Latest news with #SonyLinkBudsFit
Forbes
28-04-2025
- Forbes
Sony LinkBuds Fit: 7 Things You Should Know
Sony LinkBuds Fit Prakhar Khanna The Sony LinkBuds series was first introduced with an open-ear design, appealing to runners and people who don't want to be cut off from their surroundings. While that open-ear option still exists in the LinkBuds lineup, the Sony LinkBuds Fit are geared towards those who want a comfortable pair of earbuds that won't fall out, even while jogging or exercising. The LinkBuds Fit are meant for listeners who want fine-tuned music in their ears without ear fatigue. Sony fitted them with the same Integrated Processor V2 as their flagship WF-1000XM5. But does that mean they deliver the same sound quality and ANC performance? Here are seven things you should know about the Sony LinkBuds Fit. These earbuds are small, light, and designed for a secure and comfortable fit, even during exercise. For context, the latest Apple AirPods 4 earbuds weigh 4.3 grams each, while Sony's no-stem design weighs 4.9 grams per earbud, which is light enough that you might forget you're wearing them. The Sony LinkBuds Fit use newly developed 'Air Fitting Supporters' and soft ear tips to sit snugly in your ears. These supporters are essentially hooks, but instead of going around your ears, they sit inside them. They aren't large or rigid enough to cause discomfort; you'll hardly notice them. The new LinkBuds also offer IPX4 sweat resistance, so you don't need to worry about gym sweat spoiling them. The LinkBuds Fit have an unusual case, which looks better than most but is bigger than many competitors'. It is shaped like a squircle with two different finishes on the top (glossy) and bottom (matte). It seems like two cases sandwiched together, which makes it seem bigger than its footprint suggests. While it is on the larger side, Sony's design, especially on the white color variant, looks classy. While the original LinkBuds offered a more balanced sound signature, the Sony LinkBuds Fit lean towards a bass-forward profile, making them good for hip-hop and rock music. In terms of clarity, they aren't as polished as the XM5s, but for their price, the performance is pretty good. You can always adjust the equalizer to your liking. However, vocals don't sound as immersive as you might expect from Sony. The Sony LinkBuds Fit are powered by the Integrated Processor V2, which is claimed to optimize "noise canceling in real time according to the user's environment for optimal audio performance." It's the same chip as the one found in the Sony XM5 headphones, though the flagship model also includes an HD Noise Canceling Processor QN2e for better ANC and sound performance. The LinkBuds Fit can block out loud noises such as vehicle engines and general ambient public noise – just don't expect XM5-level performance. As for Ambient mode, it works well and doesn't make people sound robotic during conversations. The LinkBuds Fit also deliver clear call quality with minimal background noise. Sony LinkBuds Fit case open Prakhar Khanna The Sony LinkBuds Fit have a Wide Tap Area, meaning you can control music playback without tapping directly on the earbuds. Instead, you tap around the temple area in front of your ears. It takes a bit of getting used to, but it works about eight times out of ten. If your earbuds don't detect your temple taps, you can adjust the sensitivity to High within the app. These earbuds also recognize head gestures, allowing you to answer or decline calls, or control music by nodding or shaking your head. The Sony LinkBuds Fit are rated to deliver 5.5 hours of battery life on a single charge, with up to 21 hours total battery backup with the case. Plus, a 5-minute quick charge can provide up to 60 minutes of playback time, which is handy for when you're in a rush. The LinkBuds Fit offer a wide range of features you'd expect from Sony. These include Speak-to-Chat (music pauses when you speak), Multipoint connectivity (connect two devices simultaneously), wear detection (auto-pause when you remove the earbuds), and more. Plus, the Sony Headphones Connect app lets you personalize your sound and adjust tap controls to suit your preferences. The Sony LinkBuds Fit are priced at INR 18,990 in India. They launched for $200 in the U.S. but are currently selling for around $170 on Amazon. They're available across major online and offline retailers.
