Home Wireless Earbuds Apple Airpods Pro (2Nd Gen) Vs. Sony Linkbuds S

A Review By Comparison of the Apple Airpods Pro (2Nd Gen) Vs. Sony Linkbuds S

Last updated on Apr 12, 2023   8 min read
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Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

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Reasons why you might like the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Overall Score 6.4 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IPX4
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 6 hours
  • Number Of Microphones of 6 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode
VS
Sony LinkBuds S

Sony LinkBuds S

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Reasons why you might like the Sony LinkBuds S

Overall Score 6.2 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IPX4
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 6 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 6 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode

A summary of the review by feature comparison

Category Features Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) Sony LinkBuds S
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating IPX4 IPX4
weight 10.6g 9.6g
has no wires or cables
sweat resistance
has stereo speakers
SOUND QUALITY has active noise cancellation (noise control)
has passive noise reduction
driver unit size 11mm 5mm
lowest frequency 20Hz 20Hz
highest frequency 20000Hz 40000Hz
has a neodymium magnet
POWER battery life 6hours 6hours
battery life of charging case 24hours 14hours
charge time 1hours 2hours
battery power 49.7mAh
has wireless charging
has a battery level indicator
CONNECTIVITY has usb type-c
bluetooth version v5.3 v5.2
maximum bluetooth range 10meters 10meters
has aac
has ldac
MICROPHONE number of microphones 6only 6only
has a noise-canceling microphone
EXTRAS has ambient sound mode
has in/on-ear detection
has find earbuds feature
supports fast charging
multipoint count 2only
has a mute function
control panel placed on a device
has voice prompts
travel bag is included
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A breakdown of the review per specifications

Design

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) IPX4
Sony LinkBuds S IPX4

IP ratings is the rank of protection offered by an enclosure, against dust and water. The letters 'IP' are followed by two values The first value of the IP rating represents protection against solids say dust, while the second refers to protection against liquids (water).

Scoring IPX4, the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s rating for solids indicates that no data available to specify a protection rating, and the second value of 4 means that they can withstand low pressure spray similar to that of a shower head when tilted at 180° for 10 minutes.

In comparison to the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), Sony LinkBuds S have a rating of IPX4 meaning that we are not yet certain of their rating with solids (dust) and that of liquids is that, they both have the same rating against liquids

Weight

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 10.6g
Sony LinkBuds S 9.6g

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a weight of 10.6g . We take in account a lower weight best for the reason that lighter devices are easier to carry.

Sony LinkBuds S, at 9.6g weigh less than the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) by -1g

Has No Wires Or Cables

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Sony LinkBuds S

For a device to be true wireless it must have no cables linking any part of the device together, Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) are true wireless for this matter since they don't have cables. This is an important difference since wireless earbuds have cables connecting the 2 earbuds .

Sony LinkBuds S also is true wireless since it doesn't have cables connecting the pair of earbuds .

Sweat Resistance

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Sony LinkBuds S

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have sweat resistance

Sony LinkBuds S's resistance to sweat makes both devices fit for use during long-distance running, marathons, cardio sweat workouts , etc

Has Stereo Speakers

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Sony LinkBuds S

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have stereo speakers, what this means is that Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s speakers deliver sound from separate channels on both left and right sides, this creates a richer sound and a better listening experience.

Both Sony LinkBuds S and Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have stereo speakers

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
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Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Sony LinkBuds S

Active noise cancellation utilises more advanced technology to actively counter noise. How it works, it studies the sound pattern of incoming noise and then generates a mirror signal to cancel it out. In simple terms, it's like having +1 (sound from your surrounding) then adding -1 (counter sound by the device) giving 0 resulting in a reduced level of noise.

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have Active Noise Cancellation enabling you to listen at lower levels of volume, good for your ears since you don't have to crank up the device volume to outcompete background noise.

Sony LinkBuds S too have ANC making both devices ideal for plane rides and morning commutes. Each work with different noise cancellation types, pick the mode that you prefer for commute or that enhances your chill time.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Sony LinkBuds S

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) sit well in place, creating an acoustic covering that tones down your environment noise well as preventing the earbuds music from leaking out at the same.

Both Sony LinkBuds S, and Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have passive noise reduction this implies that they reduce ambient noise without using technology to cancel it out.

Driver Unit Size

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 11mm
Sony LinkBuds S 5mm

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) driver unit is 11mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful, therefor producing better bass. The driver unit is basically a mini speaker that makes sound in the device, its size determines the sound produced by the earbuds.

Sony LinkBuds S driver unit is 5mm in diameter, which means that they have a smaller driver unit than that of Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) by 6mm , a common assumption that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.

However, large drivers usually have difficulty producing high frequencies so yes, larger drivers can generate louder sound, but this does not indicate that they produce better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 20Hz
Sony LinkBuds S 20Hz

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well a particular audio device produces low frequencies that can be heard, and if it makes any changes to the signal on its way through.

Sony LinkBuds S's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this means that both devices can produce equal bass

Highest Frequency

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 20000Hz
Sony LinkBuds S 40000Hz

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s highest frequency is at 20000Hz, high-frequency response indicates how well a particular audio component produces high human frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal on its way through.

Sony LinkBuds S's highest frequency is at 40000Hz, this means that Sony LinkBuds S can produce a clearer and crispier treble than the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Has A Neodymium Magnet

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Sony LinkBuds S

The Sony LinkBuds S have neodymium magnets, when used in audio devices produce a higher sensitivity and substantial sound output using less power to do so. They can help generate music at quite a high SPL, with the use of high magnetic flux.

