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Linkbuds
Company ProductName Specs




WF1000XM3
Company ProductName Specs




What we think

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The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·

The Sony Linkbuds have an open design making them less isolating, which might be useful if you want to stay aware of your surroundings while listening, but they provide less noise isolation than the Sony WF1000XM3, which have active noise cancellation, making them better for environments like air travel. The Linkbuds are smaller and have unique silicone fins for stable fit during exercise, whereas the WF1000XM3 are larger. Sound quality is higher in the WF1000XM3 making them better for immersive listening sessions. Both have similar features such as app customization and integration and are optimized for both Android and Apple devices. If budget is a prime concern, consider the Linkbuds as they are somewhat less expensive. 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 Sony Linkbuds
  • Good for exercise
Advantages of the Sony WF1000XM3
  • Good for music
  • Very good for phone calls
  • Very good for air travel
  • Very good for podcasts and audiobooks

Key differences

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Music

6.6
Linkbuds
WF1000XM3
7.5
The Sony WF1000XM3 is good for music, while the Sony Linkbuds is only fair.

Phone Calls

6.8
Linkbuds
WF1000XM3
8.2
The Sony WF1000XM3 is very good for phone calls, while the Sony Linkbuds is only fair.

Podcasts and Audiobooks

7.8
Linkbuds
WF1000XM3
8.7
The Sony WF1000XM3 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sony Linkbuds is good.

Noise Reduction

2.5
Linkbuds
WF1000XM3
8.3
The Sony WF1000XM3 is very good for noise reduction, while the Sony Linkbuds is poor.
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Key similarities

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Gaming

5.5
Linkbuds
WF1000XM3
5.6
The Sony WF1000XM3 and Sony Linkbuds are both poor for gaming.

TV and Video

5.4
Linkbuds
WF1000XM3
5.7
The Sony WF1000XM3 and Sony Linkbuds are both poor for TV and video.

Battery

5.5 Hours
Linkbuds
WF1000XM3
6.0 Hours
The Sony Linkbuds has 5.5 hours of battery life. The Sony WF1000XM3 has 6 hours of battery life.

Cost

$178
Linkbuds
WF1000XM3
$180
Product imageProduct image

$100

$150

$200

$250

$300

The Sony Linkbuds has a price of $178 and the Sony WF1000XM3 costs $180.

Build Quality

9.3
Linkbuds
WF1000XM3
9.0
The Sony Linkbuds and Sony WF1000XM3 both have excellent build quality.

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How the Sony Linkbuds and the Sony WF1000XM3 compare to other earbuds and headphones

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Spec Comparison

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Sony LinkbudsSony WF1000XM3
Sony LinkbudsSony WF1000XM3

GENERAL

Price
$178
$180
Brand
SonySony
Release Date
February 1, 2022August 1, 2019
Form Factor
EarbudsEarbuds
Connectivity
WirelessWireless

SOUND

Music Score
6.7/107.6/10
Phone Calls Score
6.9/108.2/10
Gaming Score
5.6/105.6/10
TV and Video Score
5.4/105.8/10
Exercise Score
7/106/10

PERFORMANCE

Battery life
5.5 Hours6 Hours
Wireless charging
NoNo
Charging time
1.5 Hours3.5 Hours
Bluetooth version
5.25
Case Battery Life
17.524

FEATURES

Active Noise Cancelling
NoYes
Noise Reduction Score
2.5/108.4/10
Virtual Surround
YesYes
Android App
YesYes
iOS App
YesYes
Mic Quality
7/108/10

BUILD AND DESIGN

Build Quality
9.3/109/10
Comfort score
7.6/107.9/10
Size
SmallLarge
Weight (headset or single earbud)
4.5 Grams9 Grams
Microphone style
IntegratedIntegrated

Shopping

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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."

Sony WF1000XM3

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Dig into reviews and images

Sound Guys

Lily Katz | November 2022
"Wireless earbuds are a dime a dozen, and the Sony WF-1000XM3 makes it easy to justify the cost. The design and comfort are good, and the connection strength is consistent. While the lack of aptX or LDAC support is a big drawback, DSEE HX processing improves low-quality audio files. If you want stylish active noise canceling (ANC) earbuds, the WF-1000XM3 needs to be at the top of your list."

Get a great deal on the Sony Linkbuds or the Sony WF1000XM3

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

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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.

By the numbers

108
Earbuds and headphones evaluated
11,340
Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
15
Proprietary Earbuds and headphones ratings developed
113,600
Recommendations made
17,040
Consumer hours saved

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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