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Sony’s LinkBuds have always been contrarian. Back in 2022, years before open-ear Bluetooth earbuds were a trend, the original LinkBuds arrived with a donut-shaped ring radiator that hovered at the edge of the ear canal, letting a bit of the world leak in like daylight through blinds. The new LinkBuds Clip keeps that always-aware idea, that link to the world, but trades the sci-fi circle for something a little more convenient as you run errands: an ear cuff-style wireless clip-on so you can stay social, stay aware, and stay in the groove. The C-shaped body and upper band are accommodating to a wide range of ear shapes and sizes, and they spread pressure to avoid soreness. Plus, there are removable Fitting Cushions you can reposition to further stabilize them for different anatomy and different days.
No, this style isn’t new, just new to Sony. But with its intentionally wearable colorways (black, greige, green, lavender), the LinkBuds Clip reads like an accessory, not a gadget. And on top of that, there are equally colorful case covers so you can create monoblocking masterpieces. They can go with an outfit, not just be part of your gym uniform. But just because the LinkBuds Clip doesn’t look as industrial as other open earbuds doesn’t mean there’s not tech and tuning instincts from the 1000X series packed in.
Inside, there’s a 10mm driver that sits outside your ear canal and fires sound in. Sony builds in three listening modes you can tap-switch thru—Standard playback, Voice Boost for podcasts and voice-led videos, and Sound Leakage Reduction if you’re sharing a particularly quiet environment. Backing those sound profiles are some flagship personalization features in the Sound Connect app, including DSEE upscaling for restoring streaming music’s detail, 360 Reality Audio for spatialization, Adaptive Volume, and a 10-band EQ with presets. When it comes to the call stack and intelligibility, a bone-conduction sensor helps capture your voice, while AI noise reduction scrubs the background. There’s also Multipoint Connection (using the SBC/AAC Bluetooth codecs) and an IPX4 rating for sweat and light splashes. Battery life is rated up to 37 hours with the case, and a 3-minute quick charge can buy about an hour of listening.
We’ve been testing a pair around the house (see below), and the consensus is they’re cute, comfy, and fashion-forward ear jewelry enough to want to wear them out and about. But talking fit, not just your fit, they feel good even if you’re lying on your side on the couch listening to podcasts, which not all in-canal earbuds do. And the sound is pretty full (not to be confused with loud), considering you’re not ensconsed in a noise-cancelling bubble. We’ll share more impressions as we spend time with them.
The Sony LinkBuds Clip are available now for $229.99 USD / $299.99 CAD; optional case covers and Fitting Cushions are sold separately for $24.99.
