Powerbeats Pro Vs. Sony Linkbuds S Review In Detail

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

Sony LinkBuds S IPX4

Powerbeats Pro IPX4

IP ratings is the rank of protection given by an enclosure, against dust and liquids. In the format of IPXX, 'X' represents a number The first value of the IP rating means protection against solids say dust, followed by the one that refers to protection against liquids (water).

Scoring IPX4, the Powerbeats Pro'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.

Compared to the Powerbeats Pro, 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

Sony LinkBuds S 9.6g

Powerbeats Pro 20.3g

The Powerbeats Pro have a weight of 20.3g . We prefer a lower weight best because lighter devices are easier to transport.

Sony LinkBuds S, at 9.6g are lighter than the Powerbeats Pro by -10.7g

Has No Wires Or Cables

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

Powerbeats Pro ✓

For a device to be true wireless it should have no cables connecting any part of the device together, Powerbeats Pro are true wireless for this matter since they don't have cables. This is a key difference since wireless earbuds have wires connecting the 2 earbuds .

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

Wingtips Included

Sony LinkBuds S ✗

Powerbeats Pro ✓

Powerbeats Pro have wingtips, these are reserved for workout earbuds and come as an optional add-on to the separate silicone ear tip for a better fit.

Sweat Resistance

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

Powerbeats Pro ✓

Powerbeats Pro 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, training in workout bodysuits, etc

Is Dust Proof And Water-Resistant

Sony LinkBuds S ✗

Powerbeats Pro ✓

Powerbeats Pro are both dustproof and water-resistant.

Has Stereo Speakers

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

Powerbeats Pro ✓

Powerbeats Pro have stereo speakers, what this means is that Powerbeats Pro's speakers deliver sound from independent channels on both left and right sides, creating a richer sound and a better listening experience.

The Sony LinkBuds S also have stereo speakers

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

Powerbeats Pro ✗

Active noise cancellation utilises more advanced technology to actively counter noise. ANC works when, it detects and analyzes the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and after inverts the soundwaves to counter it. In simple terms, it's like having +1 (sound from your surrounding) and adding -1 (inverted noise) to make 0 therefore "diluting" the noise.

The Sony LinkBuds S have Active Noise Cancellation enabling you to listen at lower volume levels, causing less ear fatigue as you don't have to crank up the earbuds volume to overcome background sounds.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

Powerbeats Pro ✓

Powerbeats Pro stay well in place, creating an acoustic seal that tones down background sounds and also prevents the device sound from leaking out .

Both Sony LinkBuds S, and Powerbeats Pro have passive noise reduction this means that they limit ambient noise instead of actively using technology to cancel it out.

Driver Unit Size

Sony LinkBuds S 5mm

Powerbeats Pro 12mm

Powerbeats Pro driver unit is 12mm in diameter, the bigger the unit the more powerful, therefor producing better bass. The driver unit is the component that produces sound in the earbuds, its size corellates with the loudness of the earbuds.

Sony LinkBuds S driver unit is 5mm in diameter, which implies that they have a smaller driver unit than that of Powerbeats Pro by 7mm , as many tend to believe 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 are capable of generating louder sound, but this does not mean that they deliver better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

Sony LinkBuds S 20Hz

Powerbeats Pro 10Hz

Powerbeats Pro's lowest frequency is at 10Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well an audio component produces low recognizable frequencies 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 Powerbeats Pro make sound with a juicier bass than the Sony LinkBuds S

Highest Frequency

Sony LinkBuds S 40,000Hz

Powerbeats Pro ✗

Sony LinkBuds S's highest frequency is at 40,000Hz, high-frequency response measures if and how well an audio component makes high human frequencies and if it adjustments to the signal on its way through.

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Battery Life

Sony LinkBuds S 6hours

Powerbeats Pro 9hours

Powerbeats Pro's battery life is 9 hours, these last longer than 5 hours of listening which is considered average before recharge. A device's battery life is given by the manufacturer, and with longer battery life, you get to use it for longer and have to charge the device less often.

Sony LinkBuds S's battery life is less than that of Powerbeats Pro by 3 hours . Every time you recharge your earbuds, they get a little less listening time. The effect is barely noticeable at first, but over time, your wireless earbuds will no longer play for long like they used to.

Battery Life Of Charging Case

Sony LinkBuds S 14hours

Powerbeats Pro 24hours

This is given by the manufacturer, and Powerbeats Pro's case has a full charge of 24 hours. A charging case with more battery hours allows you to recharge your earbuds on the go many times before recharging the case itself.

Sony LinkBuds S's charging case has a battery life of 14 hours, less than that of Powerbeats Pro by 10 hours

Charge Time

Sony LinkBuds S 2hours

Powerbeats Pro 0.7hours

It takes 0.7 hours to fully charge the Powerbeats Pro's battery. It is recommended to fully charge the battery before using the earbuds when they have been in storage for long periods.

