Between the LinkBuds Open and Pixel Buds Pro 2, the LinkBuds Open comes out ahead in several specs, while the Pixel Buds Pro 2 wins on battery — with case / active noise cancellation. Overall, the LinkBuds Open scores 69.5 and the Pixel Buds Pro 2 scores 69.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are evenly matched on the broad strokes; the decision sits on which individual spec advantages weigh more for your use.
The LinkBuds Open does not pull ahead on any single popular-comparison spec — its strengths sit in the spec-table groups rather than the headline advantages.
Pick the Pixel Buds Pro 2 if audio quality and feature breadth (ANC, codecs, multipoint) are the lead criteria for your purchase. Its strongest claims are battery — with case, active noise cancellation, water resistance, among others.
Both ship with comparable battery — buds, driver size, spatial audio, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Why Sony - LinkBuds Open wins
- No decisive advantages.
Why Google - Pixel Buds Pro 2 wins
- ▲Battery — with case — 36.36% more. 30 h vs 22 h.
- ▲Has Active noise cancellation.
- ▲Water resistance: IP54 (vs IPX4).
- ▲Weight per bud — 0.40 g less. 4.7 vs 5.1.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Sony - LinkBuds Open | Google - Pixel Buds Pro 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | openlead | in-ear |
| Weight per bud | 5.1 g | 4.7 glead |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IPX4 | IP54lead |
Audio
| Spec | Sony - LinkBuds Open | Google - Pixel Buds Pro 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Driver sizeⓘ | 11 mm | 11 mm |
| Active noise cancellationⓘ | false | truelead |
| Transparency mode | false | truelead |
| Spatial audioⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Sony - LinkBuds Open | Google - Pixel Buds Pro 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery — buds | 8 h | 8 h |
| Battery — with case | 22 h | 30 hlead |
| Wireless case chargingⓘ | false | truelead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Sony - LinkBuds Open | Google - Pixel Buds Pro 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetoothⓘ | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Codecs | AAC,SBC | AAC,SBC |
| Multipointⓘ | true | true |
| In-ear detection | false | truelead |
Frequently asked
Which has longer battery, LinkBuds Open or Pixel Buds Pro 2?+
Pixel Buds Pro 2 lasts 8h per charge vs 8h.
Do LinkBuds Open or Pixel Buds Pro 2 support multipoint?+
Both support multipoint pairing.
Which has ANC, LinkBuds Open or Pixel Buds Pro 2?+
Pixel Buds Pro 2 has active noise cancellation; LinkBuds Open does not.
Spec-level deep dives
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