Home Wireless Earbuds Beats Studio Buds Vs. Sony Linkbuds S

A Review By Comparison of the Beats Studio Buds Vs. Sony Linkbuds S

Last updated on May 18, 2023   7 min read
Note: This page may contain affiliate links, we only earn from qualifying purchases!
Beats Studio Buds

Beats Studio Buds

See price on Amazon

Reasons why you might like the Beats Studio Buds

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 8 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 6 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode
VS
Sony LinkBuds S

Sony LinkBuds S

See price on Amazon

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 Beats Studio Buds Sony LinkBuds S
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating IPX4 IPX4
weight 5.1g 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 8.2mm 5mm
lowest frequency 20Hz 20Hz
highest frequency 20000Hz 40000Hz
sound pressure level 100.5dB/mW
has a neodymium magnet
POWER battery life 8hours 6hours
battery life of charging case 16hours 14hours
charge time 1.5hours 2hours
has a battery level indicator
CONNECTIVITY has usb type-c
bluetooth version v5.2 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
See price on Amazon See price on Amazon

A breakdown of the review per specifications

Design

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

Beats Studio Buds IPX4
Sony LinkBuds S IPX4

IP ratings refer to the level of protection given by an enclosure, against solids and water. The letters 'IP' are followed by two values The first value means protection against solids say dust, while the second refers to protection against liquids (water).

Scoring IPX4, the Beats Studio Buds's rating is read as, the first number of X denotes that no data available to specify a protection rating, and of liquids that they can withstand low pressure spray similar to that of a shower head when tilted at 180° for 10 minutes.

Compared to the Beats Studio Buds, 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

Beats Studio Buds 5.1g
Sony LinkBuds S 9.6g

The Beats Studio Buds have a weight of 5.1g . We prefer a lower weight better for the reason that lighter devices are easier to transport.

The Sony LinkBuds S, at 9.6g are heavier than the Beats Studio Buds with a difference of 4.5g

Has No Wires Or Cables

Beats Studio Buds
Sony LinkBuds S

True wireless devices have no cables connecting any part of the device together, Beats Studio Buds are true wireless for this case since they don't have wires. This is an important difference as some wireless earbuds have wires linking the pair of earbuds together.

Sony LinkBuds S also is true wireless because it has no wires connecting the 2 earbuds .

Sweat Resistance

Beats Studio Buds
Sony LinkBuds S

Beats Studio Buds have sweat resistance

Sony LinkBuds S's resistance to sweat makes both devices good for use while doing sports such as long-distance running, marathons, cardio sweat workouts , etc

Has Stereo Speakers

Beats Studio Buds
Sony LinkBuds S

Beats Studio Buds have stereo speakers, devices with stereo 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 Beats Studio Buds have stereo speakers

Beats Studio Buds
See price on Amazon

Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

Beats Studio Buds
Sony LinkBuds S

Active noise cancellation utilises advanced kind of tech to actively counter noise. ANC works when, it listens to the sound pattern of incoming noise and after generates a mirror signal to cancel it out. In simple terms, it's like taking +1 (noise) and adding -1 (inverted noise) to make 0 hence "diluting" the noise.

The Beats Studio Buds have Active Noise Cancellation enabling you to listen at lower levels of volume, good for your ears as you don't have to crank up the device volume to outcompete background noise.

The Sony LinkBuds S too have Active Noise Cancellation making both devices ideal for flights and rush hour commutes. The Beats Studio Buds and Sony LinkBuds S work with different noise cancellation settings, pick the setting that suits your travel or that suites your relaxation time.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Beats Studio Buds
Sony LinkBuds S

Beats Studio Buds sit well in place, this creates an acoustic covering that tones down your environment sounds well as preventing the device music from leaking out at the same.

Both of these devices have passive noise reduction this implies that they limit ambient noise instead of actively using ANC to cancel it out.

Driver Unit Size

Beats Studio Buds 8.2mm
Sony LinkBuds S 5mm

The Beats Studio Buds driver unit is 8.2mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful, and can produce better bass. The driver unit is basically a mini speaker that makes sound in the device, its size corellates with the sound made by the device.

Sony LinkBuds S driver unit is 5mm in diameter, which implies that they have a smaller driver unit than that of Beats Studio Buds by 3.2mm , a common assumption that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.

However, large drivers find it difficult to produce high frequencies so it's true that, larger drivers can generate louder sound, but this does not indicate that they deliver better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

Beats Studio Buds 20Hz
Sony LinkBuds S 20Hz

The Beats Studio Buds's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well an audio component produces low frequencies that can be heard, and if it makes any changes to the signal while at it.

Sony LinkBuds S's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this implies that both devices make sound with equal bass

Highest Frequency

Beats Studio Buds 20000Hz
Sony LinkBuds S 40000Hz

The Beats Studio Buds's highest frequency is at 20000Hz, high-frequency response tells how well a particular audio device generates high recognizable frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal while at it.

Sony LinkBuds S's highest frequency is at 40000Hz, this implies that Sony LinkBuds S can produce a clearer and crispier treble than the Beats Studio Buds

Sound Pressure Level

Beats Studio Buds 100.5dB/mW
Sony LinkBuds S

SPL, is the pressure level of sound, in decibels, dB, Beats Studio Buds's measurement is 100.5dB/mW. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source.

