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 and 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, with the decision sitting on which individual spec advantages weigh more for your use.
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 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 don't 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 tells you 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 ANC; LinkBuds Open does not.
Spec-level deep dives
More from the same brands
vsMars is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.