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Open-ear earbuds have become increasingly popular for people who want music and podcasts without disconnecting from the world around them. Sony takes a slightly different approach with the LinkBuds Clip, using a clip-style design that sits around the outer ear instead of sealing the ear canal. At Rs 24,990 in India at the time of writing, they are no longer quite as expensive as their launch price of Rs 18,990, but they still sit in premium territory. In the US, it is priced at $230.
The LinkBuds Clip come across as a well-executed pair of open earbuds with excellent awareness, strong calling performance, good battery life, and a comfortable design. However, their open construction also brings some unavoidable compromises, particularly with bass, noise isolation, and performance in loud environments. The bigger question is whether those compromises are acceptable at this price.
7Verdict
The Sony LinkBuds Clip are an interesting example of how good open-ear earbuds can be when the design is executed properly. They are comfortable for many users, sound good for their category, offer excellent environmental awareness, have strong microphones, and deliver dependable battery life. Their stylish design and useful software features add further appeal.
But they are not a replacement for conventional premium earbuds. The weak sub-bass, lack of isolation, limited performance in noisy places, finicky touch controls, and absence of wireless charging or LDAC are meaningful compromises. At the same time, many of these limitations are inherent to the open-ear design rather than shortcomings unique to the LinkBuds Clip, as traditional in-ear earbuds are specifically designed to seal the ear canal and deliver stronger isolation and bass.
The LinkBuds Clip still make the most sense for a specific type of user: someone who prioritizes comfort, awareness, and voice calls over deep bass and noise cancellation. If that describes you, the Clip are a compelling option. If you want one pair of earbuds that can handle everything from a quiet office to a noisy flight, Sony’s open-ear approach is likely to leave you wanting more.
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