The Hindu
21-04-2025
- The Hindu
Sony LinkBuds Fit Review: Successfully combines intelligent features, comfort and rich sound
Time and again, Sony proves why its expertise in sound technology is unmatched. Recently, the company launched the Sony LinkBuds Fit, which promises to take user experience to the next level. I have spent a good amount of time with the latest earbuds, and the experience has been really impressive. Priced at ₹18,990, the latest Sony LinkBuds Fit has the power and feature to be a top choice in its price segment. So, let's find out in detail what the latest Sony LinkBuds Fit has to offer. Design and Comfort The Sony LinkBuds Fit is all about wearing comfort without compromising on fit or stability. The earbuds weigh only 4.9 grams and are designed using years of Sony's ear-shape data collection. They fit my ear comfortably and remained intact while I was hustling at the metro station. The newly introduced Air Fitting Supporters add another layer of comfort—these are soft and hollow to reduce ear pressure, yet firmly hooked to prevent accidental slips. Despite being so compact, the earbuds are tough enough to handle real-world use. Thanks to an IPX4 water resistance rating, the LinkBuds Fit can easily handle splashes and sweat, making them ideal for workouts and daily commutes. They also come in stylish colours, including marble green and white editions (review variant), with matching case designs that are unique—no two cases are alike. The case itself is easy to open and close in any orientation, exuding a classy, thoughtful touch. Compatibility and Connectivity The LinkBuds Fit supports effortless pairing across a wide range of devices. Fast Pair on Android lets you connect with a single tap, while Swift Pair makes connecting to Windows 10 or 11 devices seamless. Once connected, the earbuds offer Multipoint Connection, allowing them to pair with two Bluetooth devices simultaneously—automatically switching to the one receiving a call or playing audio. (For top technology news of the day, subscribe to our tech newsletter Today's Cache) In addition, the earbuds are already equipped to support LE Audio (Beta), a next-gen Bluetooth audio standard that significantly reduces latency, ideal for gamers. The Integrated Processor V2 also ensures a stable, low-latency connection with high-quality audio transmission to both ears simultaneously. Advanced Audio Features Sony brings a powerhouse of audio tech to the LinkBuds Fit. They're equipped with the same Integrated Processor V2 found in Sony's premium models, which actively optimises noise cancelling performance in real time. Dual Noise Sensor Technology works with multiple microphones to filter out ambient noise, while the Auto NC Optimiser adjusts noise cancellation based on your surroundings. If you prefer staying aware of your environment, Ambient Sound Mode and Auto Ambient Sound let in essential sounds like conversations and public announcements. Even better, the Adaptive Sound Control learns your routines and switches settings based on location and activity, giving you a personalised experience without manual effort. Voice and Call Quality When it comes to call clarity, the LinkBuds Fit does a very good job. Powered by Precise Voice Pickup Technology, the earbuds use internal and external microphones along with AI-based audio processing to deliver clear conversations—even in noisy environments. The AI noise reduction algorithm has been trained on over 500 million voice samples, ensuring your voice is isolated and background noise is effectively suppressed. Whether you're taking a call in a crowded market or in an auto rickshaw, the person on the other end will hear you loud and clear. Smart Sensors and Controls Sony has made interacting with the LinkBuds Fit feel natural and intuitive. With Wide Area Tap, you can control playback by tapping near your ears—no need to touch the earbuds themselves. Head gesture control allows you to nod to accept a call or shake your head to reject it. There's even Speak-to-Chat, which automatically pauses music when you start talking and resumes it when you're done. Voice assistants like Google Assistant and Alexa are built-in, allowing hands-free control. Say the command and get access to your music, reminders, and more. The Auto Play feature goes a step further by automatically playing music or sending reminders based on your routines, while Voice Cue ensures you never miss out on essential notifications. And if you misplace your earbuds, Fast Pair helps you locate them by showing you the last known location on your Android device. Sound Quality The sound performance of the earbuds is on point. I asked some of my friends to listen to some music through the buds, and they all had the same reaction - clarity and beats on point. The LinkBuds Fit delivers rich and immersive sound, powered by the specially designed Dynamic Driver X. This driver ensures a wide frequency range and low distortion, reproducing detailed vocals and clear highs. DSEE Extreme, backed by Edge-AI, restores high-range elements lost in compressed audio, so even older tracks sound fresher and fuller. Support for LDAC means you get to enjoy High-Resolution Audio wirelessly. LDAC transmits nearly three times more data than standard Bluetooth codecs, ensuring that your music sounds as close to the original recording as possible. For movie buffs and gamers, the experience gets even better. With head tracking and 360 Spatial Sound, the earbuds adapt to your movements, creating a truly immersive audio environment. Pair them with a Bravia TV and enable Dolby Atmos to turn your living room into a mini-theatre. The 360 Spatial Sound Personaliser app even tailors the experience by analysing your unique ear shape. Battery On the battery front, the LinkBuds Fit offers up to 5.5 hours of playback, with the case providing an additional 16.5 hours — a total of over 21 hours on a full charge. A quick 5-minute top-up gives an impressive 1 hour of listening, perfect for those in a rush. Verdict The Sony LinkBuds Fit successfully combines intelligent sound features, incredible comfort, and smart functionality in a compact, stylish design. With advanced noise cancelling, rich sound quality, seamless smart integration, and a secure fit, these earbuds are a compelling choice in the segment. If you're looking for earbuds that not only sound great but also adapt to your daily life with unmatched ease, the LinkBuds Fit are more than ready to deliver.
