Sony’s new LinkBuds Clip enter a rapidly expanding market for open-ear headphones. Building on the success of the original LinkBuds—which pioneered the concept of letting ambient sound through while still delivering audio—the Clip offers a familiar experience with a clip-on design. While functional and well-built, these earbuds struggle to justify their $230 price tag when compared to competitors offering similar or better performance at lower costs.
The Open-Ear Trend: Why It Matters
Open-ear designs are gaining traction because they solve a key problem with traditional earbuds: situational awareness. Cyclists, runners, and anyone who needs to hear their surroundings while listening to audio benefit from this design. However, this comes at a trade-off. Open earbuds can’t isolate sound, making them unsuitable for noisy environments like crowded streets or public transit. The market is now flooded with options, forcing brands to compete on features and price.
Design and Features: Familiar Territory
The LinkBuds Clip feature a clip-on design reminiscent of Anker’s Soundcore Aeroclip (and several other models). Sony offers several color options, but the overall aesthetic is unremarkable. The earbuds weigh 6.4 grams and provide up to nine hours of battery life (27 with the charging case). The case, while compact, lacks wireless charging – a surprising omission at this price point.
A standout feature is the touch controls on the loop connecting the earbuds, offering convenient play/pause, skip, and volume control. However, Sony’s companion app limits customization, forcing users into pre-defined control schemes. The app does include DSEE (digital sound enhancement) and a customizable EQ, but these feel like standard features rather than compelling differentiators.
Performance: Solid Audio, Weak Calls
Music playback quality is good, with clear sound and decent warmth. These earbuds deliver a satisfying experience for podcasts, audiobooks, and casual music listening, but fall short of high-end competitors like Bose’s Ultra Open Buds in terms of detail and bass response.
Call quality, however, is disappointing. Voices sounded tinny and distorted during testing, with callers reporting an artificial, speakerphone-like quality. Sony’s AI Voice Pickup, intended to isolate speech, failed to deliver a reliably clear experience.
The Price Problem: Too Much for What You Get
The LinkBuds Clip’s biggest weakness is its price. For $230, consumers can purchase better-performing open-ear earbuds, such as Bose’s Ultra Open Buds, or more affordable options like the Soundcore Aeroclip, which delivers a comparable experience for significantly less.
The open-ear market is increasingly competitive, and Sony’s pricing feels out of touch with the value proposition.
Conclusion
The Sony LinkBuds Clip are a competent pair of open-ear earbuds, but they lack the features or performance to justify their high price. While Sony fans may find them appealing, most consumers will find better value elsewhere in the rapidly growing open-ear market. The Clip is a solid product, but not a compelling one.
