If you're after something a little bit different in your wireless earbuds, then Sony has a proposition for you.
The Sony Linkbuds Open sport a, well, open design, with a 'doughnut' ring driver that slides into the bottom part of your ear and fires audio directly into them.
It's ideal for anyone who dislikes ear-tips or values awareness – and the white pair are now back to their lowest price of £112 at Smart Home Sounds.
Given that we tested the buds at £179, that's a pretty sweet saving of £67.
The most notable feature of the Sony Linkbuds Open, if you hadn't noticed, is the eye-catching design.
A 12mm ring driver slides into the bottom part of your ear, held in place by in-ear wing hooks.
We found them to be super comfortable to wear. The driver doesn't burrow into your ear, while the wing hooks offer stability without feeling like they're digging in. Ideal for joggers or commuters who might want to be a bit more aware of their surroundings.
It does come with some compromises, as the design means there's no noise cancelling to speak of.
However, the Linkbuds Open make up for this with an impressive array of other features, including Bluetooth Multipoint, head gesture controls and even Sony 360 Reality Audio. There are still touch controls on the buds themselves, and your music will auto-play/pause every time you take the Linkbuds out or put them back in again.
Auracast, which allows for wireless streaming from a source device to a near limitless number of audio receivers, makes an appearance too, as well as a 22-hour battery life.
Despite the challenge of an open design, the Linkbuds Open excel at spaciousness, general clarity and the midrange in particular.
"Midrange sounds are inescapably where the LinkBuds sound the most comfortable. Tinkling piano tones and gentle guitar strums are the buds’ happy place, so if you’re into indie ballads and soft rock crooning, they could be right up your street," our Sony Linkbuds Open review reads.
Outside of the midrange, however, the Linkbuds Open have a tougher time of it. If you'd prefer more power and dynamic reach, you might want to consider the AirPods 4 with ANC.
Still, if you manage your expectations on sound quality, this is a solid open effort from Sony – especially with nearly 40 per cent off at Smart Home Sounds.
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Alternatively, read our Sony LinkBuds Fit review
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