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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize long battery life and active noise canceling for uses like air travel, then the Sennheiser 450BT is a better option; they also have a higher overall sound quality. However, they're bulkier and have a higher latency, which may not be ideal for gaming or watching TV. On the other hand, the Sony Linkbuds offer a unique open design which is good for those who want to remain aware of their surroundings, and they are lighter and more portable, but they offer less noise isolation and lower overall sound quality. The Linkbuds don't support wired connections or active noise canceling but have integrated virtual surround sound and are optimized for both Android and Apple devices. 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 Sennheiser 450BT
- Very good for gaming
- Very good for TV and video
- Excellent for air travel
Advantages of the Sony Linkbuds
- Good for exercise
Key differences
Gaming
8.8
5.5
The Sennheiser 450BT is very good for gaming, while the Sony Linkbuds is poor.
TV and Video
8.1
5.4
The Sennheiser 450BT is very good for TV and video, while the Sony Linkbuds is poor.
Noise Reduction
9.1
2.5
The Sennheiser 450BT is excellent for noise reduction, while the Sony Linkbuds is poor.
Battery
27.5 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Sennheiser 450BT has 27.5 hours of battery life. The Sony Linkbuds has 5.5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$95
$128
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Sennheiser 450BT has a price of $95 and the Sony Linkbuds costs $128.
Build Quality
8.0
9.3
The Sony Linkbuds has excellent build quality, while the Sennheiser 450BT has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Music
6.2
6.6
The Sony Linkbuds and Sennheiser 450BT are both only fair for music.
Phone Calls
6.9
6.8
The Sennheiser 450BT and Sony Linkbuds are both only fair for phone calls.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.9
7.8
The Sennheiser 450BT and Sony Linkbuds are both good for podcasts and audiobooks.
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How the Sennheiser 450BT and the Sony Linkbuds compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Sennheiser 450BT | Sony Linkbuds |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$95 | $128 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Sennheiser | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2020 | February 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.2/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 7/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.9/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.1/10 | 5.4/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.1/10 | 7/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 27.5 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2.3 Hours | 1.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 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 | 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 | 8/10 | 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) | 240.4 Grams | 4.5 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Sennheiser 450BT
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Lily Katz | March 2022
"The Sennheiser HD 450BT is a very good pair of headphones for the price, noise canceling is good and sound quality is great—quite rare at this price point. Like any product, this headset isn’t without its faults."
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 Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
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
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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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