Earlier this year, Sony launched the uniquely-designed LinkBuds TWS (true wireless) earbuds. The company is now following up with a new pair in the series, dubbed LinkBuds S. The latest model no longer sports that loopy design, with Sony giving it a more traditional look. It differs in terms of the feature set as well.
Sony LinkBuds S specs & features
The Sony LinkBuds S comes in an ergonomic shape that should allow for a better fit. Its closed design has also allowed the company to include ANC (active noise cancellation) here. The buds do feature an ambient mode so the wearer can hear their surroundings when outdoor. The Speak-to-Chat feature will automatically pause the music when you start speaking with someone. This auto-pause feature also works when you removed the buds from your ears. Music will resume automatically once the conversation ends or you put them back on.
Weighing in at just 4.8 grams each, the LinkBuds S are extremely lightweight. No wonder Sony advertises the earbuds to make for a “Never Off” wearing experience. The company hasn’t compromised with the sound quality either. Featuring a 5mm driver unit and an Integrated Processor V1, the buds are touted to offer “rich low-frequency bass sound”. They also support Sony’s high-fidelity LDAC Bluetooth codec.
Sony claims the LinkBuds S are good for up to six hours of continuous music playback with ANC turned on. The charging case will supply 14 hours of additional playtime. With fast charging support, you will get 60 minutes of battery life in just five minutes of charging. There’s no charger in the box but you do get a USB Type-C cable. The pair doesn’t support wireless charging.
The Sony LinkBuds S support voice control over Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. You also get physical controls for ANC, ambient mode, and more. There aren’t any physical buttons but the buds support touch gestures. These touch controls are customizable on the company’s Headphones Connect app. Other highlights of the Sony LinkBuds S include an IPX4 rating for water resistance, 360 Reality Audio, Fast Pair and Spotify Tap support, and Bluetooth 5.2.
Price & availability
The Sony LinkBuds S are now available for pre-order from the company’s website as well as Amazon and Best Buy. The new pair of earbuds come in white and black colors as standard but Best Buy also has an exclusive Desert Sand (beige) color variant. Priced at $199.99, Sony’s latest TWS offering will begin shipping tomorrow, May 20th.
2022-05-19 15:06:14