Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) vs Sony - LinkBuds Open
Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) | Sony - LinkBuds Open |
|---|---|---|
| Battery — buds | 6 h | 8 h |
| Battery — with case | 18 h | 22 h |
| Driver size | 9.3 mm | 11 mm |
| Weight per bud | 6.2 g | 5.1 g |
| Active noise cancellation | true | false |
| Spatial audio | false | true |
Between the QuietComfort Earbuds (II) and LinkBuds Open, the QuietComfort Earbuds (II) comes out ahead in active noise cancellation, while the LinkBuds Open wins on battery — buds / battery — with case. Overall, the QuietComfort Earbuds (II) scores 70.9 and the LinkBuds Open scores 63.6 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The QuietComfort Earbuds (II) edges ahead on the Mars Score (70.9 vs 63.6), but the 7.3-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the QuietComfort Earbuds (II) 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. 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 — 33.33% more. 8 h vs 6 h.
Both ship with comparable water resistance, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the QuietComfort Earbuds (II) 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: Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) or Sony - LinkBuds Open?
Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) leads the current Mars Score by 7.3 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 Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) if…
Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) has the measurable edge on has anc.
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 Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) wins
- ▲Has Active noise cancellation.
Why Sony - LinkBuds Open wins
- ▲Battery — buds — 33.33% more. 8 h vs 6 h.
- ▲Battery — with case — 22.22% more. 22 h vs 18 h.
- ▲Driver size — 18.28% more. 11 mm vs 9.3 mm.
- ▲Weight per bud — 1.10 g less. 5.1 vs 6.2.
- ▲Has Spatial audio.
- ▲Has Multipoint.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) | Sony - LinkBuds Open |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | in-ear | openlead |
| Weight per bud | 6.2 g | 5.1 glead |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IPX4 | IPX4 |
Audio
| Spec | Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) | Sony - LinkBuds Open |
|---|---|---|
| Driver sizeⓘ | 9.3 mm | 11 mmlead |
| Active noise cancellationⓘ | truelead | false |
| Transparency mode | truelead | false |
| Spatial audioⓘ | false | truelead |
Battery
| Spec | Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) | Sony - LinkBuds Open |
|---|---|---|
| Battery — buds | 6 h | 8 hlead |
| Battery — with case | 18 h | 22 hlead |
| Wireless case chargingⓘ | truelead | false |
Connectivity
| Spec | Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) | 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, QuietComfort Earbuds (II) or LinkBuds Open?+
LinkBuds Open lasts 8h per charge vs 6h.
Do QuietComfort Earbuds (II) or LinkBuds Open support multipoint?+
LinkBuds Open supports multipoint pairing; QuietComfort Earbuds (II) does not.
Which has ANC, QuietComfort Earbuds (II) or LinkBuds Open?+
QuietComfort Earbuds (II) has active noise cancellation; LinkBuds Open does not.