Between the LinkBuds Open and Buds Pro 3, the LinkBuds Open comes out ahead in several specs, while the Buds Pro 3 wins on battery — with case and battery — buds. Overall, the LinkBuds Open scores 69.5 and the Buds Pro 3 scores 74.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Buds Pro 3 edges ahead on the Mars Score (69.5 vs 74.5), but the 5.0-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
The LinkBuds Open doesn't pull ahead on any single popular-comparison spec — its strengths sit in the spec table groups rather than the headline advantages.
Pick the Buds Pro 3 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 — with case, battery — buds, active noise cancellation, among others.
Both ship with comparable driver size, spatial audio, multipoint, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Buds Pro 3 is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Sony - LinkBuds Open wins
- No decisive advantages.
Why OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 wins
- ▲Battery — with case — 95.45% more. 43 h vs 22 h.
- ▲Battery — buds — 25.00% more. 10 h vs 8 h.
- ▲Has Active noise cancellation.
- ▲Water resistance: IP55 (vs IPX4).
- ▲Weight per bud — 0.30 g less. 4.8 vs 5.1.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Sony - LinkBuds Open | OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | openlead | in-ear |
| Weight per bud | 5.1 g | 4.8 glead |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IPX4 | IP55lead |
Audio
| Spec | Sony - LinkBuds Open | OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Driver sizeⓘ | 11 mm | 11 mm |
| Active noise cancellationⓘ | false | truelead |
| Transparency mode | false | truelead |
| Spatial audioⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Sony - LinkBuds Open | OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery — buds | 8 h | 10 hlead |
| Battery — with case | 22 h | 43 hlead |
| Wireless case chargingⓘ | false | truelead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Sony - LinkBuds Open | OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetoothⓘ | 5.3 | 5.4lead |
| Codecs | AAC,SBC | LHDC,LDAC,AAC,SBC |
| Multipointⓘ | true | true |
| In-ear detection | false | truelead |
Frequently asked
Which has longer battery, LinkBuds Open or Buds Pro 3?+
Buds Pro 3 lasts 10h per charge vs 8h.
Do LinkBuds Open or Buds Pro 3 support multipoint?+
Both support multipoint pairing.
Which has ANC, LinkBuds Open or Buds Pro 3?+
Buds Pro 3 has ANC; LinkBuds Open does not.
Spec-level deep dives
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