New York Times
03-04-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Why You Should Read Past the Picks of a Wirecutter Guide
If we notice that a pick frequently goes out of stock, we do our best to replace it with one that's easier to find. But for some types of products, especially seasonal items such as air conditioners or artificial Christmas trees, selling out temporarily is often just an annual fact. If you need something immediately, the 'Worth considering' and 'Competition' sections point you toward some alternatives. It's also worth reading the 'How we picked' section, which can give you a sense of what features to look for if you need to find another model. Determining the lines between top, budget, and upgrade picks is a bit of an art. For the top pick, we look for a combination of price and features that provides the most value for the most people, but sometimes you just need the least expensive version possible–or maybe you're a connoisseur who requires the absolute best, no matter the cost. You might find some recommendations that fit what you're looking for in the 'Worth considering' section. For example, several of our favorite Bluetooth headphones—such as the JBL Tour One M2 and the Sony LinkBuds Fit pair—function as less expensive noise-canceling headphones worth considering for anyone who doesn't need the absolute best noise cancellation. And while the $230 upgrade pick in our sheets guide is certainly luxurious, if you're looking for something even more so, you might miss the $2,000-plus Sferra Giza 45 Sateen sheet set, which our tester absolutely loved, in the 'Other good' section. Not every price preference may be represented within the picks themselves, so take the time to read further in the guide to determine what could be worth it for you. Senior editor Marilyn Ong says that Wirecutter's kitchen team changes their approach to price limits on picks for every guide. Take, for instance, home espresso machines, which can cost from $150 to $8,000. To narrow down that field, the team decided to focus on what someone buying their first or second espresso machine might feel comfortable paying. That number is generally far less than what a connoisseur would be willing to pay. The $500 budget pick is the least expensive option that won't cost more in money, time, or sanity in the long run, while the $2,000 upgrade pick delivers features and value usually found in much more expensive machines. That left the $1,700 Lelit Mara X–which performs only marginally better than our top pick despite the extra cost—relegated to the 'Worth considering' section for those 'willing to pay for a luxe feel.' 'It's an expensive, lovely machine that makes great espresso, but compared to our picks, the bump in price was for luxury rather than function,' associate staff writer Ciara Murray Jordan says. 'The aesthetics and experience of using it may be well worth the price to someone, but not as broadly as our picks.' Wirecutter aspires to reflect as many readers as possible in its guides, and though the top picks aim to represent a broader view of what someone might need, the products that meet more specific needs and situations often live within our 'Worth considering' and 'Competition' sections. With the help of Claire Perlman, our accessibility and aging in place editor, writers research what people of various ages, or with differing body types, disabilities, or other specific needs, might look for in a product. At the testing stage, paid testers can fill in even more gaps. 'A lot of writers have told me after testing with paid testers that it's contradicted their assumptions about what would be the best pick for someone with a given need or disability,' Claire says. 'It helps writers reframe what they're looking for and not overlook something that's actually really useful to someone with a disability.' For example, if you're left-handed, you might find that the most comfortable wireless mouse for you is the Logitech Signature M650L Left, which we mention in the 'Worth considering' section of our guide. Or if you're concerned about hand strength or wrist strain, you should scroll to the 'Competition' section of our guide to handheld vacuums, which explains that while mini handheld vacuums don't perform as well as our picks, they might make a great option for anyone who needs a lighter-weight vacuum. When we're forced to choose between form and function, we (for the most part) choose function. But there are some things that people want to look nice no matter what, especially if it's something functional that also serves as decor. You can find many of our more nice-looking choices in the 'Worth considering' and 'Competition' sections, where we have more room to favor aesthetics. For example, home improvement staff writer Thom Dunn describes the Vornado Vheat, which can be found in the 'Other good' section in our guide to space heaters, as 'a nice piece of home decor … if you're willing to trade a little sizzle for style.' Sometimes style does come first. In categories such as gifts, style, and beauty, a subjective approach can make more sense when selecting picks. Consider our guide to concealer, which combines four best-for picks with an extensive 'Competition' section where you'll find options such as the best concealer for 'no-makeup makeup girlies,' RMS Beauty UnCoverup Concealer. 'The reason we offer so many picks is exactly because we know people have different tastes and want something they can browse,' says senior editor Jennifer Hunter, who led the creation of Wirecutter's beauty and style teams. 