Has A Neodymium Magnet

Beats Studio Buds
Sony LinkBuds S

Sony LinkBuds S have neodymium magnets, if used in earbuds produce a higher sensitivity and substantial sound output while using less power. They can help produce music at quite a high sound pressure level, with the use of high magnetic flux.

Power

Battery Life

Beats Studio Buds 8hours
Sony LinkBuds S 6hours

Beats Studio Buds's battery life is 8 hours, these last longer than 5 hours of listening which is considered average before recharge. A device's battery life is commonly given by the manufacturer, and with more battery hours, you get to use it for longer and requires fewer chargings.

Sony LinkBuds S's battery life is less than that of Beats Studio Buds by 2 hours . Every time you recharge your device, they get a little less playing time. The effect is not noticeable at first, but over a few years, your wireless earbuds will have shorter listening time.

Battery Life Of Charging Case

Beats Studio Buds 16hours
Sony LinkBuds S 14hours

The battery life of the charging case is given by the vendor, and the Beats Studio Buds's case has a charge of 16 hours. A charging case with a longer battery life allows you to recharge your earbuds on the go multiple times before recharging the case itself.

Sony LinkBuds S's charging case has a battery life of 14 hours, less than that of Beats Studio Buds by 2 hours

Charge Time

Beats Studio Buds 1.5hours
Sony LinkBuds S 2hours

It takes 1.5 hours to fully charge the Beats Studio Buds's battery. It is recommended 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 Beats Studio Buds by 0.5 hours

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Beats Studio Buds
Sony LinkBuds S

Beats Studio Buds have a battery level indicator, an indicator notifies you when the earbuds has a low battery. Its lights show the charging state of your earbuds and charging case.

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

Beats Studio Buds
See price on Amazon

Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

Beats Studio Buds
Sony LinkBuds S

Beats Studio Buds have USB TYPE-C, an industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power in a single cable.

Sony LinkBuds S too have USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug is part and parcel of most current laptops, phones, and tablets.

Bluetooth Version

Beats Studio Buds v5.2
Sony LinkBuds S v5.2

The Beats Studio Buds have Bluetooth version of 5.2, 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, equal to that of the Beats Studio Buds . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Beats Studio Buds 10meters
Sony LinkBuds S 10meters

The Beats Studio Buds have a 10meters distance connecting via Bluetooth.

Sony LinkBuds S have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the Beats Studio Buds

Has Aac

Beats Studio Buds
Sony LinkBuds S

Beats Studio Buds support AAC, a codec that is used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Because it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it can provide better results than other codecs at the same bit rate.

Being the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Beats Studio Buds will work well with your iPad. If you are planning 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

Beats Studio Buds
Sony LinkBuds S

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

Beats Studio Buds 6only
Sony LinkBuds S 6only

Beats Studio Buds have 6 microphones.

While the Sony LinkBuds S microphones are 6, equal to that of the Beats Studio Buds . More microphones result in better sound quality and enable the earbuds to filter out noise.

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

Beats Studio Buds
Sony LinkBuds S

Beats Studio Buds use a noise-canceling microphone, these microphones are designed to reduce noise from the earbuds' sound.

Beats Studio Buds
See price on Amazon

Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Beats Studio Buds
Sony LinkBuds S

The Beats Studio Buds support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to channel ambient sound to still be heard even when wearing them

The Sony LinkBuds S support ambient sound mode as well, helpful when you want to listen to music but also be aware of what’s happening around you, for example when you’re having a jog but would still want to hear traffic.

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Beats Studio Buds
Sony LinkBuds S

The Sony LinkBuds S have in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the earbuds can detect when they are removed from your ears .

Has Find Earbuds Feature

Beats Studio Buds
Sony LinkBuds S

If misplaced in a room, or can't be found in your bag, Beats Studio Buds have a find earbuds feature.

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

Supports Fast Charging

Beats Studio Buds
Sony LinkBuds S

Beats Studio Buds support fast charging. Commonly, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to reduce the time it takes to fully charge a device.

Sony LinkBuds S too support fast charging. This kind is similar to regular charging, just that the battery fills up much faster. For example, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery is charged to 50% in 30 minutes.

Multipoint Count

Beats Studio Buds 2only
Sony LinkBuds S

The Beats Studio Buds have a multipoint of 2 connections, this feature allows you connect 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

Beats Studio Buds
Sony LinkBuds S

The Beats Studio Buds have a mute function, they support the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device.

The Sony LinkBuds S also have this function. The mute function means that you can turn off the earbuds' microphone, but you can still hear the other party's voice.

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Beats Studio Buds
Sony LinkBuds S

The Beats Studio Buds, so you can easily access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever functions are supported on the earbuds.

The Sony LinkBuds S too have a control panel on them.

Has Voice Prompts

Beats Studio Buds
Sony LinkBuds S

The Beats Studio Buds support voice prompts. Automatically receive information via audio messages, say if there is a problem with the connection.

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

Travel Bag Is Included

Beats Studio Buds
Sony LinkBuds S

Beats Studio Buds come with a special case. Carrying earbuds openly, or placing them inside your bag without a cover may easily damage them.

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

Related Reviews