Sony LinkBuds S takes 2 hours to fully charge the battery, more than that of Powerbeats Pro by 1.3 hours

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

Powerbeats Pro ✓

Powerbeats Pro have a battery level indicator, an indicator alerts you when the earbuds has a low battery. Its lights indicate the charging status of your device and charging case.

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

Has Usb Type-C

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

Powerbeats Pro ✗

The Sony LinkBuds S have USB TYPE-C, an industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power through a single cable.

Bluetooth Version

Sony LinkBuds S v5.2

Powerbeats Pro v5

The Powerbeats Pro have Bluetooth version of 5, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that enables data transfers between devices placed in close proximity, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.

Sony LinkBuds S has a Bluetooth version of 5.2, newer than that of Powerbeats Pro . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Sony LinkBuds S 10meters

Powerbeats Pro 10meters

The Powerbeats Pro have a 10meters distance to connect via Bluetooth.

Sony LinkBuds S have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the Powerbeats Pro

Has Aac

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

Powerbeats Pro ✓

Powerbeats Pro support AAC, a codec used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Since it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it can provide better results than other codecs at the same bit rate.

Since its the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Powerbeats Pro will work fine with your iPad. If you are planning on using these with Android you need to pay even closer attention to codec support for if they only have AAC they won't provide the best audio quality possible, 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

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

Powerbeats Pro ✗

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 can reach a high bitrate of 990kbps, which provides high-resolution audio.

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Number Of Microphones

Sony LinkBuds S 6only

Powerbeats Pro 2only

Powerbeats Pro have 2 microphones.

Sony LinkBuds S microphones are 6, more than that of Powerbeats Pro by 4 . More microphones record better sound quality and help the device to filter out noise.

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

Powerbeats Pro ✗

Sony LinkBuds S support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient sound to still be heard even when wearing the earbuds

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

Powerbeats Pro ✗

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

Has Find Earbuds Feature

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

Powerbeats Pro ✗

When misplaced in a room, or can't be found in your bag, Sony LinkBuds S have a find earbuds feature.

Supports Fast Charging

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

Powerbeats Pro ✓

The Powerbeats Pro support fast charging. Most often, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to reduce the time it takes to charge a device.

Also the Sony LinkBuds S support fast charging. It's very similar to regular charging, only that the battery is filling up much faster. Say, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery can be charged to 50% in thirty minutes.

Has A Mute Function

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

Powerbeats Pro ✗

The Sony LinkBuds S have a mute function, they support the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the earbuds.

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

Powerbeats Pro ✓

The Powerbeats Pro, so you can easily access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever features are supported on the device.

Sony LinkBuds S too have a control panel on them.

Has Voice Prompts

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

Powerbeats Pro ✗

The Sony LinkBuds S support voice prompts. With voice prompts, you receive information via audio messages, like if there is an issue with the connection.

Travel Bag Is Included

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

Powerbeats Pro ✓

Powerbeats Pro come with their own special case. Carrying earphones without a case, or putting them inside your pockets without a cover may easily damage them.

Sony LinkBuds S also have a case included, which is useful for safe transportation.

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Category	Features	Sony LinkBuds S	Powerbeats Pro
DESIGN	ingress protection (ip) rating	IPX4	IPX4
	weight	9.6g	20.3g
	has no wires or cables	✓	✓
	wingtips included	✗	✓
	sweat resistance	✓	✓
	is dust proof and water-resistant	✗	✓
	has stereo speakers	✓	✓
SOUND QUALITY	has active noise cancellation (noise control)	✓	✗
	has passive noise reduction	✓	✓
	driver unit size	5mm	12mm
	lowest frequency	20Hz	10Hz
	highest frequency	40,000Hz	✗
POWER	battery life	6hours	9hours
	battery life of charging case	14hours	24hours
	charge time	2hours	0.7hours
	has a battery level indicator	✓	✓
CONNECTIVITY	has usb type-c	✓	✗
	bluetooth version	v5.2	v5
	maximum bluetooth range	10meters	10meters
	has aac	✓	✓
	has ldac	✓	✗
MICROPHONE	number of microphones	6only	2only
EXTRAS	has ambient sound mode	✓	✗
	has in/on-ear detection	✓	✗
	has find earbuds feature	✓	✗
	supports fast charging	✓	✓
	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

Powerbeats Pro Vs. Sony Linkbuds S Review

Reasons why you might like the Sony LinkBuds S

Reasons why you might like the Powerbeats Pro

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Powerbeats Pro Vs. Sony Linkbuds S Review In Summary

Powerbeats Pro Vs. Sony Linkbuds S Review In Detail

Design

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

Weight

Has No Wires Or Cables

Wingtips Included

Sweat Resistance

Is Dust Proof And Water-Resistant

Has Stereo Speakers

Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Driver Unit Size

Lowest Frequency

Highest Frequency

Power

Battery Life

Battery Life Of Charging Case

Charge Time

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

Bluetooth Version

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Has Aac

Has Ldac

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Has Find Earbuds Feature

Supports Fast Charging

Has A Mute Function

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Has Voice Prompts

Travel Bag Is Included