'It's not necessarily about the one best thing for everybody anymore. We lay out the criteria, which is usually style, quality, and value, and then help people understand what the difference is between them.' What works in rural life can differ from what works in a studio apartment. As a result, many of our guides include picks that work for both large and small spaces. Our guide to microwaves, for example, has a pick for small spaces. And if you scroll down to the 'Worth considering' section, you'll find an even smaller microwave: the 0.5 cubic foot Whirlpool WMC20005YW, which could fit on the tiniest of counters. Speakers are another great example. Our guides to speakers balance features such as maximum volume and sound quality, but volume might be more or less important to you depending on the amount of space you have. If you have a yard large enough to host outdoor parties, you might be interested to read that the Ultimate Ears Hyperboom, a portable Bluetooth speaker in the 'Worth considering' section, is especially loud. Or if you have a small apartment, the Edifier MP230, a home Bluetooth speaker worth considering, might be plenty loud enough. Maybe you read Wirecutter because you want to quickly understand the best thing to buy and then get on with your life. Or maybe you're just getting started in a hobby and aren't yet sure about your preferences. Chances are, we've written a guide just for you, and you'll find what you need among our top picks. Enthusiasts with years of experience, on the other hand, might want to keep reading. Our writers love to test items beloved by more experienced hobbyists and professionals, but our testing often shows that they're too complex or overpowered for beginners. The 'Competition' section in our guide to MacBooks is studded with more expensive machines that are necessary only if you're doing photo, video, or design work. Or take our guide to sewing machines, which is written for beginners. Someone might choose one of the picks from the guide as their first machine and then a few years later graduate to a more advanced option from the 'Worth considering' or 'Competition' section; the Brother SE700, for example, might be best for someone who wants to focus on embroidery. If a generous relative has given you an infant car seat, you may want to choose a stroller with compatibility in mind. The same goes for making photo books: Amazon, Apple, and Google's services leave a lot to be desired, and that's why you'll find them in the 'Competition' section. But if you already store your photos with one of those companies, it might offer the simplest choice. That's especially true for many of Wirecutter's guides to tools, where a handful of dominant brands compete closely for the top-pick slots. 'When we're comparing the flagship drill models between DeWalt and Milwaukee, for example, you'd get a great value and some added versatility if you can pair their compatible batteries with other tools you already own,' says senior editor Harry Sawyers, who oversees Wirecutter's home improvement coverage. 'That would be more important to most people than fixating on the marginal performance differences between the two brands.' So take a look at the competitors we tested, especially if our dismissals are for minor quibbles we observed. In many cases, we may have tested a model that would be a better match for your circumstances than our picks. As rewarding as it is to see a pick last for years, many guides are a veritable game of thrones behind the scenes, with picks coming and going every year—or even every few months. We often tuck our previous picks in the 'Worth considering' or 'Competition' section, where we might explain, for example, that we encountered poor customer service or durability during long-term testing. But sometimes a new pick has only a slight edge over the previous pick, which means the latter remains a good buy. Take iPads and Android phones. New versions come out every year, sometimes with only marginal feature enhancements. If you're okay with fewer years of software support, our 'Competition' sections have advice on how to find the best deals on older technology. We spend thousands of words celebrating our top picks. Our writers could fill a book with everything they've learned by the time testing is complete. Writing a one- or two-sentence dismissal in the 'Competition' section is more like poetry. It's a place to list all the dealbreakers in as few words as possible. If there were ever a time to pop popcorn during my workday (I am not the Wirecutter popcorn tester, after all), it would be before I edit the 'Competition' section of a draft from senior staff writer Kimber Streams. I'll leave you with this entry in their guide to Bluetooth and wireless keyboards: 'The Logitech Keys-To-Go can pair with only one device at a time and is coated in a Cronenbergian texture that Logitech calls FabricSkin. Typing on it felt like poking a person's clothed thigh or pressing into a Band-Aid on someone's arm.' This article was edited by Amber Angelle and Jason Chen. Janet Towle wrote an earlier version of this article. What I Cover Signe Brewster is an editor on Wirecutter's PC team. She also writes about virtual reality. She previously reported on emerging technology and science for publications like Wirecutter, MIT Technology Review, Wired, Science, and Symmetry Magazine. She spends her free time quilting and pursuing an MFA in creative writing.
