuds compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Razer Kraken | Sony Linkbuds |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$50 | $178 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Razer | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2019 | February 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.1/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.5/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.4/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 7.4/10 | 5.4/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.2/10 | 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 | 6.5/10 | 2.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | N/A | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | N/A | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 9/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 322 Grams | 4.5 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Boom | Integrated | |
Shopping
Razer Kraken
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Dig into reviews and images
PC Gamer
Rob Dwiar | March 2019
"Generally the Kraken is a very comfortable headset and there’s nothing that really identifies it as anything else. All in, the Kraken performed exactly as I’d expect a premium, designated gaming headset to perform: performing well in game audio, though not quite with the same quality of those headsets further up the price scale."
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 Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean hardware manufacturer aimed specifically toward the gaming market. They manufacture a very wide array of gaming laptops, tablets, phones, peripherals and, of course, headphones and earbuds both wired and wireless. Since 2016, Razer has owned the THX suite, aimed at quality assurance of audiovisual systems such as speaker sets, video game consoles and even movie theaters.
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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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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