The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
If sound quality and noise isolation are priorities, the Soundcore Life P3 may serve you better, and they are much easier on the wallet. However, if you're interested in a more open design and a brand that is historically known for its sound products, the Sony Linkbuds offer open-ear listening, which is beneficial for staying aware of your surroundings. Keep in mind, the Linkbuds are considerably more expensive, so assessing whether their specific design benefits are worth the extra cost is crucial.
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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 podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Soundcore Life P3
Very good for exercise
Very good for air travel
Key differences
Music
6.6/10
5.7/10
The Sony Linkbuds is only fair for music, while the Soundcore Life P3 is poor.
Phone Calls
6.8/10
5.1/10
The Sony Linkbuds is only fair for phone calls, while the Soundcore Life P3 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.8/10
5.9/10
The Sony Linkbuds is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Soundcore Life P3 is poor.
Noise Reduction
2.5/10
9.1/10
The Soundcore Life P3 is excellent for noise reduction, while the Sony Linkbuds is poor.
Battery
5.5 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Sony Linkbuds has 5.5 hours of battery life. The Soundcore Life P3 has 7 hours of battery life.
Cost
$178
$80
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
The Sony Linkbuds has a price of $178 and the Soundcore Life P3 costs $80.
The Sony Linkbuds and Soundcore Life P3 are both poor for gaming.
TV and Video
5.4/10
5.5/10
The Soundcore Life P3 and Sony Linkbuds are both poor for TV and video.
Build Quality
9.3/10
8.8/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Sony Linkbuds to have excellent build quality, while the Soundcore Life P3 has very good build quality.
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How the Sony Linkbuds and the Soundcore Life P3 compare to other earbuds and headphones
"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."
"Anker continues its trend of stealth releases, recently dropping the Soundcore Life P3 out of nowhere. This product essentially replaces the disappointing Life A2 NC as the brand’s flagship ANC model under $100. It comes with bassy audio and enough features to give even the best noise-cancelling earbuds pause."
Get a great deal on the Sony Linkbuds or the Soundcore Life P3
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.
About Soundcore
Soundcore is a sub-brand belonging to Anker Innovations. Starting in 2014, initially marketing wireless, Bluetooth, speakers, Anker now offers an array of, budget-friendly, wireless earbuds and headphones that directly compete, especially in the Active Noise Canceling field, with other brands several times as expensive.
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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
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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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.