Sony LinkBuds Open WFL910/B
The 11mm ring-shaped driver delivers balanced sound while the open design keeps you aware of your surroundings, with 8 hours of earbud battery and 22 hours with the case. The soft, ergonomic shape and adaptive volume control make it comfortable for all-day wear, and a 3-minute charge gives 1 hour of playback. Best for commuters and office workers who need to stay alert to their environment while listening to music or taking calls.
Snapshot
The 30-Second Version
Great open design, mediocre everything else. Buy them for the awareness, not the audio.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Open ring design keeps you aware of your surroundings 85th
- Sound quality is genuinely impressive for open earbuds 76th
- 8-hour battery life with fast charging 72nd
- Comfortable and secure fit for all-day wear 72nd
Cons
- Useless in loud environments like planes or trains
- Mic quality is mediocre at best
- Build quality feels cheap for the price
- 2.5-star customer rating is a red flag
What owners think
The Word on the Street
How owner sentiment changed over time
ExclusiveBased on when customers actually wrote their reviews - so you can see whether early praise held up.
Based on 8 dated customer reviews, grouped by calendar quarter. Period analysis is in English.
The proof
Performance
Sound quality is a standout, landing in the top 15% of our database. The 11mm ring-shaped driver delivers balanced audio that's impressive for an open design. Battery life is solid at 8 hours per bud and 22 hours with the case, and the quick charge gives you an hour from 3 minutes. But the mic is mediocre, sitting right at the 40th percentile, and the build quality is underwhelming at 34th percentile. For a $228 pair of earbuds, that's a bit rough.
Specifications
Full Specifications
Design
| Form Factor | in-ear |
| Wearing Style | Dual Ear True Wireless Earbud |
| Weight | 0.0 kg / 0.1 lbs |
Audio
| Driver Type | dynamic |
| Driver Size | 11 |
| Drivers | 1 |
| Freq Min | 20 |
| Freq Max | 20000 |
| Codecs | AAC, LC3, SBC |
Noise Control
| ANC | No |
Connectivity
| Wireless | Yes |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 |
| Profiles | A2DP, AVRCP, HFP |
| Multipoint | No |
| Range | 10 |
Earbud Battery
| Battery Life | 8 |
| Charge Time | 2.5 |
| Fast Charging | 3 Minutes for 1 Hour |
| Charging | USB-C |
Case Battery
| Case Battery | 22 |
| Case Charging | USB-C |
| Wireless Charging | No |
Microphone
| Microphone | Yes |
| NC Mic | No |
Features
| Touch Controls | No |
| App | iOS, Android |
| Volume Limiting | No |
| Bone Conduction | No |
vs Competition
The Technics EAH-AZ100 and Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation both offer better overall packages at similar prices, with proper noise cancellation and better mics. The Nothing Ear (3) is a strong budget alternative if you want good sound without the open design. The Soundcore P31i and EarFun Air Pro 4+ are much cheaper and offer better value for most people. The LinkBuds Open only win if you specifically need the open ring design.
| Spec | Sony LinkBuds Open WFL910/B | Technics EAH-AZ100 | Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation | Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro | Soundcore P31i | Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form Factor | in-ear | in-ear | in-ear | in-ear | in-ear | in-ear |
| Driver Type | dynamic | dynamic | dynamic | dynamic | dynamic | dynamic |
| Wireless | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Active Noise Cancellation | false | true | true | true | true | true |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.4 | 6.0 | 5.4 |
| Battery Life Hours | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 8 |
| Case Battery Hours | 22 | 28 | 24 | 26 | 50 | 30 |
| Water Resistance | - | IPX4 | IP57 | IP57 | IP55 | IPX4 |
| Multipoint | false | true | true | true | - | false |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Anc | Mic | Build | Sound | Battery | Comfort | Connectivity | Social Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony LinkBuds Open WFL910/B | 30.8 | 38.6 | 34 | 85.4 | 72.1 | 72.4 | 76.4 | 19.9 |
| Technics EAH-AZ100 Compare | 97.3 | 97.5 | 79.4 | 99 | 78.4 | 72.4 | 99.9 | 81.4 |
| Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation Compare | 97.3 | 82 | 98.8 | 90.7 | 75 | 94.8 | 99.6 | 99.3 |
| Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro Compare | 97.3 | 97.5 | 98.8 | 92.8 | 72.6 | 94.8 | 99.6 | 90.2 |
| Soundcore P31i Compare | 89.7 | 97.5 | 91.2 | 96.9 | 92.5 | 72.4 | 86.5 | 90.2 |
| Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 Compare | 97.3 | 87 | 79.4 | 86.6 | 79.5 | 72.4 | 86.5 | 81.4 |
Price
Value & Pricing
At $228, these are a tough sell. You're paying a premium for the open design, but you're getting mediocre build quality and a mic that's just okay. If you specifically need open earbuds for office or awareness use, they might be worth it. For everyone else, there are better options at this price.
Amazon 1 offer From CA$298
Price History
Read more
Overview
The Sony LinkBuds Open are a niche product that nails the niche. If you want to hear your surroundings while listening to audio, the open ring design is genuinely clever. But that open design also means they're useless on a plane, and the 2.5-star customer rating tells you a lot of people bought these expecting normal earbuds and got a very different thing.
Common Questions
Q: Can I use these on a plane?
No. The open design means you'll hear every engine roar and crying baby. Get noise-cancelling earbuds for travel.
Q: Are these good for working out?
They're not great. The open design means sweat and movement can be an issue, and the fitness score in our database is the weakest area at 39.2 out of 100.
Q: How do they compare to regular earbuds?
They sound good for open earbuds, but they can't match the bass or isolation of sealed earbuds. You're trading audio quality for awareness.
Who Should Skip This
If you want noise cancellation, deep bass, or earbuds for travel, these aren't it. Get the Technics EAH-AZ100 or Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation instead. If you're on a budget, the Soundcore P31i or EarFun Air Pro 4+ will serve you better.
Verdict
Buy these only if you absolutely need open earbuds that let you hear your environment. For office workers who need to stay aware of colleagues, they're a solid choice. For everyone else, skip them and get something with proper noise isolation.
