Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC | Sony - LinkBuds Open |
|---|---|---|
| Battery — buds | 5 h | 8 h |
| Battery — with case | 20 h | 22 h |
| Driver size | 10 mm | 11 mm |
| Active noise cancellation | true | false |
| Multipoint | false | true |
| Weight per bud | 4.3 g | 5.1 g |
Between the AirPods 4 with ANC and LinkBuds Open, the AirPods 4 with ANC comes out ahead in active noise cancellation / weight per bud, while the LinkBuds Open wins on battery — buds / battery — with case. Overall, the AirPods 4 with ANC scores 71.1 and the LinkBuds Open scores 63.6 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The AirPods 4 with ANC edges ahead on the Mars Score (71.1 vs 63.6), but the 7.5-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the AirPods 4 with ANC if audio quality and feature breadth (ANC, codecs, multipoint) are the lead criteria for your purchase. The biggest gaps in its favor are active noise cancellation, weight per bud, water resistance. The single most decisive one: Has Active noise cancellation.
Pick the LinkBuds Open if your top frustration with your current device is running out of charge before the day ends — endurance is the lead spec here. Its strongest claims are battery — buds, battery — with case, driver size, among others. The single most decisive one: Battery — buds — 60.00% more. 8 h vs 5 h.
Both ship with comparable spatial audio, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the AirPods 4 with ANC is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Which should you buy: Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC or Sony - LinkBuds Open?
Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC leads the current Mars Score by 7.5 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare driver size, battery — buds, weight per bud against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC if…
Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC has the measurable edge on has anc, weight per bud g, ip rating.
Choose Sony - LinkBuds Open if…
Sony - LinkBuds Open has the measurable edge on battery life buds h, battery life case h, driver size mm.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC wins
- ▲Has Active noise cancellation.
- ▲Weight per bud — 0.80 g less. 4.3 vs 5.1.
- ▲Water resistance: IP54 (vs IPX4).
Why Sony - LinkBuds Open wins
- ▲Battery — buds — 60.00% more. 8 h vs 5 h.
- ▲Battery — with case — 10.00% more. 22 h vs 20 h.
- ▲Driver size — 10.00% more. 11 mm vs 10 mm.
- ▲Has Multipoint.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC | Sony - LinkBuds Open |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | open | open |
| Weight per bud | 4.3 glead | 5.1 g |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP54lead | IPX4 |
Audio
| Spec | Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC | Sony - LinkBuds Open |
|---|---|---|
| Driver sizeⓘ | 10 mm | 11 mmlead |
| Active noise cancellationⓘ | truelead | false |
| Transparency mode | truelead | false |
| Spatial audioⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC | Sony - LinkBuds Open |
|---|---|---|
| Battery — buds | 5 h | 8 hlead |
| Battery — with case | 20 h | 22 hlead |
| Wireless case chargingⓘ | truelead | false |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC | Sony - LinkBuds Open |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetoothⓘ | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Codecsⓘ | AAC,SBC | AAC,SBC |
| Multipointⓘ | false | truelead |
| In-ear detection | truelead | false |
Frequently asked
Which has longer battery, AirPods 4 with ANC or LinkBuds Open?+
LinkBuds Open lasts 8h per charge vs 5h.
Do AirPods 4 with ANC or LinkBuds Open support multipoint?+
LinkBuds Open supports multipoint pairing; AirPods 4 with ANC does not.
Which has ANC, AirPods 4 with ANC or LinkBuds Open?+
AirPods 4 with ANC has active noise cancellation; LinkBuds Open does not.