They're not everyone's favorite, but I am a big fan of in-ear buds. I like how easy it is to hide them away in my pocket, how little space they take up when I go traveling, and I like how they’re often better than anything else for noise canceling. So you can see why I love looking after our guide to the best noise-canceling earbuds.
What I don’t like about wireless earbuds is how much they cost to get the really, really good ones. My new favorite buds, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, give me everything I want, but they do it for $300. The AirPods Pro 2, my runner-up, cost $250. Sure, the best wireless earbuds often don’t cost as much as the best over-ear headphones, but rarely do I find them as affordable as they ought to be.
So when a company like Sony makes new, more budget-oriented products, I get excited. After all, the company makes some of the best cheap wireless earbuds, so when a new pair comes along my expectations are high. The Linkbuds series are one that I’ve quite liked for some time as a result. They bring some of the more premium features from more expensive earbuds down to a lower price, and the brand-new LinkBuds Fit are set to take that ideology one step further.
I’ve found a lot to like about them — but, unfortunately, also some things that I think should be improved. Here’s the down-low on Sony’s latest earbuds.
Sony LinkBuds Fit: The Good
The Price: I love the price of the LinkBuds Fit. They aren’t quite a ‘budget bud’ in the same way that the $39 JLab JBuds Mini are, but they're a lot less than the competition at just under $200. That makes them more affordable than the likes of the premium Sony WF-1000XM5 or the AirPods Pro 2, but you know you’re going to get something more upscale than the Sony WF-C700N.
The Fit: It almost goes without saying, but the fit of the Linkbuds Fit is great. Once dialed in with the correct sized ear tips (which are always going to be bigger than you might expect to create a good seal), the Likbuds Fit are a comfortable pair of earbuds. They stay in place well, too, thanks to their little silicon-fit wings on the outer edge of each bud. When I first saw them when shown by Sony, I wasn’t entirely convinced — but after a few hours of wearing them, I’m glad they’re there.
The Style: Traditionally, Sony’s stuff has been hit or miss in the design department. The XM series of headphones are simple and don’t stand out, for example. They don’t look bad, but they don’t look interesting, either. They’re plain. The Linkbuds Fit buck this trend, with a fun, bubble-like design. I have complaints about the charging case (which I’ll touch on later), but the Fit do look attractive with their rounded finish and fun, pearl-effect lid. The buds are small and rounded, and the silicon upper layer looks great in-ear. Sony wants these to look more like jewelry, and I think it’s done a good job.
The Features: Sony’s new app, called ‘Sound Connect’, is a solid headphone app. There are some useful customization options in there, like EQ settings and noise canceling modes. It also lets you initialize the 360 audio, and it's where you update the earbuds firmware. The buds themselves have some great features, like the touch controls that use sensors to register you tapping your head rather than the buds themselves. While limited in function, I find it easier to activate than traditional earbud touch controls.
Sony LinkBuds Fit: The Bad
The ANC: Noise-canceling is hard to get right, and while it’s not horrible on the Linkbuds Fit, neither is it particularly good. It’ll block out some of the really loud noise (think bus engines and low-level rumbles) but it struggles with voices and the click-clack of keyboards. Considering how good Sony’s other noise-canceling products are, it’s a shame that these don’t manage as good a job as some of the alternatives. I’m currently testing the Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro, for example, and they manage to block out more noise than the Linkbuds Fit — and they cost about $60 less.
The Sound Quality: Much like the noise canceling, the sound LinkBuds Fit's sound quality isn’t bad — but there are better options for a similar price. There’s some bass presence here, but there’s also some uncomfortable sibilance that puts emphasis on S-sounds and plosives. Cymbals high sounds can be problematic, and you’d better hope your favorite podcasters use a decent pop filter. The Sennheiser Accentum are around the same price and they sound a whole lot better with a more rounded soundstage.
The Case: While I like the look of the LinkBuds Fit case, I’m not a massive fan of the way that it actually works. It is fat. The case is noticeably taller than the competition, so fitting it into the pockets of skinny jeans is a pain in the rear (literally). The buds fit neatly inside, and it gives extra battery life, but I’d still like to a case that fits more easily into my chosen pair of pants. I don’t always carry a bag around, after all.
Sony LinkBuds Fit: Outlook
There’s a lot that I like about the LinkBuds Fit. I think they look really good, and I particularly like some of their features like the touch controls. They’re a wicked pair of buds — and, while they're cheaper than some higher-end models, for $200 the noise canceling and the sound should be a whole lot more proficient.
There’s a lot you can overlook thanks to the comfortable fit and helpful silicon-fitting wings, but you should be careful putting them on your shopping list.
I'm going to spend more time with them before I write up a final review (all earbuds deserve more than one afternoon of listening, after all) so stay tuned for a more comprehensive evaluation based on my testing.
Need a new pair of earbuds right this minute? Check out our guide to the best wireless to buy right now.
