Sony has unveiled a new pair of TWS earbuds from the LinkBuds lineup named the LinkBuds S. Although not specifically mentioned, the “S” in the name could mean either Sound or Small. After all, Sony calls these “The world‘s smallest and lightest, noise-cancelling, Hi-Res Truly wireless headphones.” At 4.8 grams, they are a tad heavier than Nothing Ear (1)’s 4.7 grams. Well, that size covers a 5mm driver and a battery capable of delivering 6 hours of runtime. The buds also bring ANC, LDAC codec, and Sony-specific features.
Let’s dig in further to unearth the complete details.
Sony has gone with a closed and more conventional design. It has an in-ear-shaped opening. The earbuds are IPX4 rated against water.
Internally, there is a 5mm dynamic driver, support for Bluetooth 5.2, and codecs like SBC, AAC, and LDAC.
LinkBuds S are ANC-equipped too. You also get ambient-aware Adaptive Sound Control, Quick Attention, a situational-aware Auto Play feature, and DSEE Extreme upscaling.
As per Sony, Adaptive Sound Control “senses where you are and what you’re doing, then adjusts ambient sound settings for the ideal listening experience. Over time, it learns your behaviour and recognizes locations that you frequently visit, such as your workplace or a favourite café, and adapts to the situation”.
Meanwhile, the brand says, Auto Play can “automatically play music as soon as you put the headphones on or finish a call. Settings can also trigger the music to match your behaviour, such as a mood-changing walk or a post-meeting focus track”.
All those features and the new LinkBuds can clock 6 hours and an additional 14 hours from the case for a total of 20 hours. The company says you can charge up the buds in 2 hours and the charging case in 3 hours (with a USB cable).
Sony has priced the LinkBuds S at $200 which roughly translates to ₹15,562. The earbuds are available starting May 20 in select markets.