Power

Battery Life

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 6hours
Sony LinkBuds S 6hours

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s battery life is 6 hours, these last longer than 5 hours of listening which is considered average for a single charge. A device's battery life is commonly given by the manufacturer, and with more battery hours, you get to use it for longer and have to charge the device less often.

Sony LinkBuds S's battery life is equal to that of the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) . Every time you recharge your device, they get a little less playing time. The effect is barely noticeable at first, but over time, your wireless earbuds will have shorter listening time.

Battery Life Of Charging Case

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 24hours
Sony LinkBuds S 14hours

The battery life of the charging case is given by the manufacturer, and the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s case is said to have a charge of 24 hours. A charging case with a longer battery life allows you to recharge your earbuds on the go several times before having to recharge the case itself.

Sony LinkBuds S's charging case has a battery life of 14 hours, less than that of Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) by 10 hours

Charge Time

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 1hours
Sony LinkBuds S 2hours

It requires 1 hours to fully charge the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s battery. It is highly adivsable to charge fully the battery before using the earbuds for the first time.

Sony LinkBuds S takes 2 hours to fully charge the battery, more than that of Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) by 1 hours

Battery Power

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 49.7mAh
Sony LinkBuds S

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s battery capacity is 49.7mAh, battery capacity, shows the amount of electrical energy that a battery can keep.

Has Wireless Charging

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Sony LinkBuds S

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), the device supports wireless charging. To charge the device, you simply put down on a compatible charging pad.

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Sony LinkBuds S

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a battery level indicator, an indicator shows you when the earbuds has a low battery. Its lights display the charging status of your device and charging case.

Sony LinkBuds S too have a battery level indicator, charging indicators allow you determine the charging state of your earbuds, whether fully charged, or the battery is running low.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
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Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Sony LinkBuds S

Sony LinkBuds S use USB TYPE-C, a standard connector for transmitting both data and power in a single cable.

Bluetooth Version

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) v5.3
Sony LinkBuds S v5.2

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have Bluetooth version of 5.3, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that allows data movement between devices placed in close proximity, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.

Sony LinkBuds S has a Bluetooth version of 5.2, older than that of Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 10meters
Sony LinkBuds S 10meters

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a 10meters distance connecting via Bluetooth.

Sony LinkBuds S have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Has Aac

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Sony LinkBuds S

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support AAC, a codec that is used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Since it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it provides better results than other codecs at a similar bit rate.

Being the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) will work well with your iPad. If you intend on using these with Android , ensure that they also support aptX HD, LDAC, or LHDC as well.

The Sony LinkBuds S support AAC as well. Designed to be the successor of the MP3 format, AAC generally achieves higher sound quality than MP3 encoders at the same bit rate.

Has Ldac

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Sony LinkBuds S

The Sony LinkBuds S support LDAC, a codec developed by Sony which allows streaming high-resolution audio over Bluetooth connections at up to 990 kbps at 32 bit/96 kHz. It is capable of a very high bitrate of 990kbps, providing high-resolution audio.

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 6only
Sony LinkBuds S 6only

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have 6 microphones.

Sony LinkBuds S microphones are 6, equal to that of the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) . More microphones record better sound quality and help the earbuds to filter out background sounds.

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Sony LinkBuds S

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) use a noise-canceling microphone, these microphones are designed to reduce noise from the desired sound.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
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Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Sony LinkBuds S

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to channel ambient noises to still be heard even while wearing them

The Sony LinkBuds S support ambient sound mode as well, it’s useful when you want to listen to music while being aware of your surrounding, for example when you’re having a jog but still want to hear traffic.

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Sony LinkBuds S

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the device can detect when removed from your ears .

The Sony LinkBuds S support in/on-ear detection, automatically pauses your music, or audiobook when you remove earbuds from your ears improving your listening experience.

Has Find Earbuds Feature

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Sony LinkBuds S

If misplaced in a room, or can't be found in your bag, Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support the find earbuds feature.

The Sony LinkBuds S also have the find earbuds feature. Use the device app on your smartphone to play an alarm from your device to find them.

Supports Fast Charging

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Sony LinkBuds S

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support fast charging. Commonly, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to reduce the amount of time it takes to charge the earbuds.

Also the Sony LinkBuds S support fast charging. This kind is similar to regular charging, just that the battery fills up much faster. Say, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery can be charged to 50% in just thirty minutes.

Multipoint Count

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 2only
Sony LinkBuds S

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support multipoint of 2 connections, this feature allows you to link to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. Say, you can easily switch calls from one device to another without manually disconnect and reconnect.

Has A Mute Function

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Sony LinkBuds S

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a mute function, they support the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device.

The Sony LinkBuds S also have the mute function. It means that you are in position turn off the earbuds' microphone, but still hear the other party talk.

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Sony LinkBuds S

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), so you can easily access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever features are supported on the device.

Sony LinkBuds S also have a control panel on them.

Has Voice Prompts

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Sony LinkBuds S

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support voice prompts. Automatically receive information via audio messages, like if there is a problem with the connection.

The Sony LinkBuds S also have voice prompts meaning the earbuds will notify you if the battery is low, and it's time to recharge the device.

Travel Bag Is Included

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
Sony LinkBuds S

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) come with a special pouch. Carrying earphones without a case, or putting them inside your pockets without a casing may easily damage them.

Sony LinkBuds S also have a travel bag included, which offers safe transportation.

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